Synod staff shared ministry through preaching and participation in worship across the conference for Sunday services. The following are reflections from staff in their time with congregations during the Border Retreat.

Yvonne Wilken (Trinity Lutheran Church, Las Cruces, NM): I was surprised at how many people there were in worship. Mostly elderly folks but a handful of younger families and children. They were very welcoming to a new family that was visiting for the first time that Sunday. After worship the new council president came up to me and said he really liked the sermon and that he was going to quote me in the council meeting that was taking place after worship. To help the congregation let go of old ideas that the "syond" (meaning the OOB) doesn't care or is not helpful.

Pastor Chris Davis (Saint Timothy Lutheran Church, El Paso, Texas): For a small community, Saint Timothy has a lot going on. Many of the people I met in worship are teachers or administrators in education. They know how to connect with people, and they know how to make things happen when resources get tight. One particular conversation revealed a member's hidden gifts of building sets in well known theaters. We talked about ways those gifts could be used to create community supported worship experiences. A conversation with the pastor also revealed this congregation's love of developing leaders. One particular moment that seemed to be a microcosm of the ministry there was when the choir sang. I counted a total of 10 people, but their sound was anything be feeble. They clearly enjoyed singing together, and their music was a reminder that you don't have to be large to do great things. One prayer I heard was for the burgeoning partnerships Saint Timothy has with area congregations. Some leaders expressed hope that these partnerships would strengthen the ministries of each congregation.

Pastor Sara Wirth (Peace Lutheran Church, El Paso, TX): The congregation was in the midst of a difficult decision to sell the property where their preschool resided. The preschool is working to become its own non-profit and to either relocate or purchase the current property. I heard people showing up for conversation willing to listen to each other, find ways to communicate better moving forward and support one another. I witnessed a father celebrating the musical accomplishments of his High School aged son and sharing ways the congregation could continue supporting him--and then doing just that! My prayer is that they continue being a caring community in the midst of disagreements.

Bishop Meghan Aelabouni (New Hope Lutheran Church, El Paso, TX): Members of the congregation talked about welcoming new people and a desire to be church for the community. New Hope is nurturing a TEEM candidate, Vicar Thania Drake, and has some strong and energized lay leadership. The drive-through food pantry next door, Katie's Pantry, was started by the former pastor and is still supported by the congregation -- it is a vital part of feeding neighbors in Jesus' name. At the end of worship, the children in the congregation were invited by name to come push a shopping cart of donated food to the front of the sanctuary to be blessed. My prayers for New Hope Lutheran are that they continue being a caring community in the midst of disagreements.

Pastor Diana Linden (Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Alamogordo, NM): I noticed life in Christ being lived out in an intergenerational gathering for worship with lay and rostered leadership. At the end of worship, the children in the congregation were invited by name to come push a shopping cart of donated food to the front of the sanctuary to be blessed. New Hope used to have two services -- contemporary and traditional. Now, a single service attempts to combine the two styles. I heard a need for the community to discern the purpose of worship and find some more common ground about worship styles.

Deacon Mary Stoneback (St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Roswell, NM): I had the joy of sharing the weekend with Pastor Larry Sydow, his wife Sue, and members of St. Mark’s. Arriving a day early, I was able to take in some of the sights and sounds of Roswell, including a visit to the Roswell UFO Museum and the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art. Alongside the rows of pecan trees and the warm hospitality of the congregation, I left grateful for new friends made.

During my visit, I met members who have been part of St. Mark’s for years, as well as others who are just beginning to make it their church home. What was abundantly clear was how deeply they care for one another and for their neighbors. Situated downtown, the church is surrounded by businesses, gas stations, restaurants, and shopping centers. This location is something they hold prayerfully as they continue looking for ways to welcome the wider Roswell community, including through their annual pumpkin patch. Each year, about a thousand pumpkins come and go from their yard, making it a meaningful outreach the congregation looks forward to year after year.

The Sunday I attended worship, the congregation blessed new leaders serving on council. When I asked one member why she said yes to serving, she simply remarked, “It was my turn.” That spirit of service, of doing what needs to be done so ministry can happen, was special to see in action.

My prayer is that those already connected to St. Mark’s, and those not yet connected, will continue to dig in, serve their neighbors, and be the hands and feet of God in Roswell.

Deacon Mary Stoneback (Trinity Lutheran Church, Hobbs, NM): Shortly after the February Synod Staff Gathering at the Border, I was able to share in some time during Lent with Pastor Stephen Helmreich and the members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Hobbs, NM. I was grateful for time in Hobbs, New Mexico, with Pastor Stephen and the people of Trinity Lutheran Church. Over coffee, lunch, and soup suppers, I had the gift of meaningful conversation with members who were preparing for their first Synod Assembly and others who had attended many times before. We talked about life, faith, and what first drew them to be part of Trinity.

Trinity is a close-knit community, with many members connected through family, friendship, and years of shared life together. I also heard and experienced how the congregation is discerning what it means to be a smaller downtown church, especially as they welcome neighbors who live on the streets and struggle each day to find the basics. One member shared that when guests come to eat, they are asked to stay for the service. “You never know what they’ll hear,” the member said. “We hope they hear Jesus—and we love them.”

That spirit stayed with me as I shared a message from John’s Gospel about Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. Sitting to my left were three individuals from the community. When I asked what they noticed in the image of Jesus washing feet, one answered, “I want to be like the one getting his feet washed.”

It was a holy reminder that ministry is not only about serving others. Sometimes it is about creating space where people can receive love, dignity, and grace. In Hobbs, I saw a congregation seeking to be faithful in the heart of its community—listening, welcoming, feeding, worshiping, and hoping that all who come through the doors might hear Jesus.