“God has placed us in cities, farms, and towns together…. The Risen Christ surprises us as we plant God’s Word in the world…. By God’s grace, together we have what we need.” +Bishop Dee Pederson These words from our synod mission statement provide both grounding and direction as we complete a year of significant change […]

Blessed Christmas! This sermon is provided for congregational use for Christmas Day or any time during the Christmas season when congregations may welcome a sermon on the Christmas text of John 1:1-14. It may be shown as a video, or the text provided may be proclaimed. However you find it useful, know that our prayers […]

If your congregation is currently a unit sponsor of a Cub Pack, Scout Troop, Venture Crew, or other local unit of the Boy Scouts of America, or has been at any time in the past, you should be aware of the ongoing bankruptcy court proceedings of the BSA national organization. You should have also recently […]

+Bishop Dee Pederson The Southwestern Minnesota Synod is pleased to welcome Rev. Heather Culuris as Synod Minister – Engaging Leaders. She will begin this call on January 1, 2022. Rev. Heather Culuris graduated from Loyola University, Baltimore, MD in 1998. She received her Master of Divinity degree from St. John’s School of Theology, Collegeville and […]

Good news to share! +Bishop Dee Pederson The Rev. Dr. Troy Pflibsen has accepted the call from the ELCA to serve as the new Director for Evangelical Mission in Southwestern Minnesota. We are grateful for the many persons who considered and applied for this call, to the ELCA/Synod Interview Team for their prayerful discernment, and […]

“Let it be acclaimed that Hans is a called and ordained minister in the church of Christ. He has Christ’s authority to preach the word of God and administer the sacraments, serving God’s people as together we bear God’s creative and redeeming love to all the world.” – ELW On Saturday, October 23, the church […]

Gifts of Grace is about building a culture of healthy, sustained ministry leadership in southwestern Minnesota congregations. As a partnership with the Lilly Foundation Inc. the long-term goal of Gifts of Grace is that all of us continue to live out our callings well into the future. Across the synod, we are inviting congregations to […]

+Bishop Dee Pederson It has been said that change is the one constant in life. And part of the truth that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever,” is that Jesus is continually beckoning his beloved children into new callings. With gratitude to God for the gifts Sister Sarah Hausken has shared with the people of this synod for […]

It has been something, being called to serve as a bishop in this synod for the past eighteen years. As I remember and process this moment in our life and mine, I am struck by the persistence of gratitude. I know it will take time to process this experience. To serve as a bishop here has […]