a word from the bishop...

“Welcome to Pasque! I am glad you found your way here. Take a look around, spend some time in the available spaces, and engage in conversation with others from the South Dakota Synod. Like our state flower, Pasque is a community unique to the South Dakota Synod. You are invited to shape it along with God's people from across the state. My hope is that, through Pasque, community across the synod forms and networks are fostered and sustained. We pray that courage, capacity, and confidence for leadership and learning take root and develop into something beautiful for God's people across the state. Together we are church! Welcome to Pasque! I am glad to be here with you. ”

Rev. Constanze Hagmaier, Bishop of the South Dakota Synod

Why the Pasque?

You know the pasque--that sturdy little bloom that is first to dot the prairies with color each spring. The pasque is the state flower of South Dakota, perhaps because she is a lot like us: resilient, courageous, and tough-as-nails. But the pasque is more than just tough--she is perennial. You can count on the pasque to show up, no matter how long or dark or cold the winter. The pasqueflower blooms in April, around Eastertime. It is known as the "anemone of Passiontide." Its name is derived from the word "paschal" meaning "of Easter." We are Easter people just like our state flower is an Easter flower. We rise up from long, cold, dark winters and turn our faces toward the sun. Open-hearted, filled with hope and ready to grow. South Dakotans know that every winter melts away, and every spring is a fresh start.
pasque with ice droplets

South Dakota Landscapes and Wildlife Photography

Site images by Leith Sandness

Leith Sandness, artist statement: "I am a nature photographer and enthusiast from Belle Fourche, SD. The outdoors has always been my happy place. It started with my dad and brother taking me whitetail hunting when I was around 6 or 7. When I was 11, I started stealing my sister's camera and chasing after any wildlife I could find in our neighborhood. Since then, capturing the beauty of the natural world has been my greatest joy. And when I don't have a camera in my hands, I'm either in a treestand, bowhunting Whitetails or chasing turkeys with my shotgun. Nature and conservation will always be my biggest passions. I am currently attending Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD with plans to go into some sort of natural science field."
tree on open field with boy and dog nearby.