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A Lenten Holy Land Journey

Following the Way of Jesus: a Lenten Holy Land Journey,” 6-week series begins on the Sea of Galilee. Through this journey you explore the Holy Land, the theology of Sumud and what it means for Palestinian Christians today. Weeks 3 and 4 of the video series are posted above.

Sumud is the ELCA’s new name for our church’s engagement in accompaniment, awareness-building and advocacy for justice in Palestine and Israel. Sign up for updates about Sumud and upcoming events at:

https://www.bit.ly/SumudSubscribe

You can also learn more at

https://www.ELCA.org/sumud

Download the Discussion Guide here

The 2024 theme is Cross Currents in the Flood: Building Arcs Together for a Livable Planet. As we build arcs of relationship connecting generations, crossing boundaries, and healing divisions, we become the Ark necessary for a shared future, for a livable planet. The keynote speaker for the Summit is the renowned Christian environmental ethicist, Larry Rasmussen. He is the author most recently of The Planet You Inherit: Letters to My Grandchildren When Uncertainty's a Sure Thing, winner of the 2023 Nautilus Gold Prize for the best 2022 book in Ecology & Environment.

To share widely and to register https://nemnsynod.org/2024/01/22/ecofaith-summit-2024/

RECONCILING IN CHRIST (RIC) SYNOD - Third Conversation

Third Conversation -- Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Terminology

Saturday, March 23 10:30 AM Bethany Lutheran Onomia

For comprehensive information the The Welcome and Reconciling Team website link here.

Leadership Camp...

June 9-12 at Camp Onomia

Registration opens April 1st

for ALL youth grades 9-12 of the NEMN Synod

Youth Ministry Consultants

(NEMN Synod ELCA Network leaders get access for FREE with your NEW network code for 2024: NEMN24)

Maximizing Small Church Ministry

with Stephanie Caro

March 21, 11:00 am

Many US churches strive to create significant change in their community and positively influence the students they cater to. Stephanie Caro, a seasoned consultant with Ministry Architects, will provide insight on how to remain current and amplify your impact, ensuring your efforts resonate within your community and beyond. 

For training and Youth Ministry Consultants webinars go to https://youthministryconsultants.org/ 

FINAL REMINDER -- Annual Congregation Reports (Form A) are DUE!

Time to submit Annual Congregation Report! The ELCA sent out packets in mid-January containing instructions, your congregational ID (five digits) and the password for entering the data online with the ELCA. The information can also be found here.

You will notice that this year (for 2023) there is only Form A. Complete today! Questions? Call the Synod office 218-724-4424.

Input requested for draft of Social Statement on Civic Life and Faith

For information and to share your feedback with the task force, go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NCTT8ZV.

Feedback is welcomed through September 30, 2024.

Coming this spring/summer, listening and info session will be held in various locations across the Synod. The task force will then edit the draft in light of the public input. Then, the task force will submit a proposed version of the social statement to the ELCA Church Council, who will vote on sending it to the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in 2025 for consideration.

(For more information about both means of participation and a paper copy of the survey, go to ELCA.org/civicsandfaith.)

March is Women's History Month, a time to celebrate the presence, achievements and contributions of women throughout history and to advocate for gender equality. This month provides the ELCA an … continue

Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church offers survey for ELCA members' response

The Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church (CRLC) has designed a survey to be shared broadly throughout the ELCA. There are questions that apply to Churchwide, synods, and congregations. Participation in the survey is voluntary, but requested by the CRLC participants.

The deadline for response is March 15. Answering the questions of the survey should take about five minutes.

37TH ANNUAL SYNOD ASSEMBLY

“MAKE US ONE”   EPHESIANS 4:1-6

SATURDAY APRIL 27 2024 7:30-3:30 VIA ZOOM

Zoom broadcast will originate from Trinity Lutheran in Brainerd

Early Bird registration ends March 15

To Register

Join the live workshop

with Joy J. Moore, “Leading in an Age of Contempt,” to rediscover scriptural insights and practical tools for fostering empathy and respectful dialogue in the midst of disharmony. Come and gain skills for fostering faithful hope and persistent communication that can lead to healing and mutual understanding. 

Event Details:

March 21^st, 2024

11:00 a.m - 12:30 p.m. Central Time

(Click graphic below for info)

St. John Passion on Good Friday at First Lutheran-Duluth

The choirs of First Lutheran Church-Duluth, along with other community singers, soloists and instrumentalists, will present J.S. Bach's 

St. John Passion on Good Friday, March 29th at 7:00 p.m at First Lutheran Church-Duluth. This musical setting of the Gospel of John, chapters 18 and 19, was premiered under Bach's leadership in Leipzig 300 years ago. This performance will be directed by Dr. Michael Fuchs, director of choral activities at First Lutheran. Dr. Fuchs is also the co-author with Bradley Jenson of a recently published book, Bach's St. John Passion for the 21st Century.

Suggested donation is $25.

Live stream will be available on the church website, www.flcduluth.org and facebook page.

Mental Health & Wellness Lunch and Learn April 4

"Invisible Neurodiversity: The Eight Sensory Systems and How They Impact Learning and Behavior"

Thursday, April 4

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

We live in communities of invisible neurodiversity. Communities in which a person’s impairments or “quirkiness” can oftentimes be confusing or misunderstood as misbehavior, laziness or rudeness. Over the past several years there has been a significant increase in the number of children and adults that have been diagnosed with some form of neurodivergence. 

Speaker: Tia Gamelin is a mother of four and has over 27 years of experience working as a pediatric occupational therapist in the US and abroad. 

For more info

Download pdf to share

Candidacy: Discernment Events

Wartburg Theological Seminary is hosting visit opportunities this spring — Open House February 20 via Zoom and a Weekend on Campus March 15 – 17 for those discerning a call to ministry and interested in receiving a master’s degree at seminary.

These visits include:

• Online Open House
• Considering Your Call Discernment Weekend
• Individual Campus Visit (On-Campus or Virtual)

For more information click here

Also explore

• April 6-8 – Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley CA for more info

What makes the 2024 Festival so different?

May 13-16, 2024 | Pittsburgh, PA or Digitally from Anywhere

Our theme for 2024 is Nurturing and Sustaining the Preaching Life, and we mean to practice what we preach! This year at the Festival, the sermons, workshops, and lectures will be interspersed with our Rest & Reflect sessions, quiet moments featuring recharging activities ranging from yoga to Taize worship. We are curating these restful, reflective spaces in hopes that you will be able to do more than just listen to others talk about nurturing a sustainable preaching life - we aim to make it happen, then and there and all together.

For more information, go here. It's a great World Hunger resources that folks can visit to get excited about the 50th anniversary joining in honoring the past and advocacy today.

NEMN Synod Job Postings

REVISED Director of Living IT Youth Ministry A Collaborative Ministry of Immanuel & Trinity Lutheran Churches, Princeton, MN For more info

EcoFaith March Newsletter

[Click on logo]

Highlights this month include:

• information and registration for the upcoming EcoFaith Summit
• the opening of EcoFaith microgrant applications for 2024
• resources related to alternative lawns

Upcoming Events in our Synod

February 17 Lay Leader Network February Seminar, Bethlehem LC, Brainerd

February 25 RIC Conversation Session 2 Trinity LC, Cook

March 2 RIC Conversation 3 Zion Lutheran Cloquet

March 7 Lunch and Learn Systems Approach to Addiction and related issues

March 9 RIC Conversation 2 First Lutheran Little Falls

March 23 RIC Conversation 3 Bethany Lutheran Onomia

April 4 Lunch and Learn Invisable Neurodiversity

April 6 EcoFaith Summit, First LC Duluth

April 13/20 Lay Leader Network Yearly Intensive #4 @ Brainerd/Duluth

April 22-26 Synod office closed -- Synod Assembly prep

April 27 2024 Synod Assembly (One day only online Zoom event)

June 9-12 Synod Youth Leadership Camp, Camp Onomia

July 14-20 Synod Journey/ELCA Youth Gathering, New Orleans

April 2-4 2025 Synod Assembly Breezy Point Resort

October 12 Walking Together: 50Years of World Hunger

Also see Synod website >> Calendar and Featured Events

Join us in praying for the following

Churches and Pastors

Grace Lutheran Church-Ely Hope Lutheran Church- Embarrass

Pastors Jeff Holter, Nancy Hong Retired Deacon Robert Jalonen

Retired Pastors Scott Jacob Raymond Holter

Each month the focus of our weekly communication is as follows:

• 1st Tuesday – Walking in the Word readings
• 2nd Tuesday – Announcements – please submit your content to monica.bruning@nemnsynod.org or info@nemnsynod.org to be included
• 3rd Tuesday – Reflections that are a newsletter-type article
• 4th Tuesday – Announcements 
• 5th Tuesday (Mar, May, Aug, Nov) Expressions of God’s Work in our world or ministry in the Synod – videos, stories, testimonials, et al. 

You are invited to submit content (deadline is Thurs @ noon) and to repost on your communication platforms.

Please help us get this weekly communication out. Forward to others and encourage people to sign-up to get the updates from your Synod office.

We appreciate you!

Monica Bruning, Communication Director