Why You are Needed

• A point in time survey, done recently, revealed there are at least 406 homeless individuals in Fargo-Moorhead; 79 of these individuals are children under 18 years of age.
• In July, there were 65 families living in vehicles or tents. Some of this is due to flooding and the oil boom in western North Dakota where renters are being pushed out by skyrocketing rents and scarcity of available rental properties.
• The local shelters have gone into overflow mode and are providing shelter for more than 330 homeless individuals on any given night.

In late November 2011, churches began a conversation with health officials from across the community, local agencies and homeless shelter officials about how the crisis can be managed in the coming months (January-March), which were deemed the most crucially brutal weather months in our region.

Host Churches Needed

In early December, the following plan was developed: From January 1 – March 31, interested churches in the Fargo-Moorhead area will begin to help local homeless shelters provide a warm safe place for up to 25 overflow guests. The churches will sign up to host overflow guests on a rotating weekly basis (Sunday night – Saturday night) from 9:00 pm – 7:00 am. The weekly site will NOT be publicized.

The local homeless shelters will pre-screen and select up to 25 guests per night to be transferred to the local church site. These individuals will be single men and women so families can stay together at the shelter, which will provide continuity and stability for homeless children. Individuals who have been using alcohol, or have a history of violence or serious mental health issues will not be sent to church host sites. If there is a greater need, discussion of a second host site opening will occur.

Church Responsibility

The host church will be responsible for light snacks, restrooms, smoking locations (outside of building), and decide which areas will be open to their guests. Beds and linens have been purchased and/or donated by local businesses. The host sites will need to designate a coordinator or coordinators for their site.

Food

• Morning: Granola bar and Juice box
• Evening: Bottled water and individually wrapped single-serve items (preferably with protein), such as peanut butter crackers, cheese & crackers, peanuts, and pretzels

By taking the minimalist approach, the focus can remain on meeting the need for a warm place to stay while keeping people connected to the available agencies to try to move homeless individuals into the system to get them into jobs, apartments, etc., with the goal of getting them out of homelessness.

In the event of a blizzard warning, the host site should have supplies for up to 25 people for 1-2 days.

Beds/Linens

Local companies have donated air mattress beds and linens. Flannel blankets will be provided by HERO. The host church will be required to store the air beds during the week they are the host site; the bed linens and blankets will need to be laundered daily. Ideally a commercial laundry service in a business would be able to assist or volunteers could take linens to the laundry and/or home to wash the linens.

Transportation

Community organizations are working with interested church sites to provide a bus from the shelter to the church each evening and from the church to the shelter each morning. A grant proposal is in the works to hire and train two temporary drivers to cover the costs of a driver’s salary and gas for January-March. Donations will be needed up front to cover the cost of gas and salaries until the grant is received.

Liability Issues

Each site will need to confer with their own insurance provider regarding liability issues.

Volunteers

Volunteers are needed to provide a ministry of presence during the hours of 8:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. for up to 25 guests, who will be shuttled from the shelter to church. Volunteers can choose from 4, 8 or 12 hour shifts; the shifts are: 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m., 11:30 p.m.-4:30 a.m. and 4:00-7:30 a.m.; however, a volunteer can choose to work the entire night. Four volunteers are needed each shift (2 men/2 women) who will be awake and on duty through the night. This will give our guests the sense of security they need to rest well. The church host sites will also need volunteers from 7-9 a.m. to clean the sleeping area.

The current homeless shelters need assistance from 6:30-9:30 p.m. to get the shelter ready for the evening by putting down mattresses, etc., for overflow guests at each site. Volunteers are also needed at these sites from 9:30- 11:30 a.m. to provide oversight for individuals preparing to shower.

Other non-training required volunteer roles will also be available, such as preparing and serving snacks and logistical support. Volunteers need to attend a training session to be equipped for this practical ministry of presence and care.

Training

Volunteers will need to attend one training session provided by the Fargo-Moorhead Area Coalition for the Homeless Persons, American Red Cross Minn-Kota Chapter, and personnel from the local shelters. These sessions will help educate churches on how to run an emergency shelter and working with people in crisis. Taining sessions will be added as necessary. All training will be at 1st United Methodist Church, 906 1st Ave. S. Fargo. No pre-registration is required.

To volunteer call FirstLink at 211 or 701-235-7335 (SEEK) or sign up online

• Follow FM Sheltering Churches on facebook

Rebuild requires some skilled volunteers and some less skilled to assist the skilled volunteers. Start forming your teams today and call 218-443-4970 to schedule with the volunteer coordinator in Minot.

You can download the forms and send them to LDRvolunteer@lssnd.org

Make a difference in the lives of those waiting to make their house a home again!

This summer communities across North Dakota experienced the power of flooding water. As they rebuild and recover, you can help by joining together to provide a powerful Flood of Love.

Resources related to flood recovery and response, including information about volunteer coordination, spiritual care during disaster, ways to give financially to support recovery efforts, and much more are available at wndsynod.org

» Download Letter: Help rebuild Minot

If you’re an ELCA-primary health plan member, we need you to take the health assessment. Will you be the one to push us over the 65% discount threshold?

• Take the assessment at elcaforwellness.org
• Find instructions for taking the assessment at elcabop.org

Foundational to this plan being actualized in our synod is the formation of mission tables. The image of “table” is like a kitchen table where people gather and are fed and dream and plan, come and go. The image of “table” is like the Lord’s Table where people gather and are fed by the Risen Lord Jesus and sent out as resurrection people empowered to be participants in God’s new creation and mission for the sake of the world including our neighbors & neighborhoods.

The emergence of mission tables is taking place alongside the synod’s boards and committees. Boards and Committees (including synod council) are constitutionally-designated groups that tend specific assignments within the corporate life of the synod as defined in the constitution and bylaws; Tables foster ongoing conversations around various aspects of how this synod serves God’s mission. They are oriented toward producing and implementing mission action plans resulting from imaginative missional conversations with congregations, parishes and conferences in a fluid manner with tablemates who “come and go” over time.

From time to time committees and tables may form two other sorts of synod leadership groups:

1. Teams address a more narrowly-focused area of the synod’s life over an extended or even indefinite period of time;
2. Task Forces also address a more narrowly-focused area of the synod’s life, but in a more time-limited and task-focused way. Typically a task force is disbanded when it has fulfilled its charge.

In the past couple of years several tables have formed and more will form in the years to come. The New and Renewing Mission Table is one of those tables that is formed and is still forming. Mission Tables like the New and Renewing Mission Table are open groups of passionate Jesus followers who gather periodically to discern the places in our synod where God’s Spirit is moving and seeking ways to join in God’s work.

The New and Renewing Mission Table is an open group of passionate Jesus followers who gather periodically to:

• Discover places in our synod where God’s Spirit is moving and seek ways to join in God’s work.
• Cultivate missional imagination within the synod, and translate that imagination into action.
• Be formed and reformed by those pulling up a chair and joining in the work.
• Be encouragers for congregations who have begun an intentional renewal process, and to share information and resources that are available (e.g. grants, online and/or print media or human resources including coaching and leadership equipping).
• Provide renewal opportunities for congregations in the synod who seek to re-root in their identity as God’s people and God’s mission field.
• Plant new churches for those without a faith community.
• Seek “putting a spade in the ground” of a missional “test plot” (spark small missional experiments within the synod using an action reflection research model).
• Celebrate the successes and learn from failures within the synod.

There are other chairs at this table. Pull up your chair and join us.

Pastor Keith Zeh, Director for Evangelical Mission

Download article: New and Renewing Mission Table

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all.” (Titus 2:11)

Yes… In this world where God created with deep beauty and profound mystery.
In this world where so many yearn for God’s healing and peace.
In this world where some have thought God has forsaken us.

Yes… Here, in this world, the grace of God has appeared.
Not just in this world but for you.

Yes… For you, weary from trying to meet the expectations of others.
For you, worrying about an uncertain future.
For you, wondering if you are worthy.

Yes… For you, the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation.
Not just for you but for all.

Yes… For all, salvation has come in the wonder of God in mercy bending low to meet us in our humanity.
In the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection. In the power and promise of the gospel’s proclamation.
God’s goodness and loving-kindness has appeared in the Savior Jesus.

So with angelic messengers and witnessing shepherds, we raise our voices:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”

• Download: Bishop Hanson’s 2011 Christmas Message
• Watch: Bishop Hanson’s 2011 Christmas Video…

In addition, Pastor Terry and/or other synod pastoral staff may be available (by appointment) to meet in the Valley City office during the week. To schedule an appointment, simply call the main synod office at 701-232-3381, or if you are in the Valley City area, simply stop by for a cup of coffee.

The address is:

160 2nd St NW
Valley City, ND
(map)

Thank you, Dave Bjornson!

For more information
(Enter Region “AFRICA” in the search options)

40% Tax Credit Brings Outstanding Tax Incentive for Gifts by Businesses to EaND Synod Endowment Fund

The last Sunday in September has once again been designated as “Synod Endowment Offering Sunday”. By supporting this fund, you are helping future pastors and other church workers with their costs of seminary training. In addition, this fund assists pastors in our synod with their student loan debt and also subsidizes annual payments to their pension funds when their compensation is below certain levels. We encourage your support to the Synod Endowment Fund on this special Sunday in September.

Your Gifts Have Made a Difference

Since the inception of this fund, over 10 years ago, gifts of about $2.5 million have been received. The fund has made over $920,000 in payouts for the purposes for which it was established. On behalf of the many church leaders whose lives have been touched, the endowment committee extends its heartfelt thanks to those who have supported this initiative.

Special Tax Incentive for “Business Gifts” to This Fund

If you are a North Dakota individual taxpayer or an owner of a North Dakota farm or other business (if operated as a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, etc.), you have been presented with an unprecedented tax incentive if you make gifts to a newly-created endowment fund that our synod has established for the same above-stated purposes. The 2007 and 2011 ND Legislatures passed bills which allow a 40% state income tax credit for certain gifts made to “permanent, irrevocable” endowment funds of qualified North Dakota charitable organizations. Qualified donors will likely find that well over 50% of their gifts will be “subsidized” through State and Federal tax incentives!

Our synod’s endowment committee has worked closely with professional counsel so that gifts to this recently- established endowment fund will qualify for the major tax incentives under this legislation.

Your qualifying individual gift ($5,000 or more per year) or “business” gifts qualify for the income tax credit, it will be deposited into the newly-established second fund. Distributions from both funds will be used for the same purposes as in prior years.

Your gifts may be made through your church on or after the Synod Endowment Sunday. Otherwise, gifts may be forwarded to the EaND Synod Office, 1703 32nd Avenue S., Fargo, ND  58103.  It is best to make the checks payable to: “EaND Synod Endowment Fund”.

If you have any general questions on the above, please contact Julie Johnson, 701-388-4781 or by e-mail at: jandcjohnson@cableone.net. Donors should always rely on their own professional advisors for advice particular to their situations.

More information:

• 2011 Synod Endowment Sunday Resources
• Synod Endowment Informational Video
• Download a .pdf of this article

Synod Endowment Sunday  - September 25, 2011

$1,000,000!!! Milestones:

Do you remember when McDonalds displayed how many hamburgers they had sold on their signs? I remember when it changed to over one billion served. We have our own upcoming milestone in the Eastern North Dakota Synod. Thanks to a visionary leadership initiative that helps reduce the monumental debt facing our pastors, the EaND Synod Endowment Fund was created. Next year, the milestone of $1,000,000 in grants will be reached!

These grants will have gone out to provide scholarships for those called to ministry from our synod; to provide seminary debt reduction for those who serve in our synod; to supplement pensions of pastors serving in lower-paying calls; to provide assistance for rural internships; and to provide money for leadership development.

This is made possible by your generous support of the EaND Synod Endowment Fund.

Endowment Sunday will be September 25, 2011. That means that you’ll, once again, have the opportunity to continue your support. Through the money that is working through the endowment, we will continue to make a difference in the lives of those who serve us.

Thank you once again and keep up the good work!

Bishop Rindy

» Download: Synod Endowment Fund Milestones (download pdf file)

Learn more about the Synod Endowment Fund and download resources for your congregation…

For more information about the fund and how you can help, visit the WND Flood of Love website.  You can also watch the “Flood of Love” video on YouTube or use the “Flood of Love” bulletin insert in your church.

Donations may be sent to:

Flood of Love – Congregational Rebuild Fund
Western ND Synod
PO Box 370
Bismarck, ND 58784

Gifts may be designated for “Individual Assistance” to assist individuals and families affected or “Congregations” to assist with congregational rebuild for congregations that have sustained property damage.

Volunteer:

Lutheran Disaster Response of ND is coordinating volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering call 218-443-4970 or go to www.lssnd.org. Volunteer housing and training is available.

Resources:

Visit the WND website for flood resources, including videos, articles, recovery tips, and coordinating volunteer groups.