+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, […]
Bishop Reflections Post-Churchwide Assembly Read More »
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
Yehiel Curry Elected Presiding Bishop of the ELCA Read More »
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
June 17, 2025 Dear Friends in Christ – When tragedy strikes, those affected often lament, “We never thought this could happen here.” Last weekend Minnesota and the nation received the shocking news of the assassination of Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark; and the shooting of State Sen. John Hoffman and his
A Pastoral Letter from Bp. Dee Pederson Lament and Prayer Read More »
May 30, 2025 +Bishop Dee Pederson Dear Friends in Christ – I am writing in response to an article published May 29 in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel regarding the case of a former ELCA pastor, Alan Buresh, who was charged with sexual abuse and misconduct and is currently incarcerated in Iowa. The article states that
A Pastoral Letter Regarding Mr. Alan Buresh Read More »
Prayers and blessings for Pope Leo XIV and our Roman Catholic neighbors In recent weeks, many have reflected on the mutual respect and friendship of Pope Francis and Lutheran pastoral leaders. The election now of Pope Leo XIV, an Augustinian like Martin Luther, has generated growing interest in considering the faith we hold in common.
Message from Bishop Dee Pederson As many know, early this year, the federal government terminated financial support for refugee resettlement in the U.S. The refugee resettlement program was begun in 1980, and both Global Refuge (formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service) and Lutheran Social Service in America have been engaged in this ministry work ever
Support for Global Refuge and Lutheran Services in America Read More »
Holy Week – Easter Message from Bishop Dee Pederson What must it have been like? To have seen him crucified and dying, and then at the open tomb in the garden, hear him speak your name, Mary. What must it have been like? What must it have been like? To have denied you even knew
Holy Week – Easter Message from Bishop Dee Pederson Read More »
+Bishop Dee Pederson “It was Christ’s own body that brought our sins to the cross, so that all of us, dead to sin, could live in accord with God’s will. By Christ’s wounds you are healed.” – 1 Peter 2:24 Wounds. We frequently think about how God hears our cries when we are hurting. It
Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27 As ELCA bishops in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota we serve in contexts that stretch from the badlands to the
