South Dakota Synod News Blog

"Cyber Monday" Special on New Whiteboards

We've had a call from G.A. Johnson Construction, Sioux Falls, which has several new whiteboards that it would like to sell at about 1/3 their original price. The current selection:

Nine 4' x 16' whiteboards - $400 each

Two 4' x 8' whiteboards - $200 each

If interested, plase contact Corey Johnson at 605/366-8200.

Reminder - Special Meeting for ELCA Annuitants or Bridge Fund Participants

Bishop David B. Zellmer has invited the Rev. Bob Berg, Assistant to the President for Church Relations for the ELCA Board of Pensions, to come speak to rostered leaders, laypeople, and spouses who are annuitants or in the ELCA Bridge Fund, which was seriously affected by the downturn in the investment markets in late 2008 and early 2009. Please share this information widely with retirees, clergy widows, and others you may know who are affected by this.

Pastor Bob will be available at these locations and times:

Sioux Falls Monday, December 7, 10:00 a.m. (CT) St. John American Lutheran Church 1912 W 13th St

Rapid City Tuesday, December 8, 10:00 a.m. (MT) South Canyon Lutheran Church 700 44th St

To RSVP, please contact Kevin Stillson in the synod office, 605/274-4011 or kstillson@sdsynod.org.

Resources for Partners in Ministry

A small packet of resources designed to assist in planning for annual meetings and to help answer questions that you or members of your congregation may have has been sent to rostered and lay leaders and should arrive by next week. We also have posted these resources online, available here: http://www.sdsynod.org/images/stories/resources1109.pdf. The resources are:

1. Information for Annual Meeting Planning
2. Consequences of Withholding or Redirecting Mission Support from the ELCA Churchwide Expression and Consequences of Leaving the ELCA
3. Deciding on the Withholding or Redirecting of Mission Support
4. Some Questions and Answers Regarding the Human Sexuality decisions of the ELCA

We hope that you will find these resources helpful in your deliberations and discernment. Thank you for your partnership in ministry!

Joys and Concerns

As some of you have heard, First Lutheran Church, Artesian, was destroyed by fire early this morning. It's believed that the fire began in the basement and quickly spread through the building. No one was injured.

LeShea Avery, TEEM, who serves the congregation, has asked that we keep them and the entire community in prayer at this difficult time.

Conversations with Bishop Dave

Join Bishop David Zellmer for some reflections about the 2009 Churchwide Assembly actions and their implications for South Dakota Synod congregations. There will be a question-and-answer time as well. Mark your calendar for the date and location most convenient for you!

January 4, Trinity Lutheran, Vermillion, 6:30 p.m.
January 10, Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Watertown, 7:00 p.m.
January 11, Bethlehem Lutheran, Aberdeen, 6:30
January 12, Calvary Lutheran, Rapid City, 6:30 p.m.
January 14, First Lutheran, Sioux Falls, 6:30 p.m.

These gatherings are open to anyone who wishes to attend. Please contact the synod office (605/274-4011; synod@sdsynod.org) with any questions.

Synod Group to Cameroon

Cathy Larson, Companion Synods Coordinator, reminds us that today a group of South Dakotans, Bishop Dave and eight others, are en route to our Companion Synod in Cameroon. Please join us in prayer for safe travel and many blessings as they go.

Cathy also reminds us that funds raised in the latest appeal mean that three and possibly four churches in Cameroon will now have roofs. A roof costs $7,000; so far some $21,000 has been received for roofs, with additional funds expected, to be announced when the group is in Cameroon.

Thank you for your efforts in this and all other ways you help keep our Companion Synod relationships alive.

Joys and Concerns

The Reverend Dan Stegen, Strawberry Point, Iowa, formerly of this synod, has called to ask that we join in prayer following his recent diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). Pastor Dan has been on medical leave for some time.

In his nine years in the South Dakota Synod Pastor Dan served congregations at Pierpont, Beresford, and Alcester. He currently is rostered in the Northeastern Iowa Synod, and welcomes calls at 563/380-1430.

Please join us in prayer for Pastor Dan and his family in this difficult and stressful time.

Additional Resources Regarding 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly Actions

We have added two resources to the synod website that may help in your discernment and discussions regarding the actions of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly: ELCA Ordination of Persons in Same-Sex Committed Relationships, by the Rev. David W. Preus, professor emeritus at Luther Seminary and bishop emeritus of the American Lutheran Church (ALC); and The Bible, the Church, and Faithful Discernment, by the Rev. Dr. Brian Peterson, Professor of New Testament at the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, South Carolina.

You will find these articles on the Publications page.

From Bishop Dave Regarding This Week's Lutheran CORE Meeting

Since there may have been some confusion, it's important that I make clear that my attendance at this week's Lutheran CORE meeting in Watertown was strictly for my own education. It should not be viewed as anything other than my wanting to know first-hand what was and was not being said.

You need to know that I am committed to staying with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and that I remain enthusiastic about our shared mission and ministry in this synod and this church. In the near future I will be writing more about my decision to remain, and will share it with you at that time.

Thank you for your partnership!

In Christ,



Bishop Dave
 

A Conversation with the Bishop

You are invited and encouraged to attend:

"A Conversation with the Bishop"

Sunday, November 15, 2009, 2:00 PM

St. John Lutheran Church, Hillside SD

 

Bishop Zellmer will be reflecting on the Churchwide Assembly held in Minneapolis in August, and particularly on the implications of the actions taken there with regard to the Statement on Human Sexuality and the Ministry Policy Recommendations resolutions for the South Dakota Synod and congregations. There will also be a time for questions and answers.

 

This gathering is open to anyone who would like to attend and is scheduled to conclude no later than 4:00 pm. There will be coffee and fellowship following, provided by St. John Lutheran Women of the ELCA.

 

St. John is located at 39943 270th Street, 10 1/2 miles west of Dimock, or 3 1/2 miles east of the intersection of 270th Street with 396th Avenue ("Mount Vernon Road".) Look for "Hillside, SD" on internet maps or GPS.

 

Please call the Synod office at 605-274-4011 if there are any questions.