Trinity's three TiM pastors continue their time at the Evangelical Lutheran Churches in America's annual Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis. Today we hear from Pastor Emmy Isaackson, who is one of the six pastors at Trinity.
Greetings from Minneapolis!
The Young Rostered Leaders Gathering of which Pastor Josh, Pastor Marsha and I have been a part of came to a conclusion today. Throughout the event, we shared in heartfelt discussion about how we see God at work in our lives and our ministries. What a joy it has been to share in conversation with peers from across the country! The days have been full, and I find myself feeling encouraged and inspired. We ended our time together today with a worship service. The room in which we worshiped had big windows overlooking downtown Minneapolis. During the service, we were reminded that we have been called out to do God’s work in the world.
As part of our event, we’ve been visitors to the Churchwide Assembly. I share with you a couple of observations about the spirit of the gather. First, the Assembly is centered in prayer. The voting members gather daily at 11:30 for worship, centering themselves in prayer. Throughout the Assembly meeting time, the groups pray. This focuses the group’s time together. This invites the Holy Spirit into our midst. Over one thousand people gather in the hall. During times of prayer, there is stillness. I’ve experienced these as powerful moments.
Secondly, as you may be aware, a few of the items before the Assembly have been divisive. Even in the midst of that, I have witnessed respectful discussion. Though people may have differing opinions and beliefs, they speak their opinions with grace and love. I am impressed to witness such respect. I am excited to see the church at work in this way.
My notes here are brief, but I look forward to being in conversation with you about my experiences and the work of the Churchwide Assembly.
-Pastor Emmy
The Churchwide Assembly features an extensive array of sessions and events and full coverage including, among other things, live blogs, streaming video, twitter updates and facebook group updates, which can be found at http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Office-of-the-Secretary/ELCA-Governance/Churchwide-Assembly.aspx
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