See you at the Synod Assembly!

On Friday, the 2018 Montana Synod Assembly and Theological Conference begins in Great Falls. We are in Great Falls again this year so that we can dedicate the new Synod House. Last year we gathered around a hole in the ground, and blessed the beginning of the project. This year we will gather around the (almost) completed building and give thanks. 
 
You will be able to tour the building before and after the dedication at 11:45 on Saturday. And of course, any time you are in Great Falls, you are welcome to visit us. We will also dedicate a tree, in honor of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. It has a companion tree in Wittenberg, Germany.
 
Our Assembly/Theological Conference is focused on congregations. Our Churchwide Representative, the Rev. Brenda Smith, will talk with us about faith practices. Our keynote, Linda Bobbitt, will talk about congregational vitality. More than a dozen workshops in two different sessions will give participants an opportunity to dive more deeply into issues of interest to them. (A couple of examples are: Family Systems, Stewardship, Prayer, Constitutions and Administration; Worship Space; Congregational Endowments; Peace in the Parish.) You don’t have to be a voting member to attend the Saturday events, which include the keynotes and the workshops.
 
Each year for the last 5 years we have oriented our Assembly around one of our benchmarks. But regardless of the Assembly theme, the benchmarks—all 5 of them—guide how we do our work together.
 
+Meet the future boldly.
+Serve the world, especially the poor and those in need.
+Deepen faith and witness.
+Promote unity.
+Support congregations.
 
See you at the Assembly!
 
Jessica Crist, Bishop​
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