e-spirit · panel members were: kay, eric, wendy and erin broich. when asked for recommended...
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NewsUpdatefromtheWesternIowaSynod-ELCAHelpgeteveryoneintheSpirit!
Pleaseforwardthise-SpirittochurchCouncils,staff,congregations,communitypartners,churchmembersinmilitaryservice,collegeorwherevertheymaybe.
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June25,2020e-Spirit
EvenaCupofColdWaterJesussaid,“Whoeverwelcomesyouwelcomesme,andwhoeverwelcomesmewelcomestheonewhosentme,andwhoevergivesevenacupofcoldwatertooneoftheselittleonesinthenameofadisciple–trulyItellyou,noneofthesewilllosetheirreward.”
“Wearenotconsumers,butprovidersofGod’slove…theHolySpiritcomesknocking,
remindingusthatitistimetoshare.”–BarbaraBrownTaylor
PeopleofWesternIowa–Itistimetoshare…
Ajoyfulresponse–“Ok,Iwill”-whenaskedbyyourpastortohelpoutAnoteofthanks–writtentoyourpastorwhohasworkedhardthesepastmonthsGrace–givinganextradayofftoyourpastorwhoisexhaustedWords–ofencouragementtobuildupthebodyofChristPatience–todiscernwhereGodisleadingPrayers–ofconfessionforthingsdoneandleftundoneEars–thatlistentothestoriesofothersEyes–thatlookbeyondpersonalneedstotheneedsofothersAHeart–opentolovingallpeopleasGodlovesyou
AVoice–speakingforjusticeandpeaceFeet–walkingtirelesslywithothersHands–willingtoletgoofthewaythingsusedtobeHope–“acupofcoldwater”
PeopleofWesternIowa-whatisthe“littlecupofcoldwater”thatyouoffertoothers?
“Begreatinlittlethings.”–Jesuitmissionary
“HospitalityisthepracticeofGod’swelcomebyreachingacrossdifferencetoparticipateinGod’sactionsbringingjusticeandhealingtoourworldincrisis.”–LettyRussell
“Wheretherearenogoodworks,thereisnofaith.Ifworksandlovedonotblossomforth,itisnotgenuinefaith,thegospelhasnotgainedafoothold,andChristisnotyetrightlyknown.”–MartinLuther
Hospitalityisoneformofworship.–JewishProverb
Lorna
Rev.LornaH.Halaas,BishopWesternIowaSynod,ELCA
"ONEBODY,MANYMEMBERS"&OTHERRESOURCES,BOOKS,VIDEOS
DuringatheirweeklygatheringonZoom,WesternIowaleadersengagedinalisteningsessionwiththeBroichfamilyonracisminWesternIowa.Panelmemberswere:Kay,Eric,WendyandErinBroich.Whenaskedforrecommendedmaterialsonantiracism,thepanelandparticipantsrecommendedthelistofresourcesbelow.NOTE:ForthosejoiningtheJune30Zoommeeting,watch"ATimeforBurning"video.
RESOURCESTroublingtheWatersfortheHealingoftheChurch-ELCAOneBody.ManyMembers-ELCABOOKS-"StampedfromtheBeginning:TheDefinitiveHistoryofRacistIdeasinAmerica"IbramX.Kendi-"TheNewJimCrow:MassIncarcerationintheAgeofColorblindness"MichelleAlexander-"TheWarmthofOtherSuns"IsabelWilkerson"TheChristianImagination"WillieJamesJennings-"DearChurch"Rev.LennyDuncan,ELCA-"WhiteRage:TheUnspokenTruthofourRacialDivide"CarolAnderson.-“SundownTowns:AHiddenDimensionofAmericanRacism”JamesLoewen-"HowtoBeanAntiracist"IbramKendi-"WhiteFragility"WhiteFragility:WhyIt'sSoHardforWhitePeopletoTalkaboutRacism"-Dr.RobinDiAngelo-"DearWhiteChristians"JenniferHarvey-"TheCrossandtheLynchingTree"JamesH.Cone-"TheFireNextTime"JamesBaldwin-"BirthofaWhiteNation:TheInventionofWhitePeopleandItsRelevanceToday"JacquelineBattalora-BooksbyWillWillimon:“WhoLynchedWillieEarle?PreachingtoConfrontRacism”"WakingUpWhite""America'sOriginalSin:Racism,WhitePrivilegeandtheBridgetoaNewAmerica"-BooksbytheologiansJamesConeandGustavoGutierrezDOCUMENTARIES&MOVIES-"SilentBeats"-“I’mNotYourNegro”featuringSamuelL.Jackson,basedonmanuscriptbyJamesBaldwin-"ATimeforBurning"AugustanaLutheran,Omaha,featuringErnieChambers-"JustMercy"
-"13th"GROUPSOurBecomingAllies-Spencer,Iowa,studygroupwillreadanddiscussIjeomaOluo'sbook"SoYouWanttoTalkAboutRace"
REFLECTIONSFROM
ByCarolDeSchepper,SpiritualDirector,LakePark,IowaTheologianL.GregoryJonesdefinesholyfriendsasthosewho‘challengethesinswehavecometolove,affirmthegiftsweareafraidtoclaim,andhelpusdreamdreamsweotherwisewouldnotdream.’Inaddition…
holyfriendsconfrontourdefaultresponsethatsays,‘I’mfine;everythingisfine’.It’sOKnottobeOK.
andthey‘helpuscarryhardthings.’Weneedsomeonetowalkalongsideus,tobepresenttoouranguish.
Idon’tmeantodiminishothergiftssharedbyholyfriends,butIsubmitthatwhatweneednow,perhapsmorethanever,issomeonewhoiswillingtocarryhardthingswithus.Thesearechallengingtimestobeinchurchleadership,tobeshepherdingaflock,tobepeopleofGod.Everythingisnot‘fine’.We’realltraumatizedinthisseasoninsomeway.Mostofyou,Isuspect,arehighlycompetentatgenerouslylisteningtothestoriesandheartachesofothers.TodayIaskyou,whoisyourholyfriend?Wholistenstoyourheartache,fearsandanxietyandiswillingtosimplyholdthemwithyou?Forthesakeofourindividualandcollectivespiritualandmentalhealth,Iprayweeachfindaholyfriendwhoiswillingtobepresentandoffersacredspace,whileselflesslylisteningtoourhearts.Adapted,inpart,from"WhenWeNeedHolyFriendshipsMost,"byVictoriaAtkinsonWhite,managingdirector,fLeadershipEducation,DukeDivinity.
SoulCompanionsisagroupofindividualsintheWesternIowaSynodtrainedinspiritualdirectionandspiritualformation.AsbrothersandsistersinChrist,wegathertosupporteachother'sspiritualgrowth.Weencourageallrosteredleaders,staffandcongregantstoseekspiritualcompanionshipandgrowththroughspiritualdirection,spiritualformationgroups,andspiritualretreats.Spiritualdirectioniscurrentlyavailablethroughseveralcertifieddirectorsinournetwork.
FORNEWSLETTERSPleaseincludeinyourchurchnewslettersthe"CookoutforCongregationPresidents,VicePresidents,RosteredLeaders."
GratitudeGatheringforChurchLeadersIthasbeenachallengingyearforchurchleadersaswecopewiththeimpactoftheCOVID-19pandemic.Bearinginmindthepersistentuncertaintyabouthowandwhentogather,weinviteWesternIowaSynodcongregationpresidents,vice-presidentsandrosteredleaderstoacookoutatanoutdoorlocation(TBD)inStormLake,5:30-7:30p.m.,Aug.19.OneofourprioritiesisdevelopingrelationshipsacrosstheSynod.ThisgatheringwillgivetheSynodstaffachancetothankchurchleadersandforallofustogettoknoweachotherbetter.Thereisnocosttoattendthecookout;however,[email protected]’tyoucome?
RETIREDPASTORS,YOU'REINVITEDThursday,July2,10a.m.-12noonRetirementforpastorsisaboutmorethanfinancialplanning,apensionandfiguringoutMedicare.Ministryisaboutrelationships,faithfulnessandpurpose;andretirementinvolvesfindingnewpurpose,andnewwaysoffaithfullivingandrelating.AnemailinvitationwassenttoretiredpastorsinWesternIowaearlierthisweek.CalloremailJulieat712-732-4968orjulie.cook@wisynod.orgtoconfirmyouwillcome,joinaconversationaboutlifeandmeaninginretirement.
PRAYERCONCERNS
-BrianCampbell-SamandDianeJacobs-BuenaVistaCountyanditscarefacilitiesandallsufferingfromCOVID-19-Farmers-WesternIowaRosteredMinistersandCongregations-Forthosewhoarestuckintheirracism,whodonotseetheirownprivilegeandhowithascontributedtotheoppressionofothers-Forthosewhoarestuckinanger,rage,guiltand/ordefensiveness,unabletomovebeyondtheirfeelingsandtakeconstructiveaction.
PASTDUEPASTORS'REPORTSPostalmailcompletedformstoWesternIowaSynodMissionCenterat318EFifthSt.,StormLake,[email protected].
MISSIONLETTEROFINTENT
PASTORREPORT
CONGREGATIONALLEADERSHIPSubmittheformsbelowtotheELCA.org*contactprovidedattheselinks:*A&CFORM-ChurchwidewebpageforA&CformsclosesendofJuneCONGREGATIONALDIRECTORY-Updateleadershipbyadding,editing,and/ordeletingentries.Allleadersmusthaveanemailaddress.Questions?Call712-732-4968.
REQUIREDANNUALSAMAUTHORIZATIONRegistrationOpenSynodAuthorizedMinisters(SAM)
ONLINEPREACHINGCLASSES**RequiredforSAMAnnualAuthorization
WHEN:7-9p.m.,Aug.5andAug.12viaZOOMWHO:CurrentSAM-TheseclassesarerequiredforSAMannualauthorization.FutureSAM-IfyouareinterestedinbecomingaSAM,theseclassesareafirststep.COST:Only$25perpersonforbothsessions.RegisteronlineatSAMPreachingClass.PRE-READING:ForAug.5class,read"ALayPreacher'sGuide:HowtoCraftaFaithfulSermon"byKarolineLewis.Preachingdate(s)willbescheduledduringclass.
ResumingCare-filledWorship&SacramentalLife
ThecoronaviruspandemichaschallengedchurchestocontinuebeingtheChurchwithoutgatheringInperson.....Nowchurchesfaceanotherchallenge.Asstates“re-open,”howwillweresumeworshipgatheringsinpersonwhilethepandemicisstillwithus?Acare-filledresponsetothatchallengeismuchmorethanunlockingthechurchdoorsandinvitingalltocome,sit,sing,andgreetoneanotherashadbeenourcustom.Here'sahelpfulbestpracticesforcongregationsreturningtoworshipinperson.
ThecoronaviruspandemichaschallengedchurchestocontinuebeingtheChurchwithoutgatheringInperson.....Nowchurchesfaceanotherchallenge.Asstates“re-open,”howwillweresumeworshipgatheringsinpersonwhilethepandemicisstillwithus?Acare-filledresponsetothatchallengeismuchmorethanunlockingthechurchdoorsandinvitingalltocome,sit,sing,andgreetoneanotherashadbeenourcustom.Here'sahelpfulbestpracticesforcongregationsreturningtoworshipinperson.
AdditionalConsiderationsAsELCAcongregationsfacedifficultdecisionsregardingwhenandhowtheywillbeabletogatheragainforworship,thisresourceoffersgeneralguidance.Thisnotacomprehensive,one-size-fits-allresource;itwillneedtobeinterpretedandadaptedforyourlocalcontext.Inmany,ifnotmostcontexts,itwillnotbesafeoradvisabletogatherforin-personworshipforsometime.National,stateandlocalmedicalandlegalguidelineswillneedtobeconsultedandfollowed.Whileriskisnotavoidable,thisguidanceispresentedwiththeaimofreducingthelevelofriskforyourcommunity.YourpastorandcongregationalleaderswillwanttocarefullyreviewtheseconsiderationsforReturntoIn-PersonWorshipfromtheELCA.
TELLUSABOUT
YOURAMAZINGMINISTRIESINWESTERNIOWA
SEESOMETHINGINe-SPIRITYOUWANTTOSHARE?
Cut&[email protected].
WESTERNIOWASYNODSTAFFCONTACTINFORMATIONThesynodstaffcontinuestosocialdistanceandforthemostpartworksfromhome.Officehoursare9a.m.-3p.m.,Mon.-Fri.Tocontactsynodstaffmembers,seeemailaddressesbelow.Forstaffrolesandresponsibilities,visitWesternIowaSynodStaff.
Rev.LornaH.Halaas,[email protected],[email protected],DirectorofEvangelicalMissionjim.mossman.rev@wisynod.orgRev.JudithJohnson,[email protected]
JulieCook,[email protected],Office&[email protected],[email protected]
NewsUpdatefromtheWesternIowaSynod-ELCAHelpgeteveryoneintheSpirit!
Pleaseforwardthise-SpirittochurchCouncils,staff,congregations,communitypartners,churchmembersinmilitaryservice,college
orwherevertheymaybe.SUBSCRIBE