A P R I L 2 0 1 0 INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Bishop’s Message 1

Where’s Lutheran? Bishop Eaton

2

Worship

Update on Haiti

Award to Rev.

Pharmer

3

Youth & Family

Certification School

Lutheran Men in

Mission

4

Missional Discovery

Journey Report 5

God’s Work. Our

Hands Feature -

2000 Health Kits!

6

Synod Endowment

BOP Health Survey 7

EVENTS & RESOURCES

LEAD - Event Wrap 8

India Youth Exchange

Lay School Update 9

And God Said It Is

Good Update 10

Stewardship Resource

Shepherd’s Canyon

11

LYO Excellent

Adventure

12

Book of Faith

Surfs Up!

ELCA Genetics Social

Statement

13

Call Process Update

Variety Show for Haiti

Health Congregations

Gospel Messengers

14

SYNOD ASSEMBLY 15

Synod Calendar 16

Newsletter of the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin, ELCA

G o d ’ s W o r k . O u r H a n d s .

MESSAGE FROM BISHOP BURNSIDE

Indeed!

That’s the Easter exclamation

point: six letters, one word.

Christ is risen. Indeed!

“I n d e e d” It is the morning,

sunrise, stone rolled away, no

need for burial spices, “he-is-not-

here” empty tomb, resurrection,

just-as-he-said, word.

The strife is o’er the battle done

Now is the victor’s triumph won!

Now be the song of praise begun.

Alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia !

~Koln / Pott

Indeed!

Then comes evening. Evening.

The looking sad, discussions, long

roads, all these things that have

happened, handed over, evening

time. Now what word?

Indeed?

revealed the Scriptures

once again will stay.

Stay!

The word for Easter after

Easter.

When we are walking,

Doubtful and dreading,

Blinded by sadness,

Slowness of heart,

Yet Christ walks with us,

Ever awaiting

Our invitation;

Stay, do not part.

~Cherwien

For Christ’s sake,

+ Bruce

Your Bishop

Morning, Evening, The Same Day Luke 24:13-35

If Easter morning challenges

our imagination, defies our

sophistication and questions

our reasonableness, it is the

evening that tests our

endurance and puts on trial our

staying power. It does.

The good, hopeful, life rather

than death, Easter day, Easter

evening and every moment

after Easter word for me is

finally not my own acclamation,

“Indeed!” I cannot often

enough for my own need

muster up an “indeed!” But

this I can do; I can pray that

the one who joined the

dispirited on the roadway,

walked with them, opened

their eyes, set their hearts

burning, broke bread and

What word now?

Stay with us, till day is done;

No tears nor dark shall dim the

sun.

Cheer the heart, your grace

impart;

Jesus bring eternal life.

~ Brokering

Watercolor by Cynthia Burnside

Where’s Lutheran?

Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

Page 2

Last spring one of the first call

candidates assigned to our synod told

us about an interesting encounter she

had with a waitress. The waitress

admired our candidate’s Luther Rose

pendant and asked what it was. “It’s

Lutheran” replied the candidate.

“Where’s Lutheran?” asked the wait-

ress. We chuckled that the waitress

imagined a place of beauty and

mystery called Lutheran and were a

little rueful that she had never heard

of Lutherans before. Her question

“Where’s Lutheran?” has stayed with

me ever since.

Lutheran does not coincide with Lake

Woebegon. It is not found only in

Philadelphia or Minneapolis or South

Dakota. The cuisine of Lutheran is not

limited to green bean casserole and

jello. It is not populated exclusively by

the descendents of northern Europe,

though there does tend to be a lot of

those folks. It is not a place of rigid

conformity nor is it a place where

anything goes. Lutheran would never

be confused with utopia; its citizens

have too realistic a view of

disobedience, sin and brokenness to

believe that any human habitation can

claim goodness and righteousness for

itself.

But Lutheran is also a place of great

hope. Lutheran is a place where the

incessant human struggle for self-

righteousness and self-justification is

left at the border and, free of the

burden of making themselves holy and

April 2010

acceptable to God, its people cling

to the cross of Christ as the true

assurance of life. It’s a place

where people can get over

themselves and having been set

free can now spend their lives in

service to God and neighbor.

Lately people have been taking a

closer look at Lutheran and some

have been arguing where real

Lutheran is. This is both bad news

and good news. The bad news is

that the people of Lutheran are

separating themselves from each

other, not, I believe, over the

gospel, not over a matter of

salvation, not even over the

Lutheran understanding of the

Word of God - incarnate in Jesus

Christ, Law and Gospel, and the

written Word of God – but over a

matter of morals and ethics which

belongs to God’s left hand king-

dom. David Preus, former bishop

of the American Lutheran Church

who strongly opposes the

ordination of persons in

committed same gender

relationships recently wrote: “I do

not consider (churchwide

assembly actions on sexuality) to

be of such confessional import

that it should lead me or anyone

else to separate ourselves from

our fellow members who disagree

with us…It is my conviction that a

distinction must be made between

issues that bear directly on the

heart of the Christian faith and

issues that are comparatively

peripheral. I do not believe that

the issue at hand threatens the

gospel of God. The Lutheran Con-

fessions do not explicitly address

the issue. That is not to say that

comparatively peripheral matters

are unimportant. It is to say that

there is room for disagreement on

various issues that are important

but not all-important.”

The good news is that the people

of Lutheran have been shaken out

of their slumber.

Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

Northeastern Ohio Synod, ELCA

The good news is that the people

of Lutheran have been shaken

out of their slumber.

Bishop Elizabeth Eaton of the Northeastern Ohio synod recently shared her reflection “Where’s Lutheran?”

with the Conference of Bishops when they met in March. Bishop Burnside has chosen to pass this along.

Worship at Synod Office - Every Thursday at Noon

All are Welcome!

Page 3

"Marching May Apples" was the title of the photo used by Rev. Sara

Yotter in a recent sermon during Lenten worship at the synod office. We

will never be able to look at the May Apples again without thinking of

the journey that Joseph and Mary took to the birthplace of our Savior.

In his sermon, Bishop Burnside shared a

memory inspired by a photograph of a

time-worn, well used, well-traveled wheel

barrow. What does a wheel barrow being

dragged down an alley by an out of control

boxer (dog that is) have to do with our mission

of sharing the Good News? Perhaps we need

to become untethered ourselves in order to

bring the Word out to those that need to

hear it.

These are the kinds of provocative messages you will hear at our weekly

worship during lent as we " Remember" together. If you can’t make it during

Lent, no worries, we will continue worship at the synod office every Thursday at

12:00 noon with brown bag lunch and fellowship following. We hope you will

join us! Our address is: 2909 Landmark Place, Suite 202, Madison, WI 53713.

April 2010

Way to Go SCSW! As of mid-February over $102,000 had been given to ELCA Disaster Relief in Haiti. Thank you to our congregations for your prayers and financial support of these relief efforts.

Generosity marks the ELCA’s response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti. In the first five weeks, ELCA

members gave nearly $5.3 million dollars, and more contributions continue to flow in. Lutheran Disaster

Response works with our partners, The Lutheran World Federation and Lutheran World Relief, to meet

urgent needs, including shelter, medicine, drinking water, food, sanitation and psychosocial assistance, in a

commitment that will continue for years to come.

Update on Haiti

Photograph by Rev. Mary Kay Baum

Photograph by Rev. Mary Kay Baum

The religious studies department at Edgewood college recently awarded

Rev. Mary Pharmer of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Madison, the Dorothy Day

Award.

The award reads:

The Religious Studies Department is pleased to present The Dorothy Day Award to Pastor Mary Pharmer

in appreciation of her continuing contributions on behalf of peace and the building of community.

Well done Mary! If you would like to send Mary a note, her email address is: stmarks@tds.net

Rev. Mary Pharmer Recipient of The Dorothy Day Award

Bishop’s Initiative: Youth & Family Ministry

Certification School 2010-2011

Page 4

April 2010

The Bishops’ Initiative for Raising Up Future Leaders will be holding another round of

certification school from July 2010 to March 2011. All congregations in the South-Central

Synod are invited to send a church leader to learn innovative techniques for increasing faith

formative practices in the church and home.

Outcomes for Certification School

• Equip lay leaders and clergy with a foundational knowledge of effective youth and family ministry practices.

• Nurture the faith and spiritual lives of participants in the school.

• Create an ongoing learning community of youth and family ministry leaders.

• Create an ongoing support network of youth and family ministry leaders.

• Deepen the theological understandings of the participants.

• Equip lay leaders and clergy to teach the basics regarding effective youth and family ministry practices.

• Build a church culture dedicated to effective practices in vibrant faith formation.

The full schedule for the year can be found on the Synod Website but the following is a quick synopsis of what the year’s

commitment will include:

July 18-23, 2010 – Adventure Immersion Week at Lutherpoint Bible Camp in Grantsburg, WI

Sept. and Oct. 2010 – Class time at synod office or local congregation (no overnight commitment)

November 19-21, 2010 – Weekend event for long-range planning at Imago Dei Village in Clintonville, WI

December 2010 – Off for Holidays

January 2011 – Online Development and Relational Ministry Classes (10 hours)

February 2011 – Online Milestones, Leadership and Culture Classes (10 hours)

March 18-20, 2011 – Small Group Presentations and Graduation at Pine Lake Camp in Waupaca, WI

Cost for Certification School 2010 will be $2,500 per student. The synod will contribute $1,500 per student from

generous grants given by The Siebert Foundation and Vibrant Faith Ministries. This leaves a cost of $1,000 for the

congregation and participant (please talk with the synod coordinator or bishop if additional scholarships are needed).

Applications and detailed information are available online at www.scsw-elca.org, click on Synod

Ministries then Youth & Family Ministry, or by request.

Please send applications to the synod office attention Cory Hamilton, synod coordinator for the

Bishops’ Initiative by April 16, 2010.

Cory Hamilton

Assistant to the Bishop

Youth & Family Ministry

Bishop’s Initiative for Raising up

Lutheran Men in Mission Retreat Registrations Due by April 2

Just a reminder that the Lutheran Men in Mission (LMM) Region 5 (IA, IL, WI and North. UP) Gathering is a few weeks

away. It will be on Friday evening, April 16 through Saturday, April 17th. at St. John's Lutheran, 20275 Davidson Rd,

Brookfield WI 53045. Registration options allow for Friday and/or Saturday attendance. Help with planning for

meals by registering by April 2nd if at all possible. More information and mail-in registration form can found at

www.lutheranmen.org at the Events\Regional Gathering Page.

April 2010

Page 5

Over thirty members of seven

congregational teams are

currently participating in

“Missional Discovery Journey”

—a process coordinated by the

synod’s Center for Congrega-

tional Leadership. They and the

CCL planning group have

gathered on four Saturdays

since last October to worship,

learn, discuss, and eat together,

engaging in Bible study and

spiritual exercises. All this is

done under the focus of

becoming a missional

congregation. It has been said,

“It’s not that the church has a

mission, but God’s mission has

a church.”

Most recently on February 27,

the group gathered at Burke

Lutheran Church to consider

“The Congregation as an

Emotional System,” presented

Missional Discovery Journey Progress Report By Rev. Jim Bailey, Director, Center for Congregational Learning

by Pastor Jerry Tews. He showed

three helpful DVDs featuring

Peter Steinke, whose recent book

Congregational Leadership in

Anxious Times was provided as a

resource to each MDJ team. In

January, the teams met at New

Heights Lutheran Church in Black

Earth to hear and interact with

Dr. Craig Nessan of Wartburg

Seminary. He presented

“Transforming Leadership” and

“Becoming an Evangelizing

Church.” The final two

gatherings on April 17 and May

22 will focus on “Missional

Context: Engaging Your

Neighborhood” and “Hospitality:

Creating Space for Others.”

Each Saturday gathering includes

time for worship, exploring a

spiritual practice, and a

conversation with a specific

Biblical passage. Between these

plenary gatherings, the members

of each MDJ team meet with

a coach to apply their

learning and the practices to

their own congregational

context.

Stay tuned for further

reports about this unfolding

missional journey for the

seven congregational teams.

The hope is that the MDJ

process will be repeated in

the future for other

congregations within the

synod.

The participating congrega-

tions and coaches are: All

Saints in Fitchburg (Jack

Way, coach), Burke in

Madison (Blake Rohrer,

coach), New Heights in Black

Earth (Mike Lee, coach),

Shepherd of the Hills in New

Glarus (Rob Carlson, coach),

St. Luke in Sullivan (Chad

Christensen, coach), St.

John/St. Paul Parish in

Mazomanie (Rob Carlson,

coach), and Zion in East

Madison (Jim Bailey, coach).

Missional

Discovery

Journey

April 2010

Having just returned from the trip

to St. Paul and Minneapolis to

deliver the 2000 health kits

collected at the South-Central

Synod of Wisconsin’s LEAD

conference, I wanted to share

with you about the ongoing work

of our church through Lutheran

World Relief and Global Health

Ministries.

We were three men in a pickup

truck and 20 foot trailer (the truck

came from David Smithback a

member of the Rockdale church

and Tom Hensel supplied the

trailer whom I know through the

Cambridge Fire Department)

hauling over 2000 health kits along

with layettes, quilts, hospice and

midwife kits from 30 different

Lutheran churches in our synod. I

estimated around 250 boxes were

unloaded that day.

Rob Sperle did most of the driving

with Kent Peterson finishing up

the last leg of our journey south of

Tomah. Both are members of

West Koshkonong. I sat in the

back unfortunately sleeping while

passing Osseo and Norske Nook

and their great pie, it’s just as well

since I still have 10 pounds to lose

before Syttende Mai.

Upon pulling into the Lutheran

World Relief warehouse in St.

Paul, we were greeted by Raul

Palacios who directed us to the

loading dock where the three of us

were joined by four others from

the warehouse...and then, the

boxes began to fly.

As the warehouse folk were all

GOD’S WORK. OUR HANDS. Feature Story

2000 Health Kits Collected at LEAD for Haiti Written by Rev. Richard Dowling

Page 6

speaking Spanish, I tried to catch as

much as I could; and perhaps not

concentrating on the boxes, I got

smacked by a box. I turned to the

gentleman whom I was handing off

the boxes, Juan Gomez, and asked

him how you say ‘ouch’ in Spanish,

and he replied, “Ouch.”

Soon the cart was piled over eight

feet in the air and somewhat leaning

to one side, was pushed out of the

way and a second cart began to fill

rapidly. Obviously these men knew

how to unload a truck quickly.

After the unloading, Raul showed us

the bales of quilts wrapped in white

plastic, 3 feet high and 3 feet in

diameter and I guessed there must

have been 200 bales of quilts ready

to be shipped out loaded on metal

containers transported by truck, rail,

then onto ships. Raul said that this

shipment along with health kits and

layettes already boxed in LWR boxes

was destined for Haiti.

After that we were on to the Global

Health Ministries warehouse in

Minneapolis where we unloaded 41

boxes and met my brother for lunch.

Global Health Ministries is a ministry

of the Lutheran church that works

with Lutheran hospitals around the

world in Africa and Asia in particular.

It was there that we unloaded the

boxes of hospice and mid wife kits.

Scott Lein was on hand at GHM to

help unload and told us that though

Global Health works primarily with

hospitals they did in the last month

send off two 53 foot metal trailers to

Haiti filled with kits and medical sup-

plies. He also mentioned a website

that I’ll have to check out

www.techmd.org about the work

being done by GHM and other like

organizations.

After an enjoyable lunch with my

brother Harold, who has volun-

teered a lot of time down to the

Global Health Warehouse and who

celebrated his 66th

birthday on the

13th

of March we were on our way

back home. The only mishap in the

whole adventure was that I slept

thru Osseo and the Norske Nook;

well I’ll have to get a piece of pie on

the next trip. We will be collecting

another batch of kits and blankets

at the synod assembly the first

weekend of June so I won’t have

too long to wait for that piece of

pie. Please let me know how

many kits you will be bringing by

emailing me at: wkpastor@tds.net

Editor’s note: Channels 3, and 27

covered this story...did you see it?

We think this is a wonderful

example of our congregations

working together, doing God’s

work. Our hands.

Health Kits, Hospice, and Midwife Kits will be

collected at the Synod Assembly on June

5th at the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells.

April 2010

SYNOD ENDOWMENT IS FOR YOU!

Written by Rev. Dean Kirst

Calling all ELCA-primary health plan members — 107 more needed for 2% health contribution discount By Rev. Sara Yotter, Assistant to the Bishop

Page 7 Grant Requests are

due to the synod

office by April 16th.

As of the end of February 25.5% of the eligible ELCA-primary plan members and spouses in

our synod completed the confidential Mayo Clinic Health Assessment. Thank you to those

who have already done their part to help us reach the 65% participation necessary for all

of us to earn the 2% discount on ELCA health contributions this year. But we still need 107 more people to

take it to reach 65% participation.

ELCA-primary plan members and spouses: Complete the assessment by April 30 to take stock of your health,

put $150 in your personal wellness account, and get us all that much closer to earning the discount. Those

whose primary coverage is not the ELCA plan, Medicare for example, are encouraged to take the survey, but do

not count towards the 65% total.

Take the assessment at www.elcaforwellness.org. Find instructions for how to register and take the

assessment in Understand my benefits at www.elcabop.org.

Over the next couple of days, congregations in our synod will receive information about the opportunity to

acquire money for ministry and mission. This invitation comes from the Synod Endowment Committee. The

Endowment Fund of the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin was created to enhance the mission and ministry of

congregations in our synod. This year, the Synod Endowment Committee has agreed to provide up to $40,000

for appropriate grant requests.

Grant requests must be made on the Endowment Fund Ministry Proposal Form that was sent to congregations

or which can be found on the synod web site. Grant requests coming in other ways, will not be considered this

year. Also, each grant request must fall into one of the related Endowment Fund categories which include:

establishment of mission congregations, redevelopment of existing congregations, development and support

of new evangelism programs and/or supporting congregational involvement in global missions/international

outreach. Please be sure that your grant request is received in the synod office by April 16, 2010. Grant

requests received after this date will not be able to be considered.

Your Synod Endowment Committee looks forward to the opportunity to share these grants with you. The

committee includes; Alice Mowbray, Bob Gorsuch, Chad Thomley, Mark Benson, Dean Kirst, Jim Melvin, Larry

Westfield, and Sara Yotter.

Record Attendance and a “Wonderful Spirit” are what we will remember

from this year’s LEAD Event, We Are An Offering! If you attended, we

thank you! If you missed it, we missed you!

LEAD 2010 had a record 274 registrants as congregations gathered at

St. Luke’s – Middleton to “LIVE LOVE.” Bishop David DeFreese of the

Nebraska Synod began the day with a passionate keynote filled with

real life examples and media clips guiding and equipping the South-

Central Synod of Wisconsin to live love. In his keynote, Bishop Burn-

side offered four questions for congregations to prayerfully discern:

• How is stewardship understood in your congregation? If only

as an annual fund appeal how can that change?

• How is stewardship taught and talked about in your congregation?

What are you afraid of in your conversations together?

• Scripture and Jesus talk about money and possession more than almost

anything else. How is that a spiritual issue?

• We are an offering. How well do these words reflect the priorities of

your congregation?

Worship was filled with song and scripture and sacrament. An

offering to ELCA Disaster Relief in Chile and Synod Stewardship

Ministries for $1,255 was generously given.

Over 2,000 Lutheran

World Relief health

kits were offered by 33

congregations in our synod.

Workshops enriched and inspired on all things stewardship,

From stewardship of our bodies, environment, minds, financial

resources, and more, many were given new insights and tools to

return to their congregations. Additional workshops on Book of

Faith, Youth & Family Ministry and other timely topics were also

well attended and judging by our surveys, well appreciated!

Conversations happened around the coffee pot and the lunch table. And

God’s people went away energized and reminded that we are an offering to live love!

Record Attendance for “We Are An Offering” Synod LEAD Event Written by: Rev. Sara Yotter, Assistant to the Bishop

April 2010

Page 8

Are

We

An

Offering

Synod Youth Exchange with Northern

Evangelical Lutheran Church in India

Page 9

Our South-Central Synod will be taking its first Companion Synod Youth

Exchange Trip in 2010! As we look to broaden our connections with the

NELC (Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church - India) Bishop Burnside’s

vision is to see 10-12 high school youth from our synod travel with him to

India for a two-week cultural immersion experience. If you have a

student that would represent the synod well and be able to share his or

her experiences in an effective way upon their return, this may be a great

opportunity for your congregation.

Please see the March issue of our newsletter for details or visit our website for an application:

http://scsw-elca.org/sls2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=141&Itemid=161

April 2010

The Lay School of Ministry held a Service of Completion for six students

who having completed the two-year curriculum. The students were

recognized on Saturday, February 20th

, with Jim Bailey, Director of the

Center for Congregational Leadership presiding at the service. The

following students were supported by their noted congregations and

completed courses for personal enrichment or to pursue further work

in ministry:

Beth Faith, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Monroe. Beth plans to

continue her studies in working toward rostering as an Associate in

Ministry with a focus in Administration. She is using her Lay School experiences in her work as a staff member

at Grace Lutheran Church.

Lisa Huber, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Monroe. She is working toward rostering as an Associate in

Ministry with an emphasis in Christian Education and Administration. She continues to serve in the

congregation as a worship and Bible study leader.

Lynn Miller, St. Mark’s Lutheran, Madison. He plans to incorporate his Lay School education into adult Bible

studies and serves as a worship leader in his congregation.

David Moore, St. John Lutheran, Janesville. He plans to continue to serve the synod as legal counsel, and to

serve his congregation in the areas of adult education and worship.

James Stolzenburg, Messiah Lutheran Church, Madison. He will work with the pastor and God as to how to

best direct his efforts in lay ministry.

Robin Wendt, Covenant Lutheran Church, Stoughton. She is working toward rostered lay ministry and is

serving as Youth Music Director as well as with other ministries within her congregation.

SCSW Lay School of Ministry Update

Page 10

April 2010

“And God Said It Is Good” Special ELCA Offering

“May I add my word of deep appreciation and thanks for this gift. I knew of the decision for a synod special offering for

the ministries supported through the churchwide budget, but didn't know the outcome.

What a wonderful expression of the partnership that exists between the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin and the

churchwide organization! Your gift will go to the ELCA Vision for Mission fund.

Thank the members of your synod who have given this special gift. I look forward to our continued life together in the

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.”

Rev. Craig Settlage

Director for Mission Support

ELCA

Covenant-Stoughton

Cooksville-Evansville

Deerfield-Deerfield

Dekorra-Poynette

Evangelical-Mount Horeb

Faith-Janesville

First-Beaver Dam

First-Platteville

First-Whitewater

Five Points-Blue River

Grace-Cambridge

Grace-Darlington

Hope-Mineral Point

Hollandale-Hollandale

Immanuel-Waupun

Jefferson Prairie-P. Grove

Lakeview-Madison

Luther Memorial-Madison

McFarland-McFarland

Advent-Madison

Albany-Albany

All Saints-Fitchburg

Argyle-Argyle

Atonement-Beloit

Barneveld-Barneveld

Bethany-WI Dells

Bethel-Madison

Bethlehem-Brodhead

Bethlehem-Edmund

Blanchardville-Blanchardville

Brooklyn-Brooklyn

Burke-Madison

Castle Rock-Fennimore

Central-Edgerton

Christ-Lancaster

Christ-Spring Green

St. Paul-Mayville

St. Mark’s-Madison

St. Martin’s-Cross Plains

St. Paul-Beloit

St. Paul-Mazomanie

St. Paul’s-Liberty-Deerfield

St. Peter’s-Fennimore

St. Stephen’s-Monona

Sugar Creek-Elhorn

Trinity-Arkdale

Trinity-Blanchardville

Trinity-Madison

Vermont-Black Earth

Waupun

West Blue Mounds-Blue Mounds

Williams Bay-Williams Bay

York Memorial-Blanchardville

Messiah-Madison

Midvale-Madison

New Heights Parish-Black Earth

Our Savior’s-Iron Ridge

Our Savior’s-Sun Prairie

Peace-Belmont

Peace-Cobb

Perry-Mount Horeb

Primrose-Belleville

Redeemer-Rio

Spring Prairie-DeForest

St. John-Berry-Black Earth

St. John-Janesville

St. John-Johnson Creek

St. John-Leland-North Freedom

St. John’s-Madison

St. John’s-Prairie du Sac

As of the beginning of March $42,555.32 has been given for the And God Said It Is Good ELCA special

offering. Thank you to the following congregations for participating.

Many thanks to these congregations for their support of the ELCA through this special one time appeal.

The Synod received another letter of gratitude from the ELCA. Please share with your congregations.

April 2010

Page 11

Shepherd’s Canyon Retreat is a ministry of restoration and hope for church workers and their spouses. Singles are wel-

come too. Although schedules can vary slightly, normally four to six couples gather for dinner on Tuesday evening.

Group, couple, and single counseling sessions take place Wednesday through Tuesday with some time for rest and re-

laxation on Saturday and Sunday. The departure breakfast is on Wednesday morning. While clients come together as

strangers to one another, they soon become friends. They may come with anxiety about the time they will spend with

folks they have never met, but soon mutual support and encouragement comes alive. Check out Frequently Asked

Questions (FAQ). If you have questions about this ministry or if you want to make a reservation for a retreat, please

Email info@ShepherdsCanyonRetreat.org or call 800-783-3079

More Than Enough for Your Congregation:

Giving Magazine Now Available Written by: Rev. Sara Yotter, Synod Stewardship Specialist

WORKSHOPS, EVENTS & RESOURCES

For your congregation’s free

copy of Giving, please contact

Rev. Sara Yotter at

608-270-0201 or

saray@scsw-elca.org.

Growing joyful stewards in your congregation can be a challenge in these

economic times. The good news is that God’s “more than enough” is not

an offer to indulge in more, bigger, better, etc. Instead God’s abundance

turns us toward others. Scripture encourages us,

“God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always

have more than enough to do all kinds of good things to others.”

2 Corinthians 9:6-9

Each year the ELCA generously provides a single copy of Giving to each

congregation. Giving is a publication from the Ecumenical Stewardship

Center. This year’s magazine includes:

• More Than Enough 2010 Stewardship Theme

• Tithing

• Teaching Mindful Giving To Our Children

• Stewardship with Generation Next

• Does Your Church Have A Will?

And much more…

Special Invitation For all Senior High Youth in our Synod!

The Synod Youth Board will be hosting the Second Annual

“LYOs Excellent Adventure” for all high school youth

May 7-8, 2010

Please come out and join other high schoolers

from around the Synod.

“LYO’s Excellent Adventure ” is a lockout event where we will travel by bus

to different locations in Madison throughout the night. Events will include

some or all of the following stops: Laser Tag at Ultrazone, Movie and

Tour at the I-Max Theater, Roller-Dance at FastForward Roller

Rink, Glow in the Dark Games at A Local Park, Scavenger Hunts and

other activities along the way, Fun, Fellowship and Devotion on the bus in between and much

more! We will gather together at McFarland Lutheran Church in McFarland at 7 pm Friday

night and will wrap up around 7 am Saturday morning. Don’t miss it!

Cost: $40.00 per person (Bonus: One FREE adult with every 8 youth registered)

Deadline: Registrations need to be received by the Synod Office by April 16th.

Due to limited seats on buses, we are limited to the first 80 registrants. Congregations are encouraged to

register as a group. Health forms and waivers will be sent to individuals as they require signature of a

parent/guardian for participants under 18 years of age.

To register, fill out form, detach and mail to : Cory Hamilton, South-Central Synod of Wisconsin,

2909 Landmark Place, Suite 202, Madison, WI 53713

Name: ____________________________________________________________Age: __________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________________________

Congregation: ____________________________________________________________________________

Emergency Contact Information: _____________________________________ Phone: _______________

Payment Enclosed: $_________________________

South-Central Synod of Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Gods work. Our hands.

April 2010

Page 13 WORKSHOPS, EVENTS & RESOURCES

SURF’S UP: CATCH THE WAVE

Saturday, May 8, 2010

9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Christ Lutheran Church, Stoughton

This is an event for First Wave Congregations and the “next wave” to follow as ongoing participants in the Book of Faith initiative in our synod. That includes you and your congregation!

It will feature keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Ray Pickett, Professor of New Testament, Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago on the topic “Reading Scripture: Community and Transformation.” He will focus on a model and resources for engaging the Bible in community with a view to discerning what the Spirit is calling us to be and to do together. The cost for First Wave members is Free, lunch is included. The cost for non-First Wave registrants is $10, lunch is included. Congregations are encouraged to invite new congregational members and other congregations to come and catch the next wave for the Book of Faith. Please contact Vicki Hanrahan (vickih@scsw-elca.org or 608-270-0201) in the synod office if you plan to attend.

SURF’S UP: CATCH THE WAVE!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Christ Lutheran Church

Stoughton

ELCA Releases Draft Social Statement on Genetics

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America released March 18, a 49-page

draft social statement on genetics, a framework for discussion on a variety

of current topics in the field including certain advances in medicine,

reproductive cloning, human embryonic stem cells, and animal and plant

genetic engineering. The full text of the Draft Social Statement on

Genetics, an executive summary and a question-and-answer document are

at http://www.ELCA.org/geneticsdraft on the ELCA Web site.

April 2010

Page 14

WORKSHOPS, EVENTS & RESOURCES

In study process: Interviewing Candidates:

• Bethlehem/Brodhead

• Immanuel of Lebanon/

Watertown

• St. John/Johnson Creek

• St. John’s/Evansville

Please keep these congregations in

your prayers.

Recommending Candidates

None at this time

In Transition:

Rev. Erica Adams from Central-

Edgerton to Christ-DeForest

• Central - Edgerton

• Immanuel - Waupun

(Associate)

• Luther Memorial/Madison

(Associate)

• McFarland/McFarland

• St. Paul/Mayville

• St. Peter/Cassville & Zion/

Bagley

• Trinity - Madison

Call Process Update - Congregations Seeking Pastors

Healthy Congregations Workshop with Rev. Jerry Tews

Rev. Jerry Tews is leading a Healthy Congregations workshop on 4 consecutive Tuesdays, April 13,

20, 27, May 4 from 10:00 am--2:00 p.m. at Covenant Lutheran Church 1525 N. Van Buren Street,

Stoughton, WI., 53589. This 12-hour workshop is designed to help pastors and leading lay people

maintain and improve the health of their congregation.

Through interactive means participants will learn how to protect and enhance their own health and

how to influence the health of those they serve. For more detailed information go to

www.leading2legacy.com The cost is $425 for materials and a light lunch. Fees will be adjusted for

more than one person attending from the same congregation. Deadline for registering is March 29.

For questions contact Jerry Tews at JW1206@aol.com or call 608-838-3184.

Fundraiser for Haiti Variety Show Sunday, April 11th 2:00 p.m. West Koshkonong Lutheran Church

1911 Koshkonong Road

Stoughton

Free-will offering for ELCA Disaster Relief Fund

Childcare Available ~ Handicap Accessible

608-873-9456

Email: wkoffice@tds.net

The Gospel Messengers Concert - Wiota Lutheran - Saturday, April 17

The Carthage College choir, under the direction of Gloria Tillman-Kemp, will perform at Wiota Lutheran

12:00 Noon - Salad Luncheon - Cost $5.00

Menu: Various Salads, Open Face Sandwiches, Refrigerator Desserts, & Beverage

2:00 PM - Gospel Messengers Concert - Free Will Offering

Everyone Welcome! For Luncheon Reservations, please call: 608-966-3362 by April 10th

WORKSHOPS, EVENTS & RESOURCES

April 2010

Page 15

Where Will God’s Love Take You? Synod Assembly - June 5-6, 2010 Kalahari resort & Convention Center-WI DeLLS

Registration materials were mailed early February to all rostered leaders and congrega-

tional presidents for the annual synod assembly. This year the assembly will be on

Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6, at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. Our keynote

speaker will be the Rev. John Nunes, the President of Lutheran World Relief. Our church-

wide representative will be the Rev. Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl.

For your budget and planning purposes, registration fees are $175 if registered by March

25, and $195 after March 25. Overnight rooms are $109 per night for a guest room (up to

four people per room) and include water park passes.

Helpful reminders for planning for a successful assembly experience:

• Registration materials can also be downloaded from our website at www.scsw-elca.org.

• Registration forms should be filled out for each attendee. Please make copies of the form for

this purpose.

• To receive the discounted assembly group rate for the hotel, you must register through the

synod office.

• There will be no programmed entertainment on Saturday night. This may allow some time to spend with your

family at the water park or free time activities of your choosing.

• You are welcome to stay additional nights at the same reduced rate, June 4, 5, and 6th if you would like

additional time to enjoy the water park.

• Childcare is not offered. Previously, attendees have invited spouses, grandparents, siblings, or babysitters to

stay with the children while they are attending the convention.

• The nomination and resolutions forms can be found on our website in the Events area under “Synod Assembly.”

The Nomination Deadline is March 25th and the Resolutions Deadline is April 7th.

The Rev. John Nunes

President

Lutheran World

Relief

Synod assembly offering and health kits

Special Offering:

Each year there is a designated offering as part of our Synod Assembly worship.

This year, $500 of the offering will support the transportation costs for the health,

midwife and hospice kits to the warehouse in St. Paul. The balance of the offering

will be divided between Lutheran World Relief, Lutheran Disaster Relief for Haiti,

and the Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church of India.

Health Kits:

Rev. Richard Dowling will be coordinating the health kit efforts again for synod assembly and he has

requested that you email him to let him know the number of kits that you will be bringing. This is

helpful in determining the size of the truck that will be needed to transport the kits to St. Paul. His email is

wkpastor@tds.net. Please email him by the end of May.

SYNOD STAFF:

Rev. Bruce Burnside bruceb@scsw-elca.org Bishop

Rev. Dr. James Bailey jimjudybailey@q.com CCL

Kim Eighmy kime@scsw-elca.org Lay School

Cory Hamilton coryh@scsw-elca.org Asst. to Bishop

Vicki Hanrahan vickih@scsw-elca.org Program Asst.

Marilon Krebs marilonk@scsw-elca.org Admin. Asst.

Wayne Pinnow waynepinnow@charter.net Finance

Rev. Blake Rohrer blaker@scsw-elca.org Asst. to Bishop

Rev. Pedro Suarez pedro@scsw-elca.org Asst. to Bishop

Rev. Sara Yotter saray@scsw-elca.org Asst. to Bishop

The South-Central Synod of Wisconsin Newsletter “God’s Work. Our Hands.” is

published 10-12 times per year. Correspondence and articles can be emailed to the Synod

office by the first Friday of each month. vickih@scsw-elca.org or sent via mail to

Vicki Hanrahan, SCSW, 2909 Landmark Place, Suite 202, Madison, WI 53713.

A P R I L 2 0 1 0

SYNOD CALENDAR

Visit our website:

www.scsw-elca.org

Phone: 608-270-0201

Fax: 608-270-0202

E-mail: scswoffice@scsw-elca.org

South-Central Synod of Wisconsin

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

2909 Landmark Place, Suite 202

Madison, WI 53713-4237

March 27 Synod Council Meeting at the Synod Office 8:00 a.m

April 2 Good Friday - Synod Office Closed

April 5 Synod Office Closed

April 6 Synod Campus Ministry Oversight Team at Synod Office 7:00 p.m.

April 16/17 Lay School of Ministry Classes at St. James - Verona 8:30 a.m.

April 16/17 Lutheran Men in Mission Region 5 Event - Brookfield, WI

April 17 Missional Discovery Journey “Engaging Your Neighborhood” at St. Luke’s-Sullivan 8:30 a.m.

April 21 Executive Committee Meeting at Synod Office 8:00 a.m.

April 29 Endowment Committee Meeting at Synod Office 1:30 p.m.

FUTURE DATES in 2010 TO HOLD:

May 1 Synod Council Meeting 8:00 a.m.

May 7 Candidacy Committee at Synod Office 8:00 a.m.

May 7 & 8 LYO’s Excellent Adventure - Senior High Youth Lockout - McFarland Lutheran 7:00 p.m.

May 21/22 Lay School of Ministry Classes 8:30 a.m.

May 22 Missional Discovery Journey “Hospitality…” at St. Matthew’s New Life 8:30 a.m.

May 23 Lutheran Men in Mission “One Year to Live” Retreat - Poynette

June 5-6 SYNOD ASSEMBLY 2010 - Kalahari Resort & Convention Center-Wisconsin Dells

June 16-19 High School Leadership Program - fka as “PRISM” - Lutherdale Bible Camp

June 17 Executive Committee Meeting at Synod Office 4:00 p.m.

June 17 Synod Council Meeting 6:00 p.m.

August 27 Candidacy Committee Meeting 8:00 a.m.

October 8 Candidacy Committee Meeting 8:00 a.m.

October 17-19 Bishop’s Conv0cation - Abbey Resort, Fontana

December 3-5 Senior High Youth Gathering at Alliant Energy Center

FUTURE SYNOD ASSEMBLIES

May 14-15, 2011 Madison Marriott West, Middleton

May 5-6, 2012 Kalahari, Wisconsin Dells

The South-Central Synod of Wisconsin of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a church deeply and confidently rooted in the Gospel of God’s

grace. We exist, in partnership with the churchwide organization, to assist congregations and members to:

• Worship God through Word and Sacrament and through lives of prayer, praise and thanksgiving;

• Nurture one another in the Word of God and grow in faith and commitment to Jesus Christ; and

• Give our life joyfully in witness and service.

Next Deadline for submitting items for insertion in the newsletter is: Friday, April 2, 2010