Go First!
A District Initiative
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Redemption Lutheran Church | 927 East Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington
Pastors, parish professionals, educators, and lay people are all invited to experience the encouragement and inspiration of this two-day event. Break-out sessions will be led by individuals and congregations involved with ministries that can be replicated in your congregation and community and are focused on one or more of the Go First! areas of Life Together, Soul Care, Intentional Outreach, or Collaboration. Plan now to spend time with your brothers and sisters in the body of Christ - learning, growing, and being encouraged in your life of service and your ongoing efforts to reach out all for the sake of the Kingdom.
Get the Whova App!
We’re getting ready for you!
Participants in last year’s Go First! Ministry Conference loved using the Whova app, so we’re offering it again this year!
THE WHOVA APP WILL BE OFFICIALLY OPENED AND AVAILABLE TO YOU IN EARLY JULY. We’re so excited for you to attend the conference that we’re providing the download and instructions on how to use the app now - you just won’t be able to see the Go First! Ministry Conference as an event until early July. When it opens, the event will be listed and you’ll have all the benefits of registering, viewing the speakers, making a personal agenda, seeing announcements, and networking with others.
Until then, if you would like to register early for the Go First! Ministry Conference, you may use this link.
Get our official event app,
Get the most out of the app and have a more productive experience!
1
NAVIGATE the event agenda and logistics, even without Wi-Fi or data. Access useful information like ridesharing and local attractions through the Community Board
2
NETWORK effectively. Plan whom to meet by exploring attendee profiles and sending out messages
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PARTICIPATE in event activities through session likes, comments, ratings, live polling, tweeting, and more
The Go First! Ministry Conference will be published as an event on the Whova app in early July. You may still download the app using one of the methods above. You can also become familiar with its features by reading the User Guide or watching the video below. You’ll be all set to go when the Go First! Ministry Conference goes live on the app!
Watch the whova User guide
Are you a visual learner? You can watch this video to see all the features on the Whova app!
Whova Attendee User Guide
Not sure how to use the app? Do you like to follow written instructions? The Whova Attendee User Guide page takes you through the steps for a mobile app or a web portal:
Signing in to Whova
Viewing the Agenda & Planning Your Schedule
See who is Attending the Event
Using the Community Board
Plan to Meet other Participants
register with a link
Not comfortable with an app? You can register by using THIS REGISTRATION LINK! We’ll see you at the Go First! Ministry Conference!
Taking Care of the Twin Cities (TC)2
Here is your chance to Go First! As many of you already know September 26-27 are the dates of our MNS District Go First! Ministry Conference. This year the congregations of the SW Metro Circuit are joining together to host this event. Redemption Lutheran Church will be the site of the conference, but congregations from Bloomington, Edina, and Prior Lake will be working together to make this a truly special event.
In preparation for the September Conference Cross View Lutheran Church in Edina is coordinating a servant event titled Taking Care of the Twin Cities (TC)2 . For more than seven years Cross View has invited its own members and guests from other congregations to join together for a day of service to the surrounding communities. This year a primary focus of (TC)2 will be focused on assisting Redemption Lutheran Church to prepare its site for the Go First! Ministry Conference. And you are invited to be part of the fun!
Sunday August 24 is the date of the event. Opening Worship and lunch will be provided at both Cross View in Edina and at Redemption in Bloomington. Then from 12:30 – 5:00 teams of volunteers will work together to get Redemption’s building ready to host the big event. There will be opportunities for all interests and skill levels from painting to cleaning, from washing to gardening. people from all across the SE Metro circuit and beyond are invited!
After all the work is done we will share a picnic meal together along with a closing devotion. This is your opportunity to get to know brothers and sisters from other congregations as you work together to host people from all across the MNS District. The event is open to all ages. Youth who are entering 9th grade and older may register without an adult while younger volunteers must register with an adult. Lunch and dinner are provided.
If you register by July 20th you will receive a (TC)2 tee shirt, but you must register by August 17th. More information about this one-day service event can be found HERE!
We look forward to seeing you on August 24 at together we Go First! – for the Go First! Ministry Conference!
Agenda
Submit a Session Proposal!
When you think of Go First! what do you see? Do you see yourself or your congregation leading others in a break-out session exploring a ministry that your congregation has found to be very helpful? Maybe you have discovered a resource for caring for others, an approach to children’s ministry, or a strategy for outreach to your community that you could share with others. You have the opportunity to encourage others through your insights and experience.
Click here to submit your Go First! Ministry Conference Session Proposal!
We had a great time at the go first! ministry conference in 2024!
look at these photos!!
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Go First!
LIFE TOGETHER
Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, the Holy Christian Church is bound together in a community of faith and love expressed in word and deed. Our life together acknowledges both the guilt and the shame of sin, where we sin and are sinned against. But the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. Life together centers upon the remission of sins won by Jesus and delivered to us through word and sacrament worship. Together we are discipled and then dispersed out into our daily vocations to serve our neighbor, love the Lord, encourage one another, and give witness to His mercy.
COLLABORATION
Christ has called us to be united as the body of Christ. We desire to complete each other rather than compete against each other. Collaboration, networking, and sharing allow us to more effectively unleash the potential of our congregations in the name of Jesus. Therefore we look for ways to engage with one another, to celebrate with one another, and to cooperate with one another for the good of God’s people, the growth of His kingdom, and the glory of Christ.
SOUL CARE
Throughout His ministry Jesus looked upon people with great compassion. He came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. He cares for the hurting, loves the brokenhearted, and cleanses sin-ridden souls. By His shed blood, He removes guilt, puts away shame, and gives hope to lost and wounded souls. Therefore, the soul care we give is rooted in how our Lord Jesus Christ “Goes First!” to care for our souls to bring healing and forgiveness through His Word and sacrament.
OUTREACH
Christ has called us to be light bearers and hope mongers in a broken and dysfunctional world. Through the daily vocations of life, we stand ready to reach out with the hope of Christ. Many long for a compassionate word, a welcoming smile, or a kind gesture. Extending the love of Christ in word and deed is a welcome relief for hurting and wondering souls. We extend the love of Christ to both the lost and the found, championing His sacrifice on Calvary for the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Introducing the “Go First!” Initiative
History shows that culture changing movements are often led by those willing to go first. That, of course, was the foundation of the New Testament Church. It was made up of those who were willing to go first. However, they were simply the first to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself was always ready to go first. Read more…
Understanding the “Go!” in “Go First!”
It’s based upon the Gospel joy that since Jesus goes first to the cross to win for us forgiveness, life, and salvation, we can trust Him. And because we trust Him, He inspires us to go first and inspire others in His name. To help us see how we can go first, look at when and where Jesus says “go.” Read more…
Go First! Life Together
Jesus calls Christians into a community of life together. That community is a part of the Holy Christian Church that we confess in the Apostles’ Creed. At the core of this life together is the message of the justification of humankind through the shed blood of Jesus. The local expression of this life together is most often seen by believers gathering for weekly worship with their congregation. The marks of these gatherings are the clear teaching and preaching of the Word of God and the faithful administration of the sacraments. Read more…
Go First! Soul Care
There are so many hurting and lost souls who need the compassion and healing of our Lord Jesus Christ. As Jesus went first for you, you are free to go first to care for the hurting and souls of this world—those who are “lost” as well as those already “found.” All souls are precious to our Lord. Read more…
Go First! Outreach
The Christian Church often talks about the importance of outreach. But what does outreach mean?
Intentional outreach is one of the four tenets of the MN South District Go First initiative. It’s acting upon the conviction that Christ has called us to be light bearers and hope mongers in a broken and dysfunctional world. Read more…
Go First! Collaboration
We live at a time when technology makes networking and collaborating easier than ever. Social media, instant messaging, email, and video chat makes planning for things like community outreach events, youth groups, or church meetings timelier and more efficient. Of course, technology is no replacement for incarnate ministry. Our Lord’s own incarnation teaches us that. But it does aid us in our incarnate ministry. Read more…
Go First! Christian Civic Responsibility
In a society that continues to propose and pass laws meant to implement immoral and unbiblical public policy, what is our responsibility as Christians? Read more…
Go First! With Resurrection Confidence
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” (Luke 24:5b-7)
“Remember how he told you…” That’s what the angel invites us to do. Easter celebrates how Jesus triumphantly went from death to life. Easter revels in His relentless love, His glorious victory, and His resurrection power. Easter invites us to scream from the rooftops, Alleluia, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia! Read more…
The Church Goes First:
By Word and Spirit
In a cultural context like ours, seemingly intent on spiritual suicide, intentionally deconstructing and dismantling human identity and purpose, it’s essential we keep our bearings. Doing so means we must stand upon the truth of God’s Word and rest in the power of His Holy Spirit. They are what allow us to confidently and boldly go first, speaking truth and acting in love. Read more…
Go First! Stand Firm
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved (Phil. 3:20-4:1).
Paul exhorts the Philippians to stand firm in the face of an unbelieving and deceiving world. He reminds them of their heavenly citizenship, while also championing the power of the one who fights for them—Jesus Christ—noting that He will one day change their mortal bodies into resurrected glorious bodies like His. It is the essence of Christian confidence still today. Read more…