MNO Synod What's New

To: Congregations, Rostered and Lay Leaders

As this year comes to a close, you will no doubt be spending time in evaluating ministry and mission in your congregation. There are budgets to prepare, programs to evaluate, ministry to happen. Each of you will look at ministry in a different way as you look at your own context and ministry in the past year and look to 2010.

We at the synod office have also spent time in evaluation. The staff used a planning day in December to look back at our year and to look forward to the new. What an exciting feeling to see God’s accomplishments and to dream dreams for what God can accomplish through us in the coming year.

Even though dollars were tight, many congregations sent delegates to conference conventions where new insight was reflected through inspiring leaders and speakers. Others brought participants to the Celebration of Faith event “Peeking Under Dusty Sandals to see the living God”. We spent time in reflecting on God’s Word for our lives, to see God in our world and to seek ways to help God’s mission in the world. Still others quietly went about ministry in their own congregations or sought ways to serve outside of the faith community.

Lutheran Urban Ministry and Luther Village both experienced new and rewarding partnerships with congregations and individuals and your support of those ministries are very encouraging. The Companion Synod program reached new depths as eight people prepare to stretch their comfort zone and be open to the Spirit’s call to travel to Cameroon and learn from our partners in ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon. We look to learning from each of them as they return to a 2 year commitment to serving in the synod following their travels.

The Peer Ministry program at our post secondary institutions saw an increase in interest to serve and many former peer ministers are now serving in local congregations or in the wider church in new capacities. This intentional effort in leadership development is a tremendous growth for us in the synod and the church.

The Mission as Hope Appeal brought in substantial dollars to support ongoing ministry initiatives but also to provide hope for new initiatives. The Synod Council approved a “Mission as Hope New Initiatives” fund to provide for new programming/projects. This will be ongoing as new projects and programming are identified by staff, council, committees, and those of you in the congregations who see potential for new initiatives as we are called to be In Mission With Others.

Crossword and Canada Lutheran continue to be key components of our communication strategy. Your stories of hope and mission are ways that we can show God’s presence in the world and the Word. Please continue to share what you are doing in your local faith communities. It is a way for us to inspire one another to do better and serve more fully as God calls all of us to the mission in the world.

In April 2010 we come together in convention at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Winnipeg. Please ensure that you have sent a delegate to represent your congregation and to be your voice as we listen to the business of the church. We also encourage visitors/ congregational members to participate in our renewal day, Saturday, April 24 from 9:30-3:30 p.m., as we study God’s Word together, as we dig deeper into our call, and as we build the body of Christ so that it can be sent to the world.

This is a very important time in the life of the church. We are needed by God to claim and proclaim our inheritance as God’s children and to be God’s presence in the world. When we share in the awe of God’s presence in the Word, we share in God’s presence in the world.

Grace and peace to all this Christmas season.
Blessings for a joy-filled New Year.

Bishop Elaine, Debbie Beyer, Rick Scherger, Pastor Larry Ulrich