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Southeastern Synod
E-News Weekly
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Mobley Hope
Director of Communications
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| Issue: # 194 |
October/2009 |
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12th Annual Bishops' Conference
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The 12th Annual Bishops' Conference on Shared
Ministry in Alabama will be held November 10th at 10 AM, Messiah Lutheran Church in Montgomery, AL.
This year we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (aka JDDJ). Our speaker this year is the Rev. Dr. William Rusch, leading ecumenist in the ELCA.
The cost of the conference is $15 for pre-registered participants and $20 for registration at the door. The registration fee covers the conference and lunch.
Please click here for the registration form & agenda.
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All Tennessee Youth Gathering
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 Make new friends and see old pals from Tennessee this fall!
All Tennessee Youth Gathering for 6th-12th grades is right around the corner.
November 21-22 at the Clyde York 4-H Center in Crossville, TN.
The theme this year is "Clothed in Christ...a new kind of fashion".
Registration is due November 10th. Please contact Sarah Smith with any registration questions at sasgeb@juno.com.
The cost is $80 per person which includes programming, meals, lodging and a T-shirt!
Please follow the link http://www.elca-ses.org/YYA-Events.html to download the information packet and registration forms.
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Reception at Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta
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All are invited to a drop-in reception at the
Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta on Thursday, October 29. Come see what is new and learn about exciting course offerings for 2009/2010.
Who should attend? Persons going through the Candidacy process: (candidates for M.Div & TEEM candidates, Associates in Ministry., person ordained in another tradition) or anyone simply interested in finding out more about what the Center has to offer!
The event will be held from 6-9 PM in the Costen Building on the campus of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, 700 Martin Luther King Drive, Atlanta, GA 30314.
To RSVP or for more information contact: the Rev. Dr. Beverly Wallace, Interim Director at 404-271-2941 or ltca.ltss@gmail.com.
There will also be Reformation service the same day at 11 AM in the chapel of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta. It is a joint service with our Presbyterian ecumentical partners. Part of the service will include a panel discussion on the topic "Are the theology and indeologies of John Calvin helpful to the African American community" Pastor Wallace will be one of the liturgists for the service.
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Are you a Spiritual Director?
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 We
need you. Several folks have approached
Bishop Gordy and Pastor Chilton about ways in which we can find out who the
certified Spiritual Directors in the Synod are.
When all else fails, asking seems to be a good way to go about it. We have three questions: 1) Are you a
Spiritual Director?, 2) Do you know someone else who is a Lutheran Spiritual
Director?, and 3) Would you join the Southeastern Synod community of Spiritual
Directors for a retreat and gathering around the question of "How can we be of service to the synod?" Pastor Craig Storlie has
agreed to be the contact for answers to this question. Please call him at 678-595-1933 or email him
at craigstorlie@bellsouth.net.
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Calling all Transition Pastors
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On
Nov. 16-17, 2009 the Southeastern Synod will hold a training and
interest meeting for those currently serving or interested in serving as Transition Pastor, in the Southeastern Synod. Bishop Gordy and the
Assistants to the Bishop will lead this event as we review the work of
a Transition Pastor in this synod, do a review and update of the
Transition Manual/Process and share wisdom with one another.
The event will run from 1 PM on Monday the 16th through noon on Tuesday the 17th at the Atlanta Airport Clarion.
TO REGISTER:
There
is no cost to attendees for this event, however you MUST LET US KNOW no
later than Friday, November 6. Please send an email to Elaine Schwartz
in the synod office (eschwartz@elca-ses.org) or call 404-589-1977, ext 235 if you are interested in attending.
FOR THOSE WHO NEED OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS:
Participants
will be responsible for their own overnight accommodations. We have
secured a rate of $89 per night at the Clarion hotel which will include
a coupon for breakfast at the hotel restaurant. (Hotel details are
available at: www.choicehotels.com/hotel/ga516.)
To take advantage of the $89 rate that includes breakfast, you MUST
contact Elaine in the synod office to be placed on the hotel list no
later than Friday, November 6, 2009.
If you have any
questions, or special needs for food or lodging, please do not hesitate
to contact Elaine or Pastor Delmer Chilton in the synod office at
404-589-1977. |
Lutherans Have the Reputation of Being Frugal
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BLESSED TO BE GENEROUS AND FRUGAL
By the Rev. Darrel Peterson, Assistant to the Bishop
Lutherans have the reputation of being frugal. Some years ago when Aid Association for
Lutherans and Lutheran Brotherhood merged into Thrivent Financial for
Lutherans, the new leadership brought in consultants to determine their
constituency's core values. The process discovered four "F"
characteristics: Faith, Family, Philanthropy
(it sounds like "f") and Frugality. The
consultants had expected "faith", in that Thrivent was a faith-based
organization. But frugality? That was a new one! Then there was the matter
of frugality and philanthropy in the same set of core values? How did that happen?
There are some good things about frugality. In this age of consumerism, some of us are
seeking to avoid unnecessary spending. In our
bedroom master suite, we have two perfectly good chests of drawers made of real
wood that were in my childhood bedroom.
We also have a sturdy lamp table that my father-in-law ended up with
many years ago when he was clerking an auction sale. While these are quality pieces of furniture,
I expect my wife and I have a contented feeling that we have been able to save
on furniture expenses. And besides we
enjoy having history and function together.
A Lutheran parishioner recently told me that his 89-year-old
father has repeatedly refused to have much-needed cosmetic dental work done,
because there are so many better uses for money. He reported that his dad is always
contributing to church and community projects.
But there are times when our frugality leaves us
behind. Many churches reject intentional
pledging and progressive ministry plans because, they say, "We give as
needed". And that usually means, "we
don't want to give more than we absolutely have to". I know that traditions die hard, but sometimes
frugal is really "cheap". Faced with a
crisis such as a leaking roof, folks can usually find the money.
We need to realize that frugal people can and ought to be
generous. Frugal can mean wise
management. Frugal can mean being a good
steward. The key thing to remember
is: The Christian has a greater need to
give than the church has to receive!
Generosity in response to God's abundant blessings is a spiritual core
value that we need to claim
So, there, wise consultants...Our God is not cheap! Frugality
and philanthropy can co-exist.
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Flood of 2009 Update
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Than ks to the many donors who have contributed to the Thrivent Challenge Grant, they have received the first $5,000 in supplemental funds! Thrivent has generously made this gift available now even though we have only raised just over $5,000. The goal is to raise $30,000 to support the rebuilding efforts over the next 12 to 18 months. This will allow Team Lutheran Disaster Response to receive the total $15,000 Challenge Grant from Thrivent that matches $1 for every $2 raised, for a total of $45,000! The funds will be used to buy drywall, building materials, and tools, and to help with transportation costs for volunteer teams traveling to the disaster sites.
Team Lutheran Disaster Response Hot Lines
To volunteer to help with the recovery efforts, please call:
800-875-5645, ext. 159 or 678-686-9657
If you need help with flood-related issues, please call:
800-875-5645, ext. 168 or 404-591-7064
If you have any other questions, please contact us at:
disasterassistance@lsga.org
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LPM supports Musicians in Spite of the Rain!
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 The
Leadership Program for Musicians (LPM) started in September at Columbia
Seminary, but strong rain kept some people away. Not to worry!
Come join us Saturday, October 24 at 9 a.m. at Living Grace Lutheran,
Tucker, GA. Anyone is welcome anytime to observe
LPM in action. This is our second year,
but you can join the program at any time.
Classes include Hymnody, Choral Conducting and Resources for an
Effective Music Ministry. Faculty
includes Brad Hughley, Sarah Hawbecker, Michael Morgan, John Marsh and David
Vandermeer. Questions? Call Joanne
Brown, 404-545-3998, organist227@bellsouth.net;
or Sue Mitchell Wallace, 770-594-0949, suemwallace@bellsouth.net.
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Pastor Carl Ficken being Recognized
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 The Board of Directors of the James R. Crumley Jr. Archives are pleased to announce that this year's recipient of the Walton H. Greever Award is the Rev. Dr. Carl Ficken. Dr. Ficken is a past president of the Archives Board, an outstanding pastor, educator, and historian.
The Board is pleased to announce plans for our annual banquet and awards ceremony. This year's banquet will be held on Friday evening, November 6, at the Embassy Suites Hotel, Columbia, SC. The wine & cheese reception will be in the Atrium area of the hotel from 6 PM - 6:50 PM with dinner in the Greystone Room at 7 PM. Tickets to the banquet are $55 with $25 available as a tax deductible donation to the Archives. Please contact the Archives if you wish to be on the invitation list (803-461-3234). |
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Upcoming Events
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October
24 Leadership Program for Musicians
24 Conference 9 Meeting
November
4-7 CYCLOPS
9 Compensation Guidelines Committee Meeting
12-14 Candidacy Meeting/Retreat
14 Conference 6 Meeting
21 Global Mission Summit
21-22 All-TN Youth Gathering
26-27 Synod Office Closed
For more information on these and other events visit our synod calendar.
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