Midwinter Power in the Spirit launched for the first time last week as a fully online event featuring a full week of prayer, study, worship, and conversation. Running from Sunday, January 31 to Thursday, February 4, 2021, the winter event’s theme centered on the illuminating festival of Candlemas. The keynote presenter was The Rev. Dr. Dave Delaney, Director for Youth and Young Adult Ministries of the Virginia Synod.
The full week event kicked off each morning with emailed daily devotions that exploring Candlemas through scripture and readings, art and poetry, video messages from Pastors across the Virginia Synod, and zentangle and coloring activities. There was no cost to register for the weeklong event, but there was a suggested donation for the ELCA Good Gifts program. Over $2,700 was raised by the Power in the Spirt community, which will go towards purchasing at least two family farms, plus some assorted livestock for people around the world.
Break out workshops were offered for three evenings during the five-night event. The workshops covered a wide range of topics including lay preaching, our global companion synod in Papua New Guinea, stewardship sharing, bible study, and more. Workshop leaders included Pastor Michael Church, Pastor Kelly Bayer Derrick, Pastor Colleen Montgomery, Pastor Terrie Sternberg, Pastor John Wertz, Jr., the Rev. Dr. Paul Hinlicky, the Rev. Dave Gunderlach, Pastor Jeniffer Tillman, and Phyllis Cox.
Worship services were hosted following each workshop, with worship led by several Virginia Synod congregations. The services were coordinated by Pastor David Derrick, featuring worship leaders from across the synod: Pastor Laura Swanson, Pastor Sonya Williams-Giersch, Pastor John Ericson, and Pastor Alex Zuber.
All of the workshops and worship services were recorded and can be viewed on the Virginia Synod YouTube channel. You can also revisit all of the daily devotionals and presentation materials that were shared during workshops at the Power in the Spirit page on the Virginia Synod website.
It was a full and illuminating week gathering in a new way to explore Candlemas from different angles. We give thanks to God for being able to still gather as a community together in new and exciting ways.
