Zumbro’s Adult Forum stimulates the mind, engages the heart, and challenges people to grow in their understanding of important topics in our lives and the life of faith.
What Does This Mean? We are part of the ELCA, a church body that spans the whole country and reaches out with compassion around the world. With over 9,000 congregations, we express our faith through a variety of worship practices, ministries, and ways in which we live out the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet we…
JANUARY 18, 2021 | Chaos at the Capitol | After the chaos we witnessed on January 6, we can’t help but wonder: What led up to these events? What is happening to us as a people? Is there any common ground on which to stand? Zoom discussion led by Pastor Vern.
MARCH 1|
February 2020
FEBRUARY 2 |
January 2020
JANUARY 5 | Stories from an ELCA Young Adult in Global Mission (YAGM) | Presenter: Hannah Johnsrud, ELCA YAGM 2018-19, Israel/Palestine | Hannah Johnsrud (granddaughter of Zumbro members Al and Nancy Johnsrud) spent a year living and serving in the Holy Land as one of 80+ young adults in global mission through the ELCA last year. She will share her experiences and insights about life in today’s Holy Land, as well as talk about the impact these experiences are having on the faith of young people in our church.
JANUARY 12 | Bonhoeffer in Daily Life | Presenter: Dr. Lori Brandt Hale, Professor of Religion, Augsburg University | Dr. Lori Brandt Hale is the Vice President of the International Bonhoeffer Society – English Language Section. Her work on Bonhoeffer has led her to think deeply about his ideas related to community, ethics, and vocation. These themes resonate with her students in the class she teaches most often: “Religion, Vocation, and the Search for Meaning II.” Together with her ethnically and religiously diverse students, she explores vocation, civil rights, a variety of world religious traditions, and pluralism/interfaith dialogue.
JANUARY 19 |The Mysticism of Food in Jewish and Christian Traditions | Presenter: Dr. Trish Beckman, Associate Professor of Practice in Religion, St. Olaf College | Dr. Beckman’s research and teaching focus on the history of Christianity with particular emphasis on the diversities of Christian thought and practice; feminist theology; and comparative mysticism.Her current research project explores mystical theology of food in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Preaching and teaching regularly in various denominational churches, she is an advocate for the public understanding, discussion, and debate of all things religious.
JANUARY 26 | Illness, Trauma, and Getting to Hope | Presenter: Dr. Deanna Thompson, Martin E. Marty Regents Chair of Religion and the Academy, St. Olaf College | Dr. Thompson will explore new research with us on illness-related trauma and how it helps us better understand the experiences of those who live with serious illness, and how we can draw on resources from our faith traditions and communities to more fully support those undone by illness and other awfulness.
December 2019
DECEMBER 8, 2019 | A Celebration of Pastor Lisa Kipp’s Ministry | Pastor Lisa has served Zumbro in many capacities over the last nineteen years. We will bless her on her way with a program in the sanctuary, followed by refreshments and conversation in the lounge.
DECEMBER 15, 2019 | Key Moments for Race and Religion in America | Presenter: Dr. Sarah Ruble, Professor of Religion, Gustavus Adolphus College | Mary’s Magnificat called for the reversal of society, where the privileged and powerful are brought down low and the poor and voiceless are raised up. Some may argue that Mary’s vision is still just that, a vision. Dr. Sarah Ruble will take a closer look at the relationship between race and religion in America, and whether we as American Christians are any closer to fulfilling Mary’s vision.
DECEMBER 22, 2019 | Finding Joy After Loss | Presenter: Author Harriet Hodgson | The holidays are particularly tender, and often difficult after the loss of a loved one. Harriet Hodgson has written over 35 books on caregiving, health, and grief. She will share insights on the experience of grief and ways to seek joy, even as we face the challenges of loss.
DECEMBER 29, 2019 | NO ZED TALK
November 2019
NOVEMBER 3, 2019 | The Landing MN. Inc, a Walk of Faith | Presenter: Dan W. Fifield, RN, Founder/President | From an initial dream (honestly a dream), to God’s not so gentle “shove”, The Landing is an organization walking side by side with our friends that are experiencing homelessness. The Landing aims to navigate a sometimes very confusing and difficult system to enable people to live a more stable life.
NOVEMBER 17, 2019 | Presenter: Enid Weichselbaum, Zumbro member | We are Stewards: How We Protect, Grow, Nurture and Support One Another (continued on November 24th)
NOVEMBER 24, 2019 | Presenter: Enid Weichselbaum, Zumbro member We are Stewards: How We Protect, Grow, Nurture and Support One Another (continued from November 17th)
October 2019
OCTOBER 6, 2019 | ourchurch. ourfuture. Presenter: Campaign Leadership Team Hear how your participation in the capital campaign and this year’s annual appeal will enhance worship, extend hospitality, and expand the mission of Zumbro. Come be part of the excitement of this once-in-a-generation project and have questions answered as we launch the campaign to raise $3 million and support the ongoing ministries of our church.
OCTOBER 13, 2019 | Accompanying Homeless Youth Presenter: Christina Fort, LSS Youth Services of RochesterEach year Lutheran Social Service supports about 350 youth and young adults living in homelessness in the Rochester area. One of the hopes for our capital campaign is that we will be able to support LSS in this effort and make a difference in the lives of young people in our community. Christina Fort is a passionate advocate for homeless youth and is the program director for LSS Youth Services. She will share what’s being done now and what could be possible as we look to partner more closely with LSS in the future.
OCTOBER 20, 2019 | Sacred Spaces: Stories of Faith Through Architecture Presenters: Teresa McCormack, Architect & Erin Schambureck, Interior DesignerThe church tells stories in many ways. We can learn a lot about a community by the ways we gather, worship, and serve. We also learn many things through the buildings we gather in. We’ll take a trip through history to explore the ever-changing ways the church has communicated the gospel to the world through architecture and design.
OCTOBER 27, 2019 | What’s Church Look Like for Future Generations? Presenters: Jen Gruendler, Youth & Young Adult Minister & Pastor Jason Bryan-Wegner The band R.E.M has a song called “It’s the End of the World as We Know It”. As we look at how young people are and are not engaging the church in the same ways as their parents and grandparents, we can safely say that the church-going forward-is not going to be the same. We’ll share what we’re doing at Zumbro to walk alongside young people today, and give some context for how we might live boldly and faithfully into the future as a church.
