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Cultivating God’s Shalom
Discernment, Design and Experimentation around Ministries of Place
In 2022 the Southwest Washington Synod invested in a 2-year pilot program to support congregations across Southwest Washington to explore how to steward their land and buildings towards a vision of God’s shalom.
Photo of Peace Lutheran Church in Tacoma and the affordable housing they have developed as a congregation. Photo credit: Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA. Watch a video that tells part of this story here.
Over the last two years, 13 ecumenical congregations have participated in two 6-month faith land discernment cohorts. We are thrilled that 9 congregations from across our Synod participated in this Faith Land Discernment cohort.
Photos of core teams from Peace Lutheran, Tacoma and Lutheran Church of Christ Our King, Tacoma.
Additional core teams who participated from our synod include: Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd (Olympia), Immanuel Lutheran Church (Centralia), Dungeness Valley Lutheran Church (Sequim), Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church (Vancouver), Light of Grace Korean Ministry (Federal Way), and Trinity Lutheran Church (Parkland).
Beginning in 2024 the Land Stewardship program will be supported by a new collaborative initiative rooted in the Southwestern Washington Synod - Design For Peace - an ecumenical design studio accompanying faith communities across the region in discernment, design and experimentation in contextual ministry.
Our approach to contextual ministry begins with discernment, moves to design, and launches faithful experiments around this question. Following this approach we open ourselves to the movement of Spirit while being in real relationship with our neighbors, the land and ourselves.
Will you and your congregation join us?
We look forward to accompanying you as your congregation discerns and designs possibilities for your land and buildings to become flourishing ministries of place that nurture the wellbeing of our communities.
