The Blue Earth Earth River Conference of the ELCA held its Spring Event April 14 at the Ascension Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. Concordia-Pickeral Lake Church co-hosted the event.

There were 92 guests in attendance. The theme of the event was “Woven Together Through Christ.” The day began at 8:30 a.m. with registration, coffee and fellowship. At 9 a.m. Jan Jerdee, BERC convener called the meeting to order. A devotion was shared by the Rev. Mark Boorsma. A welcome and history of the Ascension Lutheran church was presented by Caroline Sorenson. The song leader was Rebekah Sousa and the pianist was Brenda Blanshan.

Temple talks were presented by Minnie Dunbar with a report of the Triennial Convention and Campus Ministries, Mankato, by the Rev. Tammy Dahlvang.

Esther Ziemer set the tone for the program with thoughts and ideas about weaving that she presented through out the morning with Lois Anderson, Margaret Larson, Carol Purdy and Andrea Groskreutz weaving the names of each of the churches in the conference into a tapestry. All the while she stressed the importance of each parish working together for the strength of the conference. Anderson read a poem entitled “The Weaver.”

The Rev. Marggi Pleiss-Sippola gave an inspiring talk entitled “Weaving It Altogether With Gratitude.” She is an interim pastor at Little Cedar/Marshall Churches in Adams and lives in Northfield.

After the business meeting, the 2012-13 officers were installed by Janet Peterson and Donna Peterson, synod representatives: Convener: Jan Jerdee, Secretary: Andrea Groskreutz, Publicity: Alice Goemann, Members at large: Carol Purdy, Genie Hanson, Nominating committee: Minnie Dunbar, Lois Anderson, Joanne Wertjes and Lorraine Jacobson.

Next year’s event will be held at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Kiester with Trinity Lutheran, rural Kiester assisting.