Each congregation is asked to designate one Sunday to highlight the United Lutheran Appeal (ULA) and make materials available to parishioners. In the current economic environment, your support of the appeal is very important to the 13 Lutheran-affiliated organizations participating in this once-a-year appeal. Your congregation can conduct the appeal in February or select an alternative date. Brochures, contribution envelopes and other resources will be delivered to your congregation soon. Contact Denise Wasemann, ULA coordinator, at denisewasemann@verizon.net to arrange for a speaker, display board or sermon props. Learn more about ULA at http://www.uladc.org. 

 

 The synod's annual Companion Synod Sunday falls on January 31. In 2010, we will recognize our brothers and sisters in Christ from Namibia through prayer, song and message. The synod's Namibia Companion Synod Task Force can arrange for a guest speaker by contacting the Rev. Lowell Knauff at umpyk@aol.com or 703-978-8999. Country information, including recipe ideas, can be found on the ELCA Web site.  EXTRAS

 

All Lutherans and their friends are invited to luncheon meetings of Lutheran Lay Fellowship. The Rev. Jessicah L. K. Duckworth, Assistant Professor of Christian Formation and Teaching, Wesley Theological Seminary, will make a presentation titled "The Way of Faith" on Thu. Feb. 4. The Rev. Dr. Roy Enquist will discuss his new book, "The Courage to Believe," on Thu. March 4. Meetings run from noon-2 p.m. at St. Luke Lutheran in Silver Spring. Reserve a $9 lunch (payable at the door) no later than 5 p.m. on the Tuesday prior to the event by contacting Vicki Porter at Vicki.porter@longandfoster.com or 301-229-9884.

 

The Lutheran Office of Public Policy - Maryland (LOPP/MD) is sponsoring a Faith Night in Annapolis on Monday, February 22 at 5:30 p.m. This time of education and advocacy comes at a lively point in the General Assembly session. Details are forthcoming. "Please join us as we lift our voices in faithful commitment to the common good," said the Rev. Lee Hudson, director, LOPP/MD. 

A program on "Innocence and the Death Penalty" will be held at Epiphany Lutheran in Alexandria on Thursday, February 25 from 7-9:00 p.m. Shujaa Graham, a death row exonoree, will be the keynote speaker. Terri Steinberg, whose son is on death row, will also address participants. Beth Panilaitis from Virginians for Alternatives for the Death Penalty will provide an update on death penalty legislation in the Virginia General Assembly. Time for questions and conversation will follow. This event is sponsored by Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. Contact Herb Puscheck, Epiphany member, for more information at 703-768-2380.  EXTRAS 

 

 Shekinah 2010, a weekend for 7th and 8th grade youth sponsored by the synod's youth ministry team, will be held on March 19-21 at the 4H Center in Front Royal, Virginia. The theme this year is "Gear Up Game On." Using Ephesians 6:10-18, we will look at what we need and how we go about preparing ourselves to live a faithful and faith-filled life. Adults attending must have a Background Check on file with the synod office. Cost is $40. Registration deadline is February 15. Find a flyer and registration forms at http://metrodc.youthgroupstuff.com.

 

Register for summer camp at Mar-Lu-Ridge in Jefferson, Md., by January 31 and receive a $35 discount. Offerings include the new "Back to Basics Camp" as well as "Day Camp on the Mountain" and others. Find full camp listings at http://www.mar-lu-ridge.org.

 

In Canton, Md., near Baltimore, a "Town Hall on Health Care Reform" will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 7. Messiah Lutheran Church, the congregation pastored by the Rev. Lee Hudson, director, Lutheran Office of Public Policy - Maryland (LOPP/MD), is hosting the forum featuring Vinny DeMarco, Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative, and Marie Grant, Policy Analyst, Maryland General Assembly. Learn more by contacting messiahodsq@gmail.com or call 410-342-4543.  EXTRAS 

 

A Stephen Ministry Workshop will be held on Saturday, March 6 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. at St. Luke Lutheran in Silver Spring. Cost is $15/person or $50/congregation (4 or more attendees). Register at www.stephenministry.org/workshop.  EXTRAS

 

TEY Youth Experiences Taking Nominations 

Try Theological Education with Youth (TEY) is a creative initiative of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg and The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. Among TEY's highly regarded programs is the Crossroads Event (July 31-August 7) (see http://tey.easterncluster.org/crossroads.htm) for students who are now 9th or 10th graders and the Summer Theological Academy (July 10-July 24 at Susquehanna University) (see http://tey.easterncluster.org/summer_theological_academy.htm) for students who are now in the 10th or 11th grade. The nomination process for both events runs until May 1st. The application process ends June 1st. TEY is a ministry which is lifting up passionate leaders now, encouraging youth who may greatly benefit and grow from an experience of in-depth and challenging theological discovery. Nomination form and introductory letter are available from the synod Web site or can be filled out online from http://tey.easterncluster.org/index.html.  EXTRAS 

 

Try Join the movement that is transforming Super Bowl weekend into the nation's largest youth-led weekend of giving and serving. Souper Bowl of Caring can be marked by positioning youth groups after worship on the day of the big game, February 7, to collect donations of money and/or food. Collections are donated to the recipient of each group's choice. Learn more from the ELCA World Hunger Web site or http://www.souperbowl.org. Ideas and publicity materials are available.

"Inch by Inch: Growing a Green Congregation" is a one-day Leadership Conference event at Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago (LSTC) on Tuesday, February 9. The new registration fee is $85. The Rev. Dr. David Rhoads, professor of New Testament at LSTC, is the keynote speaker. Four workshops will be held, including "Greening your Congregation," "Earthbound," "How to Talk with Lutheran Congregations without Sounding like a Pagan: Joseph Sittler on Ecology and Theological Language," and "The Church on Earth: Worship and Ecology." For more information, visit http://www.lstc.edu/leadership/10/index.html or contact Laura Wilhelm at 773-256-0741.

 

Tuesdays Together in the Spirit are brief, weekly teleconference reflections hosted by Lutheran Services in America. The teleconferences will be held at 11:30 am ET on February 23 and March 2, 9, 16 and 23. Find devotion texts and teleconference instructions at http://www.lutheranservices.org/lsaTogether_jan10_feature3.

 

SELECT is a program of continuing theological education videos and online courses designed for individuals and small groups. SELECT is sponsored by the Vocation and Education unit of the ELCA, working in cooperation with the seminaries of the ELCA. Online course offerings for Winter 2010 include: Introduction to the Old Testament; Lutheran Heritage; Systematic Theology: Fundamentals of Christian Theology; Evangelization and Lutheran Worship; Sent to Preach; and Teaching the Bible, Hosting the Conversation. Video selections, such as "Luther's Legacy for Laity," can be found at http://www.selectlearning.org.

 

Luther Seminary has introduced a dual degree program that offers students a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy and a Master of Arts in Theology. The program was developed in conjunction with Saint Mary's University to respond to the growing demand for counselors with a theological and psychological foundation. Students interested in financial aid and grants are encouraged to apply by March 1. Learn more from http://www.luthersem.edu or http://www.smumn.edu/mft.

 

 Bishop Graham will participate in a "Worship Service for World Prayer for Christian Unity" on Monday, January 25 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Thomas Moore in Arlington. A new full-color flyer is available. Observance of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity gives Christians an annual opportunity to continue their quest for the unity they already share in Christ. It is also a time to gather in praise of the Triune God and to deepen the understanding of the ecumenical movement. The theme for the annual celebration in 2010 is "You Are Witnesses of These Things," taken from Luke 24:48, as announced by the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.  EXTRAS

 

Extravaganza is the premier youth and family ministry continuing education and networking event for congregations of the ELCA. It will be held from Feb. 5-8 at the Westin Hotel in downtown Charlotte, North Carolina. Preceding the main event will be Intensive Care Courses on particular aspects of children, youth and family ministry, on February 4-5. The theme is "Irresistible," and between 500-600 professionals and volunteers who work with young people in ELCA congregations are expected. Registration before Jan. 1 costs $239 for ELCA Youth Ministry Network Members; $460 for non-members (reductions for students). Find more information at http://www.elcaymnet.org/extravaganza.

 

A 2010 Women's Day of Rest, Refreshment, and Renewal is being offered for the fourth time by the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia on Saturday, February 6 from 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. The "holy time" is designed for rest, prayer, creating, or even a nap if that's what's desired. Cost is $40/person including refreshments and lunch. Find a full brochure and offerings from professionals in fields such as "Creation and Genetics," "Creative Gardening," and "Improvisational Theology: Understanding Jazz, Gospel and Blues" at http://ltsp.edu/restrefresh.

 

 February 15 is the deadline for annual reporting by congregations and rostered leaders of the ELCA. A link to the required forms for reporting is now found on the synod's Web site from the "For Congregations" tab. Forms A & C are Annual Congregation Reports submitting each congregation's statistics. Form B shares contact info for those serving in congregational leadership positions. The Rostered Leader's Report shares news of the year from clergy, AIMs, Diaconal Ministers and Deaconesses with the synod's bishop.

 

Youth in Mission (YIM) programs of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) are designed for youth who want to learn about God, themselves and ways they can use their gifts in service to others. Application deadline is Feb. 17 for YIM's next "Serving Christ in the World" program, held June 13-July 3 and including two weeks in Chicago (including an immigrant community immersion) and one week in Mexico, designed for current high school sophomores and juniors. Learn more at http://www.lstc.edu/yim. 
High school youth groups connect with the seminary and Chicago service organizations through YIM's "Beyond Belief" program. Low cost housing and service project contacts are available to youth leaders to help design a week's experience. More information available at http://www.lstc.edu/yim or call 800-635-1116, ext. 725.

 

March 1 is the deadline for submissions to the Lutheran Church History Contest of the Lutheran Historical Society of the Mid-Atlantic (LHSMA). Winners will be chosen from the Middle and High School Youth categories. DVD/PowerPoint presentations of 15-20 minutes with an accompanying script can be submitted with the title of "My Congregation's Story" or "My Congregation's Youth Ministry Story." First place brings a $125 award and the opportunity to present the project at the LHSMA Spring Program on April 20; second place - $75; third place - $50. See http://www.lhsmidatlantic.org for contest rules and application forms, and publicize with the flyer available from the synod Web site. Contact the Rev. Stephen Herr with questions at pastor@christgettysburg.org.  EXTRAS

 

As youth ministry has grown and professionalized, a hunger has been growing among youth workers for more robust theology. This discussion is highlighted at "First Third Dialogues" at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., on March 1-3. Keynote speakers are Dr. Kendra Dean, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Dr. Andrew Root, Luther Seminary. Learn more at http://firstthird.org.

 

'Lost and Found' in Concert will come to Mar-Lu-Ridge Chapel in Jefferson, Md., on Thu. March 4. Tickets are $10; space is limited. Sarah Lefler, Director of Operations, Mar-Lu-Ridge, writes, "We encourage youth groups to hold a fundraiser prior to the concert - our goal is to raise enough money to purchase at least one new furnace (approximately $2,500)." To purchase tickets or ask a question, contact Sarah or Andrew at 800-238-9974 or sarah@mar-lu-ridge.org.

 

The annual Association of Lutheran Older Adults (ALOA) Arizona Lutherhostel will be held at the beautiful Redemptorist Renewal Center, located in the Sonoran desert overlooking mountains near Tucson on March 8-12. Lutherhostels are designed as residential learning experiences with time for rest, renewal and inspiration. The Rev. Richard Z. Meyer, keynote speaker, will explore the theme: "Under the Shadow of God's Wings in the Psalms." Cost is $560/person (double occupancy) including meals and program. Learn more from ALOA at aloa4u@sbcglobal.net or 800-930-ALOA (2562).

 

Region 7 is stretching its borders and inviting Metro D.C. Synod youth to their exciting ELCA Northeast Region Youth Gathering 2010 - "Listen to Jesus." Registration opens Feb. 1 for the event scheduled for July 22-25 at West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Youth 14 or older (or having completed 8th through 12th grade by June 2010) and adult leaders are invited to a time of Bible study, servant events, music, speakers and more. The gathering is modeled on the ELCA gathering model, and 500+ participants are anticipated. Cost is $325 before May 1, which includes food, lodging and program. Learn more at http://www.youthgathering2010.org.  EXTRAS 

 

None to announce at this time.

 

 = planned by the Metro D.C. Synod

 = follow link to flyer available for distribution

Questions or comments? Submissions? Contact the editor or call the synod office at 202-822-1901.