I write today to share news of a recent visit to North and South Dakota by churchwide staff. This trip was a follow-up to concerns expressed to Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton in the aftermath of Standing Rock. She heard some express concern that there is a disconnect between churchwide statements and the lives of some members here in North and South Dakota. Out of that trip, Bishop Eaton felt it is important that other churchwide staff be given the same opportunity for open conversation.
During this most recent visit we welcomed:
- Rev. Stephen Bouman – Director of the Domestic Mission Unit
- Rev. Amy Reumann -ELCA Director of Advocacy
- Ruth Ivory-Moore – ELCA Advocacy Program Director, Environmental and Energy Policy
- John Johnson – ELCA Advocacy Program Director, Domestic Policy
This trip came about through the work of Western North Dakota Bishop Mark Narum, Eastern North Dakota Bishop Terry Brand and myself. One churchwide guest flew into Sioux Falls, one into Fargo and two into Bismarck. On December 13th, churchwide staff engaged in an agriculture focused tour in the synod they arrived in. Here in South Dakota, ELCA Advocacy Program Director, John Johnson, toured with Deacon Susan Marone and myself. We first stopped to visit the work being done by Feeding South Dakota and CEO Matt Gassen. Throughout the trip, we used the airplane to show how South Dakota’s diverse land is setup for agricultural production. On Tuesday, we flew to Pierre for a tour at Tom and Mary Tweidt’s farm. We had conversations on the National Farm Organization, “Food for Peace”, and soil conservation on how they work to make the soil better through their farming practice. On Wednesday we toured the Beastrom Ranch with Brittany Beastrom. Brittany and her dad, Jim, are in the gelbvieh cattle production. After that tour, we then had the opportunity to visit with Bob Claire, an agricultural lender with First Dakota National Bank. We ended our day with a tour of the State Capitol building to see the Christmas trees and then flew to Bismarck.
During this agriculture day, we attempted to show churchwide staff that ELCA members across South and North Dakota are diverse in their political views, that they are stewards of the land, that they are deeply faithful Christians and that some statements made by our churchwide partners are troubling because they are made without understanding the consequences to people who live on the land.
Thursday, December 14 the entire group left from Bismarck and traveled to the Beulah area. The Western North Dakota Synod Council Vice President set up a tour of the North American Coal Coteau Coal Mine, the Basin Electric Antelope Valley Power Plant and Basin’s Coal Gasification Plant. It was an amazing day to witness people who love their job and work hard to provide electricity to people across the United States and to do so in a way that has the least environmental impact on our land, air, and water. That evening we ate in Bismarck with a group of ELCA Lutherans who work in the energy industry. Our conversations were broad ranging but included conversations around the Clean Power Act, regulation of the petroleum industry and the energy industry’s efforts to be stewards of the land.
Friday, December 15 we gathered at the synod office in the Lutheran Social Services conference room for a conversation about rural economic development. We then spent time in debriefing what we had heard and seen during our days together. This visit helped us share with churchwide staff:
- our deep love of this church, it is our heritage.
- our concern that the divergent views between urban and rural views in this country are also being reflected in church life.
- there are people here on the prairie who are leaders in the agriculture and energy industries who are willing conversation partners for this church as it takes faith based stands on policy issues.
- that members of our congregations hold a variety political persuasions, have deep faith in the risen Christ regardless of their political affiliation and want those facts recognized and respected.
Thank you to the ELCA Advocacy office and the Domestic Mission Unit for being with us on this tour. Thank you to all in South Dakota and North Dakota for being gracious hosts to us.
In Christ,
Bishop David B. Zellmer
