GACAC Annual Meeting
Business Meeting and Faith Conference 2014Beginning “Road to the Reformation: Deepening our Lutheran Theological Roots”
The 27th Annual Business Meeting of the Gustavus Adolphus College Association of Congregations will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2014. Clergy and lay delegates from Association member congregations, as well as their guests, are encouraged to come to campus for a wonderful day of inspiration and fellowship.
From the beginning of the Reformation to today, the Lutheran Church has embraced a wide range of significant commitments to children and their well-being. Martin Luther wrote his famous Small Catechism to help parents bring up children in the faith, and Lutheran churches today engage parents in their youth and family ministry programs. In addition, Luther attended to the needs of orphans and the poor, laying the foundation for the vast network of orphanages, hospitals, schools, colleges, and social service agencies established by Lutherans in the past and around the world today.
In his reflections on the priesthood of all believers and vocation, Luther underscored the duties and responsibilities not only of adults to children but also of children to adults. Lutheran congregations and colleges continue to recognize the gifts and talents of children and young people, by seeing that they are also called to love and serve others and contribute to the common good not just in the future, but now.
In light of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and the urgent needs of children today, the 2014 Gustavus Faith Conference aims to deepen our understanding of Lutheranism’s rich heritage regarding children and to renew and revitalize our own commitments to children and young people in our midst and around the world.
This year’s keynote speaker, Dr. Marcia J. Bunge, Bernhardson Distinguished Chair of Lutheran Studies and professor of religion at Gustavus Adolphus College, will provide both the theological grounding for and concrete examples of Lutheran commitments to children in her address, “Understanding Lutheran Commitments to Children and Youth: Theological Foundations, Historical Perspectives, and Contemporary Initiatives.” Over the past few years, Bunge has spoken and published widely on various religious perspectives on children and obligations to them, editing or co-editing and contributing to four foundational volumes on the subject.
A panel of speakers in the afternoon will reflect more deeply on the grounds for our commitments and our responsibilities to children today in the areas of child advocacy and faith formation. Panelists include Maureen Warren, Chief Family Services Officer for Lutheran Social Service; Daniel Lee, vice president of external relations, Lutheran World Relief; the Rev. Timothy Coltvet, Luther Seminary; and Tim Schmidt, managing partner, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
It is our pleasure to invite all to attend the Faith Conference 2014, beginning with worship at 10:45 a.m.
Schedule for the Business meeting and Faith Conference 2014
- 8:30 a.m. Registration followed by Breakfast Business Meeting of the GACAC for clergy and lay delegates
Faith Conference 2014 (All are welcome!)
- 10:45 a.m. Worship in Christ Chapel
- 11:30 a.m. Keynote Address: "Understanding Lutheran Commitments to Children: Theological Foundations, Historical Perspectives, and Contemporary Initiatives" by Dr. Marcia Bunge
- 12:45 p.m. Bag Lunches in the Banquet Rooms (charge for lunch: $10. Please reserve lunch in advance.)
- 1:45-2:45 p.m. Afternoon Panel Discussion
- 2:45-3:00 p.m. Sending reception