2024 District Convention "Walking as Children of Light"

LWML MN North District 31st Biennial Convention Cragun's Resort, Brainerd, MN, June 3-5, 2024

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:8).

2024 Convention Registration

The Minnesota North District Convention will be held at Cragun's Resort June 3-5, 2024. Registrations will begin on April 1st and will need to be completed by May 3rd. After May 3rd, you may not get a room. Please note that your room reservation and meal package will be processed by online registration on Cragun's website.

2024 Convention Registration – [Attendance & Events/Activities]

 2024 Convention Registration
Contains the 2024 Convention Registration Form. Fill out this registraion form and included check, make sure your checks are payable to: LWML MN North District

Mail the Registration Form and check to:
Janice Carlson, Convention Registrar
408 3rd Ave S
Princeton, MN 55371

Cragun's Online Registration Link – [Housing & Meals]

https://craguns.formstack.com/forms/lwmlr_2024

Online Registration Resources

 Online Registration FAQs
Contains a list of Frequently Asked Questions to help you, as you register your rooms and select your meal plans.

 Hotel Lodging Sheet
Contains instructions and a full list of additional hotels for convention. Please Note: Room blocks will only be held until May 3. For more information or question, please contact the Convention Registrar Janice Carlson at (763) 631-0399.

 Cragun's Resort Map
Contains a Cragun's Resort map.

 2024 Convention News Releases PDF
 2024 Convention News Releases WORD
Post these News Releases on your church bulletin and in your church newsletter.

2024 Convention Schedule – Monday, June 3 – Day 1

2024 Convention Servant Events and Ingatherings – 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

The Servant Events will begin June 3, 2024, Monday morning at 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Convention Servant Events

• Fleece blankets – Single layer, woven edge. Fleece will need cutting and weaving. The blankets will be donated to Perham 180, which provide transitional housing for recovering individuals and to a shelter in the Detroit Lakes area.
• Fabric eyeglass cases – Simple sewing on a machine. We will be providing a few sewing machines to use. We will provide plug in space if you wish to bring your own machine. These cases are then donated to MOST Ministries
• Witness bracelets – Stringing beads in the correct order on leather lacing. These bracelets are donated to MOST Ministries who coordinate Short Term Mission Trips where they distribute eyeglasses and tell the story of Jesus.
• Plastic sleeping mats – Cut bags, loop plastic strips into 'plarn' and crochet. These mats are donated to Orphan Grain Train for distribution in our country or farther away

2024 Convention Ingatherings

 2024 Convention Ingatherings PDF

2024 Convention Breakout Sessions – 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Sessions will be offered on Monday, June 3, 2024. Sessions begin at 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. Each session is one hour in length and will be presented twice. On the front page, please indicate your your first and second choice.

SESSION A "Human Trafficking and Rescue - Operation Freedom"
Presented by Caleb Monson. This presentation will focus on uncovering what human trafficking really looks like in your community, and how it exists in your community even though you have never seen in. We will also cover how you as a church or community member can be better prepared to address this issue locally.

SESSION B "Parish Nursing and Health and Wellness"
Presented by Mary Scott. What is and is not a parish nurse? What can a Parish Nurse do for you? Resources will be shared that can be used in any church.

SESSION C "Compassion and Mercy"
Presented by Rev. Mark Peske. Mark will help us see how the Gospel not only provides forgiveness for the sins we have committed, but also healing for the emotional woulds that the sins of others have caused in our hearts.

SESSION D "Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch"
Presented by Rev. Rick Jones, Chaplin, Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, Minot, ND. The session will provide and overview of the clinical, educational, and spiritual life services offered at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch.

Opening Worship 7:00 PM

All are invited to worship service at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, June 3, at the Cragun's Resort, Brainerd, MN. (Communion Service). Reception to follow.

2024 Convention Schedule – Tuesday, June 4 – Day 2

Bible Study with Rev. Dr. Patrick Lovejoy

His Light Our Faces - Session One
Beginning by using Ephesians 5:8 as a jumping off point, come learn how to use this all- encompassing light of God to show you what He sees when He looks at you, what He wants for you, how He has brought you in to a community, and how He has prepared you for such a time as this. Then be equipped to use that light, that lives also in you, to shine into the shadows and dark recesses of your life, community, and world.

Mission Grants Presentation
Join us for a presentation of the Mission Grants that were selected for the 2024-2026 biennium.

Keynote Speaker - Katie Schuermann

Author Katie Schuermann lives in central Illinois with her husband of 20+ years, the Rev. Michael Schuermann. She began her writing career in Mrs. Kaufman's fourth grade elementary class, self-publishing poetry in a treasured yellow, teal, and hot-pink spiral-bound notebook. She has since upgraded her trusty notebook to a Mac on which she pounds out articles for publications such as The Lutheran Witness and The Federalist.

Schuermann's nonfiction books, He Remembers the Barren (LL 2011; 2nd ed, EP, 2017), Pew Sisters (CPH 2013), and He Restores My Soul(EP, 2018), address the topics of suffering and the theology of the cross for the benefit of her sisters in Christ. Her acclaimed Anthems of Zion fiction books, including House of Living Stones (CPH, 2014), The Choir Immortal (CPH, 2015), and The Harvest Raise (CPH, 2017), tell the story of Emily Duke, a choir director from the big city who moves to a small town in Illinois to direct the local church choir.

Schuermann was given an Award of Merit from the Associated Church Press for her journalistic work on the feature article, "A Light in the Darkness," in the September/October 2013 issue of Lutherans Engage the World, and her debut novel, House of Living Stones, was a 2015 Christy Award finalist under the category of First Novel. Most recently, her hymn text, "Open Wide the Chapel Doors," was chosen as the winner of the 175th Anniversary hymn competition of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Mites in Action Speakers

Tuesday Evening Entertainment

You are invited to join us at 7:30 p.m. for an evening of entertainment by Rev. Matthew Meyer. Come listen to songs from Irving Berlin to hymn favorites and more. No cost.

Rev. Matthew Meyer currently serves the Congregations of Beautiful Savior in Callaway, and Bethlehem in Mahnomen Minnesota.

2024 Convention Schedule – Wednesday, June 5 – Day 3

Light Walk Mite Walk
Early risers can enjoy an joyful walk to help raise mites for our misison projects.

Opening Devotions
Lead by the Young Women Committee

Bible Study with Rev. Dr. Patrick Lovejoy

His Light Our Faces - Session Two
Beginning by using Ephesians 5:8 as a jumping off point, come learn how to use this all- encompassing light of God to show you what He sees when He looks at you, what He wants for you, how He has brought you in to a community, and how He has prepared you for such a time as this. Then be equipped to use that light, that lives also in you, to shine into the shadows and dark recesses of your life, community, and world.

Balloting Results

Mites in Action Speakers

Closing Worship and Installation of New Officers

2024 Convention Officer Nominations

Nominations are needed, as we will be holding elections for LWML MNN Board positions at the 2024 Convention at Cragun's Resort near Brainerd, Minnesota.

The following positions are up for election:

• President
• Corresponding Secretary
• Treasurer
• Arrowhead I Regional Vice President
• Lakeland I Regional Vice President
• Park I Regional Vice President
• Pastoral Counselor - Park Region

Please prayerfully consider serving this wonderful organization as an officer. For further information, contact Phyllis Sommers, Nominating Committee Chairman, at 218-689-8273.

Nominating Committee: Beth Dinger, Marilyn Hiltel, Sue Kuseske, Brenda Peterson, and Carol May.

 LWML MN North District Bylaws (Rev 2022)

A description of officer duties are listed in the LWML MNN Bylaws. We encourage you to download this important resource. These bylaws were revised at the 2022 LWML District Convention.