Meet the 2022-2023 SWO Board!

 

  

2019-2020 SWO Board – Top Row: Barbara Wurtzberger, Karla Conrad, Linda Magnuson, Kim Christianson, Maria Lokensgard, Jill Duncan; Middle Row: Christina Nelson, Louise Ferry, Betty Brandt; Bottom Row: Jane Tongen, Joan Iverson; Not Pictured: Dianne Doscher, Janet Hagen

Thank you ladies for your commitment and service to our organization! God bless you on your endeavors for the coming year. For more information on our board check out Our Synod page!

Many thanks as well to our outgoing 2018-2019 SWO Board. Your dedication and love made this a fantastic year!

2018-2019 SWO Board – Top Row: Barbara Wurtzberger, Karla Conrad, Linda Magnuson, Dianne Fredin, Kim Christianson, Betty Anderson, Marcella Chapman, Betty Brandt, Maria Lokensgard; Middle Row: Christina Nelson, Louise Ferry; Bottom Row: Jane Tongen, Joan Iverson

Stories of Faith: In Honor of the 50th Anniversary of Women’s Ordination

At the 2020 Synodical Convention, our theme of “Just Celebrate” was intended to honor our female identifying clergy in Southwestern Minnesota over the past 50 years.

While the convention needed to cancel due to COVID 19, we received so many beautiful stories and reflections from our clergy that we had to share them! Therefore, we are pleased to present these “Stories of Faith.” Please click the image below to download a copy today! Enjoy and God Bless!

2020 Fall Leadership Gathering Update

The synod board met via ZOOM recently and discussed the upcoming Fall Leadership Event and the Conference Fall Gatherings.  The decisions made are below.

  1. Fall Leadership Event (scheduled for Gloria Dei Lutheran, Redwood Falls for Sat., Aug. 22, 2020)   This event is CANCELLED.
  2. Conference Fall Gatherings……the synod board strongly recommends that you as conferences CANCEL the Fall Gatherings.  Crow River, Scenic Valley, Lakeland, Prairie and Shetek Conferences have already cancelled.

These recommendations come in light of Gloria Dei not being available to outside groups due to the COVID-19.  Also, churchwide organization strongly suggests that NO in-person EVENTS be held through the end of the year for the synods.  And the synod board members were just not comfortable putting the health and safety of our women in jeopardy.

There will be NO LWR COLLECTION in our synod through the end of the year.  So, if units or conferences have been collecting LWR items and you want them to get to St. Paul warehouse – that has to be up to each individual group to figure that out.  Your other option is hang onto the items and bring them to the 2021 Convention. Go to LWR.org and search for the phone number of the St. Paul warehouse.

We thank you for your understanding and patience as these decisions do not come easily or lightly. We all continue to pray for the health and safety of all people during this pandemic.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Out of an abundance of love for neighbors, the Synod Board made the difficult decision to cancel the 33rd Synodical Convention scheduled for May 2nd.

As of March 25th, eight of the conference spring gatherings have also cancelled their events. Please check in with your conference president for further updates on those events.

Due to the changing news around COVID-19 and the ways Minnesota is doing all it can to slow down the spread, we are unable to guarantee future plans. However, the Synod Board is hopeful that a special convention to handle our elections and budgeting will take place in the near future. We also hope to utilize the fall leadership gathering on August 22nd to handle things such as installation of officers and in kind offering drop offs. Much is still to be worked out in the coming weeks. Please check back on our website for future updates!

We all pray for your continued health, safety and care in this painful and uncertain time.

God Bless,

SWMN WELCA Synod Board