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River Crossings in Plain Text
March
2008 Issue
Below you will find all the
stories from River Crossings in plain text format, so you can easily copy
and paste them into your publications. If you require any graphics for these
stories, please email or call 507-280-9457 with your request.
Page 1 -
Cover
Synod Assembly
Pages 4-5
How Far Can Your Money Go to Combat Hunger?
Page 6
Help for Starting 'Creation Care' Teams
Page 7
Inside...
Hearing on the Proposed ELCA Statement on Sexuality
- page 2
ELCA News: Draft of proposed ELCA social
statement on sexuality, next phase of response along U.S. Gulf Coast,
'Trading Graces' auction
- page 3 Bishop Usgaard: "Lenten Feedings Fuel Our
Ministry"
- page 7
Larry Iverson: "Lay School of Theology Comes to an End"
- page 8
Deborah Ann Norrie: “Wellness: Thinking of
Spiritual Well-Being”
- page 6
Retreat for Women in Ministry
- page 11
The Bridge - “The Mission of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America”
- insert
Selected Resources from this Issue
Page 2 -
Synod News
Hearing on the Proposed ELCA Statement on Sexuality
The draft of the proposed ELCA Statement on Sexuality is complete and on
Saturday, April 26 at 10:00 a.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Owatonna,
Minn. the synod will host a hearing to respond to the document. A member of
the task force will be present to listen to and respond to comments from
those in attendance.
It will be important to have read the document beforehand as the purpose of
this meeting is to respond to what has been written. More information on the
document is on page 3 of this River Crossings. It
will not be necessary to register for this hearing. We expect to be finished
before noon.
Day on the Hill
The Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (JRLC) is holding its annual
Day on the Hill to meet lawmakers and advocate for justice, especially
regarding issues of poverty this year.
Registration is $25 ($15 for students) by March 5, $40 ($25 for students)
after March 5, or $45 at the door. Go to
www.JRLC.org to register and for more information.
Retreat for Women in Ministry
Rescheduled from December, Rev. Ann Siverling, Grand Meadow Lutheran Church,
Grand Meadow, Minn., will be leading a retreat open to all women in ministry
on May 4-6. More information can be found on page 11.
Men Breakfasting with the Bishop
Men - mark your calendars for April 26, 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. for the
Lutheran Men in Mission annual Breakfast with the Bishop at Cabela’s in
Owatonna. Watch next month’s River Crossings and
www.semnsynod.org/events/additional.html for more information.
Interim Orientation
On May 8 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Faribault, Minn., the synod
will offer a workshop to provide pastors and congregational leaders with an
overview of interim ministry, insight into the “nuts and bolts,” resources
for continuing education and support of interim ministry, as well as a
vision for the future of this specialized ministry.
The featured presenter will be Rev. Dr. Paul Svingen, ELCA
interim consultant/educator, Minneapolis Area Synod interim pastor, adjunct
faculty of Louisville Seminary.
More information available at
www.semnsynod.org/events/additional.html.
Remember in Prayer
Health Concerns
• Mark Bradley (synod council)
• Rev. Sherman Coltvet
• Rev. Gary Hanson
• Rev. Glennys Knutson
• Shannon Reuss, wife of Rev. Peter Reuss
• Rev. Don Roberts
Joys
• Jonathan Carl, son of Rev. Heidi and Paul Heimgartner, born Jan. 28
Sympathies
• Rev. Roger Haug and family, whose mother-in-law, Viola Carlson, died Jan.
12
2007 Mission Support Income
Jan. YTD
Current Year -
$2,153,991
Last Year - $2,249,078
Budget -
$2,217,000
* Fiscal Year February-January
Though giving was down this year and under our budget, it is
97% of the amount needed to make the budget. We want to thank you on behalf
of our ministry partners, our synod, and ELCA churchwide for your gifts in
2007. We also recognize that you have contributed more than is reflected
here toward the ministry of Christ in the world through other financial
gifts beyond your own doors. Thank you for opening yourself to the Holy
Spirit calling you to share with others. Please continue to pray and respond
as God calls you to be generous as God has blessed you generously.
Page 3 - ELCA News
Draft of Proposed ELCA Social Statement on Sexuality
Available March 13
The draft of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) proposed
social statement on human sexuality will be available March 13. The Task
Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality met Jan. 25-26 to complete its work on
the draft and give final instructions to its writing team.
The task force received a final report on responses for
"Free in Christ to Serve the Neighbor: Lutherans Talk about Human Sexuality"
-- part three of the "Journey Together Faithfully" study materials for
members of the ELCA -- and the group spent eight sessions reviewing draft
material of the social statement in closed, off-the-record sessions.
"When social statements are in the actual process of being
written, things are very fluid," said the Rev. Peter Strommen, bishop, ELCA
Northeastern Minnesota Synod, Duluth, and task force chair. "This is our
last meeting before the draft is released. The task force continues to work
very hard, securing participation from the entire group," he said.
Members of the church can expect a draft document that is
theological and examines human sexuality from a "deep Lutheran perspective,"
said Strommen. He said the task force hopes the social statement will serve
to benefit the church's discussion on the topic of human sexuality.
"A social statement needs to build a theological foundation
that engages the social context. On something as broad and complex as human
sexuality, specific topics cannot be addressed comprehensively. The social
statement's implementing resolutions will lift up the areas that need
greater attention from this church," said Strommen.
"One way of picturing the social statement is a bridge. We
seek to fashion a theological bridge that can handle the heavy traffic of
human sexuality issues of our times and (to) do so without losing our
evangelical focus," said Strommen.
The draft of the proposed social statement on human
sexuality will be at
www.ELCA.org/faithfuljourney and sent to clergy and other professional
leaders of the ELCA. Between March and November, a series of hearings on the
draft document will be held across the church. Members of the task force
will participate in the hearings and gather feedback on the draft until Nov.
1.
A proposed social statement on human sexuality is due in
early 2009. The final proposed statement will be given to the ELCA Church
Council with a request to place the document on the agenda of the 2009 ELCA
Churchwide Assembly for action. The assembly will be held Aug. 7-13, 2009,
in Minneapolis.
- - -
Information about the ELCA Studies on Sexuality is at
www.ELCA.org/faithfuljourney
ELCA News in Brief
Get the full stories at
www.ELCA.org/news
LDR Begins Next Phase of Disaster Response along U.S.
Gulf Coast
This spring Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) will move into its next
phase of recovery work along the U.S. Gulf Coast. LDR will support the work
of local "long-term recovery committees" that will serve the needs of people
and restore communities devastated by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma
along the Gulf Coast.
This is a normal transition in all disaster recovery work,
according to the Rev. Kevin A. Massey, acting director, Lutheran Disaster
Response -- a collaborative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
Massey said the transition to supporting the efforts of
locally organized committees usually happens earlier in the process, but the
"unprecedented nature of the 2005 hurricanes called for action far different
from what is normal for our organization and our many partners."
'Trading Graces,' Lutheran Services in America's Auction
"Trading Graces" -- an online auction on eBay hosted by Lutheran Services in
America (LSA) -- will open Feb. 5 and continue through June 10. In its third
year, Trading Graces is an effort to raise awareness and funds to support
Lutheran health and human service organizations across the United States and
Caribbean. Trading Graces is open to benefit all LSA member organizations
and, new for the 2008 season, Lutheran schools, colleges, universities and
congregations.
Lutheran organizations receive donated items from
constituents and sell them on eBay to raise capital, according to John B.
Carter, LSA's Trading Graces online auction event manager. "Exchanging new
and/or used goods for the common good is what makes Trading Graces so
powerful," he said.
Online at
www.lutheranservices.org/TradingGraces.asp
Pages 4-5 - Synod
Assembly
What's Happening at Assembly This Year?
In 2008 we are “A Synod at Table with the Hungry.” With this theme the Synod
Assembly will be focusing on hunger issues in a number of ways. This
includes speakers and sessions related to a variety of hunger issues, a
Colombian evening meal and a Tanzanian lunch (food from our companion
synods), and many other aspects of the assembly.
Bible Study
This year’s Bible study will be led by Bishop Peter Rogness,
Saint Paul Area Synod.
Rogness is the author of A
Common Foundation: Shared Principles for Overcoming Poverty. The
document outlines the principles shared by all faith communities in walking
with those living in poverty and shapes the synod’s ecumenical efforts to
end poverty. Working in partnership with Archbishop Harry J. Flynn, he has
sought to bring public attention to the needs of the state’s most vulnerable
people. He was part of a group of international ecumenical leaders who
participated in a religious summit on poverty prior to the G8 summit in
Scotland in 2005. In 2006, he co-authored with the Rev. Nancy Maeker,
Ending Poverty: A 20/20 Vision, a guide for individuals and
congregations.
Keynote
During the Friday evening Cena (Colombian evening meal) the assembly
will hear a keynote presentation by David Beckmann of Bread for the World.
Beckmann is one of the foremost U.S. advocates for hungry people. He has
been president of Bread for the World
for 15 years, leading large-scale and successful campaigning to strengthen
U.S. political commitment to overcoming hunger and poverty.
Bread for the World is a
nationwide faith-based citizens' movement against hunger that mobilizes a
quarter of a million constituent letters to Congress each year. Thousands of
Bread for the World activists meet with legislators, get coverage in local
media, and organize others in their communities. Bread for the World is
supported by 50 diverse religious bodies and works in partnership with many
secular institutions. It is one of the largest organizations in the world
dedicated to building the political will to end hunger.
Hearings
One hour on Friday will be a time for participants to split up and
participate in hearings on the synod’s budget and audit, the 2008
resolutions, the ELCA with a churchwide representative, and synod salary
guidelines.
Workshops
Friday afternoon there will be two workshop sessions. Participants
will be able to hear and learn about organizations related to hunger and
poverty: ELCA World Hunger, Lutheran World Relief, Channel One, ELCA
Advocacy, mission trips, foods and nutrition (buying locally), Alternative
Giving Catalog, Bread for the World, and experiencing the Hunger 101
program.
Registration
Early registration must be completed online or postmarked by March 27.
The early registration fee is $120 and includes all meals (not lodging). All
other registrations must be completed on-site at the fee of $150/person
payable by check.
All changes in early registrations must be
received by March 27.
Visitors may register as "visitors" for the
full price to receive all meals and materials or are welcome to sit in on
sessions free of charge.
Hard copy registration forms were available
in the February River Crossings or can be found with the online registration
at
www.semnsynod.org/assembly.html.
Excused Absences
All congregations are expected to send voting members to Synod Assembly
and all rostered personnel under call are also expected to attend. If, for
some reason, your congregation cannot send voting members or a rostered
individual is not able to attend, please send a written request (mail or
e-mail) to Bishop Harold Usgaard. By mail it can be sent to:
1001 14th Street NW, Suite 300
Rochester, MN 55901-2552
or by email to usgaard@semnsynod.org.
Hotel Information
Synod Assembly participants are responsible for their own housing
arrangements. A block of rooms is available at the Radisson Hotel in
Rochester. Call 507-281-8000 by April 1 and request a room in the block
reserved for “Southeastern Minnesota Synod of the ELCA” to receive a special
rebate of $89/room plus tax.
How Many Voting Members?
Voting members at the Synod Assembly include all clergy and AIMs under
call on the roster of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod and two or more lay
members of each congregation. Additional voting members (over two) is based
on membership from 2006. The formula and exact numbers for each congregation
are available at
www.semnsynod.org/assembly.html.
Pre-Assembly Report
The Pre-Assembly Report will be online by March 19 at www.semnsynod.org/assembly.html.
Each congregation is responsible for making sure all voting members from
their congregation have access to this report. If voting members are not
able to access it at home, they should contact their congregation’s office.
If any congregation is not able to access it online, please contact the
synod office at 507-280-9457 or 800-426-6376 in Minnesota. CDs are available
but will NOT be automatically sent out this year.
Important Pieces
Synod Assembly voting members are asked to look through the entire
Pre-Assembly Report in preparation for the assembly. The pieces that should
be brought to Synod Assembly include:
No portions of the Pre-Assembly Report will
be distributed at the assembly.
Youth Rebates
In response to a resolution to encourage congregations to bring young
people as voting members to the Assembly, the Synod Council Executive
Committee is offering registration rebates for high school age voting
members.
A $25 rebate is available if a congregation
brings one high school student as a voter. If a congregation sends two high
school voters, the congregation will receive a rebate of 50% of the total
registration for two people.
The rebates will be paid to congregations
after the Assembly when attendance is confirmed by the registrar.
Bring a Bible
As Christians we are grounded in scripture, and as part of that we
participate in Bible study at the Synod Assembly. Participants should bring
a Bible with them to follow along.
Page 6 - How Far Can Your Money Go to Combat Hunger?
At the 2007 Synod Assembly the synod was challenged to give
a total of $1 million to ELCA World Hunger in 2008. That is less than $8 per
baptized member throughout the year. For the cost of seeing a movie in the
theater (not even counting the candy, popcorn, and soda!), we can reach our
goal.
Today’s agricultural industry produces enough food in terms
of calories to equate to 2,720 calories a day for each of the 5 million
children who die each year from malnutrition-related illness. There is
enough food, which makes hunger less about resources and more about justice,
a matter of how and where food is produced and how it is distributed (Living
Earth: A 40-day Reflection on our Relationship with God’s Creation, Lenten
devotionals from the ELCA e-Advocacy Network).
The good news is that of each dollar that is given to ELCA
World Hunger, 93 cents goes to actively improving these justice issues. All
organizations have some administrative costs, but 7% is a comparatively very
low number – we can all be proud of this great organization!
Knowing that just a few dollars this year – 15 cents a week
or just 2 cents a day – can help reach this synod’s goal what can those
gifts accomplish? Below are just a few examples:
|
U.S. Item |
Amount |
Someone in Need |
| McDonald's cheeseburger |
$1 |
One feeding for a baby in a refugee
camp |
|
Ticket to a baseball game
|
$10 |
Enough maize, bean, and
groundnut seeds for a Mozambiquan family to replant after floods |
|
VCR or DVD player
|
$100 |
Protection for four acres of land in West Africa (rock dikes
for soil and water conservation)
|
|
New living-room furniture
|
$1,000 |
Complete pre-natal care for 125 women
|
|
Used car
|
$10,000 |
Nets and equipment for 60 fish farmers in Tanzania
|
|
Four-year education at a private university
|
$100,000 |
Tents to shelter 1,000 families of four in an emergency
|
|
Any luxury you want! |
$1,000,000 |
Land and building for a school for blind Palestinian women in
Jerusalem |
Source: Lutheran World Relief
Get it Online
Giving
Reminder
To make your
giving count toward the synod goal, make sure to send your giving through
the synod. Checks from congregations and/or individuals can be made out
directly to ELCA World Hunger and mailed to:
1001 14th St NW, Suite 300
Rochester, MN 55901
Page 7 -
Help for Starting 'Creation Care' Teams, Bishop's Column
Help for Starting ‘Creation Care’ Teams
By Ingrid Vick
Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy in
Minnesota
As Christians we are called to care for God’s wonderful
creation. This stewardship takes many forms, from conservation and
efficiency, to policy and concern for future generations. Our faith commits
us as individuals, as a worship community, and as a public church, to
address threats to God’s creation.
Congregations and individuals are at different stages of
Creation Care knowledge and experience—LCPPM’s (Lutheran Coalition for
Public Policy in Minnesota) goal is to provide support at each stage,
acknowledging the transformation of the congregation into an intentional
community celebrating and restoring creation.
By forming Creation Care teams, congregations work to
educate their members, take steps toward improving their ecological pewprint,
enable individual members to take similar actions, and promote systemic
change through public policy. LCPPM provides resources, action plans,
speakers, networking opportunities, connections to state and national
organizations, and engagement in political leadership and public policy.
Please contact our Creation Care Coordinator, Ingrid Vick at
ingrid@lcppm.org or 651-224-5499 and tell her about what your congregation
has done or wants to do.
Ingrid, a recent Gustavus
Adolphus College graduate from Madison, Minn., joined LCPPM last October
and is excited to help congregations care for creation and act on public
policy.
The Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy is the state policy
office for the ELCA in Minnesota. We promote state policy rooted in the
social statements of the ELCA. LCPPM, in response to God's love, seeks to
engage all people of faith in the promotion of public policy that supports
peace, justice and care for all of God's creation.
Get it Online
Lenten Feedings Fuel Our Ministry
“There is a connection between the empty and lonely lives of
North Americans and the empty stomachs of Central Americans.” I saw it on a
poster years ago at a base Christian community gathering in Cuernavaca,
Mexico. I think on those words this year as we seek to be “A Synod at Table
with the Hungry.”
Lives without the love of God, lives without the hope such
love brings, lives absent the strength and purpose faith offers – such lives
are so focused on themselves that they are unable to see the needs in
others. It is not about wealth or power or possessions. It is about the one
who truly gives life. The writer of 1 John says it this way, “We love
because God first loved us.” The reality is that before we can care for
others, we have to be filled ourselves with the one who is manna from
heaven.
It struck me as we worshiped on Ash Wednesday. It is no
accident that Lent begins at the table of the Lord and that its final week
will gather us again and again around that same table. It is a difficult
journey, following our Lord to the cross, lifting up our own crosses. We
need food, real food, for strength to begin to be about ministry.
I am hopeful because Lent is a special time of feeding in
our faith tradition, and I believe our folks understand that. Lenten worship
continues to attract greater numbers. Worshippers of all ages – younger
families, confirmation students, high school students and young adults
sitting in clusters – they are all there on Wednesdays. Maybe they are there
because of the supper, Holden Evening Prayer service, dramas, or because it
is required, but they are there. I am hopeful that we can feed those with
empty stomachs because we are being fed. That is how ministry works.
Shalom,
Harold Usgaard
Bishop
Page 8 - Larry Iverson's Column and Shirley Gangstad's Column
Lay School of Theology Comes to an End
By Larry Iverson
Synod Minister
Ecclesiastes 3 begins with “There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven.”
The Lay School of Theology began in the fall of 1999 with a
goal of better equipping Christians for their ministries in daily life, and
with the potential for spiritual renewal and leadership development in our
congregations and the synod.
Since its formation more than 200 people have attended one
or more of the sessions, and the participants have had very positive
experiences. Recently, the numbers have dwindled to a smaller core of
participants, and some sessions have been cancelled due to low
participation.
The Lay School of Theology Board recently recommended that
we discontinue the present program and evaluate whether there is a strong
interest in reforming with a different focus or structure. This
recommendation was passed on to the Synod Council, and it is being reviewed.
At this point no future sessions have been planned, and Kathy Bolin as
administrator is sending a record of the sessions attended to each of the
participants. Thank you to all who participated and supported this program
and those who worked on the board and helped in any way, especially Kathy
Bolin as administrator.
The question now is whether there is a strong interest in
reviewing this idea and revamping possibly with a stronger emphasis on
“leadership development,” which was in the regular resolution that
constituted the program in 1999. If you have a strong interest and a
willingness to be involved in reviewing or leading this review, let me know
by e-mail at iverson@semnsynod.org or by calling me at 507-280-9457 or
800-426-6376 in Minnesota.
In Christ’s love,
Larry Iverson
A Reason to Tidy Up
Greetings!
Recently I was in a church to give a presentation. The
church had a beautiful, light, airy sanctuary that immediately gave me a
warm, calm, serene feeling—not as much as I get walking into Assisi Heights,
but more than I get walking into most churches. Wherever I went in the
church, that same feeling continued. The sacristy had the usual cupboards
and closets, but also had about a three foot area that had been turned into
a tiny area for prayer, complete with Bible and candles placed on a
beautiful runner. The fellowship area was comfortable and obviously
well-planned and well-used, but it too maintained that feeling of serenity.
What was different about this place? When I was ready to
leave almost three hours later, it hit me. This was one of the cleanest
buildings I had ever been in. I had seen no dust anywhere. It was also one
of the neatest buildings I had ever been in. No piles of music around the
organ or pianos, no stacks of hymnals in the corners of pews or tucked in
the choir loft, no old bulletins or stray papers lying around the library
area or the entry. That meant there was nothing to distract one’s attention.
One could focus on what one wanted to focus on—spending meaningful time in
God’s house.
I don’t necessarily believe that cleanliness is next to
godliness, but this experience did bring home the point that there is a
relationship between the two. Spiritual directors encourage us to create
prayer corners in our homes which are free of the “muss and fuss”
distractions of the rest of the house. They understand that fewer
distractions lead to deeper concentration and meditation.
Some of us are very good at keeping our church buildings
neat and clean, but others of us could do a better job. Some of us are good
at having a quiet place for private devotion time, and others of us could do
a better job with that too. Our external environment may well mirror our
internal environment. At the very least, it influences it. May we strive for
a quiet, distraction-free place for prayer and worship!
Blessings in Christ,
Shirley
Page 9 - Deborah Ann Norrie's Column
and Ministry Profile
Wellness: Thinking of Spiritual Well-being
By Deborah Ann Norrie
Synod Executive Assistant
Spiritual well-being…hmm…I must confess that my spiritual well-being
takes a beating – even though I work in the church! How about yours?
It is very easy to get caught up in this ministry of
interruptions. The best laid plans for the day are quickly derailed when the
phone rings or a colleague comes in the office. This is the very reason that
spiritual well-being is the foundation on which our wholeness turns,
centered in our baptism. We are encouraged to "Begin each day by turning the
day over to God. In the water in which you wash, reflect on the waters of
baptism, which call you to live well and share your gifts for the body of
Christ."
Our physical, vocational, intellectual, social and emotional
well-being all depend on how we are spiritually. But how do we carve out
this time to nurture our relationship to God? Martin Luther encourages us
with his morning and evening blessings; prayer, devotions, meditation and
spiritual disciplines are other ways to focus on our relationship with God.
I have struggled with ways to be a more spiritual person and I confess to
falling asleep long before my prayers are done. Since returning from my
sabbatical I have tried to use a small part at the beginning of each day to
do the daily Bible reading and prayers from Bread for the Day 2008 (Augsburg
Fortress). Some days I get caught up in the day before turning to the
daily reading – even when I put the books on the desk where they are in the
way. But then I realize I haven't done my reading for a while and I stop and
pick up the books and turn my mind to God.
Working in the synod office has the added blessing of coming
into the holy space of the Franciscan Sisters at Assisi Heights. I begin my
prayers as I make the drive up the hill, noticing the deer peering out of
the woods, the new fallen snow gently piled on the boughs of the pine trees
and occasionally the sunshine bathing the hill in light and wonder. At times
I pause before entering the door to give the day over to God and ask for
calm, patience and guidance for the day ahead.
There are many ways to find space in our busy lives to give
over to God. So when the phone rings, say a prayer for the person
calling…and let God in on your day.
Ministry Profile: Synod Executive
Committee
By Shirley Gangstad
Synod Vice-President
What does the executive committee of the synod council do?
The executive committee of the synod council consists of the bishop (who
serves as the president), vice president, secretary, treasurer, and two
members of the synod council—one clergy and one lay—who are chosen by
the synod council and who may serve up to two years. The three officers
are elected positions, and each officer may serve up to three four-year
terms. The vice president must be a lay person and chairs the executive
committee and synod council meetings, but the other officers may be
either clergy or lay. We have regular meetings at least five times per
year in months that the synod council does not meet. We may have other
meetings as the need arises.
In our synod the executive committee also serves as the personnel
committee, so we interview and hire or call all of the staff in the
bishop’s office and deal with personnel issues. We also oversee the
constitution and recommend changes in it and with other policies of
governance, first to the synod council who then bring it to the synod
assembly.
The executive committee serves as a sounding board for the bishop and is
a place for him to share concerns about the synod and to try out new
ideas or plans the bishop has. We also create the budget and bring it as
a recommendation to the full council. We oversee the details of the
synod assembly and give final approval to themes, speakers, and general
assembly plans.
The primary concern of the executive committee is the health and
well-being of the bishop and all the staff, the congregations of the
synod, and the clergy and staff of those congregations. While we
primarily deal with the bishop and some of the staff, we are there to
encourage, support and pray for all in our synod. We all take our
positions seriously and do our best to discern God’s will for our synod
and its ministries and to carry out those ministries to the best of our
abilities.
Get it Online
Page 10 - Call Update
Call Update
Self Study:
• Albert Lea, Central Freeborn – solo (Dick Spande, Interim)
• Albert Lea, Grace • Austin, Grace – solo (Bob Iverson, interim)
• Cannon Falls, St Ansgar – associate
• Canton, Henrytown – ¾ solo (Roger Knutson, interim)
• Dennison, Dennison/Vang – solo (Terje Hausken, interim)
• Geneva, Community – solo
• Harmony, Greenfield – solo (Bob Stoskopf, interim)
• Hayfield, Trinity – solo (Bob Kleinke, interim)
• Kenyon, Gol – part-time, solo (Dan Dimick, interim)
• Kenyon, Hegre – part-time, solo (John Hagen, interim) •
Mankato, Bethlehem – solo (Arne Jessen, interim)
• Rochester, Good Shepherd – associate
• Sargeant, Evanger – solo (Jim Peterson, interim)
• St Charles, Faith – solo (David Beckstrom, interim)
• Whalan, First of Highland & Whalan – solo (Roger Knutson, interim)
Interviewing:
• Cannon Falls, First English – associate
• Glenville, First – solo (Gail Klavetter, interim)
• Lewiston, St. Paul ELCA/UCC – solo
• Mabel, Mabel First – solo (Curtis Fox, interim)
• Northfield, St. Peter – associate
• Rochester, Bethel – associate (Lissa Kahl, ½ interim)
• Rochester, Hosanna – associate
• Wells, Good Shepherd – shared ministry pastor
Ready to Extend Call:
• Waterville, St. Paul’s German Lake – part time-solo
Call Accepted:
• David Krinke, Luther Seminary, to Lands, Zumbrota, solo, 2/6/08
• Luther Peterson, Northwestern Minnesota, to Solor, Webster, ½ solo
Ordination:
• David Krinke, Luther Seminary graduate, to Lands, Zumbrota, 2/3/08
Upcoming Events
March 1 & 2, 2008 (Sat. & Sun.): "The Secret of My
Success - Building Futures on the Rock"
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Sun. 10:30 a.m.
Hosanna Lutheran Church,
Rochester, MN secretary@hosannalutheran.org, 507-285-0092, or
www.semnsynod.org/events/congregational.html
March 2-4, 2008 (Sun.-Tues.): Rural Ministry Conference
Center for Theology and Land,
Wartburg Theological Seminary,
Dubuque, IA
www.ruralministry.com/Conference/Conference.htm
March 7-8 & 28-29, 2008 (Fri.-Sat.): Youth Blast! A
retreat for grades 3-6
7:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Good Earth Village, Spring
Valley, MN
www.GoodEarthVillage.org,
507-346-2494, or info@GoodEarthVillage.org
March 11-12 & 14-16, 2008 (Tues.-Wed.): Quilting Retreat
Additional Dates: April 1-2 & April 4-6
Good Earth Village, Spring
Valley, MN
www.GoodEarthVillage.org,
507-346-2494, or jenni@GoodEarthVillage.org
March 13, 2008 (Thur.): Day on the Hill
Sponsored by the Joint Religious Legislative
Coalition (JRLC)
Minnesota State Capital, St. Paul, MN
www.jrlc.org
March 13, 2008 (Thur.): Hein-Fry Lecture (Wanda
Deifelt)
Additional Area Dates: April 3, April 16
9:30 a.m.
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago,
Chicago, IL www.elca.org/heinfry/
March 28-30, 2008 (Fri.-Sun.): Minnesota High School LYO
Gathering
Arrowwood Resort, Alexandria,
MN
www.nwmnsynod.org/lyo
For more information about these or other events, visit
www.semnsynod.org/events.html.
Page 11 - Retreat for Women in Ministry
Download the
brochure PDF.
Page 12 - Back Cover
River Crossings is the monthly newsletter
of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod for pastors, associates in ministry, and
lay leaders. The next deadline for River Crossings is March 5. Please send
correspondence to Katie Livingood, livingood@semnsynod.org;
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