-Synod Office and the GOP National Convention, September 1-4
-Theological Conference, September 28-30
-Hearings about Draft of ELCA Social Statement on Human Sexuality, September 18
-ELCA Civic Engagement Tour, August 28-29
-Urgent Needs from Southeast Asian Ministry

SYNOD OFFICE HOURS AND THE GOP NATIONAL CONVENTION
The GOP National Convention will be held at the Excel Energy Center Sept. 1-4. The site is about a half of a mile from the synod office, and we anticipate that traffic during that week could be heavy. The office will be open during regular business hours, but we will not be scheduling meetings in the office. If you need to stop by, you might want to call ahead to see if we can provide you with information about traffic conditions.

From Peter Rogness
Theological Conference Centers around 'Igniting Biblical Imagination'
Rostered leaders from the Saint Paul Area and Minneapolis Area Synods are invited to this year's theological conference  at Arrowwood Resort in Alexandria, Sept. 28-30. Dr. David Lose, associate professor in Biblical preaching at Luther Seminary, is the keynote speaker and will use four sessions to explore the theme "Igniting Biblical Imagination. There will be time for worship, fellowship, synodical meetings, and a whole afternoon of free time. Please make plans to be a part of this event. A registration brochure has been mailed. Registration is also available online.

Igniting Biblical Imagination
Only 5-10 percent of Lutherans report that they are in a Bible study of any kind. Why is this, and what can we do to nurture a more lively and active sense of the power of Scripture and Bible study? The key, as we will discuss during our time together, is to ignite and cultivate a Biblical imagination. The Bible, at core, is a story—an audacious, breathtaking story that tries to make sense of our lives with each other and before God. By taking the narrative nature of Scripture seriously, and by placing this story alongside the other stories that shape our lives, we will practice ways of opening up Scripture in our lives and in our congregations.

Session 1: Homo Narrans – Reaching our People Through Story
After stating the challenge in front of us, we’ll probe our own deep relationship to stories, sharing some of the stories of our lives and some of the stories that have shaped our lives as preparation for entering the Biblical story.

Session 2: The Perils of Yahweh – Entering Scripture as Story
What difference does it make to treat Scripture as a story? What challenges are there to doing so? What are the Biblical stories that have most shaped our lives?

Session 3: A Few Words on Biblical Authority
We confess that Scripture is the “norm for our faith and life.” What do we really mean by that? How is Scripture authoritative today? And, what do we do with people who have a very different idea of Scriptural authority than we do?

Session 4: Bringing Scripture Alive in the Congregation
In this closing session we will suggest, discuss, and practice a variety of means by which to engage our congregations in lively and productive engagement with Scripture.

About David Lose
David Lose holds the Marbury Anderson Chair in Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary where he has also served as academic dean. Lose is currently the director of the Center for Biblical Preaching and director of Luther’s new Center for Faith and Life. He is the author of Confessing Jesus Christ: Preaching in a Postmodern World and is currently at work on a book on vocation and the law/gospel distinction. 

Hearings on Draft of Social Statement on Human Sexuality
Saint Paul Area Synod hearings on the draft of the Social Statement on Human Sexuality will be held on Thursday, September 18, at 9:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., at Roseville Lutheran, Roseville. The Rev. Peter Strommen, former bishop of the Northeastern Minnesota Synod and chair of the human sexuality task force, will be present at the hearings to receive the comments. A record of comments from the hearings will be shared with the entire task force, which will consider them while crafting revisions for the proposed social statement that will be released in 2009.

What happens at a hearing?
Hearings are intended to be forums for comment and recommendations, so it is important to read the draft social statement prior to the event, since time will not be given to reading it together. Comments from hearings are critical to the process of crafting a proposed social statement. Forty percent of the draft of the Social Statement on Education, was changed after the hearings and before a final proposal was crafted for consideration at the 2007 Churchwide Assembly.

Resources to prepare
The draft of the proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality can be downloaded at www.elca.org/faithfuljourney. Additional resources are available at this site also. Blurbs for bulletin announcements and more information about the format and rules for the hearings will be available at www.spas-elca.org the week of August 25. If you have questions, contact Beth Helgen at 651.224.4313.

From the ELCA Washington Office
Civic Engagement Tour: Your Faith, Your Vote
Aug. 28, 11:30 a.m., Woodlake Lutheran Church, Richfield, and Aug. 29, 11:30 a.m., Cross of Hope Lutheran, Ramsey. Lunch and fellowship begin at 11:30 a.m. The forum begins at 12:00 noon. Chances are good that you are overwhelmed with televised debates, opinion poll analyses, and feature stories tracking the presidential candidates. It's easy to become sidetracked by the political mudslinging and partisan bickering, until we consider how our faith can inform our civic engagement. In his Large Catechism, Luther identifies government as a means through which God works to preserve creation and to help maintain a peaceful and just social order in a sinful world. Our faith values should inform how we look at public issues and interpret what is happening in political life. The ELCA is called to be a public church; and thus, we have a responsibility to engage potential political leaders on the values and ethics affirmed by our faith. This isn't about partisan politics. In fact, in order to protect religious liberty and our nation’s democratic system, we must remember that it is not the church's role to promote any single candidate or endorse any activity that will provide any form of partisan gain. Our goal is to equip Lutherans to understand what nonpartisan political activities we can engage in as a church, and to encourage others to get involved. Now is the time to register to vote, think critically about our civic responsibility, and prayerfully and thoughtfully evaluate political issues, as we keep the promise for a faithful democracy. Please join staff from the ELCA advocacy office to discuss:

• How and why we are called to be a public church?
• Why does the ELCA advocate?
• Who is your advocacy staff?
• What are permissible nonpartisan electoral activities for churches?
• Issue conversations on: domestic and international hunger and poverty, immigration, global conflicts, and the environment.

From Southeast Asian Ministry
Toiletries, household items needed
Southeast Asian Ministry (SeAM) is collecting travel-sized shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, bar soap, and all those freebies from hotels. Also, if you have clean blankets and quilts in good condition and rice cookers that you no longer want/need, these, too, are desperately needed. Refugees from Southeast Asia are arriving daily seeking asylum from oppressive governments that outlaw most basic human rights. These items will be included in care packets that are given to newly arriving refugee families by our parish nurses. Items may be dropped off at SeAM during regular business hours Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. For more information, contact Jennifer Krueger, executive director, at 651.293.1261.