Messiah’s initial project produced 239 dresses and 51 britches (shorts) for boys. It began with gathering supplies, spending time together (or at home during the winter months), and producing the garments in love. The youth at Messiah tie-dyed donated white pillowcases. This became a multi-generational project for the church.

God used the hands of volunteers at Messiah, and the congregation was graced with beautiful clothing hanging on clotheslines in the sanctuary. The Hour of Worship televised service from Messiah Lutheran allowed us the opportunity to share this project with the viewers. We received donations of binding, elastic, ribbons, pillowcases, and money from people in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Pennsylvania and Canada. More importantly God worked through the Hour of Worship to share the excitement of this project, with 59 other churches contacting Messiah’s Parish Nurse, Sandi Kimmet, RN, forinformation on how to implement the project at their churches. God’s Hands led the hands of this congregation to reach out in an even greater way.

Sandi has maintained contact with Rachel O’Neill, the director of Little Dresses for Africa. She learned that some of the dresses from Messiah were sent to Haiti with medical volunteers following the earthquake and some were sent to Malawi for orphans who were left without clothing. These clothing items are light weight, easy to roll and pack up. This is a benefit for international travelers. God’s work. Our hands.

[The Messiah Health Ministry Team is planning on repeating the project in 2012. Sandi notes that this is an easy, short-term creative project and creates beautiful work to share with God's children in the world. The next "Pillowcase Sewing/Bandage Rolling Bee" will be held at Messiah on February 11, 2012 from 9am-3pm in the Activity Room. If you would like to hear more about this project, to have a speaker at your church or to ask any questions, please call for the Faith Community/Parish Nurse at Messiah Lutheran, 237-6770.]

» Download: God in Full View Nov 2011

God in Full View!

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

Freed in Christ to Serve was the theme around which we (22 voting members from the synod and myself) gathered, worshiped, deliberated, and prayed as your voting members at Churchwide Assembly in Orlando, Florida August 14-19. During the opening worship, Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson asked the question, “Is this church ready to move forward in mission?” The answer he received at the closing worship on Friday was a resounding, “YES!”

• The Living Into the Future Together (LIFT)task force’s recommendations were received and accepted by the assembly, meaning that:
  • we will evaluate and discuss how we work with social statements, finding appropriate ways to discuss difficult topics in the future;
  • we will consider holding Churchwide Assemblies every three years if the 2013 assembly ratifies the motion;
  • we will explore other types of gatherings focusing on mission and minis try that are non-legislative; and more…
• We launched the ELCA Malaria Campaign to deal with the reality many of our companion synods face in sub-Saharan Africa: a child dies every 45 seconds from malaria.
• Farmers, geneticists, and people suffering from genetic disorders came to the microphone thanking our church for help in dealing with complex social, moral, and ethical questions facing our society around the topic of genetics. The social statement, “Genetics, Faith and Responsibility” was adopted by an over 95% vote.

Along with the budget, several constitutional amendments, resolutions and memorials, we spent time in small group Bible study and gathered as a whole to worship. Pr. Rene Larson, who was a seminary student serving in Haiti with her husband, Ben, when the earthquake hit, gave one of the most powerful sermons I have ever heard. To hear this witness to the Gospel, go the ELCA Churchwide Assembly Videos page and click Friday Holy Communion (13:43 of the video)

Finally, members of Peace Lutheran Church (hit by a category 5 tornado) in Joplin, Missouri presented each synod bishop with a wooden cross made from one of their remaining church beams. They asked us to thank you for your support. Through Lutheran Disaster Response you were there the day after the tornado hit. You are still there. You will be there until the job is finished.

I am grateful to be a part of a church that is able to have conversation around difficult topics, even if we won’t all agree. I’m grateful to be a part of a church that lives in mission beyond its walls, serving the neighbor in need. I continue to be humbled to serve as your bishop in this time of our church’s history.

God is good… all the time!

» Download: ELCA Churchwide Recap

Click here to view the embedded video.

“…Ten of us were on the road going to cities and villages called Yaounde, Garou Boulai, Baboua, Bouar, Gallo and Buhong. While we were talking and discussing, Jesus came and went with us (actually Jesus was already there ahead of us)! In the breaking of bread at worship, in homes and talking with Christians on the road – our eyes were opened. We returned with burning hearts – never had a moment of heartburn.”    - Rev. Randy Schlecht

There is also a new video featuring the Village Education Project.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Learn more about the C.A.R…

The people who physically made this project a reality are: John and Carol Bjornson, Carrie Byron, Pam Sondeland, Chuck and Rita Mielke, Lois Otto, Cathy Axvig, Wilma Gemmill, Lois Ydstie, Doris Haug, Bonnie Amundrud, Helen Sundvor, Jan Nygard, Marj Nygard, Toni Monsebroten and Loretta Monson. This truly was a labor of love, not only from those who worked on the quilts, but also from those who willingly helped defray the expenses. Everyone involved agreed this was really a fun and fulfilling project.

God in full view!

Update: June 21, 2011

Recently a group of Edinburg area residents, including members from Trinity Lutheran Church, made quilts to be distributed in Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami. Community support for the quilt project was wonderful as fabric donations and monetary donations were given. Thirty-two quilts were cut, pieced and tied within five days.

Pastor Darrel Cory, interim pastor at Trinity Lutheran, made arrangements for the quilts to be donated to Rev.Okofuna, Ishinomaki Eiko Church, and United Church of Christ, which was damaged by the tsunami. The quilts were being hand delivered to individual victims and also donated to parents of the Kindergarten.

God in full view!

Donations may be sent to ELCA Disaster Response, designated for the Pacific Earthquake & Tsunami, and will be used entirely (100%) in response to this disaster.

Donate Online (external link)

Other Ways to Give:

• Check or money orders sent to:
  ELCA Disaster Response
  39330 Treasury Center
  Chicago, IL 60694-9300
  write “Pacific Earthquake & Tsunami”
  on your check’s memo line.
• Credit card by phone: 800-638-3522

More information on elca.org (external link)

During the month of November, St. John Lutheran in south Fargo used a different approach to catch the attention of its membership in regard to the needs of hungry people world-wide.

Beginning with our Social Concerns Committee we formed a small sub-committee who arranged a four-Sunday emphasis. Prior to the first Sunday and with the help of our pastor, we asked several families in the congregation to be part of a financial challenge to the rest of the congregation. No names of individuals or families nor the amounts promised were made public. The total congregational challenge was $6,600.

The first Sunday we announced this amount and challenged the congregation (adults and youth) to match it in the next three weeks. We had several Adult Forums, we distributed ELCA World Hunger (external link) offering envelopes, and had an in-gathering. We are happy to report that we met the challenge as we received slightly more than $13,200. Our youth were involved through our Sunday School classes as well as our middle school and senior high youth groups.

If you would like more information about this, feel free to contact Elwood Rieke at (701) 293-0717 or elrieke@yahoo.com

God in Full View!

What’s different about this event? The ELCA Glocal Mission Gathering brings together experts and resources on global and domestic ministry under one roof, for one weekend, in one convenient location so leadership teams can build the skills needed to be a part of God’s mission, no matter where service happens. Additionally, the dialogue initiated at this event will help ELCA Global Mission understand how to be of better service to you.

This event will feature a “God’s work. Our hands” wall displaying the past year’s mission activities of the congregations in the EaND Synod. All congregations are asked to submit a list of their mission accomplishments in the year beginning with the summer of 2009, sending them to Ruth Urdahl, 907 9th St SW, Jamestown, ND 58401-5104 or email urdahlkr@yahoo.com Identify submissions with the congregation’s name, city, and number of baptized members and sent by September 1.

Speakers:

• Accompaniment – Dr. JosJ Rodriguez
• Local Mission – Rodger Prois
• Culture – Sunitha Mortha

Workshops:

Mission 101 – Megan Bradfield, Stacy Kitahata
Explore the meaning and practice of mission. Why engage in mission? Where does mission occur? What doesmission mean in our work together? And how do we express mission in our relationships, from the local community to the global communion? Geared toward all interested in better understanding mission in context.

Short Term Mission - Valora Starr, Stephanie Anderson
Enter into a new understanding of global and local community through short-term mission trips. Learn how toapproach planning, travel, and return with a focus on developing intentional and meaningful relationships, bothwithin and between communities. Addresses practical and conceptual aspects of short-term mission travel andthe development of a local missional community. Intended for members of supporting communities and congregations,travelers, and planners.

Cross-Generational Engagement – Linda Staats, Diane Monroe
Empower youth and all ages within the congregation for a local and global connection. Discover ways to meaningfullyweave all generations into the life of mission. This workshop offers approaches beyond traditional, agesegregatedclassroom settings, and is intended for Sunday school teachers, youth and children ministers, parents,godparents, and all caring adults.

Stewardship – Kari Bahe, Steve Peterson
Examine the values and strategies that create a culture of generosity in a faith community. Learn about assetbasedthinking, storytelling and networking in developing a sustainable congregation. This workshop introducescreative tools to help congregations re-think the meaning of stewardship with a new understanding of our globaland local context, and is designed for all members of congregations.

Social Action – Christopher Carpenter, David Creech
Equip yourself with resources to effectively mobilize your congregation to act through giving, advocacy, andlifestyle choices. Using climate change as a case study, learn about the root causes of hunger and poverty. This workshop surveys practical approaches to social justice, and is geared toward people with beginning tomoderate experience in justice work.

New and Renewing Congregations - William Tesch, Keith Zeh
Expand our church and encourage community by making a renewed commitment to being an “open door”church. Learn how community outreach creates a church bursting with life, sensitive to the connectionsbetween accompaniment and healthy, missional congregations. This workshop offers a theological foundationand effective strategies for congregational renewal, and is intended for all congregational members.

Worship and Mission – Jennifer Ollikainen
Embrace and welcome all people through inclusive music and worship. Explore global and local context in oursacred song and speech. This workshop focuses on using creative liturgy and global music to communicatemission in the congregation. Designed for musicians and worship leaders.

More information:

• Registration (external link)
• Event Agenda (external link)
• Download bulletin insert (download .pdf file)
• Download workshop list (download .pdf file)

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!

» Download and Share:

• Video:
  These video files are compressed with .zip but still quite large.  A high speed internet connection is required.  Please contact the synod office if you would like a copy of the video mailed to you.
  .wmv (~396 MB) (download video file) | .mov (~835 MB) (download video file)
• Audio Only:
  .mp3 (~32MB) (download .mp3 file)
• PowerPoint Presentation:
  .ppt (download .ppt file) | .pdf (download .pdf file) | View online (external link)

More information:

Extra Mile for Mission

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

» Download and Share: .wmv (download video file) | .mp4 (download video file)

“As we celebrate this outpouring of gifts and prayers, we also know that we have a long road to travel together. There is so much more to be done. This church is committed to walking with our brothers and sisters in Haiti for years to come; your continued support is needed to provide ongoing care.”

- Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Your help and support is still needed!

Find out more about the continuing Haitian relief effort, including stories, videos, and congregational resources, on the ELCA website (external link), ELCA Disaster Response (external link), and Lutheran World Relief (external link).

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