At our 2017 Synod Assembly voting members adopted a resolution that encouraged all congregations to sup- port and engage in the ongoing work of welcoming refugees. They also asked that a task force be appointed to explore becoming a Sanctuary Synod of the ELCA and to report back to the 2018 Synod assembly in June. This task force has been meeting and would now like to invite you into the process through a series of Listen- ing Sessions.
These meetings provide the opportunity for you to:
1. hear from people who want to share their experiences of interacting with those who come from places other than the U.S. and have been here for extended periods, and
2. provide other constructive input to the Task Force for possible inclusion into the response to Synod.
These sessions are meant to collect information and not to debate the merits of any aspect of the Resolution. They will have a direct impact on the way the task force responds to our Synod’s resolution. Everyone with experiences, and anyone with concerns, opinions, and passion about the possibility of becoming a sanctuary synod is encouraged to attend.
Central States Sanctuary Synod Resolution Listening Sessions
Saturday, February 17: 10:00 am–12:00 noon at Gloria Dei Lutheran, Wichita, KS
Sunday, February 18: 2:00 pm–4:00 pm at Overland Park Lutheran, Overland Park, KS
Saturday, March 3: 10:00 am–12:00 noon at St. Mark’s Lutheran, St. Louis, MO
If you have questions about the Listening Sessions please email a member of the task force:
John Backus 1963ford at live.com
Rev. Karen Scherer karenscherer61 at yahoo.com
Anecea Stambaugh-Groth aneceawellspring at gmail.com
Kendra Nolde knolde82 at gmail.com
Terry Shriner tshriner at txtav.com