New and Emerging Ministries in the Minneapolis Area SynodThis year we celebrate the second birthday of five ministries and offer up a 6th ---the beginning of a basket for any unexpected ministry births in the coming year. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is challenging us to start 500 new congregations/ministries in the next five years in celebration of the 500th birthday of the Lutheran Church. How many new and emerging congregations can we imagine in the context of the Minneapolis Area Synod?! Help our brothers and sisters who feel called to this work. Elk River Lutheran began worship almost two years ago. It has grown from 150 to over 400 in worship on a Sunday morning. They have outgrown three different sites and have a vision to purchase a downtown bank. Come and worship on Sundays at 8:15 a.m. (Traditional) or 10:30 a.m. (Contemporary). Jacob’s Well Longfellow continues to seek ways to be church in the two south Minneapolis neighborhoods where they meet. Some regulars at Longfellow were frustrated with their inability to recycle much of the plastics they received from stores so they found a place to take them and it became a collection spot at the school they meet in on Sunday mornings. To say that this was well received is an understatement. Neighborhood groups started promoting it, and then they received a Neighborhbood Projects award from the 9th Ward of Minneapolis and are collecting more. Minnesota Swahili Christian Congregation celebrates their second year as a congregation under development. Pr. Mwalilino received his religious worker visa and welcomed his wife Sarah and five children a few months ago. As this congregation grows, its responsibility increases among those who speak Swahili and their families. They are working to grow in their stewardship. At a recent Harambee – a time when people get together to raise funds for someone who needs financial support -- they raised over $7,000 in mission support. Come and worship on Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Puerta Abierta (Open Door) is a Synodically Authorized Worshiping Community (SAWC), which means that it may become a new congregation or it may not. Jorgé Cervera is the lay evangelist/developer who is in the process of entering the TEEM program, which helps committed lay people become ordained pastors. He is nurturing small house churches in Jordan, Chaska and Shakopee – with the active participation of partner congregations. Public Safety Ministries, served by Pr. Dan Carlson, seeks to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with firefighters, police officers and other public safety persons with a ministry of presence around the state. This too, is a SAWC, dependent upon a strong board and strong partnership support from congregations.
Give thanks for these leaders and these ministries which reflect the amazing abundance of God’s grace from Elk River to Jordan, among firefighters and young adults who woke up on a Sunday morning for the first time in their lives and found that fresh water at Jacob’s Well. Your generosity and extra offerings help these leaders and their ministries continue their important work. THANKS!
DonationsYou can donate to these ministries online here>> Checks can be sent to: Minneapolis Area Synod |
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