ELCA Youth Gathering Canceled
Word was received this past week that the 2022 (already postponed from 2021) ELCA Youth Gathering scheduled for July 24-28 in Minneapolis has been canceled due to uncertainty regarding covid and low registration. You can read the official Gathering announcement HERE. However, the Extravaganza, the continuing education event for ELCA Youth Leaders, and for which Heather has registered, scheduled for February 10-15, is still on. You can read more about the Extravaganza HERE.
Changes for Stewardship Team
I reported in last week's update how the Stewardship Team had begun work on a January through May learning track on Storytelling and Communication. This was part of what we thought would be our enrollment in the first year of a two-year program called Stewardship for All Seasons sponsored by GSB Fundraising, the firm which provided the resources and direction for our fall stewardship campaign, and which has partnered with our NWOS in cost sharing with congregations for their services.
The synod, together with GSB, also offered Stewardship for All Seasons, a year-round program of both a learning track from January to May, and tailored assistance for the fall stewardship campaign. This was offered with the understanding that costs would be shared half and half between the synod and the participating congregations.
At Grace, we raised the $2,000 that represented Grace's share of the cost, and registered for the program, including the Storytelling and Communications track that we began attending on January 24. This was done after asking several times for clarification (as early as November of last year) from synod staff that synod funding would cover the other half of our participation.
This past week I received an email from Jacob Henry, synod administrator, who informed us that cost sharing for this program was no longer available. Oops. I shared this info with Jennie Wolf Smith, our GSB consultant, and here is what she said:
I'm sorry to hear the timing for SAS doesn't work out for Grace Lutheran this year. You're laying good groundwork for the congregation which will benefit them well if they continue those stewardship appeal practices.
Regarding Mitzie's storytelling track: stay in it. I'll sort things out on GSB's end. Grace can be NW Ohio's pilot congregation in this way. When you've completed the track, I'd love to see how the team has improved Grace's storytelling and hear about what they've learned.
I'm working with Sarah & Jacob to offer a storytelling session for NWOS congregations later this year, but we haven't worked out a date for that yet. I'm not anticipating it to be nearly as comprehensive as this SAS track. Perhaps you or some of your team will be able to join that session to share from a perspective of having begun to implement these strategies. I'll let you know when we finalize that date.
I certainly was relieved to receive this message from Jennie. It means that we can continue in our Storytelling and Communications track, and that we even have a bit of additional accountability to serve as an example for other congregations in the synod. It also means that we'll be on our own for the fall Stewardship Campaign, but we should be able to handle that. And it means that we can hopefully use that $2,000 that we raised for a future year of participation in Stewardship for All Seasons.
Mission and Vision 101 Workshop
For the past two weeks I've posted information about a Mission and Vision 101 workshop on Thursday, March 3, from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. As I said before, this could be a helpful resource, especially to the Call Committee as they will be articulating Grace's mission and vision to pastoral candidates whom they will interview. I have registered for the event and reserved six spaces. Let me know if you'd like to participate, so I can either reduce or increase our reserved spaces.
Dave's resignation
We received word this past week that Dave Shoub, Youth and Family Ministry Leader at St. John's, has resigned his position. The immediate effect for us and for LIFT will be in our joint youth ministries, including Confirmation, which all the leaders will step up to fill in. Thanks, Dave, for your ministry at St. John's. We wish you well and God's blessings in your new endeavors.
Congregational and Rostered Leader Reports Due Soon
The month of February means congregational and rostered leader reports. The Grace office completes the annual congregation reports, which include information provided in the recent Annual Report, along with congregational finances. This is sent to the ELCA office. The Rostered Leader Report, which pastors and decons complete, provides information on our ministry activities over the past year. These reports are submitted to the bishop, and are sometimes shared with conference deans. The normal deadline for this reports is February 15.
Call Committee Doing Preparatory Work
The Call Committee will be meeting again on February 10 at 6:30 pm. Agenda items for this meeting will include a review of questions that Call Committee members will ask candidates, and plans for a "mock interview" with a local pastor serving as an "interviewee."
Message from Bishop Daniel
Received this message from Bishop Daniel this week:
Dear Friends in Christ,
"What shall I return to the LORD for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people” (Psalm 116:12-14).
During these last few months, I have found peace and encouragement in the words of the Psalms. I am grateful for the goodness of God and for the opportunity to serve these last 5 ½ years as the Bishop of the Northwestern Ohio Synod.
On June 3-4, 2022, this Synod will gather in Assembly to do the work of God, and that work will include the election and call of a synodical bishop. As my wife Rachel and I have talked and prayed, and as I have shared with our Synod Council, I have discerned that God is calling me to remain open to the call of serving as your bishop. I continue to have a strong sense of call to this office, and I believe that there is still so much for us to do together.
This past week, I was at Solomon Lutheran School, in Woodville, to lead chapel for the students and teachers. There was a sweet moment of questions and answers at the end. A little girl asked me, “Do you like being Bishop?” “I love it!”, I replied. “Because I get to talk about Jesus in lots of different places.”
Over the next few months, I invite you to prayerfully discern where God is calling and leading us.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, we are grateful for your call to come and see and to go and serve. Send your Holy Spirit to lead us out into the community and the world. Guide us to do your will and to share your love. This we pray in the name of Jesus, crucified and risen for the world. Amen.Bless you,
Bishop Daniel G. Beaudoin
Northwestern Ohio Synod
Bishop Daniel Publishes 2022 Bible Study
Every year since he was elected, Bishop Daniel has published a Bible Study that corresponds with our synod's annual theme. The 2022 theme is Vision, and the Bible Study from the Book of Revelation has now been published on the NWOS website. You can read more about the theme and the study, including download link for leader and particiaptant resources HERE.
Bishop Daniel's latest email
You can read it HERE.
ELCA Global Links
Keep abreast of the global reach of the ELCA's ministry with ELCA Global Links. You can read the latest issue HERE.
Latest Osterholm Update
Dr. Michael Osterholm, founder and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, continues to deliver solid scientific analysis of the Covid-19 pandemic in his weekly podcasts. The latest episode, posted on Thursday, February 3, is entitled "Understanding Immunity." In this episode, Chris Dall and Dr. Osterholm discuss the BA2 subvariant, the data on booster dose effectiveness, and the challenges with understanding what immunity from vaccination and natural infection really means. You can listen to or download this episode HERE.
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