Series Syllabus and information
Class #1, January 16:
The importance of the land for Native Americans. Native American theology, creation stories, and cultural traditions around the use and care of the land. Similarities and differences with Christian theology and creation stories. Beginning to get at the question of why developed a land acknowledgement might be important for us to do as (Lutheran) Christians.
Class #2, January 23:
The Story of the Land in North America and the people who live there. From the Doctrine of Discovery to the fur trade, westward expansion and the Indian wars, reservations and treaties—how we came to this point. Land acknowledgments as a re-framing of US History.
Class #3, January 30:
Getting practical: HOW to develop and use a land acknowledgment in congregation practice. Discussion, resources and examples of how to accurately and respectfully draft a land acknowledgement, and how to introduce its use and incorporate it in congregation life.
Class #4: Session 4, February 6:
WHAT’S NEXT? Discussion, resources and examples of restorative actions in further relationship with our indigenous neighbors. How do we build relationship after developing a land acknowledgment practice (likely a first step for many of us). We’ll focus on both ELCA resources for truth seeking and telling, national/regional reparations/land back movements as well as focus on local opportunities for accompaniment and deeper congregational practice and worship components.
Stewardship Resources
Joy - Service - Sacrifice
About
Resources
Creating a Stewardship Team
> click here to download
Mission Interpreters Bulletin Insert
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Stewardship materials – Mike Markwell Target Letters
> click here to download
One Size Fits Nobody – Mike Markwell Presentation
> click here to download
2024 Mission Stories of the Northern Great Lakes Synod
> click here to download
2024 Compensation Guidelines, Salary Grid, and Worksheet
> click here to download
Congregational Annual Meeting Report Cover
> click here to download
Vanco Online Giving
> click here to download
Benevolence Remittance Form
> click here to download
Looking for more ways to build your stewardship efforts? Give us a call!
Developing a Financial Communication Plan for Your Congregation
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Creating a Congregational Narrative Budget—from SE Iowa Synod
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A Top 10 Recommended Stewardship Resources
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Matthew 22 reflections—2023 Consecration Sunday
click to view
Litanies for Consecration Sunday
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Consecration Sunday 2023 Summary
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Stewardship Kaleidoscope Conference
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Stewardship Video Vignettes
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Grace Pomroy Stewardship Videos (August 20, 2020)
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Stewardship Resources/Grace Pomroy Presentation
Link 1 / Link 2 / Link 3
Tax guide for churches
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December 2020 Stewardship Toolkit
is now available: click here
A resource from Living Lutheran that congregations can use to teach their folks about what Mission Support is and how it helps hold together our three-expression church.
The PDF contains an article about Mission Support and a study guide that helps congregations go deeper.
> click here to download
Technology Discounts and Financial Management Tools for Congregations
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6-2022 Newsletter Article – Karen Sylvester
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6-2022
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2019 Youth Commitment Sheet Karen Sylvester
click to view
2022 Zion Marinette Logo
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Class 1 Stewardship – Karen Sylvester
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Class 2 Stewardship – Big Print Karen Sylvester
click to view
Class 3 Stewardship
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Faithful Givers Zion
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Nov Article and Prayer Announcement Page
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Stepping in Faith – Worship
click to view
Stewardship Class Syllabus – Karen Sylvester
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Themes and Emphases 2022-23
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Zion Marinette Vision Statement 1-29-2009
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Grace Pomroy Stewardship Videos (August 20, 2020) Session #1 [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7WDCuJBlfI[/embedyt] Session #2.1 [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1fT5XNw4D8[/embedyt] Session #2.2 [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzUo9hg5mgU[/embedyt] Northern Great Lakes Synod1029 N. Third St., Suite AMarquette, MI 49855Phone: (906) 228-2300Fax: (906) 228-2527Online Donations Quick Links PrayfaithfullyChurch is GoodStewardship ProgramNewsletter ArticlesPrivacy PolicyTerms And Conditions
Synod Assembly Virtual Workshops
Taking place May 11th – 17th, virtual Synod Assembly Workshops and Synod Wide Hikes are available to all!
How to Join a Workshop: click the “Join Zoom Meeting” button to directly access the workshop link. We recommend accessing the link 5-10 minutes before the workshop’s start time.
All Week
Synod-Wide Conference Seed Sower Hike
Led by U.P. Wild Church
May 11th – 19th
A joint event between the Northern Great Lakes Synod and U.P. Wild happening in conjunction with Synod Assembly Workshops. Hikes will take place between May 11th – 19th. Click below for details on how to join your conference’s hike.
Monday May 13th
Land Acknowledgments: A Spiritual Practicality and Plan for Congregations.
Led by Pastor Bucky Beach, Pastor Julie Belew, and Nancy Heykes
Monday May 13 – 4:00 pm CT / 5:00 pm ET
Join for a resource presentation and discussion of the why and how of doing land acknowledgments as a congregation practice as a beginning step to walk with our Indigenous neighbors. Led by Pastor Bucky Beach, Pastor Julie Belew, and Nancy Heykes, members of the NGLS Walking With Our Indigenous Neighbors Committee.
Sowing Seeds Through Story
Led by Nick Kiger and Karen Kretschmann
Monday May 13 – 6:00 pm CT / 7:00 pm ET
The ministry of our congregations, our synods and our churchwide organization is woven together through story. Our ministry stories convey messages about our faith, our relationships, our dreams and even our fears. During this workshop we will explore ways to share our stories that keep the transformative work of Jesus and our faith at the heart while engaging each other in something bigger than ourselves.
Tuesday May 14th
Stewardship - ECRF
Led by Pastor Mike Markwell
Tuesday, May 14 at 1:00 pm CT/ 2:00 pm ET
Wednesday, May 15 at 6:00 pm CT/ 7:00 pm ET
Faithful Innovations: What it is and how it can help your congregation in an adaptive, communal, learning process
Led by Pastor Jim Duehring, Assistant to the Bishop and Director of Evangelical Mission
Tuesday, May 14 at 6:00 pm CT/ 7:00 pm ET
“Listen, Experiment, Reflect.”
Everyone wants to know how to improve our congregational ministries. It begins with intentional listening and willingness to experiment. It involves asking good questions.
19 Congregations in the Northern Great Lakes Synod have participated in this Faithful Innovations training model in the last 5 years. This workshop will give you an introduction into this process and invite you to consider having a team from your congregation join in this training.
Wednesday May 15th
Stewardship - ECRF
Led by Pastor Mike Markwell
Tuesday, May 14 at 1:00 pm CT/ 2:00 pm ET
Wednesday, May 15 at 6:00 pm CT/ 7:00 pm ET
It’s all Greek to me!
Led by Pastor Nicole Hanson-Lynn
Wednesday, May 15 at 6:30 pm CT/ 7:30 pm ET
Thursday, May 16 at 2:00 pm CT/ 3:00 pm ET
What is up with all these translations of the Bible? Popular Bible website Bible Gateway gives free access to sixty-three different translations of the Bible in English, and that isn’t even all of the English translations. The work of translators is still ongoing, and new translations of the Bible are published regularly. But why is all this work necessary? What is the point of all this translation work? Perhaps more poignantly, how do we engage with Scripture when the selection of different Bibles is overwhelming? In this workshop session, we’ll take a glimpse from 10,000 feet to appreciate the difficult work our translators are doing for us and dive into the midst of what these different translations have to do with how we engage with scripture.
Thursday May 16th
It’s all Greek to me!
Led by Pastor Nicole Hanson-Lynn
Wednesday, May 15 at 6:30 pm CT/ 7:30 pm ET
Thursday, May 16 at 2:00 pm CT/ 3:00 pm ET
What is up with all these translations of the Bible? Popular Bible website Bible Gateway gives free access to sixty-three different translations of the Bible in English, and that isn’t even all of the English translations. The work of translators is still ongoing, and new translations of the Bible are published regularly. But why is all this work necessary? What is the point of all this translation work? Perhaps more poignantly, how do we engage with Scripture when the selection of different Bibles is overwhelming? In this workshop session, we’ll take a glimpse from 10,000 feet to appreciate the difficult work our translators are doing for us and dive into the midst of what these different translations have to do with how we engage with scripture.
Northern Great Lakes Synod Budget
Led by Synod Treasurer Pastor Terry Frankenstein
Thursday, May 16 at 6:00 pm CT/ 7:00 pm ET
Friday May 17th
Discussion on Civic Life and Faith Draft Social Statement
Led by Synod Vice President Chuck Thomas
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Friday, May 17 at 6:00 pm CT/ 7:00 pm ET
Purpose of the NGLS Endowment
The Synod Endowment Ministry enables individuals and congregations to make lasting gifts to the mission of the Church. Being separate from the general operation of the Synod. The Northern Great Lakes Endowment includes three funds, each dedicated to support its own ministry focus.
“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly. far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.” ~Ephesians 3:20-21
Equipping the Saints Fund
This fund receives general and undesignated endowment ministry gifts, adding to a corpus which provides for an annual distribution; (%5-%8) of market value in invested assets each year.
During the past decade, over $200,000 has been distributed from our equipping the saints fund to a wide variety of organizations and ministries, including but not limited to:
- The Lay School for Mission and lifelong Faith Formation
- Pastoral educational debt reduction
- Transformational Ministry Projects
- Campus Support for Bay College for Escanaba and Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie
- Companion Synod Projects
- The Earth Keepers initiative for environmental stewardship
- Events for stewardship education, walking together, pastor retreats and boundaries training.
Please Click here for the 2024 Distribution of The Equipping the Saints Fund
The Restricted Endowment Fund
This fund consists of a variety of gifts designated for a particular ministry focus. The following funds support seminarian scholarships through the ECLA Fund for Leaders.
- Bishop Dale and Joesphine Skogman seminarian Scholarship Program
- Rev. Rudolph and Darley Kemppainen Seminarian Scholarship Program
- David and Patricia Seminarian Scholarship Program
- Several congregational fund for leaders scholarship funds
- Faith Lutheran Church, White Pine, MI fund
Other Restricted Funds;
- Bishop Thomas and Luanne Skrenes Fund for ministry for:
- The Clergy Debt relief of the clergy of our Synod
- Work with with our companion Synod, the eastern and costal Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
- St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Marquette, MI Legacy Endowment Support:
- Fortune Lake Camp
- Finlandia University (Closed)
- Synod Mission Support
- Funds which support rural ministry in our Synod, Kisarawe Lutheran Junior Seminary Scholarships and Tumaini University Scholarships
Please click here for the 2021 Distribution of the Restricted Endowment Fund
The Clergy Debt Relief Fund
In 2019, Norman Lamberg, in conversation with Bishop Emeritus Dale Skogman, made substantial gift to the ministry in the Northern Great Lakes Synod. $200,000 portion of that gift was designated for relief of debt incurred by NGLS rostered leaders as they pursued their first theological degree. An annual disbursement of this fund provides for grants for clergy to reduced their debt load. Every year, clergy are invited to make a request. Funds are paid directly to the lending institution and all recipients are asked to write a thank you note in acknowledgement of this gift.
Click here for words of thanks from the clergy of the Northern Great Lakes Synod
Answer to call Campaign 
Every congregation in the Northern Great Lakes Synod is invited to dedicate a day to receive offerings in worship to “Answer the Call”. These gifts are divided between the Fund for Leaders for Seminarian Scholarships and the clergy relief Debt Endowment. In this way, our Synod congregations answer the call to support rostered leaders before, during, and after they answer the call of ministry.
Click below button for Bulletin insert and flyer
Giving Options and Regional Gift Planner
The Endowment Ministry of the Northern Great Lakes Synod makes a difference in Jesus’ name. Because of the generosity and future thinking of those who contribute, ministry can happen that happen that otherwise would not be possible. Individuals and congregations can make a gift at any time to any funds or arrange for a future gift as part of estate planning. Contributions can be added to existing funds or a giver can create an additional Endowment fund designated for its own ministry purpose at the discretion of giver.
Assistance is available if an individual wishes to makes plans for a gift or future bequest by contracting our Regional Gift Planner, Cynthia Halverson. In partnership with the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin and ELCA Foundation. We support her work. Her efforts include:
- Education on gifting options
- Assistance in establishing congregational mission endowment funds
- Assistance in establishing policies relative to endowment gifting
- Bishop Katherine Finegan
- Betsy Koski, Bookkeeper
Lifelong Faith Formation Welcome to Lifelong Faith Formation! The Northern Great Lakes Synod offers a diverse series of online classes for adults who want to increase their knowledge and understanding of the Bible, church history, Lutheran Theology, contemporary Christian issues, and more. Launched in 2020, Lifelong Faith Formation, evolved from the synod’s Lay School for…
Synod Endowment Ministry “Now to him who by the power at work within usis able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.” ~Ephesians 3:20-21 What is the purpose of the NGLS…
Ordination and Installation of Pastor Micah Cavaleri on June 12, 2021. [metaslider id=”47342″] Northern Great Lakes Synod1029 N. Third St., Suite AMarquette, MI 49855Phone: (906) 228-2300Fax: (906) 228-2527Online Donations Quick Links PrayfaithfullyChurch is GoodStewardship ProgramNewsletter ArticlesPrivacy PolicyTerms And Conditions
