July 12 – Willmar Middle School, Willmar, MN
Click here for more information How to Donate: SW MN Synod, ELCA Attn: Better Together Willmar PO Box 499 Redwood Falls, Mn 56283-0499 Please Make Check out to: SW MN Synod. In “memo” line please write: Better Together Willmar 2017. How to Volunteer: Click here to sign up for a shiftThe Better Together Food Packing event was such a success in 2016 that the Southwest Minnesota Synod of the ELCA has created two more food packing opportunities this summer! The Southwest Minnesota Women of the ELCA worked very hard to raise funds last year for the event, and we are called to do so again. This is a wonderful opportunity to work with our friends and neighbors to fight hunger right in our local towns.
July 25 – American Reformed Church, Worthington, MN
Click here for more information
How to Donate:
SW MN Synod, ELCA
Attn: Better Together Worthington
PO Box 499
Redwood Falls, Mn 56283-0499
Please Make Check out to: SW MN Synod. In “memo” line please write: Better Together Worthington 2017.
How to Volunteer: Click here to sign up for a shift
Click here for registration information
Presentation 1 in the Series: “Blessed to Be a Blessing”
“Do you want to know who the happiest people on the planet are?” asked ELCA New Testament professor, Dr Mark Allan Powell to the full sanctuary. “They are people who live generously.”
Generosity pours God’s abundant grace into the world! Happiness flows from this generous living.
Your learning group (six or more) is invited to a day of inspiration and learning, one that provides a “toolbox” so you can help cultivate a generosity culture to be lived in your setting.
Participants in “Live generously. Be happy.” will be equipped. Your group will act as a guide to help transform a congregation–or groups within it (WELCA, Youth and Family ministry, Educational ministries) as well as God’s world. You’ll be equipped to connect generations, equip households, and create faith practices that grow a spirit of generosity in all ages.
Be prepared! This is a day packed with multi-sensory activities, conversations, scripture stories, fun facts, prayers and blessing! This type of learning means that a minimum of six people participate from a congregation—either in person at Marshall SMSU or via Livestream. Bring families or create groups. Multi-generations—from elementary to retired—are invited to attend together!
Proven tools for intergenerational gratitude and thanksgiving will come from “The Generosity Project: A way to Grow in God’s Grace – Generation to Generation.” Karen*, our guide, says, “We’ll explore how all ages are stewards of God’s abundant grace and broaden our understanding of sharing, saving, and spending with a spirit of generosity throughout our homes, congregations, and communities.”
As you leave, we’ll send you with a toolkit of resources and experiences to Live Out Generosity. You’ll be empowered to take these back into your congregations to use as an all-ages-welcome bible study, part of an intergenerational learning hour, as ideas for connecting all ages together in faith practice and mentoring, or even the foundation for a congregational retreat.
Come! Join in a Day of Joy to Hear, Connect, and Live out God’s Abundance!
Presenter Information
*Our presenter(s) will be Karen Johnson Kretschmann, the ELCA Delaware-Maryland Synod Associate for Generosity. In this role she talks about gratitude, talents, abundance, blessings, gifts as well as how money makes mission and stewardship a faith practice. Karen’s heart is in the mid-west as she spent most of her life in Wisconsin and her two children, twins, live in the Twin Cities. We are hopeful her daughter, Sarah, a student at Luther Seminary, will join us as a co-presenter for the day.
Terebinth Refuge Fundraising Breakfast
The Terebinth Refuge is a shelter and transitional home for women recovering from sex trafficking and other forms of sexual exploitation. At our Synod Convention this year, we were honored to learn about this service in the St. Cloud area. They had an informational display as well as a quilt auction at our event.
Now, they are inviting one and all to their RISE Fundraising Breakfast event on September 13. The event is free to attend, but a free-will donation will provide support for the women being served at Terebinth Refuge.
Click here for more information and to find the registration link.
Click here to register directly.