Happy Pastor Appreciation Month!
In October, we celebrate Pastor Appreciation Month and recognize all rostered ministers—pastors and deacons. While I appreciate our rostered ministers…
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Who We Are
People focused
We value connection.
Grace filled
We cherish this gift from God in Jesus.
Welcome all
We welcome all people.
Connected across the mitten
From St. Joe to Alpena.
Synod Shoutout
- Winter Connection Day
If you were anywhere in West Michigan during our Synod Winter Connection Days, you know exactly what we were up against. Bitter cold temperatures and truly difficult road conditions which prompted about half of our participants to cancel.
As the event unfolded, our schedule shifted more than once. Plans to the Muskegon Sports Park were cancelled due to the cold temperature. The Muskegon Museum of Art was also closed due to the weather. It wasn’t the event we originally envisioned, but it still became something meaningful.
Despite the changes in our schedule, we gathered for a lovely time of worship, grounding our days in prayer and gratitude and the reminder that God meets us wherever we are. The spirit carried through the rest of our time together, including a fun and laughter-filled trivia night that brought out both our competitive sides and our joy in simply being together.
North/West Lower Michigan Synod at a Glance
25,000+
Baptized members
100
Congregations and Ministry Sites
181
Rostered leaders
7
Conferences
Wandering and Wondering with Bishop Julie Schneider-Thomas
- From Above
On Sunday, we heard this in the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus: Jesus answered [Nicodemus], “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born from above.” Hopefully at some point you have heard your pastor talk about how that phrase can be translated “born from above” or “born again.” If you haven’t and you would like to know more, please ask your pastor. I’m going to go off in a different direction from here.
- Dove of the Holy Ghost
This is an art piece in the Tirolean Museum of Folk Art in Innsbruck, Austria. It is entitled “Dove of the Holy Ghost” and is from the first half of the 19th Century. To me this looks less like a holy dove and more like a crazy chicken.
- The Muck
The phrase has been in my head since I heard Pr. Sherry McGuffin use it in her Around the Mitten reflection for Ash Wednesday. Pr. Sherry was talking about the messiness of the ashes on Ash Wednesday reflecting the messiness of our lives. The Muck. As we look at what happens when humans try to stand in the place of God — when human sin, selfishness, and greed control our decisions and choices, we see the ugliness of it all: poverty, starvation, violence, illness, separation.
I appreciate the breadth of the confession we use on Ash Wednesday. We confess everything from failing to put God first, to taking more than we need, to ignoring human suffering, to ruining God’s good creation. We have not just failed in one way. We have failed spectacularly! The Muck.
News
Register for Fall Learning Events!
Don’t forget to register for our October Learning Events! My Burden is Light Preaching Retreat with Bishop Craig Alan Satterlee…
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Email Scams
We’ve received reports of people receiving fraudulent emails from Rebecca Bossenbroek, Director of Finance, asking them for a favor or to open a link to…
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Boundary Training for Rostered Ministers
The North/West Lower Michigan Synod will be offering Boundary Training as a four part series via Zoom. These 1-hour sessions…
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Resourceful Servants Program for Rostered Ministers
To address individual financial wellness among rostered ministers and their preparedness to manage the finances of a congregation or organization,…
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Register Now: Luther’s Small Catechism for Adults
When Luther wrote that familiar question, “What does this mean?” he meant it! He wanted Christians to understand their faith and…
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Lutheran Disaster Response: Maui Wildfires
Exacerbated by strong winds, wildfires on Maui have claimed dozens of lives and have destroyed homes, businesses and lines of…
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Resources for Congregational Visits
We’re excited to share new resources for congregational visits! Download a customary, liturgy, and bulletin inserts for when Bishop Satterlee,…
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Cultivating Generous Congregations Fall Cohorts
How do we, as communities of faith, change our thinking on stewardship and generosity to meet the challenges of the…
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Gun Violence Prevention Opportunities
Postcard Project The National Council of Jewish Women, Michigan is working on a new initiative to let Michigan legislations know…
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