• August 19 at Our Savior’s Lutheran, Valley City, ND
• September 1 at University Lutheran Church, Grand Forks, ND
• September 26 Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Fargo, ND

News from the Nelson’s:

“… exciting to see the clinic in operation and already had 12 babies born there … still many odds and ends to get going but it is indeed a joy to see the Emmanuel Clinic of Gallo healing the sick and doing things in that town that had never been done there before … Thanks for all your gifts and offerings to make this a reality.”

Bishop Rindy outlines the current state of our synod and the need for significant changes in our mission. He also passionately outlines the “Extra Mile for Mission” challenge, a charge to each of us to be active witnesses in our congregations, synod, and world.  Video and PowerPoint resources attached.

To watch the State of the Synod Address from the beginning, select “01″ and click the play button

What is the state of our synod? If we look solely at our budget, the outlook isn’t positive. The 2011 proposed Mission plan budget is about 38% of the 1989 Mission plan, when adjusted for inflation. Because of this, there is not much left in our dwindling budget to inspire exciting evangelical imagination. I was talking to someone just the other day, he was looking at the support of our ministry partners and commented “That’s pathetic.” I replied, “Yeah it is.” And so, I thought we need to look at our mission and support a little differently.

What would it look like if our church met our previous giving 2009 goal? What would the state of the synod be if we were to get back to 1989 giving and generosity? What unites in passionate mission? God has a vision for us as individuals, as congregations, as a synod, and as a churchwide ELCA, using our gifts and talents to make a difference in God’s world. Let’s look to Jesus and heed is commission to be witnesses and bear fruit in this world. Together we are shaping the future: to go the extra mile; to do the work God has set before us!

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• Video:
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  .wmv (~396 MB) (download video file) | .mov (~835 MB) (download video file)
• Audio Only:
  .mp3 (~32MB) (download .mp3 file)
• PowerPoint Presentation:
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More information:

Extra Mile for Mission

If you have trouble viewing the embedded video or downloading the files, please contact the webmaster.

Over the centuries, the Church has undergone many challenges and changes. If we were all able to back out a few notches, we would have a God’s eye perspective on the transitions our world, our nation, and our church are experiencing. That perspective presents both challenge and opportunity for us. As I reflected on our synod mission plan/budget, a question came to mind: What does our mission plan say about our perspective of ministry?

I am looking forward to being with you at the synod assembly. God is both refining and redefining our mission in the world. Some parts of this mission will never change. Other ways of “being church” will have to give way to God’s renewed mission for the eastern North Dakota “US.” The question is changing from “How do we keep doing what we’ve been doing?” to “What would God have us do in this time and place to do God’s will?” These are radically different questions. The question we choose to answer will make all of the difference, not only in the world, but in the Kingdom of God.

My hope, serving as your Bishop, is to keep this part of God’s church focused on the mission God has set before us. Anytime a person/congregation/synod begins to turn its focus inward, seeking to save its life, it begins to lose it. When we are turned outward to the mission of God and love of the neighbor, losing our lives for Christ’s sake, we are renewed.

As I have spent time with President Andre Golike of our companion synod, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Central African Republic, wondering and praying about our role as “companion”, my world view is being both challenged and changed. Last year, the C.A.R. was the 7th poorest nation on earth. This year, it is THE poorest. As I looked at our synod mission plan, there probably wouldn’t be enough evidence to convict us of being their companion synod if we were to be put on trial.

What about our brothers and sisters in the C.A.R.? They have the ability to help us gain perspective, to help turn our eyes, our lives, our sense of mission outward, where we can both lose our lives and begin to find them. Every time I have tried to give God something, God has given me more joy and purpose than I ever could have imagined in return. We have much to offer them, but I have a strong feeling that they have much more to offer us, if we are willing to live deeper into our God-given relationship.

Stay tuned in to be a part of God’s challenge and change!

» Download: Challenge and Change (download .pdf file)

Pres. Golike and Bishop Rindy

Andre Golike, President
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic,
visits Eastern North Dakota Companion Synod

During the week of February 10-15, 2010 President Golike visited eastern North Dakota including Dacotah O’Yate, Park River Bible Camp (external link), Christus Rex campus ministry (external link), rural and city churches. It was a blessing to welcome him to our part of the world.

Download the following PowerPoint presentation or pdf for a few photo highlights from his visit.  Please feel free to share this presentation and article with your congregation.

» Download:

• President Golike Visit (download PowerPoint file)
• President Golike Visit (download pdf file)

During the week of February 10-15 President Andre Golike experienced snow (and lots of it), cold temperatures, ice fishing, and snowmobiling during his first visit to America. He spent time in frozen eastern North Dakota, but expressed how he felt the welcoming warmth of the people he met. Golike, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic, visited his companion synods, Western North Dakota and Eastern North Dakota, meeting many people across the state where more than 1/3 of the population is Lutheran . He also visited a third companion synod, Texas-Louisiana Gulf Synod.

In the Central African Republic (C.A.R.) there are about 70,000 Lutherans, only 1.5% of the 4.4 million people. In the midst of severe poverty, corrupt government and civil unrest, the Lutheran church is growing – doubling in membership the past 20 years! There are 67 pastors in the C.A.R., many of them serving 10 to 15 congregations, walking between villages and churches!

Noel Tade, who grew up with President Golike in the C.A.R., accompanied him around the synod; they both speak four languages including French, English, Sangho and Baya. Noel is married to Sarah Larson-Tade, pastor of Shepherd of the Prairie parish, Walcott.

President Golike experienced a “oneness in Christ” while visiting Dacotah O’Yate, Park River Bible Camp, Christus Rex campus ministry, a Grand Forks homeless shelter and a Rural Medicine program and more. He also participated in worship and enjoyed food and fellowship in several EaND Synod congregations, both rural and city. In addition to preaching at Messiah and Hope Lutheran churches in Fargo, he preached and baptized a new child of God at Faith in West Fargo!

Before he departed for home, he stopped by the EaND Synod office for “coffee.” Bishop Rindy presented him with a handmade stole, created by Sandy Branstiter, complete with North Dakota symbols of wheat and sunflowers!

The Synod Council voted to share $12,000 of a generous bequest from the estate of Melvin Olson with the church in the C.A.R.; it will be used for ministries as President Golike sees fit. In addition, he flew home with a gift of a new laptop computer to assist in God’s work.

It was a blessing to all who met and shared Christ’s love with our partner in mission, President Andre Golike. Remember to hold him and the church in the Central African Republic in prayer and support.

President Golkike, Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic

President Andre’ Golike, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic, will be visiting the Eastern North Dakota Synod during the week of February 10-15, 2010.

President Golike presides over this, our Companion Synod, in a country filled with challenges of many kinds. In the midst of severe poverty and corrupt government, past visitors to the C.A.R. from EaND Synod describe the church as a vibrant and welcoming church. We look forward to showing President Golike an equally warm welcome here in North Dakota. 

President Golike’s tentative schedule:

Wednesday, February 10

7:00 pm – Soup and Sandwich Supper with program at Trinity Lutheran, Jamestown, ND (external link)

Thursday, February 11

Noon – Dakota O’Yate, Tokio

7:00 pm – Program at Park River Bible Camp, Park River, ND (external link)

Friday, February 12

Grand Forks’ visits: Lunch at Christus Rex, Campus Ministry UND Grand Forks’ visits and activities: tour of homeless shelter; visit to medical school Rural Medicine program

Saturday, February 13

Noon – Lunch and program at Highland Lutheran Church, rural Cummings, ND (external link)

5:00 pm – Worship at Faith Lutheran, West Fargo, ND (external link) followed by a multicultural celebration with meal cooked by United Hearts for Haiti.
Everyone is welcome: please call (701) 282-3309 by Wednesday, February 10 to reserve your meal – free will donaition

Sunday, February 14

9:00 am – Worship at Messiah Lutheran, Fargo, ND (external link); service televised on WDAY-TV

11:00 am – Worship at Hope Lutheran-North Campus, Fargo, ND (external link) followed by a free-will lunch;
Everyone is welcome: please RSVP to Priscilla Smith by Wednesday, February 10 at (701) 235-6629

Evening – Sarah & Noel Tade, Walcott, ND

Monday, February 15

Morning – Synod Office visit

» Download: Pres. Golike Visit Information and Schedule (download .pdf file)

The Central African Republic (C.A.R.), located in the heart of Africa, is one of the poorest, least developed countries in the world. It is surrounded by unstable, and sometimes violent countries. Many of its people live daily lives of struggle and bare subsistence; however, Christians in the C.A.R. have joy in worshiping their Savior and in sharing that joy with others. While visiting the C.A.R. in February of 2008, Dianne Billey observed, “I have never been in a situation where there was such joy in being Christian and absolute joy in worshiping with other Christians.” Here is an update on the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic:

Joe and Debra Troester, the only American missionaries living and working in the C.A.R., were on home assignment this past summer. Now back in the C.A.R., Joe, an engineer, works with local village people on water projects and Deborah, a pastor, is teaching at the seminary. Visit Joe and Deborah’s blog http://africanwaterlog.blogspot.com (external link).  You may subscribe to their blog by email (josephtroester@earthlink.net) and will automatically receive their newsletter.

June and Phil Nelson live and work in the Cameroon serving missionaries with logistical coordination. They served for more than a decade in the C.A.R. and returned to the Central African region in 2008. Phil grew up in the Cameroon, the son of retired Pastor Ron & Ruth Nelson of Hettinger, ND. Pastor Sarah Larsen-Tade writes, “Their experience…love of the church, the people, culture and languages are gifts that serve to build up the kingdom of God in that place.” (Read a recent letter from Phil)

Through the shared action of Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry (external link), Global Health Ministry (external link), and Companion Synods (external link) (like EaND) a medical facility, the Gallo Clinic, is being built. Teresa Obaya, a Kenyan midwife and health administrator, was called to oversee the project. The cornerstone was laid in March 2009 and a shipping container full of medical supplies was sent May 30. Soon the center will be completed, and the good work will begin!

As we pray for the people, the village schools, missionaries, and for understanding we can also financially support the ministries of the C.A.R. and learn more about the Central African Republic! You are encouraged to learn more by visiting the ELCA C.A.R. page (external link) and the EaND Synod C.A.R. Global Ministry page.

We continue our journey of being the body of Christ in the world—at home, at work, near and far—and by continuing to walk hand in maboko na maboko with our synod companion, the Central African Republic.

Adapted from Rev. Sarah Larsen Tade’s Shepherd of the Prairie newsletter; the ELCA website; and the EaND Synod C.A.R. brochure

In this issue:

• Update from the Bishop
• Letter from Central African Republic Missionaries

» Download and share: November News Snippet Bulletin Insert (download .pdf file)

FAQs to the Bishop

Greetings in the name of Jesus,

I am seeking to walk a thin line between equipping the saints for the work of ministry while at the same time helping the other expressions of the ELCA (congregation and synod) find their voice. I have enjoyed being with each conference assembly, especially for the question and answer times. Those times have been good learning opportunities for me and I trust they have been for others. I have been asked to create some FAQ (frequently asked questions) videos for posting on our synod website to assist with questions you are probably encountering. My first preference would be for me, Terry, or Kari to be with you in person, but with 230 congregations we simply cannot get to all of you before annual meeting time. These video snippets are designed to help you/your people think through some of the complex questions with which we are all dealing. I’ll try to make them downloadable so that you can utilize them where you need to do so.

Pastor Bill Rindy
Serving as Bishop of the Eastern North Dakota Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Dry Season: a recent letter from our missionaries

Dear Friends,

Dry season arrived on Friday. It rained last Thursday but since then the sunlight changed, the wind changed, and the humidity has changed. There might be another small rain, or 2, but everything looks more like dry season. Even the dry season laughing doves, “pirtide” in Fulfulde or “kerengede” in Gbaya, have arrived.

It seems that dry season has, also, arrived in the ELCA Global Mission. From correspondence we received from Global Mission last evening, they foresee the possibility of a 30% reduction in giving to the Churchwide office. This is in protest to actions taken in Minneapolis a couple of months ago. We have been watching the news in Fargo, as well, and there have been several congregations who voted to hold back funds from Chicago in protest to ELCA General Assembly actions. We will not comment on the rightness or the wrongness of such a move even though June and I have our own opinions but we must speak of the consequences of these actions..

Global Mission Unit is now in the process of drastically cutting back funding which includes program grants, Chicago staff, and current missionary staff. The cuts will not end there but will continue as program cuts to partner churches. In about 2 weeks, they will be making some very hard decisions in Chicago as to what, and who will be cut, and what and who will remain. This means major restructuring, and reevaluation, of the work being done by Global Mission. This kind of major surgery is one of the most difficult things ever undertaken by staff in Chicago but if we are to stay alive, and stay true, to the call that we have been given by our Lord and Savior it must be done.

Please pray for strength, and above all wisdom, for those that are asked to make these decisions. We will have a leaner, Global Mission but let us all pray that we will end up with a more effective ministry of spreading the Gospel with the priority to those who have not heard the Good News.

These people, here in Cameroon, include particularly the Fulbe people such as the Imaniiya, who actively seek a relationship with Christ, and those in more remote areas of the Poli Region where there have been difficulties for many years. Just as important is the Gospel in action with our brothers, and sisters, with whom we are partners in this endeavor. This endeavor includes health work, leadership training, women’s work, support of Church growth, Church roofs and on and on.

To demonstrate the immediate consequences of these reductions, as I was writing this letter, Mme Baba Martine brought a written request from the Bible School, and Deaf School in Tcholire, asking for a loan of 1,500,000 CFA (about $3,490) to keep them running. It was signed by the Director of the Tcholire Bible School, and five teachers which includes the blind, Braille teacher who put his finger print on it. They addressed the letter to me, personally, in the hopes that I had some money lying around that I could give them to help them feed their families, and pay the electric and tax bills to keep them functioning. The Bible School is one month into the 4th quarter and they haven’t received their normal subsidy. They request that I float them a loan until the subsidy comes in. Will it? There is, also, a women’s conference taking place in this same district which starts on November 8th, at a new congregation just created, and I am unable to help them with any funds.

I can understand the need to protest decisions that we do not adhere to but we must be very careful about how we go about it so that we do not hinder the work that we have been called to by our Lord and Savior. Some people have advocated circumventing Chicago to do this but I do not.

Something must be done in order to uphold the calling that we all have, as members of the body of Christ. Make decisions about withholding funds with care, “Have no anxiety about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Phil. 4:6

Your Missionaries in Cameroon and CAR,
Phil and June Nelson

The two main stories on the title page of the DVD convey the mission of the Synod and that of the greater ELCA. There are 12 chapter story videos detailing some of the ministries of the Eastern North Dakota Synod. Enjoy viewing them. We want you to know the ‘Synod Stories’ to feel good about enthusiastically supporting our work together. Each congregational president has received a copy of this DVD for use in their local congregation.

Video Chapters

• EaND “Us” :: Overview
• EaND “Us” :: Bible Camp
• EaND “Us” :: Call Process
• EaND “Us” :: Campus Ministry
• EaND “Us” :: Central African Republic
• EaND “Us” :: Dacotah O’yate
• EaND “Us” :: Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch
• EaND “Us” :: Lutheran Social Services
• EaND “Us” :: Planned Giving Partnership
• EaND “Us” :: the Project F-M
• EaND “Us” :: Resource Center
• EaND “Us” :: Seminarians
• EaND “Us” :: Synod Endowment
• EaND “Us” :: ELCA Churchwide
• EaND “Us” :: Bishop’s Thank You

• Click here for all C.A.R. Resources…
• Learn more about the Central African Republic

What can our synod do to be better partners in Christ with our companion synod? One way is to learn more about the C.A.R. itself and the many ministries happening there.  This PowerPoint is for pastors, staff, committees and organizations of your congregations to use in any way you choose to do so.  Our thanks to Ian and Joyce Graue, missionaries to the C.A.R., who have shared this presentation with our synod.

Downloads:

• C.A.R. Presentation – PowerPoint version (download .ppt file) (191 MB)
• C.A.R. Presentation – PDF version (download .pdf file) (3.6 MB)

Learn More:

• News articles about the ministry in the C.A.R.
• Statistics, resources, and ministry projects
• Be Involved

* The PowerPoint presentation is a large file. If you are unable to download the file, please contact the Synod Office to request a copy.