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Resources

Portico Pre-retirement Seminar

Thu, 08/22/2013 - 9:00am
Luther Seminary, St. Paul. Portico Benefit Services is launching a new Pre-retirement seminar this year in collaboration with Ernst & Young.This seminar is most relevant to those participating in the ELCA Retirement Plan who are age 50 plus or within 15 years of retirement. Cost is $35.00. To register, email the date or location of the seminar you’re attending, your name, your spouse or partner’s name and his/her email address (if attending), best phone number to reach you and any dietary restrictions to ezellner@PorticoBenefits.org by Aug. 1.

"God's Work. Our Hands." Sunday

Sun, 09/08/2013
"God's work. Our hands." Sunday is an opportunity to celebrate our 25th anniversary as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We are a church that rolls up our sleeves and gets to work. On Sept., 8, 2013, let's join together as 4 million members, nearly 10,000 congregations, 65 synods and the churchwide expression for a dedicated day of service. Let's clean up neighborhoods, deliver meals, collect supplies for refugees overseas, visit our neighbors or help a child learn to read. You work every day to welcome your neighbors and make your community a better place. Now let's do it together as one body, using our hands to do God's work of restoring and reconciling communities in Jesus Christ’s name throughout the world. Resources (worship bulletins, T-shirts, etc.) available at www.elca.org/25years.

Remarks on Same-Gender Marriage

Bishop Rogness speaking at 2013 Synod Assembly
Resolution 2-2013 called on us to deliberate over the issue that is now moot—same-gender marriage will now be legal in Minnesota. As I said in the brief e-letter sent Wednesday (May 15), since marriages happen in congregations with pastors officiating, the question is now before us-what does this this mean for us?
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Hungry Hearts, All Ate and Were Filled, and Do We Have Enough?

Many women’s groups take a summer vacation from Bible study while others continue to gather each month of the year. These three titles (and biblical studies) fit well together and offer many possibilities for use—and not only for women!
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Hunger—Only a Symptom of Poverty

How many times have you heard this said? Hunger is only a symptom of a larger problem and one which has other tentacles which reach deeply into the lives of many of God’s children. I think I could safely say you have heard that more times than you have had conversations solely about hunger.
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Living well, dying well: How faith communities can support advance care conversations

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As hard and uncomfortable as it can be to discuss how we’d like to leave this life, it’s a conversation worth starting before you have to.
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About Us

What is a synod?

Offering

Within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), a synod is an administrative and missional geographic region, overseen by a bishop who provides direction to staff, a synod council, and volunteers from its congregations for vision, support, and resources to carry out mission and ministry. The Saint Paul Area Synod is one of 65 synods in the ELCA and the second largest in the number of baptized members.

Curious about our mission, vision, core values, and main things? Learn about us

 

News and Calendar

Stay connected

Pastor Siong at assembly

Find stories of ministry in and around the Saint Paul Area Synod about congregations, ministry partners, and the ELCA churchwide organization of growth, partnership, and how our church is living into "God's Work. Our Hands." Read FaithLink, a bimonthly publication produced in a .PDF format, or our weekly electronic newsletter, News and Events, containing announcements, events, and short ministry stories. See the newsletter page to stay connected.

Mission

Claimed, gathered, and sent

Tanzania

We believe that we have been claimed, gathered, and sent for the sake of the world.

Our synod is involved in local and global mission. Collaborative mission tables, mission renewal opportunities for congregations seeking to revitalize their ministry, companion synod endeavors, and supervision and mentoring for mission developers have sought to broaden partnerships among local congregations and the synod and spark and multiply mission opportunities.

For Congregations

Support for congregations

Christ Lutheran on Capitol Hill

Our staff is committed to supporting congregations in much the same way they support rostered leaders. In such roles, staff adopts a posture of collegiality and partnership, available to walk with congregations in ways that empower the whole work we do as the body of Christ.

For Leaders

Walking with leaders

Leaders at assembly

Our staff is committed to supporting rostered leaders as they seek to carry out their calling in congregations or places of specialized ministry. Learn more about how we make connections and offer support.

Resources

We are here to help

Assembly registration

As synod staff, we focus on doing those things you—congregations and leaders—need us to do in order to maximize the church’s vitality in every community. We are here to help and to connect you with resources to enhance ministry in your setting.

Events

Seeking to equip and support

Synod Assembly

We seek to equip, resource, and support leaders and congregations by coordinating training sessions, workshops, gatherings, and seminars. This section highlights a few of the larger synod-sponsored events and provides resources, detailed schedules, information on speakers, and more.

Looking for something else? A full listing of events can be found on the calendar page.