A Lay Leader’s Tool Kit Top Ten

Tim Kane serves as church council secretary at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran in Shoreview. A writer and a Tool Kit veteran, he's compiled a list of reasons why you should join him & many other lay leaders at Tool Kit for Congregational Leaders on March 10! Learn more about Tool Kit & register here.

Everyone likes to hear and come up with their own top ten lists. I thought I could try to come up with a top ten list of reasons to attend the Tool Kit for Congregational Leaders. Rather than trying to rank them I’ll do an alphabetical listing. That way I can put my top reason first.

1. A stupendous synod staff who put the Tool Kit together!

2. Afternoon Sessions – You have your choice of six workshops in the afternoon. That doesn’t mean you can go to six. You must choose just one. But don’t worry, you can’t make a bad choice. You’ll get resources and information that will help you no matter what session you attend.

3. Augustana Lutheran Church, located in West St. Paul, will be hosting this year. They are sure to show us some great hospitality.

4. Bishop Lull will be there and will lead the morning gathering of all attendees. She will also be leading one of the morning sessions, "Reformation Themes for Congregational Life"!

5. Fellowship with other attendees. It’s a great chance to meet others in leadership positions who deal with similar situations as you.

6. Lunch, because whenever two or more are gathered, Lutherans need to eat.

7. Morning Sessions – Like in the afternoon, a chance to learn something that you will take with you. This will be my third Tool Kit and I can easily remember all the sessions from the last two years, where I've learned about church security, social media, welcoming refugees, and creating narrative budgets.

8. Praying with people from across the synod.

9. Registration is easy. It’s online at spas-elca.org/toolkit. And you don’t have to worry about scalpers crashing the website looking for Hamilton tickets.

10. Wait till next year. Oops sorry, that’s from my Vikings list. You don’t have to wait – you can go this year!

I hope to see you at the Tool Kit on March 10!

Tim Kane

Shepherd of the Hills, Shoreview