REPORT ON MNO SYNOD CONVENTION
Tuesday, May 1st, 2012click here for past entriesREPORT ON MNO SYNOD CONVENTION
April 26-29, 2012 in Beausejour
“Receive the Spirit… Be the Witness.” Did you know that there are many Spirit-filled and gifted people who are part of our church? Some of them are in our congregation. Some are in the city of Winnipeg. And some are in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario (which is what MNO stands for, for the uninitiated). The Holy Spirit has been poured out on God’s people ever since the beginning, and all over our synod (and beyond) people are using their gifts and being witnesses to the good news that is ours through Jesus Christ.
At Luther Village, people of all ages encounter the living God and are strengthened and renewed in their faith. At the Urban (LUM), people in the community are being empowered to use their gifts, even as people come and are fed in body, mind and spirit. At Lutheran Theological Seminary (LTS) in Saskatoon, people whom God has called into service are prepared for ordained and diaconal ministry. And right here in Winnipeg, people are given tools and inspiration for ministry through training events such as the “Back to Church Sunday” seminars with Michael Harvey.
None of these things would happen with every congregation simply working on their own. We can do so much more together than we could on our own. We can even learn how to share the good news from our brothers and sisters in Cameroon, just as they can benefit from the ministry of people like Kelly Speak and Lisa Janke. As part of the body of Christ here in Canada, this week we are supporting the ordination of the first 3 women in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon through the presence of Bishop Elaine Sauer and Pastor Carol Janke. How cool is that? J Sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ goes way beyond these walls!
There is so much that we can and do accomplish together, and yet there were serious questions at this convention about how we can continue to be a church in mission for others. At the national level, there is simply nothing left to cut. We found out at the convention that the ELCIC will no longer be able to support any long-term missionaries. Pastor Fran Schmidt will complete her term in Peru and will not be replaced. Pastor Brian Rude will continue to serve in El Salvador, but will officially retire (i.e. won’t be paid by the ELCIC any more).
Meanwhile, the seminary in Saskatoon is trying to raise funds in order to be able to continue to prepare pastors and diaconal ministers for ministry. However, the greatest need is for more students – i.e. candidates for ministry. President Kevin Ogilvie asked the convention, “Where do pastors come from?” The answer is: congregations! Are there people in our congregation who could be encouraged to pursue ordained ministry? Or perhaps you feel that pastors aren’t really needed? – It’s worth thinking about!
Finally, the single most important motion at this convention would have dissolved the MNO Synod in order to amalgamate with the Saskatchewan Synod. This would have meant one synod office instead of two and a smaller staff looking after a much larger area. Financial savings were not clear, and neither was any increased ability to support congregations in mission and ministry. In the end, the motion to “wind up” the MNO Synod was defeated. However, we left knowing that unless donations to benevolence increase significantly, changes will still need to be made to how we are organized as a wider church.
From my perspective, it would be wonderful simply to be able to focus on preaching the gospel and administering the sacraments and spreading the good news of Jesus Christ in whatever ways are open to us. Instead, we are continually having conversations and debates about how to do more with less – both in congregations and in the synod and national church. While there is so much good mission and ministry happening in our city and around the world, the lament is always there about how we can continue to do it.
Certainly, our church is changing, which is a source of anxiety to many. However, we forget that God can work in any situation. The early church had no church buildings, no seminaries, and no “overseas missionaries,” yet the church grew by leaps and bounds. People were set apart for service as there was need, believers shared all they had with one another, and every person who believed in Jesus shared the good news with others. God’s church will never disappear. However, other forms of the church might.
In closing, a couple of “good news” stories: First of all, Zion Lutheran Church in Thunder Bay closed, which of course was not good news for the members of that congregation. However, throughout the convention, one ministry after another was mentioned that had been supported through the sale of their church building. While their ministry won’t continue inside their building, it will continue in so many other places due to the generosity of their trustees.
The second story could be entitled, “Goats: The Gift that Keeps on Giving”! Bishop Susan Johnson shared how the pairs of goats that are given through Gifts from the Heart (CLWR) are often given to families headed by women in places like Tanzania. These goats provide milk and cheese – as well as more goats. When these goats have babies, the kids are then given to other families, who also benefit from this gift. A pair of goats becomes so much more than just a pair of goats!
The complete convention minutes and bulletin of reports are available on the synod website (www.mnosynod.org). Videos and pictures from the convention are also there. A binder in the church office labeled “MNO Convention” also has the bulletin of reports.
Those who currently work in the synod office and who volunteer as members of synod council and the synod committees have not been given an easy task. These are remarkably gifted people who do an admirable job of seeking the Spirit’s leading, setting priorities, and using the resources that they are given to the best of their abilities. I give thanks for their ministry and for their leadership – especially for Bishop Elaine who has an often thankless job and yet continues to lead and to inspire.
In Christ,
Pastor Lynne Hutchison
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