Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Can I have that recipe? It’s a request good cooks recognize and many appreciate. (I have to admit- it is a request I have not heard often in my life.) Recipes are special sets of instructions on exactly how to do a thing- to duplicate the product. We most often think about recipes with food but that is not the exclusive use of a recipe. This fall, our congregations have become a part of the South Dakota Synod’s stewardship education project called “God’s Gift, Open Hands”. In it, we will be seeing and possibly making recipes for the future of our church. How will this work? The stewardship education drive comes in several steps. First, we will discover the “recipe” of the church- what it takes for it to meet God’s call to mission and ministry in our world. Second, we will ask people to share the stories of how God has blessed their lives. The point of both these activities is to remind us of God’s abundant generosity and remind us how much his church serves the world. Now, normally when you hear the word “stewardship”, you may cringe. That is often people’s reaction because they think it is all about begging for more money or being made to feel guilty about what you don’t or can’t do. “God’s Gifts, Open Hands” isn’t about begging people for money. It is about understanding how God has gifted us and how we as a church can react with the same generosity God provides. In the pages of our newsletters, the bulletins and on our web pages, you will find examples of “Recipes for the Future”- recipes showing what our church does worldwide, at the synod level and locally. We also invite all of you to share recipes or stories about God’s work in your life. Blessings to all of you as we journey and learn together. Let’s get something special cooking in our congregation today! Pastor Janet Miller From the Office	RECIPES
	Healing Wounds and Learning Lessons Recipe Source: Bethesda, Butler 2009-2010 Confirmation Class Ingredients: 2 excited volunteers Donated white sheets or white cotton fabric 1 volunteer carpenter 1 confirmation class with 5 students 5 bandage rollers made of wood and metal hangers Volunteer carpenter combined wood and wire hangers to create bandage rollers. Mix one adult volunteer bearing five bandage rollers with five confirmation students. Sprinkle in some laughter and some patience as the students learn about tearing and rolling bandages. Rubber band and ship bandages to Global Health. Bandages will travel thousands of miles to help keep the wounds of patients in poverty-stricken areas.
	Church Roof in Cameroon Recipe source: S. D. Synod Ingredients: 6 volunteers from South Dakota 14 villagers from Cameroon 2 local Cameroonian carpenters 24 rafters 1200 square feet of sheet metal 11 hours Allow members of the South Dakota synod to coordinate journey and mission. Work hard, meet people, feel intense joy. Return home with a sense of wonder, renewed faith in Jesus Christ and memories for a lifetime.