Autumn Renewal dates are September 8th in Kimball and September 15th in Omaha.  2012 Autumn Renewal Registration is available to view and print.  Pray the Devil Back to Hell is the amazing story of bold Liberian women.  Learn their story and hear the words of Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee from her speech at the 2011 Women of the ELCA Triennial.

Don’t we all have at LEAST ONE pair of shoes that aren’t being worn anymore? That pair of shoes doesn’t need to collect dust in the back of the closet! Use it to minister overseas.

The Southern Prairie Conference is looking for help with their Spring Gathering tangible offering for their May 5th gathering at Salem Lutheran Church near Superior.  (The gathering registration form is available on this website under Resources in Forms.) They are collecting clean used and new shoes for the Shoeman Water Project. (shoeman.org)  

This organization sells the shoes to exporters for resale in developing countries. The money raised helps purchase well-drilling rigs, water purification systems and other supplies to bring clean, fresh water to those in need overseas.  Southern Prairie’s goal is to collect 10,000 pairs of shoes.  To do that they are asking the other conferences to also help by gathering shoes.  If you have some good, used or new shoes to donate, get them to Southern Prairie by May 1, 2012, the date of their spring gathering.    If you bring them to another spring gathering, NSWO officers will try to get them there for you.

1. Clean used and new men, women and children’s shoes accepted:
Flip flops, sandals, work shoes, boots, stilettos, etc.
No spiked athletic shoes…football, baseball, track.
No shoes with worn holes in sole or on the top.

2. Shoes must be a pair.

Tie together the shoe laces or rubber-band them.  Complete instructions can be printed here: Shoeman Instruction Sheet

For more information about the project contact:
Ann Schultz
4216 Rd J Superior, NE 68978
Home: 402-879-4456 Cell: 402-879-5348
Email: annschultz2007@hotmail.com

I am excited about the year 2012! I know that it is off to a great start already, with the Burpo Family as speakers at the Winter Retreat in Grand Island, and then the upcoming Spring Gatherings across the state of Nebraska. I get energized just thinking about the theme “Christ Makes Life Exciting.“  Passions or energy ignite us and keep us going, but some of us are so entrenched in our daily lives that we’ve lost sight of those passions or energies. I suggest asking yourself this question: “If God came to you and told you to go after your dreams right away, what would you do first?”

 Stumped? What did you love to do as a child? Which clubs did you join in high school? When did you last feel truly happy, and what were you doing at the time? For more ideas, make a list of things you’ve always wanted to learn, and then learn them. Dance the tango, study German, take up rock-climbing, play the guitar, travel to Tanzania with Nebraska women, write a poem…anything goes as long as you’re doing it for you. Think about attending a spring gathering in your conference or another conference with an out of town friend. Just know that “Christ Makes Life Exciting.”

The board chose the Bible Verse Psalm 47:1 as the theme verse. The following is the chapter of Psalm　47.

1 Clap your hands for joy, all peoples!

Praise God with loud songs!

2 The Lord, the Most High, is to be feared;

he is a great king, ruling over all the world.

3 He gave us victory over the peoples;

he made us rule over the nations.

4 He chose for us the land where we live,

the proud possession of his people, whom he loves.

5 God goes up to his throne.

There are shouts of joy and the blast of trumpets,

as the Lord goes up.

6 Sing praise to God;

sing praise to our king!

7 God is king over all the world;

praise him with songs!

8 God sits on his sacred throne;

he rules over the nations.

9 The rulers of the nations assemble

with the people

of the God of Abraham.

More powerful than all armies is he;

he rules supreme.

God is king over the entire world; praise him with songs as the supreme ruler. God is there for you, just let him open all those doors of excitement. Try something new this great year of 2012. I hope to see you there in the midst of all the FUN!!!!!!

God’s Peace to you always,

Kandy Pflaster

The 2011-2012 Conference Coordinators are:

• Central – Valerie Killinger, St. Paul
• High Plains – Carol Stark, Cozad
• Metro East – Shirley Splittgerber, Omaha
• Midlands – Kathy McCartin, Fremont
• Northeast – Mary Hansen, Wisner
• Southeast – Joyce Roesener, Cook
• Southern Prairie – Karen Daffer, Holdrege

2012 Schedule

• February 25 – Northeast, Christ/Wisner
• March 17 – Southeast, American/Filley
• March 24 – Central, Trinity/Wolbach
• March 31 – Midlands, First/Fremont
• April 14 – Metro East, Bethany/Elkhorn
• April 21 – High Plains, St. John’s/Eustis
• May 5 – Southern Prairie, Salem/Superior

Take a day to lift your spirit to the Lord!

•  Hear how God’s Spirit covered the Burpo family through Colton’s illness described in the book Heaven Is for Real.
• Learn how God’s Spirit covers with hope Joan Naber (Ms. Wheelchair Nebraska 2010).
• Experience labyrinth prayer.

Grow in your ability to witness and share God’s love and grace with others.

Enjoy music, skits, and hearing about NSWO programs.

Theme Verse: “In certain ways we are weak, but the Spirit is here to help us.  For example, when we do not know what to pray for, the Spirit prays for us in ways that cannot be put into words” (Rom. 8:26 CEV)

When: January 14, 2012 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Where: St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1515 South Harrison, Grand Island, NE

Cost: $18.00 for the full day and includes lunch. $10.00 for the afternoon only includes the Burpo presentation.

Preregistration required.  Registrations from available here online or at these locations:
Solid Rock Bookstore, 2010 Central Avenue, Kearney, NE
St. Paul LutheranChurch, 1515 Harrison, Grand Island, NE

Event Coordinators:
Carol Bosshardt, Southern Prairie Conference Board Representative
Home: 308-224-3734
Cell: 308-440-8422
E-mail Carol

Nancy Steele, High Plains Conference Board Representative
Home: 308-632-7558
E-mail Nancy