By Sue Sprang SYNOD – Church camp. For many of us it means a summer of children and youth going away for a week or two to enjoy God’s creation, be nurtured in their faith – or maybe even find it, be uplifted and encouraged by the staff, make new friends, and find themselves busy […]

By Sue Sprang EAST LANSING – At a time when intolerance seems to be the norm, it’s refreshing to come across an example that dispels that notion. In this case, it comes in the form of a long-standing relationship between University Lutheran Church and the Islamic Society of Greater Lansing, both in East Lansing. The […]

 By Sue Sprang SYNOD – My recollection of the first time I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up was when I was in the first grade and I immediately blurted out: “A pastor!” I remember the small number of people – mostly adults – being quiet for a moment, then […]

By Sue Sprang SYNOD – For many of us, campus ministry is one of those things that is on the fringe. Unless we’re involved with or connected to it in some way, we really don’t think about. We might give it a nod and say “that’s nice” – but all-in-all, it’s probably not something most […]

By Sue Sprang SYNOD – As COVID-19 blankets us and we move through uncharted territory, the people of God take example from the early Christians and find ways to share the Gospel, even though the odds sometimes seem overwhelming. We can take heart, though, that we do not have to meet “in secret” – in […]

By Sue Sprang SYNOD – What follows is part 3 of sharing some of my favorite stories (which have been updated/abridged in this article) that I wrote for “Mission in the Mitten” during Bishop Satterlee’s first term in office. Choosing is difficult because there are so many good stories to tell. But I hope the ones […]

By Sue Sprang SYNOD – What follows is part 2 of sharing some of my favorite stories (which have been updated/abridged in this article) that I wrote for “Mission in the Mitten” during Bishop Satterlee’s  first term in office. Choosing is difficult because there are so many good stories to tell. But I hope the ones I’ve […]

By Sue Sprang SYNOD – When asked if I would write stories for the “Mission in the Mitten” column on the synod’s website, how could I resist? It’s rare when I turn down the chance to write, so it was a pleasure to say “yes” and I looked forward to learning what the people in our […]

By Sue Sprang SAGINAW – Sunshine, dedication, and lots of energy and enthusiasm helped to make Ascension Lutheran Church, Saginaw, 2018 Soccer Camp a success. Last year was the third for congregation’s Vacation Bible School “with a twist”. Ascension member Bob Aldrich, who spearheaded the program, explained why the congregation moved in a new direction […]