Go & Tell the Story

 Three Rural Churches Doing Worship in a New Way   In response to the pandemic, the three congregations of Sonrise Parish (St. John’s, Eustis; American, Cozad; and St. John’s, Cozad) moved to video-only worship beginning on March 18, 2020.  Three months later, as warmer weather had arrived, the churches decided to do outdoor Word and Sacrament at each site on a weekly rotating basis, beginning at Eustis on June 14.  A weekly virtual brief worship recording was also continued!  The city street, parking lots, and grassy areas became the places to gather in lawn chairs or in cars in a physically-distanced manner.  A low-power FM transmitter broadcasted to those who wanted to stay in their vehicles.   A music group with percussion, guitar, horns, vocalists (and sometimes keyboard) led the services.  For sixteen weeks through the end of September the outdoor services continued, with attendance ranging from 50-60 to as high as over 100.  Two confirmations and one baptism were also done outdo

  In spite of all we could not do during the pandemic, the Nebraska Synod did something it hasn’t done in a decade- we launched a new mission start congregation. Envisioned before the pandemic ever began as a hybrid church with a robust online presence, and vibrant small and large group gatherings in person, Church of the Way in Lincoln has already garnered a strong online following. And they will soon be launching their in-person events.  Church of the Way is also envisioned as an intentional source of ministry resources for congregations across the synod as they explore online options, or as they seek ways to sustain ministry even in the absence of a called ministry leader. To learn more about Church of the Way, see what Rev. Ted Carnahan shared about this new mission start below. Greetings from Church of the Way, the newest Synodically Authorized Worshipping Community in the Nebraska Synod! Church of the Way is an experiment exploring the possibilities involved in connecting the dis

 By Bishop Brian Maas We have now formally kicked off the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Nebraska Synod. We’ll spend the next year reflecting on our shared history and inviting each congregation to reflect on its own history as well. We do this not to rediscover some glorious past to which we might return (we won’t—we can’t); rather, we study our histories because they remind us of our stories. Our story reaches back not only 150 years, but millennia, to the very origins of God’s people. The Bible is our story, every bit as much as our local histories. We reflect on that story so that we might continue to live that story; to see what chapters are yet to be written. This is the why behind the reflection and the history-telling; to remind ourselves of all of those times when God was present in spite of what seemed to be happening in the world—to see God at work in the joys and celebrations we’ve known, and to recognize God’s presence with us in the sorrows an