Church Anew—Forging Partnerships for the Future

What a year it has been at Church Anew! And what a year we have ahead! This next season in our ministry is all about forging lasting partnerships to sustain the momentum that we’ve built over the past several years, growing from a few hundred clergy gathered around tables to an international movement sharing a fresh, bold, and faithful witness with the world. In the next year, we are eager to work closely with some remarkable organizations including Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota; St. Olaf College and its Lutheran Center for Faith, Values, and Community; The Collegeville Institute; The Episcopal Church in Minnesota; and the Eastern North Dakota Synod of the ELCA. Each of these partners brings something unique and valued to this inclusive table of mutual belonging that Church Anew is building for Christian leaders around the nation. Along with key partnerships with congregations in our region and across the country, we are also courting national foundations to sustain this work and propel our growth. The entire Church Anew team values St. Andrew’s prayers and support of this vital ministry of our congregation!

We are delighted to host Kate Bowler, Eric Barreto, and an amazing lineup, April 23–24. Then on November 11, we will host our new partners in the Episcopal Church of Minnesota and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry for a revival to bring healing to our communities.

An Evening with Kate Bowler and Eric Barreto

Sunday, April 23 at 7:00 PM (doors open at 6:30)

Join New York Times Best-selling author, Kate Bowler and Princeton Seminary professor, and gifted preacher, Eric Barreto, along with musical guests for an evening of fresh witness, inspiration, and honesty.

Renew 2023

April 23–24

Two days of amazing speakers, worship, conversation, and wonderful hospitality. A curated retreat with ample room to digest and discuss the words that each of our speakers share.

Member Discount

St. Andrew members receive 20% off either the evening or two-day conference! Register at churchanew.org and enter promo code SAL13600 upon checkout. If you have any questions, contact Pastor Matthew at pastormatthew@standrewlu.org.

Being Found

At camp last summer we talked a lot about what it feels like to be found by God, and how that is actually slightly different than the idea we have of trying to find God. Sometimes we really want to find God in new ways in our lives, and that is wonderful. However, there are other times in all of our lives where we are more indifferent or actually opposed to the idea of finding God. In these times our interest or our trust or both can flicker. However, these times are just as—and possibly more—important than the spiritual rich times. And this is because it is here where we can recognize that God is going to find us anyways, whether we are out there looking for God or not.

Jesus says that God is like a good shepherd, and a good shepherd knows each of his sheep by name (John 10:3). It is not the sheep’s job to be able to find the shepherd; rather, is the shepherd’s job to find the sheep. The Good News of the Gospel is both that God wants to find all of us and that God can do it. I wonder if there have been moments in your life when you felt found? Perhaps this happened when you were least expecting it? Maybe this happened because you thought you were too lost to be found, or maybe it happened when you did not even know you were lost yet.

Learning how to recognize these moments in our lives and being able to share them with one another is what makes being part of a spiritual community so important. This is the core reason why I feel called to camp ministry, and why I am so passionate about making sure that every kid can have an opportunity to go to camp. The camp setting offers both the time and the space to prioritize this kind of spiritual storytelling, and doing so changes lives. Then beyond camp we can keep telling our stories and in the process build more authentic communities with one another in our families, teams, and workplaces. As you practice the season of Lent this year, I invite you to expect to be found by God in new ways, and I also invite you to share some of your story however you may feel led to.

Sarah Blasing Outdoor Ministry & Youth Leadership Director

Summer Camp Registration is Filling Up Quickly!

This year we are offering more camp sessions and family camp weekends than ever before! Registration opened on January 23rd and we are already at 70% capacity for the summer. This important ministry is growing and we would love to have you be part of our camp community this summer!

Camp Questions? Please contact: Sarah Blasing at sblasing@standrewlu.org standrewlu.org/ministries/camp REGISTER TODAY!