Special Messages

Thanksgiving 2025: That All Might be Fed +Bishop Dee Pederson Praise and Thanksgiving  Praise and thanksgiving, God, we would offer for all things living, you have made good: harvest of sown fields, fruits of the orchard, hay from the mown fields, blossom and wood.  God, bless the labor we bring to serve you, that with […]

+Bishop Dee Pederson As I drive across the miles of farmland in our synod, familiar Thanksgiving hymns often come to mind. Maybe you remember them, too: songs about plowing the fields, all good gifts being sent by God, giving thanks for the fruit of creation, rejoicing in an abundant harvest. This time of year, so

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a real blessing. – Psalm 127:3 (GNT) This week, I am thinking about the children. How can so much happen in such a short time? Two weeks ago I was reflecting on blessing our children in worship and as they excitedly prepared for that first day

Dear Friends – Our hearts are heavy with the news of the horrific act of violence at Annunciation Church and School in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning. As many of our children return to the places where they learn and socialize with friends in what we conceive of as safe places of growth and development, it

+Bishop Dee Pederson The offices of the Southwestern Minnesota Synod have operated out of 175 E. Bridge Street in Redwood Falls since 1989 – the location that represented both the geographic center and a theological rooting for synod ministries.   During those past 37 years, work patterns, staffing levels, and online meeting opportunities have changed

+Bishop Dee Pederson Dear Friends in Christ –   As I reflect on the 2025 Churchwide Assembly that gathered over 800 Voting Members and hundreds of visitors and hosts, “For the Life of the World,” these are the passages that echo in my heart:  Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven,

Casting a vision for the church by John Potter, Living Lutheran When Yehiel Curry considers his vision for the future of the church, he sees an important distinction. “Part of the work is naming it,” he said, “but that next phase is embodying it. “When we’re talking about casting a vision, I think people want

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 25, 2025  The Southwestern Minnesota Synod, ELCA, Receives Grant from Wartburg Theological Seminary’s CaSTLE Project to Support Rural and Small Town Congregations Redwood Falls, MN – The Southwestern Minnesota Synod, ELCA, is honored to announce that it has been selected as a grant recipient through The CaSTLE Project: The Country and Small