VOLUME 17, NO. 6

AUGUST 2005

The South-Central

PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION

N E W S

From Pastor George Carlson, Bishop

God’s Spirit keeps moving in our synod.  I need to share some of the action!

Three years ago Bethel Lutheran Church, Madison, responded to the leading of God’s Spirit to reach out to the growing Latino population by calling Pastor Pedro Suarez.  In addition to providing Word and Sacrament ministry, Bethel seeks to meet other needs through caring ministries for people living in a new community.  People have now come to Bethel from beyond Madison and Dane County.  Now Pastor Suarez goes to the Wisconsin Dells and Marshall to minister to people in those parts of our synod.

On July 10, I participated in an ordination of a Presbyterian pastor in Beloit who will serve in a collaborative outreach supported by five ELCA congregations and one Presbyterian as God’s Spirit leads them.  Our synod and the ELCA Division of Outreach have provided modest support for both the Bethel and Beloit ministries.  Our synod and other synods have pressing needs for pastoral leadership from within the Latino community.

Scott Austin, Associate to the Bishop for Outreach and Mission Support, realizes that our synod has significant opportunities to expand our witness and work among Latino people.  With solid leadership and strong financial support from congregations and individuals, we could initiate Latino ministries in two or three locations very soon.  Scott has also identified at least two other locations to begin new mission developments; individual congregations or coalitions of congregations will be key players in making those happen.

Aware of those needs for new ministries, we also know of the need to sustain campus ministry, which was pioneered nationally nearly a century ago at UW-Madison.  As campus ministries have welcomed and supported students in their times of transition and questioning, young adults often come to know God through Jesus in new and deeper ways; they grow in awareness of the amazing grace of God that envelopes them all the time.  In response to that grace, students want to serve others.  Servant events, Habitat for Humanity, and “Girl Talk” give them specific ways to put their faith in action.  Learning leadership by leading provides present and future church leaders in daily life, in community organizations and in congregations.  In addition, campus ministries in our synod and across the country have become vital sources of candidates for pastoral ministry. 

And there is more.  I see the need for our synod to step up in supporting the growing number of candidates from within our synod who are responding to the Spirit’s call to ordained ministry.  I see the need to strengthen our ties with Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church (India) as God’s Spirit connects us as companion synods.

I share these needs as I sense the wind and flame of God’s Spirit blowing and burning in new ways among us, stirring up visions to plant new ministries and nurture proven ones.  God’s Spirit calls us to work together so visions become realities. 
 
P A G E 2

AUGUST 2005

First e-issue of The South-Central

 
 

 

Hopefully, you have received the first digital issue of The South-Central newsletter without any glitches.

 This new method of distribution will save the synod more than $600 per month, while making it possible for anyone to receive the newsletter. Please encourage all congregational council and committee members to subscribe. In order to do so, they need to send their name, e-mail address, congregation and position in the congregation to scswoffice@scsw-elca.org. Feel free to share this information in your congregation’s newsletter.

The South-Central newsletter will continue to include inserts – and now they can be in color! You may e-mail your insert as an electronic file to Lori Richardson at the Synod Office or mail a clean copy of the insert to the Synod Office for scanning. Debra Greene will continue to edit the newsletter – please send your news to Debra Greene.

 If you did experience any technical difficulties, please contact Scott Austin at the Synod Office.
Lay School discernment event

All who want to learn about the Synod’s Lay School of Ministry are invited to Discernment Day at St. James Lutheran Church, Verona, on Saturday, Oct. 15, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The registration fee of $10 will include lunch.

 The morning schedule includes:

  • Opening devotions by Bishop Carlson

  • Small groups for initial exploration of vocational questions

  • Session on “big vocational questions” led by Michael Rehak

  • Introduction to the Lay School of Ministry led by Jim Bailey and Kim Eighmy

The afternoon schedule includes four workshops:

  •  Sample session of the Introduction to the New Testament course by Dick Inglett

  • Sample session of the course on the Church’s Ministry & Mission by Jim Bailey

  • Computer lab demonstrating online courses led by Julie Phillips

  •  Session for further discussion of vocational questions led by Michael Rehak

  • Closing worship led by current Lay School students 

Interested lay persons are encouraged to participate together with their pastors in this Discernment Event. Register by calling or e-mailing Kim Eighmy at (608) 845-6922.  Include your name, address, phone number and e-mail address along with the name of your home congregation and pastor.
 Golf with the Bishop

Annual Bishop’s Invitational Golf Outing will be held Monday, Sept. 26, at 8:00 a.m. at the Edelweiss Chalet Country Club in New Glarus. This event is part of the 2005 Professional Leaders’ Conference.

The format is a “scramble” and foursomes will be formed based on average scores so that teams will be evenly matched.

Cost for the event is $35, which includes greens fee, cart and prizes. For more information, contact Roger Elliott at (608) 365-7064 or jayhawk1970@charter.net. 
P A G E 3

AUGUST 2005

Churchwide Assembly meets this month

The 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly will meet Aug. 8-14 at the World Center Marriott Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

 What is the Churchwide Assembly?

The Churchwide Assembly is designated as the “highest legislative authority” in the ELCA. This means that the assembly deals with the purposes, functions and directions of churchwide ministries. The assembly also addresses issues that affect the life of our whole church. In the polity of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, there are three primary expressions—congregations, synods and the churchwide organization. As stated in churchwide constitutional provision 8.11:

“This church shall seek to function as people of God through congregations, synods, and the churchwide organization, all of which shall be interdependent. Each part, while fully the church, recognizes that it is not the whole church and therefore lives in a partnership relationship with the others.”

One way in which that interdependent relationship is practiced is at assemblies. Congregations elect lay voting members to serve in the synodical assemblies. Clergy and those on the official lay rosters under call also participate as voting members in synodical assemblies. Every two years, synodical assemblies elect the clergy and lay voting members of the Churchwide Assembly. Of the 1,018 voting members of the 2005 Churchwide Assembly, at least 60 percent will be lay women and men (50-50) and the remainder will be ordained ministers. About 10 percent of the voting members of each assembly are people of color or people whose primary language is other than English.

The number of voting members allocated to each synod is based on two criteria: the number of baptized
members and the number of congregations in the synod. Some synods, therefore, have from 12 to 24 voting

 members. Other synods have as few as four. In the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin, there are 20 voting members (including the bishop) to the Churchwide Assembly.  

The voting members of the Churchwide Assembly gather as members—the baptized members of the ELCA. They meet, however, not as a random collection of baptized members. They have been assigned specific responsibility to serve our whole church through the assembly.  Your prayers for voting members will support them as they deliberate and decide issues that will shape the life of the ELCA.

While the assembly is in session, you can have almost immediate access to news about assembly issues and actions.

**Assembly news will be available on a special telephone hotline at (773) 380-2477.  The recorded message will be updated every evening during the assembly.  Daily reports will be available through the end of August.

**To learn about the Churchwide Assembly via the Internet, visit www.elca.org/assembly/05. This will be the place to check for daily updates, news releases, photos and more during the assembly.

**The schedule posted on the Web site includes information about when live Webcasts of plenary sessions will be available.

**On LutherLink, you can sign up for the meeting “2005 CWA AT ORLANDO” to see frequent information updates, so you'll get almost-live online reporting, plus a chance to ask questions and make comments.

**If you will be in the Orlando area during the assembly and would like a visitor’s registration form and assembly information faxed to you, call 800/638-3522 ext. 2807 or go to www.elca.org/assembly/05 to find the form online.

**A report containing all actions recommended by the Church Council to the assembly will be sent to all congregations by Aug. 1.  Within a week following the assembly, a brief summary of assembly actions will be mailed to congregations and voting members.  It will also be available on the ELCA Web site.

**The October issue of The Lutheran will offer complete coverage of assembly business.  You’ll find some stories on the Web at www.thelutheran.org by mid-September.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The information and articles in this newsletter may be reproduced in congregational newsletters unless otherwise indicated. Electronic copy can be downloaded from www.scsw-elca.org.

 
P A G E 4

AUGUST 2005

Check it out: Documentary series on DVD

New to the Synod Resource Center is “A Force More Powerful” documentary series and a companion book.

“A Force More Powerful,” a three-hour documentary series on DVD, explores one of the 20th century’s most important but least-understood stories: How nonviolent power overcame oppression and authoritarian rule all over the world. Narrated by 
Ben Kingsley, it premiered on PBS in September 2000.

The greatest misconception about conflict is that violence is the ultimate form of power, surpassing other methods of advancing 
a just cause or defeating injustice. But in conflict after conflict throughout the twentieth century, people have proven otherwise. 
At a time when violence is still used by those who seek power, “A Force More Powerful” dramatizes how ordinary people 
throughout the world, working against all kinds of opponents, have taken up nonviolent weapons and prevailed.

The video series is a timely resource for adult and youth study groups. It is best utilized in six segments with additional resources available 
in the companion book.


Financial report

By Lori Richardson
Administrative Assistant
Lorir@scsw-elca.org

Mission support,         June 2005        $ 140,172
Year-to-date,             2004/2005        $ 1,864,349
Year-to-date,             2003/2004        $ 1,953,861
                                                            $  -89,512 or -4.58%

Wayne Pinnow has retired from the synod staff.  However, he will be helping me out from time to time in learning this new part 
of my position.  You may contact me with your questions and if I don’t have the answers, I’ll find the answers for you.

As we end this fiscal year, we are behind last year’s giving, but the giving for June 2005 was above the giving from June 2004.  We hope to continue this trend through the new fiscal year.  Thank you for your work and support. 

 

Tri-State Forum begins in September

Created in 1999, the Tri-State Forum is a lecture series designed to serve pastors, ministry professionals and all others interested in continuing education, growth and collegial fellowship in our common faith. Cost for forum membership, which includes five lectures throughout the year, is $110, or $35 for each individual event.

The theme for the 2005-06 series is “Learning Together in Faith: Leaders for a New Era of Mission” and the first lecture will be given on Sept. 22. Dr. Winston Persaud, Professor of Systematic Theology at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, will lecture on “Witness and Hospitality in the Name of Jesus Christ in a World of Diversity.” He will explore how we, as individuals, as congregations and as the whole Church, may bear witness to Jesus Christ in the diverse world we live in today.  Using the “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification” (signed by the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church on Oct. 31, 1999), he will draw out implications for evangelism, outreach and hospitality in the name and manner of Jesus Christ.

For more information, contact Wartburg Seminary at (563) 589-0200 or visit www.wartburgseminary.edu.

 

PAGE 5

 

  

3,4,5! — For youth and family ministry

By Lisa Nelson
Assistant to the Bishop
for Youth and Family Ministry

3,4,5! This is the new talk among Youth and Family Ministry Leaders!

Before I go any further, let me say that “Youth” does not mean only teenagers. Youth include children, teenagers and young adults. 
We’re talking 0-30 years of age! And family does not just mean mom, dad and a couple of children. Family means the people to 
whom you are closest. Single people and people without children have family too. You don’t have to live with someone to love 
them!

Now back to 3,4,5.

3 is for AAA adults: Authentic, Available, and Affirming.

Wanted: AAA adults! The Search Institute determined that, in order to thrive, youth need at least three caring adults other than 
parents. Now research is indicating that six caring adults are actually needed. The congregation is the perfect training ground for 
AAA adults.

4 is for The Four Keys: Caring Conversation, Devotions, Service, and Ritual and Traditions.

Remember, the Four Keys aren’t just for youth and their families. All people can grow in their faith through these four keys. And 
you’re already doing many of them. Caring conversation can take place at home, at work, at school, in the neighborhood, on the 
phone and even in the grocery store or gas station. Devotions includes prayer and Bible reading. Research has demonstrated that 
seeing a parent read the Bible for their own devotional use has the most significant effect on a youth’s faith.

Service: We’re talking about anything from holding the door open for someone to helping build a house for someone. Ritual and 
traditions could involve an annual birthday letter to someone you love, a blessing you give your child as they prepare for bed or the 
reading of the Christmas story at Christmas time.

The dinner table is a good place to do all these keys. What better opportunity for caring conversation? A prayer of thanksgiving is 
an act of devotion. “Please pass the peas” is an invitation to serve. The lighting of a candle is a ritual that emphasizes the sacredness 
of this time, as well as the presence of Christ among us.

5 is for The Five Principles of Youth and Family Ministry:

1. Faith is formed through personal, trusted relationships, often in our own homes.

2. The church is a living partnership between the ministry of the congregation and the ministry of the home.

3. Where Christ is present in faith, the home is church too.

4. Faith is caught more than taught.

5. If we want Christian youth, we need spiritually-fed adults and parents.

For more about 3,4,5, read “Frogs Without Legs Can’t Hear” by Paul Hill and David Anderson (Augsburg Fortress 2003). 
3,4,5 would be a good devotional study for councils, Sunday Schools and adult forums.

Meeting for youth and family leaders

All those working with youth and families in their congregations are invited to the synod’s quarterly youth and family ministry meeting, facilitated by Pastor Lisa Nelson, Assistant to the Bishop for Youth and Family Ministry. This meeting is for anyone who works with youth and families, whether full- or part-time, paid or volunteer. The next meeting is Saturday, Aug. 13, from 10 a.m. to noon at Peace Lutheran Church, Waunakee. Pastor Karen Locken will share her new confirmation curriculum, and there will be time for sharing ideas, questions and concerns. No RSVP necessary. See you there! 

 

Help plan the Area Ministry fall event

Mark your calendars for Saturday, Nov. 5, when the Area Ministry Fall Event for 2005 will cover the topic of “Sharing 
Successful Evangelism and Stewardship Strategies.”

The event, to be held 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Sun Prairie, includes keynote speakers, workshops, lunch and social gathering time.

There will be a cost per person, payable in advance to the Synod Office. Registration forms will be available once the planning is completed.

The synod is seeking individuals to help with the planning for this event. Most of the planning can be done via e-mail, which will minimize the time spent in meetings. We’re also looking for keynote speakers on evangelism and stewardship, as well as ideas 
for workshops.

We’ll need volunteers for:

  Registration
  Refreshments
  Arrangements for the catered lunch
  Leading workshops
  Publicity

Please respond to Barb Bartz, event coordinator at: bbartz@chorus.net with your ideas for speakers, workshops and leaders. Please indicate if you’re willing to participate in the planning. If the response is lacking, the event will not go forward.


PAGE 6                                                                                                                                               AUGUST 2005
Pre-retirement seminar

Room is still available at the Pre-Retirement Seminar to be held Oct. 24 to 26 at the Chalet Landhaus Inn in New Glarus.  All rostered staff and other ELCA Pension Plan members over the age of 50, along with their spouses, are encouraged to attend.

Budgeting, investments, insurance and housing will be primary components.  A representative of the Social Security Administration will be present with information on accessing your benefits from that program.

The seminar is limited to 18 pension plan members, plus spouses.  For more information, contact Lori at the Synod Office.


Peace Team update

The Peace Team will continue to provide resources to implement the “Education for Nonviolence” resolution passed at the 2004 Synod Assembly. Members of the team are available to provide educational programs for local congregations.

At the 2005 Synod Assembly, two resolutions brought by the Peace Team were adopted.  One of them is “Support for the Troops” to insure that military personnel returning from Iraq have the necessary support when they return. The other resolution is “Focus on Peacemaking” to urge members to make themselves aware of the impact of military spending on meeting human needs. The full text of both 2005 resolutions and a report on action under the 2004 resolution are on the synod Web site or available by calling the Synod Office.

The Peace Team will meet regularly and new members are very welcome. Contact Bonnie Block at bblock@charter.net or Jerry Folk at jlfolk@tds.net if you’d like to work on these issues. 

Congregations in transition

For More Information

If you would like to know about the transitions processes of Interim, Study or Interviewing, please contact the synod office at scswoffice@scsw-elca.org

Beginning Process and/or in interims:  St. John, Evansville—Interim Brad Pohlman; ELC, Mt. Horeb—Interim David Keesey-Berg; St. John’s, Oregon; First English, Platteville—Interim Terry Larson; Bristol, Sun Prairie—Interim Larry Pinnow

Study Process:  Hope, Milton—Interim Jerald Wendt

Interviewing candidates:  Zion, Bagley/St. Peter, Cassville—Interim Burton Everist; St. John’s, Beaver Dam--Interim Rich Collier; Peace, Belmont; Faith, Columbus (Associate); Trinity, Edgerton—Interim Jim Schwarz; Christ, Lancaster/St. Paul’s, Potosi—Interim Margaret Ley; First, Lodi; St. John’s, Richland Center—Interim James Steinbrecher; Immanuel, Watertown  

In Transition: 
Chris Miller—to St. Peter, Loganville (term call) from Interim Ministry

Peter Jonas—to St. Martin’s, Cross Plains from Northern Great Lakes Synod

Carol Johnson—to Adams/Argyle from East Central Wisconsin Synod

Jim Johnson—to Hope, Mineral Point from East Central Wisconsin Synod

Braxton East—from Immanuel, Mount Horeb to North Carolina Synod

Terry Larson—from Bristol, Sun Prairie to Interim Ministry (On Leave from Call)

Frank Philip—from UW Hospital Chaplain to On Leave from Call

JoAnn Post—from First English, Platteville to On Leave from Call

Dean Phillips—Retired from Greater Milwaukee Synod

James McClurg—Retired from Greater Milwaukee Synod

Paul Berggren--deceased

P A G E 7

AUGUST 2005

Responding to our resolutions

How can congregations of our synod respond to resolutions passed at our annual assembly? Here is the first in an ongoing series of articles about how congregations can live out their response to the work of the assembly.

Energy collaborative

Two years ago, a resolution on Stewardship of the Environment was passed at our Synod Assembly. The resolution resolved that synod congregations and their members: assess their use of energy and take steps to reduce energy consumption, consider meeting energy needs through alternative sources of energy, buy more fuel-efficient cars/use alternative means of transportation, support standards for increased fuel efficiency and educate members about energy conservation. 

As a result of that resolution, Lake Edge Lutheran. Madison, and McFarland Lutheran are participating in an Energy Collaborative with eight other congregations from across the state. They learned about the collaborative during a workshop at the 2004 Synod Assembly and have been working to find ways to conserve energy and educate members on reducing energy use.

The Energy Collaborative is supported by the Wisconsin Interfaith Climate & Energy Campaign, Rapid Improvement Associates, LLC, and Madison Environmental Group, Inc. Throughout this year-long emphasis, representatives from the 10 congregations attend quarterly meetings and hold periodic telephone conference calls to share what they’ve learned and encourage each other in their efforts.

Currently finishing a building program, Lake Edge Lutheran has used the collaborative to help them

construct a “green” or earth-friendly building. Everything in the new addition has been planned with an eye towards stewardship of the environment. Recycled materials have been incorporated whenever possible, super-efficient heating and air conditioning units have been installed and paints that emit no gasses or odors have been used. And, the Lake Edge church council just approved the purchase of a special computer to monitor total building energy use.

While energy conservation has been an ongoing process for Lake Edge, McFarland Lutheran is studying its energy use for the first time. Participation in the Energy Collaborative study has resulted in lighting retrofits in both their worship and gathering spaces. The retrofits will save them approximately $744 per year on their energy bills. At that rate, the retrofits will pay for themselves in a little under two years. The new lights provide more lumens, last longer and won’t have to be changed as often as the previous ones.

As part of the Energy Collaborative, both congregations have formed small EnAct groups to study ways to conserve energy, reduce solid wastes, preserve water resources and research transportation alternatives on a more personal level. “The EnAct group is a great way to educate members on how they can save energy and conserve the environment in their own homes,” said Daryl Rupnow, an EnAct group participant and Energy Collaborative team member at MLC.

If you would like information about becoming part of an Energy Collaborative, contact Warren Gaskell at warren@rapid-improvement.com. If you are interested in forming an EnAct group, please contact Rebecca Grossberg at (608) 204-2888 or rebecca@enactwi.org.

 

Synod calendar

South-Central “classifieds”

Aug. 3-6  PRISM 2005 at Lutherdale 

Aug. 7-15  Churchwide Assembly in   Orlando, Fla. 

Aug. 25  Deans meeting, 9 a.m. 

Aug. 30  Executive Committee   meeting, 3:30 p.m.  

Sept. 5  Synod Office closed for   Labor Day 

Sept. 10  Synod Council meeting 

Sept. 13  Outreach Committee meeting, 4 p.m. 

Sept. 15  Lead Pastors meeting 

Sept. 16-17  Lay School of Ministry 

Sept. 20  First Call Book Study with   the Bishop, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Sept. 26-28  Professional Leadership   Conference in New Glarus

Oct. 15  Lay School Discernment   Day 

Oct. 21-22  Lay School of Ministry 

Oct. 21-23  Synod Youth Gathering 

Oct. 22-24  Certification School 

Oct. 24-26  Pre-Retirement Seminar in  New Glarus

COORDINATOR OF YOUTH AND FAMILY MINISTRY: First Lutheran Church, Algona, Iowa, seeks full-time Youth and Family Ministry Coordinator. Contact Pastor Mark Holmer at First Lutheran, P.O. Box 516, Algona, IA 50511 or (515) 295-3758.

ORGAN FOR SALE: 3 manual Allen model 903-D electronic organ, approximately 28 years old and well maintained. Organ is currently being used regularly, but will be replaced by a new pipe organ, which is scheduled to be complete in November.  Asking $2,000.00; purchaser will need to move.  For more information, contact Dennis Douglas, Director of Music, St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, (608) 222-1241 ext. 16, or e-mail douglas.ststephens@tds.net

ORGANIST/KEYBOARD PLAYER: Bristol Lutheran Church, Sun Prairie, seeks a person to play the organ/keyboard at its 6:30 p.m. Saturday service year-round, 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. Sunday services September through May, and 9 a.m. on Sundays June through August. Contact the church office if interested at (608) 837-6093.

ORGANIST/PIANIST/CHOIR DIRECTOR: Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, New Glarus, seeks organist/pianist for two Sunday services, 8 and 10:30 a.m., with one service weekly in the summer at 9 a.m. Also need choir director for traditional choir group. Contact Music Search Committee at shepherdng@tds.net or call church office to leave message at (608) 527-2322.

 

 
P A G E 8

AUGUST 2005
Learning events for congregations

The Center for Congregational Leadership (CCL) is developing several learning opportunities for lay and rostered leaders throughout the synod.  These events focus on topics and practices relevant to congregational life and mission. 

The Center encourages pastors and lay leaders of congregations within a given geographical area (both Lutheran and other denominations) to contact Director Jim Bailey to arrange for hosting one of the workshops or the mini-course described below.  These host congregations will designate a location for the event, guarantee a minimal enrollment of 15-20, and select a local coordinator to facilitate publicity and registration.  A planning guide for coordinating such an event is available from Bailey.

The following are the current offerings for the fall of 2005 and during 2006:

One-Day Workshops

The one-day workshop would normally be scheduled on a Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., although an alternative format is possible if agreed upon by the presenter(s) and hosting group.  The registration fee will be $25 per person (plus cost for lunch), with a minimal enrollment of 15-20 required. 

Workshop:  “Conflict Transformation Skills For Churches”

Leader/Facilitator:  Pastor Mark Buchan, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Rio

This workshop is designed by the Lombard Mennonite Peace Institute and includes four basic components:  discussion of the nature and role of conflict (including biblical materials), understanding one’s own response to conflict, developing interpersonal peacemaking skills, and understanding congregational conflict.  This workshop is suitable for council retreats, a Saturday workshop, or as part of an ongoing educational series.  In addition to the cost of the workshop, each participant or congregational team

will be invited to purchase the manual “Conflict Transformation Skills for Congregations” for $12.

Pastor Buchan has participated in the “conflict transformation” program since 1999, and has engaged in additional training at the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center.  For a detailed schedule, contact Bailey, or Buchan at (920) 992-3553; mbuchan@centurytel.net.


Workshop:  “Congregational Visioning Process”

Leader:  Pastor Dick Inglett, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Portage

This workshop explains an approach and provides materials necessary to lead a congregation through a ten-week visioning process, which includes a vision-statement retreat and ways of implementing the vision into the life of the congregation.  The morning of the workshop involves an overview of the process, materials used, publicizing and choosing participants, introduction of resources, step-by-step review of the visioning process, and development of the visioning statement.  During the afternoon, there will be practical applications of the visioning process and statement as well as group work to lay out timeline and use of materials for the participants’ own congregational visioning process.

Pastor Inglett, who has developed and led this process effectively in his current congregation, also teaches in the Lay School of Ministry.  For more information, contact Bailey, or Inglett at (608) 742-8502;
ringlet@jvlnet.com.

 

Workshop:  “Reading Resources For Congregations”

Leaders:   Pastors Dick Inglett and Jim Bailey (see above)

Some books are worth reading and discussing in congregational groups.  This workshop is available for introducing and providing a reading guide and discussion questions for the following books:

Continued:  More on Learning Events
P A G E 9

AUGUST 2005  

More on learning events

“The Heart of Christianity:  Rediscovering a Life of Faith” (HarperSanFrancisco, 2003, pb., 226 pages) by Marcus Borg, a NT scholar, who writes for those seeking a fresh way of understanding and living their Christian faith in a society dominated by fundamentalists.  The leader is Pastor Inglett. 

“Beyond Maintenance to Mission:  A Theology of the Congregation” (Fortress Press, 1999, pb., 127 pages) by Craig Nessan, a professor at Wartburg Seminary, who makes a persuasive case for the centrality of mission in the life of the church and provides congregational leaders ways to move beyond “maintenance thinking.”  The leader is Dr. Bailey.

Mini-Courses

Mini-courses are normally scheduled on a weekday evening (6:30-9:30 p.m.) or Sunday afternoon for four or five consecutive weeks at a location determined by the host group of congregations.  The registration fee for the mini-course is $50 per person, with a minimal enrollment of 15-20 required.

Five-Week Course:  “The Power Of Nonviolence:  From Jesus To Gandhi & Beyond”

Instructor:  Dr. Jerry Folk

This five-week course begins by focusing on the role of nonviolence in Jesus’ ministry and the early church before considering nonviolence as a political strategy in the 19th and 20th centuries (e.g., Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.).  Resources include the ELCA Social Statement “For Peace in God’s World” and the World Council of Churches’ “Statement on Nonviolence.”  The course includes the viewing of several inspiring documentaries on the subject.

Dr. Folk served as Director of Church in Society, ELCA, was pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Madison, and led the Council of Churches in Wisconsin.  Now retired, he still teaches in the Lay School of Ministry and coordinates adult education at Luther Memorial Church, Madison.  For more information, contact Bailey, or Folk at (608) 241-8661;jlfolk@tds.net.

 
Dakota Road workshop and concert

The musical group Dakota Road will be giving a workshop and concert at First Lutheran Church, Beaver Dam, on Saturday, September 10. Dakota Road is known for their stirring original music and playful performance style. Their songs are well-crafted stories of life and faith. Among their many works is the song “To Be Alive,” which was written for the 1994 National Youth Gathering in Atlanta. 

The music workshop is for all music leaders and musicians and runs from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The concert that evening will begin at 7:00. Tickets are $10 per person for the workshop and $8 a piece for the concert. For those who plan to attend both the workshop and concert, the cost is $15 per person.  Contact the First Lutheran Church office at (920) 885-4497 to order your tickets.  

 

Grants for health and hope

Wheat Ridge Ministries encourages Lutheran congregations to submit applications by Sept. 30 for its Congregation Health and Hope Grant program.

The purpose of the grant program is to facilitate the initial development of congregation-based health and wellness ministries. Priority in 2005 will be given to proposals that address either child/youth obesity or the initial development of a congregation health ministry program.

The maximum amount per grant is $2,000 for a single congregation and $6,000 for collaborative efforts involving two or more congregations. The amount granted by Wheat Ridge must be matched dollar for dollar by the congregation.

Congregations interested in applying for a grant can download a list of guidelines and the proposal format at www.wheatridge.org. Or call 1-800-762-6748.

 
The South-Central is published electronically 10 times per year by the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin, ELCA, 2909 Landmark Place, Suite 202, Madison, WI 53713. Submit all articles and inserts by the 10th of the month preceding publication to address above, or send via e-mail to the editor at debra_greene@sbcglobal.net. For more information about inserts, call the Synod Office at (608) 270-0201. Visit the synod’s Web site at www.scsw-elca.org.