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When I was in seminary, I worked at a big church in the Twin Cities. It wasn’t just a great place to learn about ministry—it was a place where I got to see how it’s done in real life. It was the perfect complement to all the stuff I was learning in class.

Recently, the ºÚÁÏÀúÊ· Church Planter Assessment Center took place in ºÚÁÏÀúÊ· North Central, hosted by Renovation Church in Blaine, MN. Nine couples from all over the U.S. (including four from CNC) came together for a jam-packed four-day event with trained assessors. During this time, they got to preach, share their visions, work in team settings, and meet with counselors and assessors. This assessment gives a personalized and thorough look at a candidate's readiness to plant a church successfully.

Contact: Jonathan Wicklund, 651.278.8077, jWicklund@TroutCamps.org Thursday, June 20, 2024 - ºÚÁÏÀúÊ· North Central has received a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. The purpose of the grant is: (1) provide financial education for pastors (2) provide personal financial plans through a 3rd party firm (3) when needed, provide money for their individual retirement plans. This grant will be implemented in partnership with the financial stewardship department of CNC, the lead pastor, and their local church board.

All three of my kids and their spouses run. I mean, they do it for fun. No one’s making them do it. I have no idea where they got the idea that running outside year-round in Minnesota is enjoyable. They certainly didn’t get it from me. They all started after they moved out. But they’re into it. They do 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, and full marathons. They’ve done races in Fargo, Grandma’s, the Twin Cities, New York, and even Boston. Me? I don’t run. I walk.

I've been reflecting lately on the idea of legacy. We often think of legacy as passing down influence and resources to the next generation. But it's also about the qualities and values that define us. It's what we hope people will say about us at our memorial service or how they'd sum up our time on earth.