2023 LEAD Conference
LEAD Conference
7337 Hubbard Ave Middleton, WI 53562
Welcome to LEAD! As our logo above suggests, LEAD is about many different things: learning, laughing, engaging, acting, daring, dreaming, and so much more.
Our ministry focus this year continues to be “Building/Rebuilding.” This year for the LEAD conference we are “rebuilding” this great event and turning the focus to the excellent resources available through the SCSW Ministry Teams. Our keynote speaker is the Rev. Sara A. Cutter, who serves with the ELCA Churchwide organization as the Senior Director for Operational Effectiveness. Combining Pastor Cutter’s expertise and the expertise of our synod’s ministry teams will result in another outstanding LEAD experience for one and all.
Rostered leaders, lay leaders, congregational staff, and all those who are part of the work of building and rebuilding your ministry and community are encouraged to attend!
What Happens at LEAD?
So much! Here’s an overview of what’s in store:
- Worship – We will center ourselves and begin with worship.
- Workshops – you can attend up to two! Included are workshops directed toward congregational council leaders, communicators, and more.
- Ample time for connecting with people from other congregations. Year after year, attendees reflect that talking to people from other congregations is one of the best things about LEAD.
- Displayers from Synod and Lutheran Affiliated Organizations will be there to share opportunities for shared ministry.
- This year, we will be receiving an in-kind and monetary offering for Open Doors for Refugees. See the information below (past the registration form) and consider taking a special offering/collection from your congregation to bring to LEAD and help support this great cause.
Keynote
The Reverend Sara Cutter serves as the Senior Director for Operational Effectiveness in the Christian Community and Leadership Home Area of the ELCA’s churchwide organization. In this role, she manages the operations of a variety of ministries engaged with supporting and nurturing ELCA congregations and their leaders. Prior to serving in this role, she led three different parishes of varying sizes and locations. In Pastor Sara’s earlier professional days she worked as an engineer and during that time earned an MBA. She is married to another pastor, the Reverend Todd Cutter who serves as Director of Spiritual Life and Counsleing at Lenoir-Rhyne University. Together they have a delightful daughter, Amelia, and two persnickety dogs, Belle and Josie. She is an avid Ohio State Buckeyes fan.
Schedule (Tentative)
- 8:30am-9am: Registration & Fellowship
- 9:15am-10am: Welcome & Worship
- 10:15am-11:30am: Keynote I
- 11:30am-12:45pm: Lunch
- 1:00pm-1:50pm: Workshop Session I
- 2:00pm-2:50pm: Workshop Session II
- 3:00pm-3:30pm: Keynote II
- 3:30pm: Peace Be With You
Registration
Registration for LEAD was open until January 31, 2023. If you have questions about your registration or need to make any changes please contact the synod office at (608) 270-0201.
Registration for LEAD is $35.00 per person (or $150.00 per congregation with 5 or more people registered) and includes a box lunch. In addition to paying onsite at registration by check, payment for registrations can also be made in advance in two ways*:
- Mailing a check made payable to the synod and mailed to the office at P.O. Box 14496, Madison, WI 53708. Please put your church name and note “LEAD Registration” somewhere.
- Paid online via credit card (additional fee required) by clicking HERE and choosing “LEAD 2023” as the designation.
*Note that you may submit one payment per organization/congregation.
Offering
This year we will be partnering with St. Luke’s to collect monetary donations and needed housewares for Open Doors for Refugees (ODFR), a group dedicated to helping refugees make a home in the Madison area. ODFR fully furnishes the first apartment for refugees, and they’ve been extra busy these past couple years. You may bring any of the items listed below to donate or you can make a donation via cash/check (made payable to: South-Central Synod of Wisconsin, note: ODFR in memo line) with you to LEAD.
Physical items needed:
- vacuums in good working order
- small-medium TVs with remotes and antennas if available
- floor and table lamps
- new mattress pads for twin & double sized beds (not waterproof; not “mattress protectors”)
- twin & double blankets and comforters
- glassware
- coffee/tea mugs
- pots and pans (not non-stick)
- tea kettles
- large kitchen trash cans
- umbrellas
- small first-aid kits.
Further information is available at: https://opendoorsforrefugees.org/contribute-furniture-household-items/