Vining Lutheran Church – Vining, MN
9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

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Saturday, May 1, 2010

Milnor Lutheran Church – Milnor, ND
9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Update: The STaR event for May 1 has been canceled.

God’s Spirit is breathing new vitality into rural congregations and multi-point parishes! Come and learn about what effective rural congregations have to say about God’s activity in and through them. In their stories, multi-point parish and congregational leaders will explore the best practices for vital ministry and identify action steps for their own ministry setting.

Pastor Keith Zeh encourages you to have more than one person per congregation attend. He says, “When more than one person attends, the more likely they’ll bring something home that matters; they’ll bring enthusiasm and information back to their home congregation.”

The registration fee for each congregation is $25 for one person and $10 for each additional person who attends.

Don’t miss this great opportunity!

» Download: Event Information and Registration (download .pdf file)

Lutheran Men’s Ministry Team

A new team has taken to the field and has begun spring training “stretching”. Men from Eastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota Synods gathered together on March 5, 2010. They imagined how they could be a part of God’s mission with men in both synods, and decided to form a joint synod Lutheran Men’s Ministry Team.

As they stretched their imagination, they began to envision every man having a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ through an effective men’s ministry in every congregation in both synods. They stretched some more and began to think of ways to live into this vision by promoting men’s ministry events, helping to start new men’s groups, sponsoring men’s retreats, developing a “took kit” for men’s ministry, and celebrating and storytelling about the ministry happening!

Next Meeting: April 9, 2010
11:30 am – 1:30 pm
EaND Synod Conference Room

The Lutheran Men’s Ministry Team wants to add members to the team roster this spring. Join them for their second meeting on April 9, 2010. The Team will meet at the Eastern North Dakota Synod Conference Room from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

If you would like more information contact Pastor Keith Zeh by e-mail keith@eandsynod.org or by phone at 701-232-3381. If you would like to attend please RSVP.

Discovering Hope in Multipoint Parishes and Congregations

Saturday, April 24. 2010
Vining Lutheran Church – Vining, MN
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Saturday, May 1, 2010
Milnor Lutheran Church – Milnor, ND

Mark your calendar for a Discovering Hope in Multipoint Parishes and Congregations Event. This event is in follow up to the Cultivating Vitality in Multipoint Parishes event in January and will be offered twice on Saturday, April 24 at Vining Lutheran Church, Vining, MN and again on Saturday, May 1 at Milnor Lutheran Church, Milnor, ND. The events will start at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 4:00 p.m.

God’s Spirit is breathing new vitality into rural congregations and multipoint parishes! Come and learn about what effective rural congregations have to say about God’s activity in and through them. In their stories, multipoint parish and congregational leaders will explore the best practices for vital ministry and identify action steps for their own ministry setting.

Stay tuned for more details including a registration form and schedule.

» Download: Mission in Motion: March 2010 (download .pdf file)

Cultivating Vitality in Multipoint Parishes was an equipping and energizing experience held January 16 at Climax Lutheran Church. Over 70 pastoral and lay leaders from both synods, representing 22 parishes and involving 62 congregations, participated in this catalytic event. Encore events (one in each synod in the southern region) are planned for later this year. A sampling of resources for that day, is available below. For more information about Cultivating Vitality for Multipoint Parishes, contact Rev. Keith Zeh at the synod office at (701) 232-3381 or keith@eandsynod.org

Twenty-three men from seven congregations attended a Building Men for Christ training event for congregational leaders January 22-23 at Hope Lutheran Church in Fargo. This event, facilitated by the ELCA’s Lutheran Men in Mission in partnership with both synods, expressed a compelling vision of every man having a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

Insights shared included data about men’s involvement in the life of the church and the profound effect their faith has in the lives of their children.

• The ratio of men to women in mainline congregations was 48% in 1952 compared to less than 38% today.
• Each week more than 5 million wives worship without their husbands. Most males begin to disengage from the church as early as 9 years of age.
• When both father and mother are actively engaged in their faith, the children are more likely to become people of faith.
• Men ages 18-34 are the most un-churched group in America. Congregations with a higher percentage of men involved tend to be faster growing, stronger in stewardship and have more children and youth involved.

Among the positive outcomes resulting from this significant event was the “setting in motion” the formation of a joint-synod Building Men for Christ task force or team. On Friday, March 5, 2010 men from both synods will meet to follow up the January Building Men for Christ event. We will meet from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm in the conference room at the Northwestern Minnesota Synod office, 310 14th Ave So, Moorhead, MN. Lunch will be provided. If you are interested in participating, contact Rev. Keith Zeh at (701) 232-3381 or (218) 299-4447.

»Download: Mission in Motion – February 2010 (download pdf file)

Multipoint Parishes Resources:

• What Makes Multipoint Parishes Work? (download pdf file)
• What is a Multipoint Parish? (download pdf file)/a>
• Multipoint Parishes Table Talk (download pdf file)
• Multipoint Parishes Suggested Reading List (download pdf file)
• Forming Multipoint Parishes (download pdf file)
• Attitudes, Beliefs, & Behavior Patterns of Missional STaR Congregations
  PowerPoint Presentation (download PowerPoint file) | PDF (download pdf file)

Join us for another great Hearts on Fire event sponsored by the EaND and Northwestern Minnesota Synods’ Mission Imagination Table.

Session Highlights:

• Grounded in the Word
• Discovering Hope for Multiple Point Parishes
• Missional Qualities for STaR Congregations
• Panel Presentation and Participant Reflection
• Worship

Registration:

Pre-Registration deadline is January 11, 2010. Registration fee will be due at the door. The registration fee per person is $15 and $10 per person when five or more persons from the parish attend. A special gift will be presented to each parish that has more than five people from the parish attend.

» Download Cultivating Vitality Registration Form (download pdf file)

If you have any questions, contact Rev. Keith Zeh, Director for Evangelical Mission, EaND & NW MN Synods, at 701-232-3381.

Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn.
-John Wesley

The Mission Imagination Table represents a unique and exciting partnership between the Eastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota Synods. Leaders from both synods serving from this table will provide oversight for how the synods think creatively about our theology of mission and how we stir up a “culture for mission” in each synod. This table will also articulate the synods’ missional purpose, guiding principles and ways whereby congregations are invited into deeper partnerships with the synods and the churchwide organization. The table will also address unifying strategies and capacity-building for mission.

Bishop Bill Rindy, Ms Shar Gumke, Pastor Beth Peterson, Mr. Larry Thiele, and Pastor Kari Bahe from EaND Synod and Bishop Larry Wohlrabe, Mr. Jon Everett, Pastor Gretchen Anderson, Pastor Tessa Moon Leiseth, and Pastor Steve Peterson from NW MN Synod and Pastor Keith Zeh, Director for Evangelical Mission for EaND & NW MN Synods are currently serving from this Table.

Sudanese Worship

For over seven years, Fargo, ND has been receiving Sudanese refugees who came fleeing the deadly violence of war-torn Sudan. Some were Christians in need of a place to worship in their native language. First Lutheran Church (external link) opened its doors to provide safe refuge for worship and fellowship to the newly arriving refugees.

The Sudanese community at First Lutheran has been worshiping for over three years and has the potential to grow significantly. They have identified Jacob Mayen as their pastor. Jacob is longing to share the gospel with even more of the estimated 2,000 Sudanese people residing in the FM area. Support from First Lutheran Church, other congregations, and the synod will enable Jacob to serve in a fuller capacity as a ministry leader while he accomplishes his seminary education through the TEEM program.

The time is ripe for the Sudanese worshiping community to take the next step in its journey of faith by becoming First Sudanese Lutheran Church! The partnership between First Lutheran, the EaND Synod, and Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission will encourage and empower this new congregational development as we come along side them in their journey.

Several ELCA congregations and First Presbyterian in Grand Forks are exploring the range of possibilities to share ministry. First Presbyterian is open to “nesting” a traditional Lutheran congregation into their space or jointly moving into a nontraditional community which would appeal to people not currently involved in church, or to those looking for something which moves beyond tradition. They have developed a flexible structure over the years which would help that happen. The First Presbyterian facility could be utilized for a new ministry start and potentially be expanded in the future. This is an exciting ecumenical endeavor where conversation is ongoing!

Area Congregations in Conversation

Presently over 63% of the 230 congregations in this synod are in multiple point parishes. As population continues to decrease and grow older it seems to be necessary to work together in new ways. Rev. Keith Zeh, Director for Evangelical Mission in the EaND Synod, hopes conversation will promote a “we get to” rather than a “we have to” attitude towards cooperation and collaboration with neighboring congregations. Rev. Zeh also identified the mission field right outside our church doors because 40% of people in rural and small town areas are unchurched or very inactive.

Many eastern North Dakota area ELCA congregations as well as other denominations, have been in area conversations about the future of congregations and how they might work together to continue God’s mission.

Rev. Zeh suggests 2 possible processes for congregations to be in conversation with one another about working together to accomplish God’s mission:  1) a study of ministry in rural settings and the resulting book Discovering Hope: Building Vitality in Rural Congregations share best practices (prayer, worship, discipleship, evangelism, caring ministry, and leadership) and guide conversations among congregational members how to integrate or build upon these effective practices and 2) an Area Mission Strategy process where congregations study, think and talk together about God’s Word, about their history and ministry, and about the communities in which they serve, and about what their mission might be if they work cooperatively.

1. Fifteen ELCA congregations from the Litchville and Hastings greater area plus Reformed and Presbyterian congregations are in area conversation and consideration on how they might share ministry together.
2. Eight congregations in the Wyndmere and Lidgerwood greater area are in an ongoing shared study and area mission strategy.

Long-term Strategic Plan

Discover Your Congregation’s Future, developed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is a study and planning process for long-term strategic plans for congregations. The purpose for taking this journey is to rediscover God’s mission for congregations in the places they’ve been planted to do God’s kingdom work.

There are 5 questions to consider:

1. What is God’s mission?
2. What is our story?
3. Who are our neighbors?
4. Who are we?
5. How is God calling us to respond?

Richland Lutheran, Walcott and Our Savior’s, Colfax is in the midst of this journey. Together with Rev. Keith Zeh, the two-point parish has formed a Discovery Team, is mapping a process, and holding meetings and activities to eventually determine the future of their congregations.

For more information, contact Rev. Keith Zeh at (701) 232-3381 or email him at keith@eandsynod.org

You are invited to two wonderful opportunities…

Created and Led by the Spirit: Planting Missional Congregations (external link)

November 6 – 7, 2009 (Friday – Saturday)
Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN

The Spirit of God is creating a new future through the planting of missional congregations while inspiring missional leaders, scholars and church planters around the world for a creative new apostolic era. Please consider being part of that work! Your voice and practical wisdom around the work of the Spirit in planting missional congregations could be vital. Visit their website for complete information and online registration. (external link)

Stay for more…

Mission Learning Lab (external link)

November 7 – 9, 2009 (Saturday – Monday)
Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN

Worship at a variety of congregations (you pick from suggested options) in the Twin Cities area from Saturday evening to Sunday evening, including new mission starts, ethnic-specific ministries, and redeveloping congregations in urban, suburban and small town settings. Following each worship experience there will be a time for conversation with ministry leaders, and the lab will conclude with a conversation on Monday morning.

For more information or to register, visit their website (external link).  You can also contact Susan Tjornehoj, Director for Evangelical Mission, Minneapolis Area Synod (S.Tjornehoj@mpls-synod.org) or Paul Erickson, Assistant to the Bishop for Evangelical Mission, Saint Paul Area Synod (paul.erickson@elca.org).

If you have any questions or need additional information, please let me know. I would be delighted to visit more with you about these opportunities and your possible involvement. Contact me at keith.zeh@elca.org or call the synod office at (701) 232-3381.

Cooperative ministry is happening among many congregations in many places throughout the Eastern North Dakota Synod territory. According to a report given by the ELCA Research and Evaluation Department, 63.8% of the congregations in the synod were in multiple point parishes in the year 2005. This percentage has most likely grown in the past couple of years, and will continue to grow in the years to come.

Many rural and small town congregations are experiencing change that offers both opportunities and challenges. Communities declining and aging populations are contributing factors. Yet, there are significant numbers of people in these communities who are not involved in the life of any congregation. Bishop Mark Hanson, presiding Bishop of the ELCA, declared at a rural conference a couple of years ago that over 40% of the people living in rural and small town settings are without a church home.

The biggest opportunity and challenge for congregations is to find ways to develop and support ministry that addresses these changes with a focus on vision, mission and outreach, rather than on survival or maintenance. One significant way that congregations are encouraged and equipped to take on these opportunities and challenges is through area mission strategies. Clusters of congregations agree to take a journey together to discover anew their identities as God’s mission outposts with a renewed awareness of their mission fields and revitalization of their sense of a purpose or role in participating in God’s mission in the places they have been planted.

The changing rural and small town context means that rural ministry must also change. One big change that I am seeing as rural people respond to the changing context is a renewal of a sense of mission. In some areas that is happening rapidly, like a fire sweeping through a grass field. In other areas, it is happening more slowly. Rural people are asking more and more, “What is God’s mission in this place? What is our part to play in that mission?”

Within the synod there are a rich variety of models for how congregations are cooperating together to be about God’s mission in ways they could never do as single congregations. There are a number of Area Mission Strategies beginning to emerge where congregations are exploring creative ways of sharing pastoral leadership or working cooperatively in such areas as community outreach, youth and family ministry and lay leadership development.

Encouraging and supporting multiple point parishes and cooperative ministries in evangelical mission is a priority for the synod. Cooperative ministries and multiple point parishes can be so much more than a means to survival. Congregations connecting with one another for sake of God’s mission are a recipe for renewal.