News from the Greater Milwaukee Synod

 

Greater Milwaukee Synod establishes "Outreach for Hope"

The Greater Milwaukee Synod – ELCA is blessed with congregations which provide Christ-centered, life-giving ministries with and among the poor of its urban communities. The mission of Outreach for Hope is to develop financial support from individuals and congregations throughout the Synod to assist these Word and Sacrament ministries in being welcoming, nurturing, and vital.

Reformation Lutheran and Cross Lutheran churches are part of this program.

Outreach for Hope puts its emphasis on connecting people through gifts given and gifts received.

Outreach for Hope will be the topic of our Adult Forum on Sunday, May 23. Adult Forum schedule [here].

More information on this program is [here]

 

Bishop Jeff to be installed March 14

You are invited to the Installation Service of the Rev. Jeffrey Barrow as Synodical Bishop, Sunday, March 14, 3:00 p.m. at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Menomonee Falls. A delightful array of musical offer­ings will begin at 2:30 p.m. All are welcome to join us for worship and celebration of our new bishop.

The ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson will be the presiding minister, and the Rev. Ken Wheeler will be the preacher of the day.

There is also the opportunity to participate in a Mass Choir for the service under the direction of Greg Burg from Holy Communion Lutheran Church in Racine. Singers will gather for rehearsal at 1:00 p.m. on the day of the installation.

Look for more information on this day on the synod website: www.MilwaukeeSynod.org.

 

Synod meeting elects new Bishop
The Rev. Jeff Barrow was elected the third bishop of the ELCA Greater Milwaukee Synod Dec. 5 at a special assembly at Our Saviors Lutheran in Downtown Milwaukee. Addressing the assembly of more than 400 lay and rostered voters, visitors, neighboring bishops and Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson, Barrow was struck with emotion as he accepted the call to highest leadership post in the synod. "I'm so grateful for this church," said Barrow. " All the things that we can become in the synod, we really can, there is so much talent, there is so much love and whatever we have to face we face it together. I thank God for walking with us, today and tomorrow."

Barrow was a elected on the 5th and final ballot over to the Rev. Susan Tjornehoj, director of evangelical mission Minneapolis Area Synod, by a 209-185 margin. The Rev. Joseph Crippen, senior pastor of St. John's Lutheran, Northfield, Minn., was eliminated on the 4th ballot. "You're outstanding leaders," Barrow said to the pastors from Minnesota. "If you ever want to move to this synod, you got it." He thanked all the leaders who made the difficult decision to participate in the bishop process. "It's putting your life out there."

ELCA Presiding Bishop Hanson welcomed Barrow to a wonderful calling. "We get sympathy these days for being bishop, but i still think there is great joy and delight in these calls. Because we get to see what god is up to in so many different parts of the church," he said.

In the face of declining membership, conflicts over the human sexuality policy changes, and challenges within the synod, Barrow is cognizant of the tough realities facing the church. "I don't look at this as a victory because there is so much work for us to do to get the house back in order," he said. "Very soon we are going to hit the ground running."

Barrow officially took office February 1, 2010. Addressing staffing will be a top priority, as multiple assistant positions have not been permanently filled for several months . In an Advent Greeting, Bishop-Elect Barrow asked for recommendations in regards to staffing, including names of those with the gifts to serve the synod office. Recommendations will be helpful in the planning process, but may not be responded to. You can reach Jeff at his synod e-mail, jeff@milwaukeesynod.org.  Interim Bishop David Olson will continue to provide his faithful leadership and guidance through the end of January.

The Rev. David W. Olson has been serving the Greater Milwaukee Synod as interim bishop, following the Sept. 30 resignation of the Rev. Paul W. Stumme-Diers who took a call to Bethany Lutheran Church, Bainbridge Island, Wash.

Barrow will be installed by the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop March 14, 2010, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Menomonee Falls, Wis.

Barrow and wife Kate have two children -- Jackson and Anneka.

The ELCA Greater Milwaukee Synod has 91,000 baptized members and 137 congregations in the Greater Milwaukee Area.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article, which provides more information on the election and pre-election process, is [here].

Photos and videos of the electiion of Bishop Jeff Barrow are on the Synod website [here]

 

The Greater Milwaukee Synod

The Greater Milwaukee Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is made up of 139 congregations and 93,000 baptized members serving in southeast Wisconsin. [What is a synod?]

Website: www.milwaukeesynod.org

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St. Matthew's is a member congregation of the Greater Milwaukee Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). We also are associated with many Caring Ministries.