Episcopal bishop gets a round of sendoffs

The Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota is throwing a series of parties for Bishop James Jelinek, who is retiring after serving in the post since 1993. That's twice the average tenure for a bishop, so he's probably entitled to more than one celebration.

The first two are this weekend. At 3 p.m. Saturday, there's a gathering at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 408 N. 7th St., Brainerd. At 3 p.m. Sunday, there will be a program followed by a reception at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church, 60 Kent St., St. Paul. The appreciation tour wraps up at 3 p.m. Jan. 24 at St. John's Episcopal Church, 302 Warren St., Mankato.

The new bishop, the Rev. Brian Prior, will be installed Feb. 13 in a service at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Teaching by doing Augsburg College in Minneapolis landed a prized recruit this week. No, it's not a hot-shot quarterback; it's a hot-shot educator.

Martha Stortz is leaving a prestigious -- and much warmer -- post in Berkeley, Calif., where she has taught at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and Graduate Theological Union for 25 years, to take the college's Bernhard M. Christensen Chair in Religion and Vocation.

"Marty will be a role model for our students of how a life of the mind and a life of faithful service in the world are linked," Augsburg President Paul Pribbenow said. "She has a distinguished record of teaching and scholarship, and she also serves on nonprofit boards, is active in her church and has traveled across the world. She lives in the way we hope our students will live."

She'll start her new job July 1, but she knows all about what awaits her next winter. She got her bachelor's degree at Carleton College in Northfield, Minn.

Pack it up Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie is set to pack a million meals to send to Mozambique, and they could use help. A lot of help. To meet their deadline, they're going to need 200 volunteers per two-hour shift.

The packing operation will move around, starting this weekend at the Luther Hopkins car dealership. The rest of the schedule: Jan. 23 at Cornelia Elementary School in Edina, Jan. 24 at Eden Prairie High School and Jan. 31 at the church, 6630 Shady Oak Rd., Eden Prairie. Volunteers can log on to www.wooddale.org and click on the Hunger Initiative icon.

He scores! Gospel singer Tom Tipton called this week, bubbling with excitement over some news. Going back on a crusade with Billy Graham? No, he said. Returning to TV's "Hour of Power"? Not that, either.

We give up then. "I've been invited to sing the national anthem at the Vikings playoff game on Sunday," he said, sounding a lot more like a 5-year-old on Christmas morning than a 77-year-old who has performed all over the world. "I've sung the anthem at many regular-season games, but this is the first time I've gotten the call for a playoff game."

We're not sure how the Vikings will do, but we can guarantee that Tipton is going to bring his "A" game.

Jeff Strickler • 612-673-7392