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In This Issue
Faith Alive!
Ski Weekends at Lutheridge & Lutherock
Still time to save money
50 Days of Prayer
Installation of Pastor Larry Richardson
Times They Are A-changin'
Upcoming Events
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Issue: # 182 July/2009
Faith Alive!
Faith Alive Lutheridge Confirmation Camp
June 7-12, 2009
 
Several members of the Southeastern Synod staff left Synod Assembly in Atlanta on June 7, and headed straight for Lutheridge in Arden, NC.   There they greeted 70 youth from the synod, ages from 12-19, for a week of "Summer Faith Alive! Confirmation Camp."  A brand-new program for Lutheridge, this week was especially designed to reach youth from congregations who are not already part of a "Campfirmation Cluster," so there were a number who came as the only one from his/her congregation to participate.  In addition, there was a rich multicultural mix of youth from Atlanta and across the synod.  Bishop Gordy, Rachel Alley, and most of the Assistants to the Bishop spent at least a few days engaging with these youth during instructional time, worship, and regular camp activities.
 
The theme for the week was "Lutherans Worship!" and the participants attended two sessions daily to learn about the parts of worship and the seasons of the church year.  Throughout the week, the youth worked on plans for their own service which was held on Friday.  They also made seasonal banners to enhance the worship space.  These youth left camp ready to go back into their own congregations as worship leaders!
 
The overwhelming response from the congregations in the Southeastern Synod made this event a wonderful addition to the Lutheridge summer program. Watch for details as plans are made for "Summer Faith Alive!" in 2010!
Ski LEAP Weekends at Lutheridge & Lutherock
LLMI
Don't let the warm weather fool you! Go ahead and make a reservation to bring your youth to a ski LEAP weekend at Lutheridge or Lutherock.

Enjoy a weekend of fellowship, faith-building, and SKIING! Let us do all the work of coordinating ski rentals and lift tickets and enjoy our group rate discount!

Click for info on dates & discounts
There is still time to save money
Health Risk Assessment If you have ELCA-primary health benefits, please take 30 minutes to complete the confidential Mayo Clinic Health Assessment. Doing so will save [each congregation] a 2% discount on ELCA health contributions - a [collective synod-wide] savings of $15,833. (If your spouse has ELCA-primary benefits, encourage her or him to take it, too. Spouse participation counts toward our 75% goal.) 

And remember, by taking the assessment, you will be taking stock of your health, and will earn a $100 credit to your personal wellness account in the process.

Instructions for how to register on EmbodyHealth and access the assessment are available at www.elcabop.org. Follow the 2009 ELCA-primary link.
50 Days of Prayer
Bishop Hanson ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson has asked members to pray and study Scripture -- focusing on this church and the 2009 Churchwide Assembly -- for the 50 days prior to the assembly. "50 Days of Prayer" begins June 28. Members are asked to pray daily, meet in groups each week and use the assembly's daily lectionary for reflection. Congregations are invited to use suggested petitions for prayers during Sunday worship. Find resources and instructions at www.elca.org/50days.
Around The Synod
Pastor Larry Richardson Installed at Faith Lutheran, Clay, AL
Larry Richardson
On Sunday afternoon, June 21, the congregation of Faith Lutheran Church in Clay, Alabama, gathered to celebrate the installation of their new pastor.  The Rev. Larry Richardson, who formerly served Christ Lutheran Church in Nashville, Tennessee, began this call on June 1, and is excited to start this new chapter with the people of Faith. 
 
The service of celebration was attended by the Conference Dean, Pastor Randy Jones, as well as by a number of other pastors from the conference and the synod.  Pastor Nancy Christensen preached and performed the installation rite.  Council President Jamie Irwin presented Pastor Richardson, and the congregation provided a wonderful reception following the service for all those present.
 
Times They Are A-changin'
Delmer Chilton by The Rev. Dr. Delmer Chilton
 
It was while standing in the narthex of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Gatlinburg Tennessee that it hit me.  "Isn't that interesting," I thought as I continued to talk over details of Pastor Janet Volk's
Installation Service with the Dean, Pastor Jerry Weeks.
What was so interesting?  As I talked with Pastor Weeks, I realized that I had preached four of the last five Sundays, each of those services had been an installation and, here's the interesting part, each of the pastors installed had been a woman.  I have two more installations on tap this summer, and those pastors are women, too.  Three interims: Gretchen Person at Holy Trinity, Nashville, TN; Marie Hatcher at Christ in Nashville; Sandy Niiler at Christ in Cullman, AL. Three called pastors: Janet Volk at Our Savior, Gatlinburg; Beth Birkholtz at Holy Trinity, Marietta, GA; and Pauline Pezzino at Trinity, Hixson and Resurrection, Ooltewah, TN.

That may not be significant to a younger generation, but I have personally lived through the debates on this and have seen the acceptance of women clergy grow from the time when I was a young twenty-six year-old pastor who got an Intern from Duke Divinity because no other rural church would accept her to a time when I have congregations in the call process stating a preference for female clergy candidates. (I won't tell you how long that's been, but it's longer than some of our younger clergy have been alive!)

The "church" moves slowly because it is a "progressively conservative" institution; devoted both to a 4000-year-old religious tradition and to being relevant and responsive to the modern world in which we live.  So, it takes time for hearts to melt and minds to change and consensus to build and for the innovative to become the normative.  Those of us in a hurry wish it all happened faster, and those of us who are naturally cautious worry that we're rushing ahead without thinking; in midst of it all we trust that God is both pulling us forward and holding us back.
 
As I stood in the pulpit to preach Sunday in Gatlinburg I glanced over at Pastor Janet Volk sitting with her family in the front pew.  Sticking out from under her somber white alb were a pair of ruby red slippers. I laughed to myself "No we certainly aren't in Kansas anymore, Toto."  Thank God for that.
 
Upcoming Events
July
19-22    MYLE & DAYLE
22         Lutheran Night at the Braves
22-26    ELCA Youth Gathering
26-29    LYO Convention

August
13-15    Candidacy Meeting
14-16    SESLYO Board Meeting
17-23    Churchwide Assembly
23         Conference 4 Meeting
28-30    Alassippi

For more information on these and other events visit our synod calendar.