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WHAT MATTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 11, 2020 News from Your Synod and Ministry Partners
Synod Assembly 2020
“We Are Church Together!”
Friday & Saturday, May 1-2, 2020
Kalahari Hotel & Convention Center
Registration Will Go Live this Friday on Valentine’s Day!
To register: https://bit.ly/SCSWAssembly2020
By now all rostered ministers and congregational presidents have
received their packet of information with everything you need to
register your voting members and visitors for synod assembly. All
rostered ministers will also receive the assembly mailing digitally via
email from Robyn Zimmerman this week.
The mailing included a letter from Bishop Rogness, information
sheets, tips for registering on-line, information about the Assembly
Offering, Keynoter Biography and Guidelines for submitting a Resolution to bring forward to the assembly.
Please take some time to carefully read through the information before registering yourself and/or attendees
from your congregation.
Resolutions for Synod Assembly - It’s time to be thinking of resolutions you may wish to bring forward to the
assembly. Use the guidelines to help form your resolution and note some of the recent changes in how you
will present them. For example, if a resolution calls for additional costs or staff time, the author(s) must
estimate the costs and indicate the source of additional funds apart from the synod budget. In other words,
please read the guidance information sheet carefully before crafting your resolution and submitting it.
Some timelines to pay attention to:
February 14 - Online registration opens - To register: https://bit.ly/SCSWAssembly2020
February 28 - Resolutions are Due to the Reference and Counsel Committee – Email them to the chair of the
Committee, Gus Knitt, email: [email protected]
March 30 - Early Bird discounted rate ends at midnight on Monday, March 30
March 31 - Higher rates apply to registrations.
March 30 - Deadline for registering for a hotel room at Kalahari Resort & Convention Center. To register:
https://bit.ly/SCSWAssembly2020 and choose this in the optional items. Please do NOT call the hotel directly.
April 21 - Payments due to the synod office for all registrations.
As this is also the year that we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ordination of women. As part of
our celebration, we invite all rostered pastors and deacons to vest and process for our opening worship on
Saturday. The color of the day is white. Please indicate your interest in participating in the procession on
your registration as we will have reserved seating for you and this will help in our planning.
Questions about synod assembly registrations can be directed to Assistant to the Bishop for Synodical Life,
Deacon Vicki Hanrahan at 608-270-0201.
South-Central Synod of Wisconsin,ELCA/6401 Odana Rd./Suite 20/Madison, WI 53719/(608)270-0201/www.scsw-elca.org
Bishop Election Process
All voting members from the 2020 Synod Assembly will also be the voting members for the June 20th Bishop
Election. Everything related to the Bishop Election process can be found on the synod website. Click below
for information about the process, nominating forms, Initial Consideration of Call, Bishop Candidacy Profile,
Town Hall Forum Bulletin Insert, Bishop Call Committee Members & Photo.
https://scsw-elca.org/2020bishopelection/
The next part of the new bishop election process includes the Nominating Caucuses
where you may bring names forward as possible nominees for bishop. Anyone who
is a voting member for the May Synod Assembly and therefore a voting member for
the Bishop Election in June are highly recommended to attend your nominating caucus.
This is where you will learn about pastors who you do not yet know and will be better
informed when you are holding your voting machine in your hand on June 20th!
SCHEDULE OF NOMINATING CAUCUSES
Thank you to our conference deans for working out this schedule of nominating caucuses.
Conferences will convene on these dates to discuss possible nominees for Bishop. Each
congregation is invited to send its rostered ministers and twice the number of allotted lay
voting members to a nominating caucus.
Conference Date and Time Place
East Madison Saturday, Feb. 22, 9:00 a.m. Messiah, Madison
N-NE Dane, N Madison Sunday, Feb 23, 1:00 p.m. Christ, DeForest
Richland/Iowa/Grant Sunday, Feb. 23, 1:00 p.m. Christ, Spring Green
Central/West Madison Sunday, Feb. 23, 2:00 p.m. Advent, Madison
South Rock Sunday, Feb. 23, 2:00 p.m. St. Paul, Beloit
North Rock Sunday, Feb. 23, 2:00 p.m. Hope, Milton
Beaver Dam Sunday, Feb. 23, 200 p.m. St. Johns, Beaver Dam
Southeast Dane Sunday, Feb. 23, 200 p.m. Christ, Stoughton
West Dane Sunday, Feb. 23, 3:00 p.m. ELC, Mt. Horeb
Walworth Sunday, March 1, 2:00 p.m. Immanuel, Lake Geneva
W. Green/Grant/Lafayette Sunday, March 1, 2:00 p.m. First English, Platteville
Sauk/Columbia Sunday, March 8, 2:00 p.m. St. John’s, Prairie du Sac
Two Messages from Our Presiding Bishop
We Are Broken
By Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton
In the February issue of Living Lutheran, Bishop Eaton reminds us of our uniquely
Lutheran understanding of the gospel and renews her call for studying Martin Luther’s
Small Catechism. “Luther said he needed to study it every day—and he wrote it! Let’s
do the same.”
In 1526 the reformers embarked on a program of visiting the parishes in
Electoral Saxony. It’s known as the Saxon Visitation. As would later be stated
in the Augsburg Confession, its objective was to determine if “the gospel is
taught purely and the sacraments are administered rightly.”
Martin Luther himself visited the parishes in and around Wittenberg. He wasn’t pleased. He found that
many clergy didn’t receive adequate compensation, and that the gospel was not clearly taught or
understood. Luther, in his inimitable subtle style, wrote: “Dear God, what misery I beheld! The ordinary person,
especially in the villages, knows absolutely nothing about the Christian faith, and unfortunately many pastors
are completely unskilled and incompetent teachers. Yet supposedly they all bear the name Christian, are
baptized, and receive the holy sacrament, even though they do not know the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, or
the Ten Commandments! As a result, they live like simple cattle or irrational pigs and, despite the fact that the
gospel has returned, have mastered the fine art of misusing all their freedom.” Yikes!
Luther’s experience led to the publication of his Small Catechism, a “Handbook for Ordinary Pastors and
Preachers.” In clear and concise language, he explained the basics of the Christian faith so that all people,
not just educated professionals, could understand the great gift of the gospel and live it in daily life.
Theologian Timothy Wengert points out that Luther rearranged the typical order of medieval catechisms to
make clear the evangelical understanding that the good news means law and gospel, judgment and
promise. Luther “insisted on moving from law (Ten Commandments) to gospel (Creed and Lord’s Prayer).”
This uniquely Lutheran understanding of the gospel is an important contribution to the Christian
movement. It calls out the reality of the human condition, that we are broken and have broken creation,
that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves, that we need a just and loving God who has no
illusions about human nature and, at the same time, has infinite love that claims us and sets us free.
This is true evangelicalism that rejects what I call the “Billy Joel gospel” that declares: “I like you just the
way you are.” God’s love is unconditional, but God does not like us just the way we are—that’s why we
have Jesus.
I am concerned that our branch of the Lutheran movement can become watered down to the point of
Christian Moralistic Therapeutic Deism—a concept developed by Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist
Denton in their 2005 study of common beliefs of American youth. To paraphrase very roughly the results of their
study: God exists, God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, the central goal in life is to be
happy and feel good about oneself, God does not need to be particularly in one’s life except when God is
needed to solve a problem, and good people go to heaven when they die.
In this philosophy, there is no awe in the presence of the Transcendent, no turning outward from self, no
horror of the reality and the effects of sin—and not in the narrow sense of individual moral failings—no wonder
at the intimate love of God shown in the incarnation and the crucifixion, no deep gratitude for the liberation
of the resurrection.
In 2017, I called this church to study Luther’s Small Catechism. I think we did for a while. I ask that we all
study it again, use it in Bible study and preaching, refer to it when navigating the demands of daily life,
incorporate it in our work of justice and advocacy, use it in honest self-examination, and trust its witness to the
gospel when we receive the Lord’s consolation. Luther said he needed to study it every day—and he wrote it!
Read her column in English at https://bit.ly/2uhqshX and in Spanish at https://bit.ly/2vXv90F.
“When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you
shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of
Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:33-34)
Dear Church,
Last week, on the third anniversary of the original executive order, the administration extended the travel ban
to the United States from seven majority Muslim countries to thirteen. The ban suspends the issuing of immigrant
visas that can lead to permanent residency for those from Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar and Nigeria, as well as
visas available through a diversity lottery for applicants from Sudan and Tanzania. This announcement comes
on the heels of several other rule changes restricting travel to the U.S.
As Lutherans, these actions should concern us. Through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God has set us
free from ourselves to serve our neighbor. This expanded policy separates families from loved ones already
here. Further, it prevents people – especially those escaping perilous or life-threatening situations in several of
these nations – from coming to safety in the U.S. It does not enhance our safety or reflect our vocation as
Christians.
Our church has a strong history of hospitality for refugees and immigrants. After World War II, when one out of
every six Lutherans in the world was a refugee or displaced person, Lutherans resettled some 57,000 refugees in
the United States (ELCA social message on “Immigration”). Today, with more than 60 million displaced people
in the world, we continue God’s work of welcoming refugees through advocacy and our vital partnership with
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.
The ELCA also has companion Lutheran churches in many of these countries that are, with us, member
churches of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF). (In several instances our church has developed strong
partnerships with these churches over many decades.) The current president of the LWF, with whom I serve as
a vice-president, is archbishop of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Tanzania is one of the world’s fastest- growing Lutheran churches. Accompaniment of these ELCA partners
requires our solidarity and advocacy with them.
The expanded policy also reflects racial and religious discrimination. Over the past three years, the targeting of
Muslims has had a direct and negative impact on our interfaith partners, who are harmed not only by the
policy, but by the rhetoric surrounding it. Together with other Christians and Jews, we are standing with Muslims
through the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign. We are inviting advocacy as a means for helping those affected
now, while preventing discrimination in the future. This is one way of embodying our commitment to opposing
“all forms of religious bigotry, violence, discrimination, and persecution and stand in solidarity with those who
experience them, whether they are Christian or of another religion or worldview” (“A Declaration of Inter-
Religious Commitment: A Policy Statement of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America”).
The travel ban and its extension do not promote our values of mutual respect of all God’s children, each
created in God’s image. Furthermore, these bans contradict our church’s and our nation’s commitments to
be a place of welcome and safety for others. Federal courts have recognized this already by blocking
significant portions of the ban, finding them discriminatory, anti-Muslim or unconstitutional.
The ELCA social statement “For Peace in God’s World” reminds us that “the church is a disturbing presence
when it refuses to be silent and instead speaks the truth.” On this policy, we as Lutherans cannot be silent. The
history of our church, the life-giving relationships we share with other Lutherans worldwide, and our
commitments to and with inter-religious partners are the basis not only for our concern – but for our continued
accompaniment, advocacy and action.
In peace,
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
https://elca.org/News-and-Events/8023
Annual Reports to the Bishop from Rostered are Due This
Saturday, February 15
Please fill out this report and email or mail it to Administrative
Assistant to the Bishop, Robyn Zimmerman in the synod office by
the due date or before if possible. [email protected] or mail
to:
Bishop Peter Rogness, South-Central Synod of Wisconsin, 6401
Odana Road, Suite 20, Madison, WI 53719.
https://elca.org/About/Churchwide/Office-of-the-Secretary/Rostered-Ministers
Minister of Word and Sacrament – Reports to the Synod Bishop
• Under Call from a Congregation
• On Leave or Disability
• Retired
• Under Call from Synod Council or ELCA Church Council
Minister of Word and Service – Reports to the Synod Bishop
• Under Call from a Congregation
• On Leave or Disability
• Retired
• Under Call from Synod Council or ELCA Church Council
Congregational Reports (Forms A & C) are Due: Congregational Reports A & C – Online Filing Is
Open. Deadline for Submitting is February 15
Congregational report forms were mailed to congregations from the ELCA. You received Form A, Form C, the
instructions, and the financial worksheet for your reference. Please make this important work part of your day
soon if you haven’t already!
Electronic filing - If you have access to the Internet, you can file the Annual Congregational Report Forms
online. To complete Forms A and C, go to http://www.ELCA.org/congregationreport and type in your
Congregation ID number and Password (found on the top right of Form A). After you have finished entering
your data, you should print a PDF copy of both forms for your records. Paper filing - If you do not file
electronically, complete the paper forms and mail them to the synod office (the address can be found on the
bottom right of Form C).
Since only one copy of each form is included in your packet, we suggest that you make a copy for use as a
worksheet before you begin. Remember to copy the completed forms for your records before returning the
originals to the synod office. All these tips and more are found in your packets! Questions? Contact Robyn
Zimmerman in the synod office at (608) 270-0201 and she will be happy to help you. You will need your
congregational ID#. Don’t know your congregational ID? Your pastor has access to the online synod directory
and can find it in the front of the directory. Or feel free to call the synod office and we can provide that to
you. (608) 270-0201
Just One More Week to Submit Your Application!
Have You Invited a Young Adult to this Amazing
Journey to go abroad?
Applications Are Still Being Accepted for the ELCA’s Young
Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) until Feb. 15
Did you know that 30% of young adults in global mission
become rostered leaders in the ELCA? Amazing! If you
know young adults age 21 to 29, this is the time to reach out.
The priority deadline has passed, but you can still register until
February 15. Talk to them personally about what this
opportunity will mean for their faith, identity, career and
understanding of God’s work in the world. You can also print
out this poster to display in your congregation or ministry
space.
Through YAGM, young adults will learn
what it means to serve in a spirit of
accompaniment as they walk alongside global church companions.
They’ll become immersed in a new community and form deep
relationships. And they’ll confront issues of wealth and poverty, racial
privilege, gender privilege, economic disparity and globalization, all
through the lens of faith. Learn more at ELCA.org/YAGM.
Volunteers will be placed in one of ten country programs:
• Argentina and Uruguay
• Australia
• Central Europe
• Jerusalem and the West
Bank
• Madagascar
• Mexico
• Nepal
• Rwanda
• Senegal
• United Kingdom
Young adults will find relevant opportunities for professional experience, including:
Health and human rights: health care, HIV and AIDS, homelessness, immigration and
refugees
Education: fine arts, youth education, childhood education, working with people with
disabilities or who are differently abled
Environmental justice: agriculture and farming, development, environment
Professional support: office work, communication, technology, finance
Congregational ministry: children’s ministry, Christian education, youth ministry,
congregational ministry, camp ministry
Around the world, host families, churches, workplaces and communities are ready to
welcome YAGM volunteers.
Applications will be open until Feb. 15, 2020. This is a life-changing opportunity!
IT’S TIME TO TAKE A SPECIAL
OFFERING IN YOUR CONGREGATION
FOR YOUNG ADULTS IN GLOBAL
MISSION (“YAGM”). Please bring
your congregation’s offering to LEAD!
Together, we are lifting up leaders!
Bulletin Insert Ready for Download
Link: http://bit.ly/YAGMBulletinInsert
This year at LEAD 2020, we will receive an offering for the
ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission program. We recently
learned from our regional spokesperson for the YAGM
program that 30% of young adults who participate in the YAGM program go on to become pastors or
deacons in our church! Others become active servant leaders in congregations and on synod teams. Many,
like the ones whose stories we reference in the bulletin insert are serving our synod as we speak. And there are
many more stories to tell. Please be generous!
What is YAGM? The Young Adults in Global Mission program provides young adults
with the opportunity to live and serve in international, cross-cultural
settings for one year. YAGM volunteers are expected to act as
participant observers, navigating with humility outside of their
comfort zones and in situations outside of their control, building
relationships with their local community as they seek to be in
service to others. The experience will help to broaden their global
awareness and to enrich their understanding of the global
expression of the church.
Service-Learning/Servant-Leadership
It is the hope of the ELCA that YAGM volunteers will grow in their
understanding of service as Christian vocation and will embrace a
life of servant leadership. While service is certainly an important
component of the program, participants are encouraged to
recognize their year abroad as a learning opportunity as much as an opportunity to serve. The international
setting provides a dynamic environment for both learning and service.
Resilient Farm Families: Taking Care of You - Wednesday,
February 19, 12 noon – 2 pm
The Farmer Angel Network will be hosting Resilient Farm Families:
Taking Care of You featuring Amanda Coorough, Human
Development & Relationships Educator Columbia & Sauk Counties at
the Kraemer Library Community Room, 910 Main St. Plain, WI
Farmers, ag business people and anyone interested in supporting the
farming community are invited to join us. Farmer resource contacts
from UWEX, Sauk County Public Health, and Wisconsin Farm Center will
be available to assist farm families. A light lunch will be served. Pre-registration recommended to Sauk County
Extension, 608-355-3250
The Farmer Angel Network is a collaboration of Sauk Co. Public Health, Extension Sauk Co., Project Recovery,
local churches and concerned farmers whose goal is to support area farmers through a time of depressed
farm income, challenging cropping season and the highest rate of farm bankruptcies and exits since 1930’s.
Mental health awareness and support resources are the key focus of this effort.
Nate Zimdars served in Senegal and on
our synod’s Speaker’s Bureau.
LEAD 2020! Early Bird Registration closes
in 9 days on Feb. 20!
Date: Saturday, March 14
Time: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Location: Good Shepherd (Madison)
Save $$$ - Early Bird Registration closes Feb. 20
This year, our keynote relates to Stewardship, so send
all your stewardship teams! We will also have 24
workshops on a variety of topics that are relevant to
all!
PLEASE Note that 2 workshops have been added to the
event since the brochure was printed.
Church in Society Discussions - Workshop #25 - Session 1 (12:00 – 1:00)
In a resolution at assembly last year, our synod looked forward to conversations about how Lutheran theology
could benefit our lives and our culture. In this discussion-format workshop, you’re welcome to bring and to
engage questions like: What is the place of church in society? How does your congregation engage politics?
What difference does Jesus make for your daily life? Facilitated by Pastors David Froemming, Peter Heide, and
Nick Utphall
“I Was Thirsty And You Gave Me Something to Drink” - Workshop #26 – Session 3 (2:20 – 3:20)
What if someone told you that there is a ministry that your church could partner with that would help people
lift themselves out of poverty while helping your members achieve better health, make lifelong friends, and
draw closer to God, and, at the same time, that could ignite a passion for stewardship within your
congregation… Would you be interested? This is Team World Vision, a ministry that empowers people to get off
their couch and participate in walking or running events while raising monies to fund clean water, sanitation,
and hygiene projects and promoting child sponsorship through World Vision. Come and learn how to live out
Matthew 25 by serving the poor… with your feet! Led by Colin Grove, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and
City Coordinator for Team World Vision Madison
(See next page for a complete list of workshops by Time slot)
WHAT HAPPENS AT LEAD?
* Worship – We will start with worship at 9:00 and then Keynote on Stewardship by Eric Law
* Lunch and 24 workshops - you can attend up to 3
* Networking and Displays – Ample time for connecting with people from other congregations is
provided. Attendees reflect that talking to people from other congregations is one of the best
things about LEAD!
* Displayers from Synod and Lutheran Affiliated Organizations will be there to share opportunities for
shared ministry.
* A box lunch is provided to all paid attendees. Eat lunch with others to network or bring your lunch into
a workshop.
* Free childcare for all ages and free lunch for children ages 3 / Fee: $25 before 2/20 $30 after 2/20
Online Registration Is Open!
https://bit.ly/SCSWLEAD2020
Bridging Faiths for a
Stronger Democracy
Madison-area satellite kick-off event for
the Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Project
Thursday, February 13, 6:00-8:30 p.m.
First United Methodist Church
203 Wisconsin Ave Madison, WI 53703
Pizza and drinks will be served! Thank you to First United Methodist Church for hosting this event!
Explore with persons of different faiths the intersection between faith and social justice, both personally and in
our diverse traditions. We will be inspired by performances by Chris Crain (music) and Sarah Streich
(drama). We will also learn about the opportunities and challenges for congregations to engage in the public
square. This event is the kick-off to a year-long campaign to build bridges between faith communities and
strengthen democracy by working together to increase voter engagement across Wisconsin, especially
among those facing obstacles to voting due to ethnicity, race, age, economic status, or other factors.
The event will conclude with a facilitated discussion to help participants begin planning interfaith voter
engagement activities in their own communities and congregations.
Simultaneous facilitated meetings will be held around the state using remote conferencing technology,
locations TBA.
Register and find information about other venues here.
Spread the word - forward this email, or download a print flyer or an electronic notice!
For further information about the event or the campaign, please contact me. Peter Bakken, WCC Justice &
Witness Coordinator.
Congregational Newsletter Editors - please
include this text in your newsletters!
WHAT MATTERS - Stay Connected To Synod
Happenings, News, & Events! Grow in your faith and leadership! Stay connected
to exciting events and stories of our faith in action in our synod! To
sign up for synod news, please email Assistant to the Bishop for
Synodical Life, Deacon Vicki Hanrahan at
[email protected] to be added to “What Matters.”
Please also add a link to the synod website to your website: www.scsw-elca.org
ELCA Expands Efforts to Increase Inclusivity of Outdoor Ministry Programs
Inclusivity of Outdoor Ministry Programs
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has announced a new
initiative entitled Total Inclusion!: Widening the Welcome at ELCA Outdoor
Ministries. The new program is designed to equip and empower outdoor ministry
organizations as they move toward more intentional welcome of people who
historically have been marginalized in the church — especially people of color,
people with disabilities and people who identify as LGBTQIA+.
Total Inclusion! is a collaborative effort between the ELCA churchwide
organization and Lutheran Outdoor Ministries (LOM), the association of camps and retreat centers affiliated
with the ELCA.
An inviting and welcoming church is one of the stated goals for the ELCA, expressed in its strategic document
Future Directions 2025. Through the stated priorities of this goal, the ELCA will address discrimination and
oppression by equipping and supporting church members to understand, speak out and act against
discrimination based on race, gender, disability, sexual orientation and social status.
“As is the case with so many ministry organizations of the ELCA, outdoor ministries have found it challenging to
serve and be led by people who are often marginalized,” said Don Johnson, executive director, Lutheran
Outdoor Ministries. “We expect that we will be making great strides in this regard during the next few years
because of the Total Inclusion! initiative. The grant will provide the financial resources to actually do something
about it, rather than simply dreaming about what we might do.”
The Total Inclusion! initiative is divided into two phases:
• The first phase, in 2020-2021, will focus on educational opportunities for outdoor ministry leadership that
will provide a framework to understand the barriers to full participation in camp and church life, and
develop a fundamental and common understanding of demonstrated best practices for welcoming
and including all people.
• The second phase, in 2021-2022, will involve two cycles of a granting program for local initiatives that
will provide financial resources to support organizations’ strategic inclusion plans developed during the
first phase. Two types of grants will be awarded: Leadership grants for ministries that have been leading
the way in inclusive practices and want to expand their impact, and Widening the Welcome Grants,
for ministries that look to take beginning steps toward inclusiveness and invitation.
“Camps and retreat centers have a knack for making people feel safe, welcomed and included,” said
Johnson. “In addition, the camps and retreat centers that are members of Lutheran Outdoor Ministries are
committed to providing experiences that reflect the lessons Jesus taught us: ‘Just as I have loved you, you also
should love one another.’ Total Inclusion! will help all our ministries manifest the love of Jesus with all people,
whether or not they have a prior connection with the ELCA.”
The program has been made possible by the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.
More information about Total Inclusion! is available here.
Questions about Total Inclusion! should be directed to: [email protected].
https://www.elca.org/News-and-Events/8022
The lens on human behavior developed by Dr. Murray Bowen and applied to congregations and leadership by
Rabbi Edwin Friedman has proven to be an extremely significant contribution for many helping professionals.
Leaders in many areas - from ministry to nursing, from business to teaching, and beyond - use the lens of Dr.
Bowen’s family systems theory to better understand themselves as well as the people with whom they work.
The Voyagers, a group of leaders of faith communities, has been gathering for over 20 years to study
Bowen Theory. At the spring meeting, we are offering two opportunities for people to learn about
and increase their understanding of theory.
First is a one-day introductory seminar with a focus on Bowen theory and its application to families,
congregations and other institutions, presented by the Voyagers. The importance of family of origin
work for maturity, functioning and leadership, and the opportunity to work on one’s own family
diagram will be offered. Date: Wed., April 1, 2020. Location: The DeKoven Center, 600 21st St., Racine, WI
53403. Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Cost: $75; $45 for students (with ID). Lunch is included. Registration is
limited, so register early.
Second is a one-day conference presented by Dr. Peter Steinke, a Lutheran pastor, author,
congregational consultant, and former director of Healthy Congregations and Bridgebuilders. Pete
will talk about the challenges of being church in a society that is in a regression. It requires conviction
and courage - where, how, and when will we find it? Date: Thurs., April 2. Location: The DeKoven
Center, 600 21st St., Racine, WI. 53403.
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Cost: $100; $70 for students (with ID). Includes lunch.
Registration for both events: $150; students (with ID): $100). Lunch is included in registration fees for
both days. Register early! Fees increase $10 after March 1. To register, visit www.voyagers.life/racine-
events. For more information, contact Carol Jeunnette ([email protected]).
A limited number of rooms are available at DeKoven Center for Wed. night, April 1. The cost is $80 and
includes dinner Wednesday and breakfast Thursday. Check “Stay Overnight” option when you register.
Register at www.voyagers.life/racine-events
CONVICTION AND COURAGE
in an Age of a Regressing Society
DeKoven Center Racine, Wisconsin
INTRODUCTION to Family Systems Thinking
The Voyagers
Racine, Wisconsin
“Unpacking White Privilege: The
Important Work of Making the Church
Less Harmful”
For years, the ELCA has been working to
educate and inspire Lutherans to promote
fairness and racial equity in our churches,
communities and country. At the 2019
Churchwide Assembly, the Strategy Toward
Authentic Diversity was adopted. This
strategy includes a commitment to digging
deeper into the history and theology that
“ground, clarify, and justify our call and
continuing commitment to ethnic diversity
and inclusion.” So get ready to dig deeper,
be vulnerable, have uncomfortable
conversations, learn and grow with the
article “Unpacking white privilege” and its
corresponding study guide, which were featured in this month’s Living Lutheran.
Read the article and use the study guide.
Rostered Ministers Gathering registration to open soon
Be on the lookout for an email from the ELCA that will be sent
February 20.
ELCA rostered ministers are invited to join colleagues at the
second Rostered Ministers Gathering, July 20-23 in Phoenix,
Ariz., under the theme "Rekindle the Gift Within You" (2 Timothy
1:6).
Let this gathering be an opportunity for you to remember,
reclaim, rekindle and revive yourself. Mark your calendars;
early registration opens on Feb. 20. We welcome you to take
part in this gathering with colleagues across the church for
fellowship, renewal, continuing education, worship, Bible study
and refreshment of your spirit. Learn more. Link: https://www.elca.org /rmg
Sugar Creek Bible Camp’s Annual Corporation Meeting – Sunday February 16
Time: 2:00 pm Fellowship and refreshments: 1:30 pm
Two delegates and a pastor, from each constituent congregation, are invited to
attend this important annual meeting.
The meeting will be held in the Rev. A.M. Hegre Retreat Center (the first dark
brown building up the hill after the bridge.)
Delegates are welcome to arrive early if they would like, for rolls and coffee, to
look through our displays and information, and for fellowship (1:30-2 pm.) Delegates do not have to
preregister.
Upcoming Events are listed and linked on their website. Check out the retreats for Youth!
http://wp.sugarcreekbiblecamp.org/upcoming-events/
Introduction to Social Enterprise Workshop – Tuesday, March 3, 2020
The Burke Foundation and Siebert have partnered to offer a
complimentary half-day workshop about social enterprise, focusing on
program-rlated earned income for not-for-profit organizations. For more
information and registration,
https://www.siebertfoundation.org/socialenterprise
Financial Stewardship Workshop – Thursday, May 14, 2020
This full-day stewardship workshop conducted by expert Mike Ward is
designed to help you begin to shift the culltur in your congregation from
one of scarcity to one of abundance. Fee is $20 per person. This
workshop is based on Mike Ward’s book, Abundance: Creating a
Culture of Generosity, and will be available for purhcase at the event.
For more infromation and registrationon, click the link below.
https://www.siebertfoundation.org/financialstewardship
Discover the Thrills the Chills and the Skills
when youth are equipped, empowered
and allowed to lead during the day during
this ecumenical event of 6 churches!
For more information and to register:
check out the Peer Ministry
link https://peerministry.org/pml-conference/
March 7, 2020 – 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Hosted by St. Luke's in Middleton
7337 Hubbard Avenue (Madison)
Cost: Only $40 ea. includes lunch / LINK FOR MORE & TO REGISTER: www.peerministry.org in
the “Store”
INTRODUCING DR. DAVID BRAY TO
THE SYNOD’S SPEAKER’S BUREAU!
“Dealing With Conflict”
This customized cross-generational
program will give people of all ages
proactive strategies to deal with the
challenges of effectively
communicating with one another.
Participants will learn how to retrain their
brains to think, talk, act, and sustain the
momentum of their newly developed
behavior. Those in attendance will gain
the following skills:
The ability to avoid unnecessary conflicts by establishing a culture that permits stakeholder groups to
have voice and agency.
The capacity to better understand others’ viewpoints, thus creating a culture characterized by safety
and the free flow of information.
The expertise to create a strong sense of community as demonstrated through caring, compassionate,
and trusting behaviors.
The capability to create a framework that guides the user through strategies and techniques to use
when faced with problematic situations.
This training can be customized to meet the unique needs of your situation in your setting. Examples can be
found on David’s profile on the synod website.
About Dave: Dave has the background to do this work having found himself in countless situations that have
threatened to destroy relationships, cost great amounts of money to resolve, and sabotage any hope of
creating a cohesive and productive work environment. Uniquely qualifying him for this work are the following
experiences: School administrator, public school teacher, mentor, adjunct university professor, recruiter,
campaign worker, church/foundation board member, member of the Servant Leadership Team/UW Madison
and Certified “Ambassadors of Reconciliation.”
As one who actively practices a servant leadership approach to everyday life and is trained in the art of
“principled negotiation,” he looks forward to partnering with you to build teams that pair their best thinking
with employees who have voice and agency.
To go directly to David’s contact information:
https://scsw-elca.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/CONFLICT-BRAY.pdf
To go to the Speaker’s Bureau page:
https://scsw-elca.org/resources/speakers-bureau/
Call to Action – Wisconsin
Conservation Voters’ Clean
Water Lobby Day – January 30
12:30 – 5:00 pm
Meet at the Madison Concourse
Hotel and State Capitol
You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills… Psalm 104:10
Details: The Clean Water Lobby Day will meet at The Madison Concourse Hotel and the State Capitol and will
run from 12:30 to 5 p.m. (with a social hour afterward). To register and to find a spot on a bus from the
northeastern or western parts of the state, or start or join a carpool to the event, go to the Clean Water Lobby
Day webpage. **If you are planning to attend, or would like to meet at the WCC office (Suite 602, 30 West
Mifflin St., across from Capitol) and walk around the corner to the Concourse together, please reply to this
message and let Peter Bakken know.** email: [email protected]
For centuries, our faith traditions have recognized that clean water is a precious gift for which we must be
responsible stewards. Decades of effort and public investment to ensure that everyone can have safe and
abundant drinking water have contributed to the quality of life we enjoy in Wisconsin.
In the spring of 2017 and 2019, people of faith across Wisconsin came to the People of Faith United for Justice
Advocacy Day at the Capitol and called on their elected representatives to protect the gift of clean,
abundant water.
Their advocacy -- and that of many others -- has borne fruit, with the declaration of 2019 as The Year of Clean
Drinking Water, the Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality, and executive orders to address lead, nitrate, and
PFAS pollution.
But we need to keep up that momentum, which is why I’m inviting you to join me for Wisconsin Conservation
Voters’ Clean Water Lobby Day on January 30 in Madison.
WCV states that:
The three major threats to our water quality are nitrate from ag pollution, the “forever chemicals” called PFAS,
and lead. Unsafe drinking water is linked to cancer, diabetes, infant brain damage, lifelong learning and
behavioral problems, and many more negative health outcomes.
The legislature is in session and the water quality task force is crafting its solutions after a summer-long tour of
the state. That’s why we’re headed back to the State Capitol to speak directly with the lawmakers who hold
the future of our water quality in their hands.
As Christians, our concern for clean water is grounded in our vision of and love for the Earth as God’s creation,
as well as in the desire for a just, healthy, and sustainable world for all -- a desire that we share with all persons
of good will. Therefore, we can and must join with others outside our faith community in calling on our
legislators to act for the common good, while also being clear that we are doing so as followers of Jesus.
Best regards,
Peter Bakken
WCC Justice and Witness Coordinator
Come to Be Fed – Holy
Communion Worship
at the Synod Office – All Are
Welcome! Thursdays - 12:00
Noon with Brown Bag Lunch at
12:30
Join the synod staff and others on
Thursdays for Worship with Holy
Communion. Thank you to Rev.
George Carlson (former SCSW
Bishop) for your inspired message
and invitation to consider what our own baptism means to our call to follow Jesus! We are gratefully led by a
different preacher each week from our synod and then gather at 12:30 for brown bag lunch immediately after
worship. It’s always a wonderful informal and intimate gathering of a few or many! Come take sabbath time
with us and be sent forth as witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection, showing glory to all the world in Jesus’ name. You
will be glad you did!
If you are willing to volunteer your time to lead worship, we would love to have pastors, deacons or interns
lead us. Worship is a simple service consisting typically of a gathering song, word, meal, prayers and sending
song. Contact Robyn Zimmerman at [email protected] if you would like to share your time and talent this
way.
Positions in the Synod We are happy to help promote your positions. Please submit 100 words or less to Deacon Vicki Hanrahan,
Synod Communicator, email: [email protected] Please notify Vicki when the position has been filled so
that we can keep this list current. Thanks!
Program Director – Preschool - Good Shepherd (Madison)
This position is responsible for our state-licensed locations in both Madison and Verona. The Director is
responsible for the school’s management, operations, planning and implementation of preschool curriculum.
Responsibilities include supervision and hiring of staff, licensing renewal, working with the church accountant,
developing balanced budget and ordering supplies. Director will also teach as needed in the
classrooms. Salaried position totaling 30 hours a week year-round. Must be at least 21 years of age, familiar
with state licensing rules, have a Registry certificate or Educator’s license to verify education, meet
qualifications outlined in WI Licensing Rules DCF 251, certified in CPR, Child CPR, AED and Shaken Baby
Syndrome prevention training and pass a health and fingerprint check. This position will start on June 1,
2020. Please send applications to Director of Administration Rick Blum at [email protected]. (04/04/20)
Part-time Church Secretary – St. Paul Lutheran (Beloit)
Position is 25 hours/week; $11-13/hour, commensurate with experience and skills. The job provides
administrative support to the ministry of the pastor, staff and congregation and includes general office
reception and administration duties, creating publications (weekly bulletins, monthly newsletter, etc.),
managing church calendar and member information. Preferred candidates will be welcoming and organized,
have a working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and Google applications and an ability to learn church
database software. Knowledge of liturgical church calendar and practices extremely helpful. Submit inquiries
to [email protected]. (01/28/20)
Youth and Family Ministry -First English Lutheran Church (Whitewater)
Seeks 15-17 hours/week Youth and Family Ministry Coordinator to provide programming for youth in our
Sunday School, youth group (grades 7-12), and families in our congregation. The successful applicant will
have strong managerial and communication skills, be a caring relationship builder, and have a heart for
sharing God’s love and their Christian faith. Submit cover letter, resume, references and “Application for
Employment” form electronically to Barbara Penington at [email protected] by December 23. Use
the church website to locate the Application for Employment form (under Form section) and a list of
expectations for the position (under Education & Youth section). (12/03/19)
Custodial Position – St. Luke’s (Middleton)
St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Middleton has a position available for a part-time custodian (15 hrs./week).
Holidays required. Most hours worked during the week, with filling in on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesday
evenings as needed. Duties include vacuuming, dusting, room setup, coffee hour help, and more. If
interested, please contact: Drew Hathaway, Property Manager, at [email protected]. (11/12/19)
Licensed Psychotherapist – Samaritan Counseling Center (Madison)
The Samaritan Counseling Center of Southern Wisconsin is expanding our services and seeking a full time
licensed psychotherapist. For more information visit our website at: www.samaritancounselingcenterwi.org (11/12/19)
Weekend Maintenance Position Open - Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Madison and Verona
Good Shepherd is looking for a person to help clean up our two campuses following worship on Sunday
morning from noon-6 p.m. on Sundays. We are looking for a conscientious, hardworking individual with a good
driving record, since you will need to drive between the two campuses. Please send applications to Director of
Administration Rick Blum at [email protected] or call (608) 640-4902. (10/01/19)
Full-Time Chaplain - Skaalen Retirement Services - Stoughton, WI
Skaalen Retirement Services is a Lutheran retirement community that has been providing care and support of
seniors in need since 1900. Skaalen Retirement Services is seeking a full-time Chaplain to provide spiritual care
to by promoting a spiritual environment within the campus by leading worship services, providing prayer
services, conducting Bible study, leading religious discussions, providing religious education and hymn sings
with residents and patients in all levels of care. The successful candidate will need to be ordained in the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Ecclesiastical Specialized Care Endorsement status from the ELCA,
and is Board Certified Chaplain status from the Association of Professional Chaplains. (09/05/19)
Music Director - St. John’s, Madison
Vibrant, urban congregation with multiple instrumental groups seeks 15 to 20 hour a week music director to
nurture the gifts and skills of members within the congregation and connect with other musicians in the
broader community. For a full position description and application instructions, visit St. John’s website:
https://www.stjohnsmadison.org/employment-opportunities (06/25/19)
Wisconsin Council of Churches Employment Opportunities
https://www.wichurches.org/resources/employment-opportunities/
At-A-Glance Future Synod Events:
February 22 – Nominating Caucus for East Madison Conference – Messiah (Madison)
February 23 – Nominating Caucus for N-NE Dane, N Madison Conference – Christ (DeForest)
February 23 – Nominating Caucus for Richland/Iowa/Grant Conference – Christ (Spring Green)
February 23 – Nominating Caucus for Central/West Madison Conference – Advent (Madison)
February 23 – Nominating Caucus for South Rock Conference – St. Paul (Beloit)
February 23 – Nominating Caucus for North Rock Conference – Hope (Milton)
February 23 – Nominating Caucus for Beaver Dam Conference – St. John’s (Beaver Dam)
February 23 – Nominating Caucus for Southeast Dane Conference – Christ (Stoughton)
February 23 – Nominating Conference for West Dane Conference – Evangelical (Mount Horeb)
March 1 – Nominating Caucus for Walworth Conference – Immanuel (Lake Geneva)
March 1 – Nominating Caucus for W. Green/Grant/Lafayette – First English (Platteville)
March 7 – Children, Youth & Family Team’s Youth Lead Event – St. Luke’s (Middleton)
March 8 – Nominating Caucus for St. John’s (Prairie du Sac)
March 14 – LEAD – Leadership Education & Development Day – Good Shepherd (Madison)
March 19 – Retired Pastor’s Gathering – St. John’s (Oregon)
May 1 & 2 (Friday & Saturday) SYNOD ASSEMBLY – Kalahari Resort & Convention Center (Wisconsin Dells)
May 21 – Retired Pastor’s Gathering – Oakwood Village (Prairie Ridge)
June 20 – Special Meeting of the Synod Assembly to Elect a Bishop – Good Shepherd (Verona Campus)
Prayers
For the family of Mariellen Laucht Kuehn who died on Saturday, February 1. Mariellen was the widow of
deceased rostered leader, Deacon Harry Kuehn. She served for many years on the Triangle Community
Ministry Board. A funeral service will be held at GUNDERSON FITCHBURG FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE,
2950 Chapel Valley Road, Fitchburg, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. Holy One, we give you thanks for
the life of Mariellen and the many lives she touched with her grace, humor, and care. Comfort and sustain all
who grieve her loss.
Refugee Resettlement Team:
• Nancy Anderson, Lake Edge, Madison, WI
• Jean Berg, Lake Edge, Madison, WI
Synod Seminary Student:
• Sid Boersma, Sid is a member of First Lutheran in Stoughton, He is decerning which seminary to attend this
coming fall.
Pastors and Congregations in our Synod:
• Rev. Kevin Baker, Pastor and Members of First Lutheran Church, Lone Rock, WI
• Rev. Fred Rilling and Rev. Sally Williams, Pastor and members of St. John‘s Lutheran Church, Prairie du
Sac, WI
Neighboring Synods:
• Bishop Laurie Skow-Anderson, Staff and the congregations of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin
Churchwide Partners:
• Ms. Carmen Avram, Director of Accounting, Office of the Treasurer at the ELCA Lutheran Center,
Chicago, IL
• Mr. Jon Beyer, Executive for Information Technology, Office of the Treasurer at the ELCA Lutheran
Center, Chicago, IL
We give thanks at this time for the ministry of those who celebrate their anniversary of Ordination during this
coming week:
• Rev. Mark Moller-Gunderson, February 13, 1977, Retired Pastor, Lake Geneva, WI.
• Rev. Mary Ann Moller-Gunderson, February 13, 1977, Retired Pastor, Lake Geneva, WI.
• Rev. Beth Voigt, (United Church of Christ), February 14, 1999, Renewal Pastor of Faith Lutheran,
Columbus, WI. [email protected]
• Rev. Bruce Engebretson, February 17, 1974, Retired Pastor, Waunakee, WI. [email protected]
• Rev. Bryan Lagerstam, February 18, 2008, Pastor of St. John’s Lutheran, Beaver Dam, WI.
• Rev. Robert Fisher, February 18, 1990, Retired Pastor, Mount Horeb, WI. [email protected]
• Deacon Bruce Bengtson, February 18, 1984, Retired, Madison, WI.
May these leaders continue to be blessed for service.
Updates on Congregations in the Call Process and Rostered Leader Updates
Call process and roster changes are updated on the synod website monthly. Please
keep these congregations and rostered leaders in your prayers.
Link: http://scsw-elca.org/resources/callprocess/
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congregational newsletters! Thanks for your partnership.
Congregations can feel free to reprint these pages for your congregational use. Reprint
permission provided by: South-Central Synod of Wisconsin, ELCA – 6401 Odana Road, Suite
20, Madison, WI 53719. Please reference as seen in Synod e-news, “What Matters” in your
reprint. Questions can be directed to Deacon Vicki Hanrahan at the synod office:
(608) 270-0201.
Share your news. If you have something you would like considered for publication in What Matters, send it to
Communications & Event Manager, Deacon Vicki Hanrahan, at [email protected].
Visit our website: www.scsw-elca.org
Following Jesus, who commanded his followers, ‘Just as I have loved you, you also should love one
another,’ and believing that all persons are created in the image of God, the South-Central Synod
of Wisconsin, ELCA, strives to be fully inclusive for all. This synod welcomes people of every race,
background, age, political affiliation, economic and social status, sexual orientation, gender
identity and expression, and mental and physical ability, while striving to enable all people to
participate fully in the life and work of the church and its expressions.
