Background of 2013 Trip
One alone, two, four, twenty - all those numbers work to travel to the same parish. What is important is that your companion parish states this in their invitation.
Also traveling in a large group to the Western Diocese makes the traveling easier and all can benefit from the orientation together. The Lakeview Airport Lodge is a great place to gather people arriving on different flights, recover from the flight, and receive a couple days of orientation. From there it is only a two-hour ride to the Western Diocese Centre to greet the Bishop and then be picked up by the various circuits to head off to our individual companion parishes.
The 2013 trip began from plans that Grace, Tomahawk began forming for a visit to their companion, Lekubu Parish. Bishop Justman encouraged and supported Grace to make this trip with its emphasis on accompaniment available to anyone in the East Central Synod of Wisconsin.
Grace and Lekubu have experienced a variety of trip styles: Traveling in a group of four to Lekubu was excellent for a first visit in 2006. A group of twelve from the Wisconsin River Valley Conference traveled together in 2010 to the Madikwe Circuit and then divided up to go to their matched Parishes. Pastor Mark Ziemer did a nine-week sabbatical in Lekubu Parish as part of that trip in 2010. In 2012, sixty-five people came from the Madikwe Circuit to visit the Wisconsin River Valley Conference - the largest companion visit to an ELCA synod.
In 2013, twenty-two people from Grace visited Lekubu Parish - so many visiting one parish is possible. On the other hand several on the 2013 visit went alone to visit their companion synod, and Pastor Karla Kirkeby visited all parishes in the Moretele Circuit.
Also traveling in a large group to the Western Diocese makes the traveling easier and all can benefit from the orientation together. The Lakeview Airport Lodge is a great place to gather people arriving on different flights, recover from the flight, and receive a couple days of orientation. From there it is only a two-hour ride to the Western Diocese Centre to greet the Bishop and then be picked up by the various circuits to head off to our individual companion parishes.
The 2013 trip began from plans that Grace, Tomahawk began forming for a visit to their companion, Lekubu Parish. Bishop Justman encouraged and supported Grace to make this trip with its emphasis on accompaniment available to anyone in the East Central Synod of Wisconsin.
Grace and Lekubu have experienced a variety of trip styles: Traveling in a group of four to Lekubu was excellent for a first visit in 2006. A group of twelve from the Wisconsin River Valley Conference traveled together in 2010 to the Madikwe Circuit and then divided up to go to their matched Parishes. Pastor Mark Ziemer did a nine-week sabbatical in Lekubu Parish as part of that trip in 2010. In 2012, sixty-five people came from the Madikwe Circuit to visit the Wisconsin River Valley Conference - the largest companion visit to an ELCA synod.
In 2013, twenty-two people from Grace visited Lekubu Parish - so many visiting one parish is possible. On the other hand several on the 2013 visit went alone to visit their companion synod, and Pastor Karla Kirkeby visited all parishes in the Moretele Circuit.
