CRE

The snow was falling and roads were slick as I drove to Kishwaukee College in Malta this past Saturday morning. I wondered if, for the first time, the weather would wreak havoc on the synod’s Congregational Resourcing Event. I was pleasantly surprised when nearly 500 participants showed up for what I consider to be one of the most important events in the life of the synod each year.

The day began with worship led by the pastor and musicians of GPS Faith Community, a congregation given its start by Grace Lutheran Church in Loves Park. GPS will be received into the synod at our 2010 Synod Assembly. Acoustics in the gym for both speaking and singing are a challenge and this year was no exception. Bishop Wollersheim preached the homily. An offering of over $2,300 was received for Lutheran Disaster Response, specifically to help earthquake victims in Haiti and Chile.

Bishop Wollersheim introduced representatives from our five new Synodically Authorized Worshiping Communities in Moline, Galena, Johnsburg, Oregon and Rockton. These groups are exploring options for their future in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Worship was followed by a keynote address by Dr. Craig Nessan, a popular professor at Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque. Craig has been well received in our synod previously when he spoke at an assembly. We were blessed and challenged by his teaching on the mission of the church.

The best parts of the day, in my opinion, were the workshops. Each participant was able to choose three workshops to attend from a list of nearly 50. In these workshops, congregations, committees and individuals shared their ideas, expertise and best practices. This year I attended the synod’s Lutheran Youth Organization workshop led by their president and vice-president and our youth coordinator. After lunch I stopped into a crowded workshop on communicating with Facebook, Twitter and Ning led by an ELCA staffer. (I am still not sure what Ning is!) Finally, I joined rostered leaders as they accepted the bishop’s invitation to spend some time together discussing the current state of affairs in the synod.

In addition to learning and experiencing new things, I really enjoy CRE because it is an opportunity to see old friends from across the synod. I have a sense that I am not alone that!
Thanks go to the CRE team and the Congregational Life Committee for their fine work in putting CRE together! This event takes a lot of work.

Comments? Go to http://niselca.blogspot.com/. --JC