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Back from talks on Namibia relationship

Good morning, everyone.

I am fresh back from an annual ELCA Namibia Network consultation at churchwide in Chicago. Some 12 participants from the Southwestern Washington Synod, Northeast Iowa Synod, New Jersey Synod and the Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Synod meet with leaders of the ELCA Global Mission Unit to strategize next steps in the companion relationship we have with the three Lutheran church bodies in Namibia.

Our conversation was full of energy and passion, and I believe we got a lot accomplished. This coming Sunday, Nov. 12, I’ll present an adult-education hour on the relationship following worship. I hope it gives you a flavor of what working in global mission feels like, and perhaps you’ll be interested to participate, as well. See you then, I hope.

Here are some of the others in the group, from left to right, Kathryn Tobias, Metro D.C. Synod; Shirley Wutcher, First Lutheran Church of Duluth, Minn., and Deacon Linda Walker of the New Jersey Synod. Pictured on the home page, left to right are the Rev. Joelle Colville Hanson, Kate Koob and the Rev. Rhea Evanson, all of the Northeast Iowa Synod. I call them the Iowa mafia.

Rachel Pritchett

Quilts, baby kits boxed, ready for delivery

All hands were on deck Tuesday as quilters boxed up 34 quilts and 20 baby kits bound for Lutheran World Relief. The work went quickly. On Friday, Linda and Joe Sommerseth will transport the boxes in their pickup truck over to Seattle, first stop for the gifts as they make their way to Baltimore. Thank you quilters. Here they are working. Notice that quilter Carol Fenner is in costume, doing double duty on Tuesday boxing quilts and greeting the students in the Halloween preschool parade. Way to go!

Rachel Pritchett, office administrator