Assembly has begun!

Worship has begun!

Synod Council Updates

Congratulations to Loon Lake, WA and Pr. Jeryll Phillips-Kelley!  They were authorized to explore ministry possibilities together for the next 9 months.

The Council received a report from The Way Forward Task Force.  Surveys were distributed to better understand the needs of the member congregations of the Synod.

Wayne Stevens shared a wonderful update for Emmaus Lutheran Community in Idaho Falls, ID.

Pr. Ruben Duran from the Mission Development Churchwide Office, Pr. Mark Nelson Region 1 Coordinator for Mission and Ministry, and Pr. Jeff Barrow Bishop of the Greater Milwaukee Synod joined us to bring greetings, wisdom, and companionship.

Always Being Made New 25 Years of the ELCA

Prayer for Boston, Prayer for Our World

As we gather to begin our second day of Synod Council meetings prior to the meeting of the Synod Assembly we are engrossed in the observation of a deadly manhunt in Boston.  The danger for us, it seems, is that the pain and suffering of our fellow Americans would remain distant and we would fail to express the relatedness we know to be true that comes from being children of God.  Offers of prayer feel like platitude.  Electronic media scrubs and sanitizes.  And yet, there is messiness... fear... pain... death.  There is a tension present in the life of an honest person of faith.  In theological parlance it is a question of 'theodicy', that is "Where is God when bad things happen?"  Philip Yancey said it with his book title, "What Good is God?" And, Eric Ohrtman would offer, "What the f*#k, God?"  It is in the acknowledgment of that reality that I find a need for the God made manifest in Bethlehem and hung on a cross.  That God, is the only God I can imagine speaking into the misery of the human experience.  That God knew sickness, suffering, pain, messiness, even death-painful innocent death.  It is to that God who does not ignore human pain, who does not cover over the messiness of life, but who speaks hope and life into places where there is none to whom we pray:

"God made man, we pray to you today for our broken and needy world.  You know the depths of human depravity and you choose to work in the hands and hearts of those who live love and compassion.  Be present with those who today offer care in our world, especially in Boston and Boise. Reveal your glory in this moment so that we might offer praise and thanksgiving once again.  In the name of your Son Jesus the Christ, who lives and reigns with You and Your Holy Spirit.  Amen"

Churchwide Representative: Ruben Duran

The Rev. Ruben Duran

The Rev. Ruben Duran serves as Director for New Evangelizing Congregations in the Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission unit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  He is responsible for promoting the development of Synodical mission strategies, local initiatives and emerging models for the multiplication of new communities of faith in the USA and the Caribbean.

Ruben is a native of Lima, Peru, South America. He served parishes in the Seattle, Washington and Los Angeles, California areas prior to becoming Associate to the Bishop and Mission Director for the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, ELCA.  He has also served as Associate Director for Latino Outreach in the former Division for Congregational Ministries, ELCA and Executive for Congregational Outreach Services in the former Division for Outreach, ELCA prior to his current position.

Ruben is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California; Trinity Lutheran College (formerly the Lutheran Bible Institute) in Seattle, Washington and the Escuela Nacional de Turismo in Lima, Peru.

Ruben and his spouse, The Rev. Jean M. Duran, have three daughters: Rebecca (24), Sara (20) and Anna (17).  Jean is currently serving as pastor at Living Lord Lutheran Church in Bartlett, Illinois.

A Poor Synod?

While the budget of the EWAID Synod has been dramatically impacted by both economy and ministry decisions, we are remiss if we forget the wonderful things done through gifts of the Synod.  Look at these!

$62,000 to the ELCA Malaria Campaign in 2012 from the congregations of the EWAID Synod

$126, 000 in scholarships through the Fund for Leaders in Mission for seminarians whose home is in the EWAID Synod

$35,000 was granted to congregations for new mission starts, sabbatical support, and to leverage other grant funding through the SHARE Fund in 2013

Welcome to the EWAID Synod Assembly from Bp. Martin Wells

 Eastern Washington Idaho Synod

Rev. Martin Wells, Bishop

Friends of the synod and voting members to the 2013 Synod Assembly,

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

In this first letter in anticipation of the Assembly we want to welcome you to the event, introduce you to the Theme, and ask you to begin your prayer for our work together.

The Synod Assembly is the one time each year when all the congregations of the synod gather in Assembly to do our common work and to consider the questions of life and faith that are before us. This year we welcome Pr. Ruben Duran, Director of New Ministries for our Churchwide partner ELCA in Chicago. Pr. Duran will report to us about the work of our national and international church and share with us the fresh ways the Gospel is being proclaimed throughout our church. Along with workshops, topics shared at breakfast, rich worship, and reports from Synod Officers, resolutions, and consideration of a budget, we will do the work of the regional church in faithfulness and joy! Minutes of the 2012 Synod Assembly are available on the synod website, www.ewaidsynod.org.

The Theme chosen by the Assembly Committee this year is “The Spirit Powers Us,” one of the guiding principles of our ministry together. This theme is based on Acts 1:8: “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you….” We gather to reflect on the nature of the Spirit’s power and the witness—“in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”—that this Spirit inspires. For me this power begins in the creation and Isaiah’s witness that we were “created for God’s glory” (Is 43:7). I believe God’s glory is best reflected off of us by lives filled with gratitude, what poet Mary Oliver calls “mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.” (“Messenger” in the Volume Thirst). This is gratitude, our first response to our generous God, and it is a powerful engine for mission!

Welcome to the Assembly! Please pray for our Assembly Committee, so ably led by Mary Rickerd, and for all the preparations that go into making this an inspiring and generous time together. It will be good to be in Boise among the daffodils and warmth of spring air!

God’s richest blessings,

Pr. Martin Wells, Bishop