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River Crossings in Plain Text

July 2006 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 butler@semnsynod.org or call 507-280-9457 with your request.

Page 1 - Cover

Called to Care: What is your impact on the earth?
Pages 4-5

Inside...
New Council Members
- page 2

Get Credit for Your Offerings
- page 2

ELCA Provides Funds to Support the Humanitarian Response in Darfur
- page 3

Bishop Usgaard: “Thanksgiving for College Presidents”
- page 6

Larry Iverson: “Now What? - Proceeding with Assembly Resolutions”
- page 8

Shirley Gangstad: “The Paradoxes of Faith”
- page 8

The Bridge - “Why the Synod? - Part 4: Office of the Synodical Bishop"
- insert

Selected Environmental Advocacy Links:
Learn more about what you can do at home and to advocate for environmental responsibility
● ELCA Social Statement on the Environment - www.elca.org/socialstatements/environment
● Earth Day Footprint Quiz - myfootprint.org
● Earthday Network - www.earthday.net
● New American Dream - www.newdream.org

Page 2 - Synod News

New Council Members
On Saturday, May 20 the synod council gathered to meet, to welcome new members, and say farewell to outgoing members. New members include:

  • Beth Kreihbel, First, Lake City - Congregational Renewal Team

  • Dorothy Gesme, Trinity, Hayfield - Lay and Clergy Leadership Development Team

  • Rev. John Henriksen, Grace, Albert Lea - Lay and Clergy Leadership Development Team

  • Karen Ortloff, Gloria Dei, Rochester - Lay and Clergy Leadership Development Team

  • Marcia Wolter Blackburn, People of Hope, Rochester - Mission Planning and Action Team

  • Rev. Linda Gunderson, Central Freeborn, Albert Lea - Mission Planning and Action Team

  • Craig Nelson, Salem, Albert Lea - Mission Planning and Action Team

  • Mark Bradley, Zumbro, Rochester - Treasurer (effective Aug. 1)

Besides adding Mark Bradley to the Executive Committee as treasurer, John Petersburg and Rev. Cindy Fisher-Broin also joined the Executive Committee.

Thanks go out to the following outgoing council members for their service:

  • Marilyn Carpenter Crossfield, Our Savior’s, Spring Valley - Congregational Renewal Team

  • Rev. Dan Baker, First, Albert Lea - Lay and Clergy Leadership Development Team

  • Beverly Sundheim, St. Ansgar’s, Cannon Falls - Lay and Clergy Leadership Development Team

  • Rev. Mary Sue Dehmlow Dreier, People of Hope, Rochester - Mission Planning and Action Team

  • David Horning, Round Prairie, Glenville - Mission Planning and Action Team

  • Rev. Barbara Knutson, Faith, Wabasha - Mission Planning and Action Team

  • Jeff Setterlund, Urland, Cannon Falls - Treasurer (effective Aug. 1)

Thank you also to Ann Beatty and Rev. Scott E. Olson who are completing their terms on the Executive Committee. They will continue in their roles on the Mission Planning and Action and Lay and Clergy Development Teams (respectively).

Get Credit for Your Offerings
The synod office frequently gets calls asking about the best way for congregations to give money so that it appears on their financial statements. The short answer - the money must come through the synod office.

The slightly longer answer:

  1. Collect whatever funds you wish to give to an organization. Send checks made out to the Southeastern Minnesota Synod to our office. The address is: 1001 14th Street NW, Suite 300 Rochester, MN 55901-2551

  2. Include with the check(s) a detailed description of where the money is to go and if it is specified for a particular project.

  3. The synod office will forward the money on and it will appear on your financial statement.

Congregational Anniversaries
Is your congregation celebrating a major anniversary this year? We want to know about it! Write up a story about your upcoming celebration and/or following the event and share a little history about your church. Contact Katie at the synod office with your story to go on the synod website (www.semnsynod.org). Preferred method is emailing your story to butler@semnsynod.org. Questions? Email above address or call 507-280-9457 or 800-426-6376 (MN only).

Remember in Prayer
Health Concerns
• The Rev. Don Roberts
• The Rev. Charles Solberg
• Fern Steffen, wife of the Rev. Richard Steffen
• Shannon Reuss, wife of the Rev. Peter Reuss
• The Rev. Ralph and Amy Strand

Sympathies
• The Rev. Byron Meline, whose mother, Bernice Meline, died May 30, 2006

Joys
• Carl Anders, the son of the Rev. Susan and the Rev. Jeffrey Wallager
• Caryn Vivian, the daughter of the Rev. Jim and Cyndee Ahlquist

Protection
• The Rev. Steven Timm, deployed to Iraq
• The Rev. Erik Feig, deployed to Iraq

Page 3 - ELCA News

ELCA Provides Funds to Support the Humanitarian Response in Darfur
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provided $200,000 May 31 to support the humanitarian response in the Darfur region of western Sudan. A three-year conflict in Darfur has resulted in the deaths of some 200,000 to 400,000 people, and more than 2.5 million people have been displaced from their homes.

There also have been "many reports of rapes, looting, burning of homes and other untold atrocities committed against primarily ethnic Africans living in Darfur," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, in a May 19 statement to members of the church.

"Similar to the genocide in Rwanda, the world has waited too long to respond in outrage and has allowed a poorly funded humanitarian response to take the place of political will and action," said Hanson.

"There is cautious, hopeful news" about Darfur, said Hanson. "The Sudanese government and the largest rebel faction in Darfur -- the Sudan Liberation Army/Movement -- signed a peace agreement, and that has started a tenuous peace process that could end a tragic situation that President Bush and others have described as 'genocide,'" he said.

In 2004 and 2005 ELCA International Disaster Response sent a total of $600,000 to Action by Churches Together (ACT) which, in partnership with Caritas Internationalis (CI), has been responding to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. Working together in Darfur since 2004, ACT and CI focus their work among people displaced from their homes on the areas of agriculture, education, environmental health, nutrition, protection, psycho-social counseling and rehabilitation, and shelter. ACT and CI also partner with other agencies supporting the humanitarian response in Darfur.

The ELCA is a member of ACT -- a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergency situations worldwide. It is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), both in Geneva, Switzerland. The ELCA is a member of the WCC and the LWF.

Coordinated by ELCA Global Mission, International Disaster Response channels its funds through international church organizations and relief agencies. Funds provide for food, medicine, drinking water, emergency shelter and other materials for survivors of disasters.

"ELCA Global Mission is fully committed to the life-giving mission of the triune God," said the Rev. Rafael Malpica-Padilla, executive director, ELCA Global Mission. The people of Darfur have experienced genocide, dehumanizing persecution and displacement, he said. "This is one of the largest 'silent crises' in recent years. We must lift our voices and redouble our efforts in support of the peace, reconciliation, and restoration work of governments, churches and non governmental organizations," said Malpica-Padilla.

ELCA News in Brief
For full stories, visit the "News and Events" page at www.elca.org .

Lutherans Support Earthquake Recovery Efforts in Indonesia
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- International Disaster Response of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is providing an initial $50,000 to support relief efforts in central Indonesia, after an earthquake struck May 27 on the island of Java.

The earthquake killed about 5,700 people, injured 20,000 others and left 200,000 homeless. Driving rain has made living conditions worse for survivors of the earthquake. The earthquake was the third major tremor to devastate Indonesia in the past 18 months, said the Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida, director for international leadership development, ELCA Global Mission. The worst tremor was the earthquake that struck the Indian Ocean Dec. 26, 2004, which resulted into a tsunami that left some 170,000 people dead or missing in northern Sumatra, he said.

ELCA's 'Understanding the Roman Catholic Church' Available June 1
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Following centuries of mistrust and indifference, Lutherans and Roman Catholics today are engaged in formal dialogue and cooperating in a variety of ways and at many levels. The June 1 issue of Mosaic Television, the video magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), focuses on the Roman Catholic Church, its history and its basic beliefs.

Mosaic Television is the quarterly video program produced by ELCA Communication Services. It is intended for educational use in a variety of congregational settings including Sunday school classes, adult forums, youth groups, women's and men's groups, new member classes, congregational councils, committee and other organizational meetings.

Pages 4-5 - Called to Care: What is your impact on the earth?

Have you ever noticed how ugly the land can look just before spring bursts forth? Not just the brown, lifeless look of the plants around us, but even worse, the garbage that humans have allowed to cover the land. Litter is much more obvious when there is no snow or vegetation to cover it up. When spring comes, though, the grass grows and the trees’ branches reach out to hide the ugliness from our sight. Now that we are thoroughly entrenched in summer, we have become accustomed to the thriving life around us, forgetting the ugliness that a few fresh leaves covers up. This summer, as you enjoy the world around you, rather than taking it for granted, renew your gratitude to God for creation and remember your call to be a good steward of the world God gave us.

Ecological Footprint
You have probably heard that our planet is in some trouble – global warming, pollution, and limited natural resources all threaten God’s creation. These devastating conditions have resulted from the combination of excessive consumption by industrialized nations like the U.S. and the relentless growth of human population throughout the world. Have you ever stopped to think of the problem in a less global way and wondered how much of an impact you personally have? Many websites have “quizzes” to help people calculate the impact of individuals’ actions. One good site is sponsored by the Earth Day Network. Go to http://myfootprint.org to calculate your impact.

I thought that I was being a good steward by recycling, cutting down on electricity, walking the two miles to work every once in a while, and buying organic groceries. As I held my breath, waiting for my results, I was sure that I would realize that I still wasn’t 100% earth-friendly, but I’d at least get a small thumbs-up. I was wrong. I scored 24 acres, the same as the average ecological footprint for people in the United States. Not horrible, but not really eco-friendly either. Unfortunately the planet currently has only 4.5 biologically productive acres per person. If everyone in the world lived like me, we would need almost five and a half planets to sustain the human population.

Though I was a little disheartened after seeing my results, the Earth Day Network did provide a measure of hope after the calculator. By selecting the “Take Action!” button, you can enter in your current usage of things like food, transportation, and goods, and you can set goals for yourself. The website then calculates how many acres you can save. Cutting down my consumption by almost 80% would be extremely difficult, so I found it most helpful to follow the link about what individuals can do to help even more. We once heard the mantra, “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle” all over, but it has faded and we have tuned it out. New examples, and some old reminders, of ways to help reduce consumption. By making smart purchase, consumption, and disposal choices, we can reduce our footprints on this earth.

Our Responsibility
As citizens of the United States of America, we have a special obligation to adhere to the recommendations of environmental protection organizations. Not only do we live in a society that perpetuates the culture of materialism that is leading to the destruction of our world, but we live in one of the only major industrial nations not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. In December 1997, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted this document which implemented timetables for reducing greenhouse gas emissions for countries choosing to ratify it. So far, 163 countries have chosen to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and reduce their emissions. The countries that signed the document for adoption, but have not ratified it are: Australia, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Zambia, and the United States. As a country with the financial resources to find alternatives and educate people about smart environmental choices, the U.S. is one of the most qualified nations to strive for the goals set forth by the Kyoto Protocol, but there is no expectation that the U.S. will ever ratify the document. As our federal government has not chosen to publicly declare its intentions to reduce emissions, it is up to us to strive for those goals without the mandate.

A New Kind of Tithing
Acting with environmental responsibility is something that we as citizens, but even more so as Christians, are called to do. We are reminded in Psalm 24:1 that, “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it,” so be doing our part, we are not protecting what is ours, but what is God’s. According to the ELCA’s social statement on the environment, adopted at the 1993 churchwide assembly, we are “called to acknowledge this interdependence with other creatures and to act locally and globally on behalf of all creation.” The ELCA has made many commitments to the environment in this statement, including one for us as individual Christians.

We are aware of the importance of tithing, but we most often think of it in monetary terms. If you have not yet made it to 10% financially, or if you have and you’re looking to increase your stewardship in another way, consider the statement’s suggestion to tithe environmentally. This kind of tithing includes the a three-fold commitment:

  1. Pledging to reduce their burden on the earth’s bounty by producing 10% less waste

  2. Consuming 10% less in non-renewable resources

  3. Contributing the savings to earthcare efforts

Tithing also urges spending time to learn about environmental problems and working with others toward solutions. Consider making 10% your goal and follow through with some of the suggestions here and elsewhere to reduce your impact on the world and renew your commitment to God by caring for creation.

Job 12:7-10 says, “But ask the animals, and they will teach you; the birds of the air, and they will tell you; ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.” The other living things on the earth know that God cares for creation, so to follow God’s will would also include caring for our earthly home.

Turn the Tide - 10 Steps to Making a Difference:

  1. Walk, Bike, Carpool...
    Reduce oil consumption and emissions by driving less.

  2. Eat Less Feedlot Beef
    All animal products take more land and resources to produce than plant products, but feedlot beef is particularly wasteful.

  3. Eat Eco-friendly Seafood
    The natural population of fish and other seafood is not able to keep up with human consumption. In addition, about 60 billion pounds of fish, sharks, and seabirds die each year because they are caught accidentally.

  4. Free Yourself from Junk Mail
    Forms are available online to opt out of junkmail lists. Also, when possible, select to receive promotions and publications via email rather than “snail mail” to save resources. You can even receive River Crossings electronically (see the back cover to see how).

  5. Install Compact Fluorescents (CFLs)
    These lights can reduce your electricity bills by more than $100 over their lifetimes as compared to standard bulbs.

  6. Stop Freezing in the Summer
    Turn your thermostat up a few degrees in the summer.

  7. Stop Sweating in the Winter
    Turn your thermostat down a few degrees in the winter.

  8. Eliminate Lawn Pesticides
    Pesticides kill birds and other wildlife and pollute water resources.

  9. Reduce Home Water Usage
    Install high-efficiency showerheads and low flow faucet aerators to save water and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

  10. Inspire Your Friends
    Multiply your impact exponentially by inspiring your friends to take these steps too!

(Adopted with permission from the Center for a New American Dream. New Dream helps Americans get more of what matters by living consciously, buying wisely, and making a difference. You can join our online community, get free publications, or become a supporting member by visiting us at www.newdream.org or calling 877-68-DREAM.”)

Page 6 - Bishop's Column

Thanksgiving for College Presidents
He sat there next to his wife, strumming his guitar, recounting the legacy of Woody Guthrie, and leading in a homemade version of “So long, it’s been good…” William Frame was retiring from Augsburg College after serving as its president for the past 9 years. The gathering was held to honor him and his wife, Anne, but in typical fashion, he deflected the focus. He wanted to talk about a great God and the blessings he had received during these past years. When he came on campus, he had been a Lutheran for less than 5 years. Perhaps that is why he has embraced a Lutheran sense of calling and vocation with a vigor that many of us who have grown up as Lutherans have too easily taken for granted. And in the process, President Frame helped Augsburg solidify its ministry in the city…and to the city.

Chris Thomforde has spent these last days making visits for St. Olaf College in the morning and packing in the afternoon. The 10th president of St. Olaf College has accepted the presidency of Moravian College and Theological Seminary in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. President Thomforde is a pastor in the ELCA, having served in a parish setting and campus ministry prior to colleges of the church. He has never forgotten that calling, and during his time at St. Olaf, continued to exhibit a pastoral heart among students and faculty…and congregations in our own synod. He is one who when standing besides you makes you feel 6 feet, 9 inches tall.

I have come to believe that there are few positions in this church that demand more than that of college president. Those who accept such a position literally give their lives away. The pressures in higher education today are immense and there simply is no down time. If one has a free evening, then students or faculty are invited to the house. If a vacation is involved, there will also be included visits to potential donors. Yet it is to the credit of such folks that our colleges continue to focus on mission, rediscovering their Lutheran roots and sense of vocation, and that the students, in a way like never before, leave with a sense of call to service.

You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them…it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant. Matthew 20:25-26

Thank you Bill and Chris for how you have served our young people.

Shalom,
Harold Usgaard
Bishop

Page 7 - Global Mission Column

New Life in the Land
By Kathy Bolin
Synod Staff Coordinator for Global Missions/Companion Synods

You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain. Psalm 65:9

What was once a sandy, barren field at Lutheran Institute Kiomboi (LIK) is now a lush garden of eggplant, cabbage, betroth, boreal, sweet pepper, carrots, cucumbers, okra, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, and three types of tomatoes. Vegetables from the garden feed the students and staff at LIK, a Central Diocese school that trains pastors, evangelists and parish workers for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania.

In 2003 and 2004 fundraising began in the Southeastern Minnesota Synod for LIK’s “Healing the Land, Restoring Seeds of Hope” Project. Project plans include planting vegetable gardens, fruit orchards, installing a water catchment system, removing invasive plants, fencing LIK’s boundaries to keep cattle from grazing the gardens and crops and planting landscape plants around the buildings. In the summer of 2004, a youth group from Southeastern Minnesota helped to install the fence. Over the past two years local villagers have been hired to plant and maintain the gardens, begin the removal of invasive plants (guava and eucalyptus) and work on the fruit orchids. In February of 2006 two large catchment tanks were built to capture rainwater from the school building roofs. The water will be used in the gardens and orchards during droughts, which are common and frequent in the Central Diocese.

A group from the synod visited Kiomboi in May 2006. Pastor Linda Helberg, (Bethel, Rochester) exclaimed that it was “wonderful to see how huge the gardens are, to see how much progress has been made with the gardens, the fencing and now the water tanks!” In August of 2005 surplus from the first crop yielded over $200 U.S. at the local market. The Healing the Land project provides jobs for people in Kiomboi, puts food on the tables at the school, results in some income to pay for school salaries and other needs and is bringing hope for being less dependent on others and more self sufficiency. “Healing the Land, Planting Seeds of Hope” is Psalm 65:9 in action, taking root at Kiomboi through the generosity of your giving. Asante sana sana!

Page 8 - Larry Iverson's Column, Shirley Gangstad's Column

Now What? - Proceeding with Assembly Resolutions
By Larry Iverson
Synod Minister

So what happens now, after we passed the two resolutions at the Synod Assembly relating to Hunger 101 and “Ending Poverty by 2020?”

During 2006 and 2007, we will be asking the 5 conferences in our synod to hold a Hunger 101 experiential workshop at one of their monthly meetings. The issues of poverty and hunger are real in people’s lives, and Hunger 101 offers a glimpse into the circumstances that lower income families deal with to provide food for their families. The hope is that with understanding, we will advocate for addressing the root problems of hunger. Alongside this initiative with the conference pastors, we will also offer these Hunger 101 workshops across the Southeastern and Southwestern Synods to raise awareness. This is all part of the grant we received from ELCA Hunger.

This Hunger 101 work goes hand-in-hand with the resolution to eliminate poverty in Minnesota. The central objective is to identify 12 disciples in each of the state legislative districts to advocate for the poor, especially children. One of the partners in this effort is Lutheran Social Service, and their primary objective is to eliminate homelessness for all children.

You can help us progress on these resolutions by identifying advocates in each of the legislative districts. You can also express your concern for poverty and children in this election year by asking questions of your representatives. This advocacy crosses any partisan boundaries because we are responding to God’s call to care for the poor and hungry.

In Christ's love,
Larry Iverson

The Paradoxes of Faith
By Shirley Gangstad
Synod Vice President

Greetings!

Many years ago when my grandmother was first confronted with a tub of margarine, she marveled, “It is soft even when it is hard!” Perhaps that statement came to my mind because we have just confronted all the paradoxes of the Easter season and our faith.

A paradox is a seemingly self-contradictory statement which contains the possibility of a truth. Jesus was divine and human. As a preschooler told her mother (as quoted in the May 2006 Lutheran) “I have something serious and something silly to tell you. The serious thing is that God holds the whole world in his hands. The silly thing is that at Christmas we can hold God in our hands.”

No one has seen God, and yet we see God everywhere. Jesus was crucified and yet he lives. The Kingdom of God is our future home and yet we live in it every day. We are saint and sinner—every day. Paradoxes.

As a Church we will need to change in order to remain the same. Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson says in Faithful yet Changing, “As a changing church, we will need to let go of what we have been in order to become a more diverse community that reflects the hues and cultural richness that now exist in our land.”

Paradoxes, while seeming simple, can prove to be frustrating and irritating. Living out our faith—which somehow shouldn’t be a difficult thing to do—becomes a life-long challenge. But, on the other hand, things easily grasped are often not valued; things easily accomplished bring little honor or satisfaction.

Whenever I spread margarine, I think of my grandmother’s comment. When life becomes a challenge and the world looks bleak, I think of the Resurrection and the promise of Life; and again and again I think of Robert Frost saying, “Lord, if you will forgive all my little jokes on thee, I will forgive thy great big one on me!”

Blessings in Christ,
Shirley

Page 9 - Strategic Plan Update

Raising Up Young Leaders

Vision: Called into God’s Marvelous Light: To Be Strong Leaders

Objective: Youth/young adult event for discerning ministry

Good Earth Village, in partnership with the Southeastern Minnesota Synod; Rochester area and Freeborn/Mower County Habitat for Humanity Chapters; Holden Village in Chelan, WA; and Lutheran Volunteer Corps, received a $125,000 grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans to develop the Good Earth Village Youth Servant Leader Institute (YSLI).

The Southeastern Minnesota Synod is committed to raising up and equipping youth as lay leaders in congregations. The YSLI supports this commitment by creating a series of developmental, theme-based, retreats focusing on developing leadership skills in youth that will be grounded in our Lutheran theology of grace. We are recruiting youth from throughout the five conferences of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod to participate in this leadership training based at Good Earth Village. Fifteen youth will be selected in 2006 and will gather together for one week during the summer and four retreats throughout the year. Each youth, in partnership with a congregational support team, will prepare, plan, develop and manage a service project for their home congregation or local community, impacting the faith lives of over 600 youth and adults.

Do you know of some youth in your congregation who might be interested in this program? Information and application forms are available on the Good Earth Village website (www.goodearthvillage.org), or call Dayna Clemment, the YSLI Program Coordinator at 507-261-9337 or dclemment@juno.com.

Which Bible?
By Rev. Dick Spande
Congregational Renewal Team

Amazon.com lists over 56,000 options for a person buying a Bible. I am not suggesting that is the best place to buy a Bible, but it does give an idea of how many choices there are.

For some the desire for a particular translation narrows the field. The ELCA uses the New Revised Standard version in most of its publications. Augsburg Fortress also carries the New International Version (NIV) and the Contemporary English Version (CEV). Few would say the CEV is an outstanding translation, but it is most readable. There are many good translations available.

For some who grew up using it, the King James Bible is THE Bible and it is unlikely anyone will change their minds. However, for over fifty years there have been other choices available using more contemporary English. It isn’t that the King James is a bad translation. The issue is that the English language has changed in the past 400 years.

For young children receiving their first Bible, I think it is important to have a Bible with a few illustrations. The visual impact makes the story real. It is also important that it be an actual Bible, not a paraphrase. For young people who will carry their Bibles to Sunday School a sturdy binding is important. Inexpensive Bibles tend not to be sturdy.

For teens and adults I think it is helpful to have a Bible with a few aids. Personally, I like the New Oxford Annotated (NRSV). Its notes are very helpful for difficult passages. For those leading discussions based on the Bible, the Serendipity Bible can be helpful. While it does not have Lutheran “roots,” the questions in the margins often reflect the issues that are raised by a text. Please note my simple suggestions are all suggesting that Bibles are being used. They are not for either the coffee table or decoration. We are a synod that encourages Bible Study.

Page 10 - Call Update, Calendar of Events

Call Update
 Self Study:
• Albert Lea, Ascension – solo (David Beckstrom, interim)
• Blue Earth, Trinity – co-pastor
• Faribault, First English – associate (Lyndy West, interim)
• Grand Meadow, Bear Creek/Grand Meadow – solo (Gail Klavetter, interim)
 • Granger, Saetersdal - part-time, solo
• Kenyon, Gol – part-time, solo (Dan Dimick, interim)
• North Mankato, Messiah – associate
• Owatonna, St. John – solo (Arne Jessen, interim)
• Rapidan, Calvary – solo (John Hagen, interim)
• Waseca, St. John - associate
• Wells, Good Shepherd – solo

Interviewing:
 • Byron, East/West St. Olaf – 1+1/2 time (Kathy Gauger, interim)
 • Owatonna, Trinity – associate

Ready to Extend Call:
 • Lanesboro, Union Prairie - part-time, solo

Call Extended:
• Rochester, Good Shepherd - senior

Call Accepted:
• Nancy Hansen, seminary graduate, to pastor, N Waseca/Faith, Waseca/Janesville, 7/30/06
• Cary Larson, seminary graduate, to pastor, LeSueur River/Vista, New Richland, 6/19/06

Ordination:
• Nancy Hansen, Luther Seminary, to pastor, N Waseca/Faith, Waseca/Janesville, 7/2/06
• Cary Larson, Luther Seminary, to pastor, LeSueur River/Vista, New Richland, 6/19/06

Roster Updates
Retired:
• Charles Espe, Vista & LeSueur River, 7/1/06

Transfer In:
• Ray Heidtke, retired, from the Eastern North Dakota Synod, 6/1/06

On Leave from Call:
• Ann Hokenstad, Lutheran Campus Ministry Mankato, 6/9/06
• Daniel Raaen, St. Peter's Episcopal, Kasson, 1/1/06

Upcoming Events
July 5-9 (Wed-Sun.) and July 12-16 (Wed.-Sun.): 2006 ELCA Youth Gathering
Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center
Alamo Dome
San Antonio, TX
www.elca.org/youth/gathering.html 

July 8 (Sat.): Lay School of Theology: The Sacraments: Visible Signs of God’s Invisible Grace
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, Houston, MN
Registration Deadline: June 30 www.semnsynod.org/events/LaySchool06.html 

July 9, 16, 23, 30, August 6, 13, & 20: Outdoor Drive-in Service
7:30 p.m. Mona Lutheran Church, Mona, IA
(ministry made possible by Mona Lutheran, Mona, IA and Six Mile Grove Lutheran, Lyle, MN)
For more information go to www.semnsynod.org/events/congregational.html or call 507-325-2437

July 17 (Mon.): Making Us Whole, Making Us One: Skill Enhancement for Church Secretaries & Office Staff
9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Concordia College, Moorhead, MN
Cost: $75
For more information, go to www.charisecumenical.org or contact Diane Renner (renner@cord.edu or 218-299-3566)

July 24-25 (Mon.-Tues.): Summer 2006 Music Clinic
Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN
For more information, go to www.augsburgfortress.org/events/event.asp?e=967 or contact the event sponsor, Jane Knappe, at 800-426- 0155 ext. 377 or knappej@augsburgfortress.org 

July 27-30 (Thu.-Sun.): Global Mission Event
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
Registration Deadline: July 11
www.elca.org/gme 

July 28-29 (Fri.-Sat.): LSS Disaster Preparedness Training
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Hosanna Lutheran Church, Rochester, MN
Contact Lou Hermansen at 507-288-9339 or ljhermansen@charter.net 

For more information about these or other events, visit www.semnsynod.org and go to any of the “Events” links. 

Page 11 - Lay School of Theology Flyer

Lay School of Theology
Friday-Saturday, September 22-23, 2006
Good Earth Village
25303 Old Town Dr.
Spring Valley, MN
Presenter: Rev. Jack Friedli (retired), Good Shepherd, Rochester

“Traveling from the Law to the Gospel in Romans”

The retreat will be held in the Log Lodge. Reservations are first come, first served. There are 26 lower beds and 10 upper bunks. If the Log Lodge fills, other housing is available in the Hilltop Cabins.

Schedule:
Friday, 3:00 p.m. - Check-in begins. Enjoy the trails, walk the labyrinth, or enjoy the view.
Friday, 5:30 p.m. - Supper then worship with communion, conversation, and campfire.
Saturday, 8:00 a.m. - Breakfast
Saturday, 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Session (breaks and noon meal provided)

Cost: $65 for the overnight - includes meals, lodging, and materials/$40 for Saturday only - includes meals and materials
** The Lay School of Theology is subsidizing the cost of the overnight portion of this event to keep the cost low for all participants.

This study will be an interesting and exciting look at a few chapters of Romans. We have a wonderful freedom in Christ and it helps us to enjoy this freedom if we know how it came about. Paul tells us about this gift of freedom in Romans. Pastor Jack Friedli is a frequent adult forum presenter and teaches often on his favorite book of the Bible, Romans.

(To download the registration brochure, click herePDF.)

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 deadlines for River Crossings is July 5. Please send correspondence to Katie Butler, butler@semnsynod.org; 507-280-9457.

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