For the last week I have been in Bolivia, visiting our Companion Synod, the Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church, and celebrating their 80th Anniversary as an indigenous Lutheran Church. So far we have spent 5 days in La Paz (elevation 13,000 feet), learning about the history of the church, worshiping, visiting the school, and going to the Obispa Jessica Crist Retreat Center. On Monday we traveled to Cobija, just across the border from Brazil, where the heat and humidity are tropical. We spent the afternoon and evening at the Centro Galilea, where Pastor Luis Blanco has a ministry with high needs children, and a congregation. This afternoon we head into the jungle to harvest bananas, and to visit the cattle farm that supports the ministry (and that we supported through our Assembly offering a few years ago.) Below I want to share some initial thoughts from the rest of our delegation. Jessica Crist, Bishop We are church! This has never felt more true than when we as Lutherans marched through the streets of La Paz to the celebration service of 80 years of Lutheranism in Bolivia, Cynthia Thomas, LPA Hola from Bolivia! Of the many life-enriching experiences I have had so far, I have been inspired by the gracious, generous and overwhelming hospitality extended to us by our brothers and sisters in Christ in Bolivia. I was moved by the ways in which very different cultures of peoples here desired to be a part of something bigger than themselves. That is to say, to be the people of God in community. I saw this powerfully expressed in Cobija with the ministry Pastor Luis has with children. I am grateful for this life- changing opportunity and look forward to sharing these and more stories with you, my Montana Synod brothers and sisters in Christ. Pastor Steve Van Gilder Live generously! I thought I did that (mostly). But in Bolivia I discovered a deeper meaning to this expression. Despite living in the poorest country in South America, the Bolivians I met shared their food, their incredible talents, and friendship as they welcomed an awkward stranger in a foreign land. Today I learned that living generously is not just about sharing resources, it’s about sharing love. Dave Scholten, LPA During my time here, I have learned so much about the culture and so much about the church. This is an experience like none other, where I am less of a tourist, and more of a neighbor to others. I have learned how much our partnership with the IELB means to both churches, and how each church has and is still benefiting from the relationship we hold strong. I hope to come back sometime soon to continue our efforts together as people in Christ. Alex Tooley This visit has given me even greater understanding of what it means to commune around Christ’s table. After the IELB’s worship service celebrating 80 years of ministry, hundreds of us from across Bolivia and around the globe gathered to eat off of a very long stretch of colorful aguayos (blankets used by Aymara Chola women to carry everything on their backs from food to firewood to babies). They were filled with potatoes, choclo corn, cheeses, meats, and plantains—a diverse feast preluding the feast that is to come in Christ. It made me rejoice in knowing there is always a place at God’s table for everyone. No greater gift is shared than the love made known to us in Christ whenever we gather in community to break bread. Pastor Stacey Siebrasse La sangre de Cristo, derramada por ti. A familiar phrase, in a not so familiar language. We Montana Synod pastors were invited to serve Holy Communion during the service celebrating the IELB’s 80th anniversary. I held a chalice, a “common cup,” and was struck by the diversity of worshipers, the reverence with which they came to the Lord’s table, and by how totally we American pastors were accepted. With a new phrase in my mind, I totally forgot the Spanish blessing I’d learned. When a mother and her infant came forward, I marked the little girl with the sign of the cross and said, “Jesus loves you very much!” Her mother and I were both surprised, and mom exclaimed, “Amen!” After worship, the two found me to take a photo, and the mother asked me to pray for her daughter, Luz Valeria. I will be praying for Luz, her mom, and her church, for a long time. During this amazing trip to Bolivia, God is showing me over and over again just how connected we are.
Pastor Lindean Barnett Christenson
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With September comes the beginning of the school year, and the beginning of the program year in most churches. Next September the Montana Synod will begin a new chapter with the installation of a new Bishop.
The Synod will elect a new Bishop by ecclesiastical ballot at the Synod Assembly May 31-June 2. The new Bishop will take office September 1, 2019, and will be installed September 21, 2019. If you have never been to a Bishop election, you may be wondering what an ecclesiastical ballot is. It is an election procedure that relies on prayer and the Holy Spirit. For the first ballot, after prayer, all eligible voters are given a blank sheet of paper on which they are permitted to write one name, with prayerful consideration. An election team will compile a list of eligible nominees from the first ballot and publish it. Anyone wishing to remove her/his name from the ballot may do so, after discernment. The second ballot consists of the remaining names, which are whittled down on successive ballots. Before each ballot there is prayer and time for solemn discernment. People have asked, “How do we prepare for an election?” In some synods there is a pre-identification of potential candidates, who sometimes travel around the Synod in groups, doing presentations and answering questions. We do not do that in the Montana Synod. But that does not mean that we do not prepare. First and foremost, as we prepare for a Bishop election, we need to pray. We need to pray for guidance, we need to pray for vision, we need to pray for clarity. We need to pray about the future of our Synod, of the ELCA. We need to ask God to guide us into a vision of what our church can be, and what kind of leadership we need to go on that path. We need to pray to God to give strength and wisdom to potential leaders, so that they might be available to serve God’s people is new ways. We need to pray for the Synod Council and the staff, and all who work with leadership. We need to commit ourselves to this kind of prayer for the next 9 months. And then we need to commit ourselves to praying for the new Bishop for the following 6 years. We need to pray. We also need to be educated about what a Bishop is and is not in the Lutheran, specifically ELCA, tradition. I frequently tell call committees that I am not Catholic and I am not Methodist—I cannot force them to take a pastor, or, except under special circumstances, to give one up. The Bishop’s Convocation this year will be devoted to the office of Bishop in the ELCA. Secretary Chris Boerger will guide us through constitutional, historical, ecclesial and practical discussions of what it means to be a Bishop in the ELCA. Following the convocation, in the new year, we will provide congregations and other groups with discussion questions of the kind of leadership they are looking for in a Bishop. In the end, electing a Bishop is really about call. It is about discerning a call, issuing a call, accepting a call, living out a call. So let us pray. Jessica Crist, Bishop Two weeks ago the Pennsylvania Attorney General released a horrific report of widespread and sustained sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania. Our hearts go out to all the victims, even as we wonder how a system could let such a thing happen, again and again. We also know that Pennsylvania is the tip of the iceberg. This evil was not limited to Pennsylvania. It has been documented around the globe.
And much as we wish it were not so, this evil was not limited to the Catholic Church. While not on the same scale, sexual exploitation in religious circles has affected almost all religious groups, to greater or lesser extent. And we, the ELCA, are not exempt. We, who believe that we are simultaneously saints and sinners, know that human beings are subject to sin. We have our eyes wide open about these things. And we have policies, procedures and enforcement in place. What is the ELCA Montana Synod doing about clergy sexual abuse? First and foremost, we seek to prevent it. The candidacy process is where it begins. All candidates seeking to be pastors or deacons undergo a criminal background check, and an extensive psychological exam. LPA candidates do the criminal background check. Seminaries provide boundaries training. And the Montana Synod has a sexual misconduct policy that requires boundary training of all pastors and deacons every three years. This requirement is outlined in the Synod’s Sexual Misconduct Policy, available on the Montana Synod website (www.montanasynod.org). The Montana Synod offers the boundaries training annually, and welcomes LPAs as well as Rostered leaders. We also publicize boundaries trainings offered by other denominations with whom we are in relationship. The Montana Synod Sexual Misconduct Policy covers all pastors and deacons—active, retired, on disability, on leave from call. It also covers Synodically Authorized Ministers. Every congregation should have a copy. It is reviewed regularly by the Synod Council. Download a copy and have it available in your church office. Another resource is a brochure that we regularly distribute at Synod Assembly for congregations to copy and make available. It is called “Keeping the Church a Safe and Sacred Place for All!” You can download it from the Synod website. Please download copies and put them in a prominent place where people can find them. You may think sexual abuse has never been a problem in your congregation. But this is not just for your congregation. We have been contacted by visitors who saw the brochure and wanted to report about another situation. The brochure lists people, starting with Synod staff but going beyond, who can be contacted to report misconduct. Another resource the Montana Synod offers is a model “Safe Congregations Policy.” Approved by the Synod Council, reviewed regularly, and available on our website, the policy is something that congregations can adopt to insure safety in their congregations. The Synod’s Sexual Misconduct Policy covets Rostered leaders and SAMs—people for whom the Synod has responsibility. It does not cover other congregational employees or volunteers. They are accountable to the congregation. It is wise to make sure that the congregation has safety and behavior policies that cover volunteer and lay employees, as well. Education and prevention are our main tools in dealing with clergy sexual misconduct. But if it does occur, we have policies in place for investigation, disclosure and discipline. These are included in the ELCA Policies and Procedures for Discipline. Clergy sexual misconduct is often a criminal matter. It is always a spiritual matter—a fundamental betrayal of trust. In matters of clergy sexual abuse, the Synod staff stand ready to accompany all involved, and to make appropriate referrals, and take appropriate action. May God have mercy! Jessica Crist, Bishop As I write this, much of the Montana Synod is blanketed in smoke. It comes from the fires in Glacier, it comes from the fires in Yellowstone. It comes from the fires in Wyoming and Montana. And it comes from the fires in California, Oregon, British Columbia. If ever we thought that what we do doesn’t affect others, that what others do doesn’t affect us—smoke and fire prove that to be wrong.
Once upon a time people were advised to travel to the West to get better air to breathe. Now, with the combination of environmental regulations that have cleaned up urban air, and the ever-increasing number of fires that burn in the west, the formerly pristine western air rivals cities across the globe with the worst industrial pollution. Air pollution is an equal opportunity toxin. It doesn’t care if you are rich or poor, native or white, old or young. Of course, people with more resources can seek ways to protect themselves—masks, air conditioning, medications. As always, the poor are the most vulnerable to the long and short term effects of smoke in the air. Our church, the ELCA, has been on record since 1993 with a social statement: “Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope and Justice.” Although the statement is 25 years old, it is remarkably prescient. As a church we are committed to taking better care of the earth. And we are committed to justice. The statement says: “The earth is a planet of beauty and abundance; the earth system is wonderfully intricate and incredibly complex. But today living creatures, and the air, soil and water that support them, face unprecedented threats. Many threats are global; most stem directly from human activity. Our current practices may so alter the living world, that it will be unable to sustain life in the manner we know.” The statement promises: “We will play a role in bringing together parties in conflict, not only members of this church, but also members of society at large. This church’s widespread presence and credibility provides us a unique opportunity to mediate, to resolve conflict, and to move toward consensus.” We have an opportunity to come together as persons of faith to discuss climate change and seek tools to empower care of creation. The Montana Association of Christians, along with the Montana Faith and Environment Coalition, are sponsoring a conference on “Faith, Science and Climate Action,” October 12 and 13 at the Emerson Center in Bozeman. Keynotes and breakout groups will give participants an opportunity to explore climate justice, health issues, solar infrastructure, food security, congregational first steps. For more information go to www.fscaconference.org, or look for information in the Montana Synod e-news. Jessica Crist, Bishop It's a question that is asked in many congregations. Call committees ask for a pastor who will connect with young people, bring back young people. One of our Montana Synod pastors, Seth Nelson (himself considered "young") was asked the question enough times that he wrote a book about it, The Church Unknown: Reflections of a Millennial Pastor.
You've read about the 30,000 high school aged young people who gathered at the ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston a month ago. And you know about the hundreds of children and youth who people our church camps every summer. Now, as we move towards September, it is time to give a shout-out to Lutheran Campus Ministry. Campus ministry is in the very DNA of Lutheranism. Martin Luther, we like to claim, was the first campus pastor. As both professor and pastor he did indeed fit the bill. While not all high school graduates go to college, a vast number of young adults are to be found on college campuses. The other large collection of young adults is in the military, where we as Lutherans also recruit, train and place chaplains. Forty years ago most mainline Protestant denominations placed pastors on college campuses around the country. But gradually most of them have pulled back, using their resources elsewhere and asking local congregations to do the outreach to the college students. As Lutherans, we have stayed committed to campus ministry, and we are grateful to have a strong program at Montana's 2 major universities. This has been a long tradition. When I moved to Montana 35 years ago, I had been a campus pastor and I knew exactly 2 Lutherans in the state of Montana--the campus pastor at MSU--Herb Strom, and the campus pastor at UM--Tom Lee. Montana continues to have a strong commitment to campus ministry, and dedicated campus pastors on both campuses. Campus pastors are doing ministry with young adults on our behalf, on behalf of the whole church. And they need our help. If you have students who are attending the University of Montana, please send their names to Pastor John Lund, john.lund@mso.umt.edu. If you have students at Montana State University, please send their names of Pastor Kathie Larson Aasheim, pastorkathie@lutherancats.org. If you have students at other colleges and universities, in-state or out of state, you can send their names to either of our campus pastors, and they will make sure they get to a campus pastor or congregational contact pastor serving that school. College years are times of exploration and questioning, as well as firming up identity. Campus ministry walks with students as they explore what it means to be adults (usually Christian, but not always) in this world. Campus ministry needs your students. It also needs your prayers. And it needs your financial contributions. Gone are the days when a check from the Synod and a check from the national church provided all that a campus ministry setting needed. Today campus pastors are expected to find ways to raise half of their expenses. Anything you or your congregation can do to help means that the pastor can spend more time with students and less time raising money. Each academic year is a whole new adventure in campus ministry. We are grateful for our campus pastors, and for our church's long tradition of ministry in the university context. If you want to see where at least some of the young people are, come visit out campus ministries. And then watch them as they move on--becoming Young Adults in Global Mission, grad students, social workers, pastors. Where did they learn it? Campus ministry, among other places. Thanks! Jessica Crist, Bishop Just a couple of weeks ago, 250 Montana and Wyoming teens were in Houston at the Youth Gathering with 30,000 of their closest friends. Youth Gatherings always take place in major cities, where there are facilities to accommodate such a group. This year it was Houston, the next time it will be in Minneapolis. Big cities are used to big conventions—they are run-of-the-mill. But what makes a Youth Gathering stand out in every city where we go is the day of service, when 10,000 young people, dressed in identical orange t-shirts, go out across the city to serve the neighbors.
It is highly organized. Each day one third of the gathering goes out in buses to pre-arranged locations to lend a helping hand. They do everything from construction work to child care, from visiting the elderly to weeding empty lots. Everywhere they go they are visible in their bright orange t-shirts. And people notice. A number of us adults were stopped by ordinary people in Houston to ask, “What’s going on?” “Who are these teenagers in flaming orange?” “What is this about?” Wow. The Youth Gathering in Houston had an opportunity to make a difference in the hundreds of places where the service projects were. And they had the opportunity to tell their story, to tell our story, the Good News of Jesus Christ. These young people were not volunteering in projects that were sometimes way beyond their comfort zone because they needed an adventure. They were volunteering because of the love of Jesus Christ which would not let them keep it to themselves. There are at least 250 kids and adults back in Montana and Wyoming now, who were part of the Youth Gathering in 2018. And there are lots more who went to Detroit in 2015, and to New Orleans before that. They know what it feels like to make a difference, and to be able to tell our story because of it. On September 9, the ELCA has a “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday, in which congregations are encouraged to put on matching t-shirts and go out and help their neighbors. (You can get resources at www.elca.org.) It doesn’t matter if you do it a different day, if September 9 doesn’t work for you. But there is something inspiring about thousands of ELCA Lutherans all over the US and Puerto Rico donning their bright gold t-shirts and going out into their communities to serve their neighbors. As with the Youth Gathering, it is an opportunity to make a difference in our communities. And, as with the Youth Gathering, it is an opportunity to tell our story, the story of God’s love. God’s love is what sets us apart from the many fine service clubs and organizations in our communities that do good work. We are clear. We serve our neighbors because of God’s overwhelming love for us and for all people. We serve our neighbors because Jesus died for them as well as for us. We serve our neighbors because Jesus told us to go out and do likewise. There are several hundred people across our synod who spent 5 days in Houston under the theme, “This Changes Everything!.” Why not engage those youth and adults to help plan your congregation’s “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday? Why not harness some of that energy and enthusiasm into your congregation, into your community? A Youth Gathering happens only every three years. For most kids, that means they get to go once. But your congregation is there every year, every week, every day, serving God and neighbor, nurturing the young and equipping all to serve. Let’s take the theme of the Youth Gathering seriously and see where it goes. “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday is a great way to begin. “This changes everything.” Jessica Crist, Bishop This week our staff had a visit from the Church Council of New Hope. New Hope was our home for almost 2 years, between when we sold our old building and when we moved into our new Synod House. The Church Council wanted to see us in our new location, and wish us well. When we moved into New Hope, we were greeted with flowers and zucchini bread. As part of their visit, the Council again brought us flowers and zucchini bread.
We are grateful to New Hope for the months we spent sharing their space. We got to learn more about their ministry—Family Promise, Wednesday night intergenerational learning, hosting the Quakers on Sunday morning. And the got to learn more about the ministry of the wider church, just by being near us, watching what we do, where we travel. We are grateful to the many people who have made the Synod House possible—to the Mission Builders, especially Sue and Allan Ost; to the volunteers; to the people who worked at raising money; to the individuals and congregations who donated and continue to donate money. It is a group effort, and the Synod House belongs to all. At the Synod Assembly we travelled to the Synod House and had a dedication and open house. If you were not able to join us then, come visit when you are in Great Falls. We are a block from the hospital, very easy to find. We were also able to dedicate a tree during the ceremony, as a companion to a tree planted on behalf of the Montana Synod at the Luthergarten in Wittenberg, Germany. Of course there are blips and adjustments. But they are part of anything new. And we are doing our best to meet the future boldly. Come and see us. The Synod House is a welcoming place. We’ve already had one meeting of 4 congregations in our conference room. In another couple of weeks the Candidacy Committee will meet there, and we’ll be able to connect electronically with others. Thanks be to God! Jessica Crist, Bishop This week, congregations across the Montana are preparing to send our teenagers to the ELCA Youth Gathering in Texas. Our church puts great effort into planning this gathering every 3 years, as a significant, life-transforming event. Many of our camp counselors, campus ministry peers, Young Adults in Global Mission, Lutheran Volunteer Corps and pastors, as well as others, talk about their experiences at Youth Gatherings as crucial to their understanding of their place in the world. We invest in our children because they are our future.
But even as Lutherans are streaming to Texas from the north, families are streaming northward from Latin America. And they are being stopped at the border. And, most horrifying, the children are being separated from their parents. Some children are the age of our teenagers heading to Houston. Some are the age of our children excitedly preparing for camp, at Christikon, or Flathead, or UMM. Some are toddlers, like the ones I saw frolicking at church on Sunday. And some are nursing babies. As of this writing, 2000 children had been taken from their parents, and put into confinement. This is not acceptable by any standards. It is not defensible. As Bishop Michael Rhinehart, chair of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, says, there is a difference between what is legal and what is moral. It was legal for slave children to be separated from their parents and sold into slavery. It was legal for Native American children to be separated from their parents and sent to boarding schools. But it wasn’t right. And it isn’t right for children fleeing their homes with their parents to be separated from their parents. Studies show that such childhood traumas can do irreparable harm to children. Former First Lady Laura Bush wrote in an editorial in the Washington Post: “Americans pride ourselves on being a moral nation, on being the nation that sends humanitarian relief to places devastated by natural disasters or famine or war. We pride ourselves on believing that people should be seen for the content of their character, not for the color of their skin. We pride ourselves on acceptance. If we are truly that country, then it is our obligation to reunite these detained children with their parents—and to stop separating parents and children in the first place.” If what Laura Bush writes is true for the United States—and I believe it is—then how much more true it is for people of faith, followers of Jesus. I encourage you to read the letter written by Bishop Eaton and other faith leaders. And I encourage you to pray for these separated families. And I encourage you to contact your elected officials and plead for an immediate change in policy. Children are the world’s future, our most precious resource. Jessica Crist, Bishop The Montana Synod is invited to celebrate the 80th anniversary of our Companion Church, the Iglesia Evangelical Lutherana Boliviana (the Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church) in September. While appreciative of the missionaries who brought the Lutheran Church to Bolivia, the Church is proud to have been independent for 80 years. Delegations from our Synod celebrated the 70th anniversary of the church, and the 75th. And now we are gathering a small delegation to join our partners in celebrating their 80th anniversary.
The way we do global mission is accompaniment. We know we are not bringing the Gospel to Bolivia. We know that the Gospel is already there. We go to Bolivia, and indeed to any of our global companions, as partners, as sisters and brothers in Christ. We go to learn from each other, share with each other. As we get to know each other better as Companion churches, we find out about each other’s strengths and needs. The Bolivian church is an all indigenous church. We as a primarily white church have a lot to learn about ministry by, to and among the native peoples of the land, with all their ethnic and linguistic diversity. Last summer, when a delegation came from Bolivia to Montana, they were able to meet with with the American Indian/ Alaska Native Lutheran Association, who had their gathering at Our Saviour’s Rocky Boy. There was a sharing of common experiences, both historic and contemporary, and some powerful connections. It was good to be with indigenous church leaders from our Companion Church. Our Bolivian partners are very interested in our LPA program. When they visited in 2017, they had the opportunity to visit with a number of LPAs in the Montana Synod. Like us, they have more congregations than pastors, and are looking for a way to train people ,much as we train our LPAs, appropriate to their context. Pr. Stacey Siebrasse is translating our LPA manual, and we intend to take it with us when we visit. The anniversary is the weekend of September 7. We are assembling a small delegation, comprised of some people who have been there before, and some who have not. We are looking for interested people, particularly LPAs. Familiarity with Spanish is helpful, but not essential. We are looking to build up our cadre of people committed to our Companion Synod. The trip will start approximately September 6, and last 10 days-two weeks. If you are interested in being part of the delegation, please contact me. Jcrist@montanasynod.org. Jessica Crist, Bishop Thanks to all who made it a successful Synod Assembly and Theological Conference this past weekend. From the workshop leaders and worship planners, to the staff and the voting members, all worked together to make it a time of learning, sharing, worshiping, discerning, all under the theme of “Strengthening Congregations.”
Keynote speakers Linda Bobbitt and Brenda Smith gave presentations on Congregational Vitality and Faith Practices, weaving in their own stories. Resources from their presentation will be available on the Montana Synod website. Mark Gravrock gave a Bible study on Sunday that caught the imagination of the assembly. Twelve workshops provided participants with many opportunities to find ways to strengthen their congregation. Linda Bobbitt gave a workshop outlining some of the details on the Congregational Vitality Project she directs for the ELCA. Brenda Smith spoke about Prayer as a Faith Practice. Peggy Paugh Leuzinger presented Stewardship Challenges and Resources. Jason Asselstine shared resources on Family Systems in the congregation. John Mundinger offered a workshop on Peace in the Congregation. Julie Long presented creative ways to Use Your Worship Space. Beth Adams, gift planner, offered a workshop on Congregational Endowments. Seth Nelson talked about his research for his book and addressed Where are the Young People? A group who first met in March to talk about surviving in small congregations gathered under the banner of We do not lose Heart. Tony Rhodes offered a workshop on congregational administration and constitutional matters. Miriam Schmidt led her group through the ELCA’s proposed Declaration on Interreligious Relations. Laurie Jungling guided participants through a workshop on Engaging the Congregation in Difficult Conversations. For more information on any of these workshops, contact the Synod Office, or contact the presenter. Worship was a highlight. Friday night’s opening Eucharist was based on a Native American liturgical celebration, and has many elements from indigenous expressions of Christianity. Saturday morning included the recognition of 20 new LPAs, and Sunday morning included the installation of Kathie Larson Aasheim as MSU Campus Pastor. Sunday’s closing Eucharist began with the Baptism of Emmitt William Lefevre, part of the New Hope congregation. The Synod elected a Vice President, Tom Gossack, and a Secretary, Amanda Liggett, as well as Synod Council members and Churchwide Assembly Voting members and nominating committee members. The Assembly also passed a 2019 budget, and sent a memorial to the Churchwide Assembly on covering seminarians’ tuition. On Saturday the Assembly moved to the Synod House and dedicated the new building, thanking all who had been involved in the building in any way, and praying for the Synod’s ministry. We also dedicated a tree as a companion to a tree donated by the Montana Synod to the Wittenberg Germany’s Luthergarten’s 500 trees. Our Assembly is set for May 31-June 2. Come join us! Jessica Crist, Bishop |
Bishop Jessica Crist
Bishop of the Montana Synod of the ELCA Archives
August 2019
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