Southeastern Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
God's work. Our hands. E-News Weekly |
| Issue: # 247 | November 18, 2010 | |
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| News from the ELCA | | |
ELCA Presiding Bishop Highlights 'Expectations' in Report to Council
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), described his hopes for the church for the next three years -- focusing on expectations -- in a report to the ELCA Church Council Nov. 13. Read more here. ELCA Commits $500,000 for Cholera Prevention, Treatment in Haiti The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) announced Nov. 15 that it has committed $500,000 for the prevention and treatment of cholera in Haiti, as well as continued response to communities displaced by the January 2010 earthquake. The gift is in addition to the $25,000 the church committed last week for similar purposes in Haiti. Read more here.
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| Sunrises and Sunsets | |
by Assistant to the Bishop Darrel Peterson
 I have always been fascinated by sunrises and sunsets, with a preference for sunrises, in that I tend to be a morning person. What a beautiful sight to see that golden disk edge onto the horizon in the cool of the morning! In my Colorado years, I traveled Eastward on the East side of Denver to get to my church. I enjoyed celebrating many sunrises as the days began. In my present call to ministry, I am often on the way early on Sunday mornings. The roads are clear and the sun comes up in all its magnificence.
Read the rest on the synod blog. |
| Where will you be on Sunday, November 21 at 5 p.m. EST? | |
Join the ELCA online Town Hall Forum. Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson will share how the 4.5 million members of the ELCA are making a positive difference in the world. 
You can be an active participant! Post a question for the presiding bishop and engage in thought-provoking, inspiring conversation. Make the experience even more enjoyable by gathering members of your congregation for a viewing party.
Participation is easy:
- Use the online tool kit at www.elca.org/townhall to plan a viewing party
- Watch the event live and submit your question for the presiding bishop at www.elca.org/townhall
- Post comments using Facebook Connect
- Tweet about the event using the hashtag #ELCA
- View open captioning
Whether or not you have a question to ask the presiding bishop, you will be part of building community with the more than 10,000 congregations across this church. Make plans to join in! |
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Book of Faith Brief |
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http://www.bookoffaith.org/
Here's a new topic for discussion on our Synod's Book of Faith social network page. Please log on (or sign up) and share your ideas.
What Bible resources are you using on your handheld digital device?
When Bishop Jim Ahrends led his Bible study at the Leadership Convocation, he made the standard remark about how few Lutherans had brought Bibles to a Bible study. The fact is, though, that quite a number of people in the room reached into their pockets for their smart phones or PDAs. And if you're a handheld digital device user, you may well have discovered how handy it is to have a Bible (or two or three in different versions) in your pocket all the time.
So if you use a smart phone, a tablet computer, or a PDA, are there any Bible resources that you can recommend? Here are just a few (mostly free), but please add more:
- Olive Tree Bible software (www.olivetree.com) has a free Bible reader app, and dozens of downloadable Bible versions, including Greek and Hebrew editions. KJV is included for free; most others have to be purchased. Olive Tree also has Bible dictionaries and study materials. Their Bibles are indexed and searchable, and you can add notes.
- www.YouVersion.com is a donation-supported site that has Bible reader apps, and many more free downloadable versions than Olive Tree, including Bibles in many other languages.
- If you have Barnes and Noble's free Nook reader or Amazon's Kindle you can buy a number of downloadable Bibles, including HarperCollins and New Oxford Annotated study Bibles. You can also read any ebook that you can download from Google books, including many of Luther's works.
So let us know what Bible apps you've found, and how you use them.
Blessings,
Your Book of Faith advocates
Pastor John Rossing
Christ the King, Dalton, GA
706-278-3979
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| Upcoming Events of Note... |
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God's Justice Everywhere
The Southeastern Synod's commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr. will take place on Sunday, January 16, 2011, at 3:30 p.m. at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 731 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA, 30308. There are two parts to this year's event. At 3:30 p.m., we will gather for a service of Word and Song, "God's Justice Everywhere," with keynote speaker Dr. Earl Lewis, Provost at Emory University. Following the service, we will be blessed by the presence of Representative John Lewis, Georgia 5th District to the United States Congress, who will address the gathering and welcome ELCA mission directors from around the country. For more information, please contact Beverly Shaw, bbshaw1@comcast.net, or Bradley Schmeling, pastorbrad@stjohnsatlanta.org.
Save the date! Southeastern Synod Transition Pastors Training Event
1:00 PM, January 31- Noon, February 1, 2011
Living Grace Lutheran Church, 1812 Cooledge Road, Tucker, GA 30084
Details to come soon!
First Call Retreat at Lutheranch - February 8-9, 2011
"Wandering through the Lenten Texts" with Bishop Gordy as the Bible Study Leader and Pastor Kevin Strickland, Synod Worship Team Chairperson leading worship. The cost is $50 per person and includes food. The registration deadline is January 14th. Please contact Pastor Kevin Strickland at pastorkevinstrickland@gmail.com or office number 865-982-4285 with questions or to register.
Catch the Spirit
Special Guest Speaker: John Arthur Nunes, President and CEO of Lutheran World Relief
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 731 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30308-1281
For information and to register, visit www.catchthespiritlutheran.org |
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Ski Retreats at Lutheridge and Lutherock | | |
Both Sites: Jan 7-9, 21-23, 28-30, Feb 4-7, and 11-13, 2011 (Friday - Sunday)
Additional dates available at Lutherock:
Jan 14-16, Feb 25-27, and March 4-6, 2011 (Friday - Sunday)
 Enjoy a weekend of fellowship, faith-building, and SKIING! Let someone else do all the work of coordinating ski rentals and lift tickets and enjoy a group rate discount! Lutheridge/Lutherock will also supply group building games, an evening campfire, and youth-friendly worship. Come on Friday evening. Enjoy an early breakfast and all day Saturday on the slopes. End the day with supper, fun, and worship and have a good breakfast on Sunday before traveling home. Adults must accompany and supervise youth. Groups are responsible for transportation to and from ski slopes. Lutheridge guests ski at Wolf Ridge. Guests staying at Lutherock will ski at Sugar Mountain.
For more information visit: http://www.llmi.net/leap/SkiLEAP.aspx.
Leader for Lutheridge: Kara Ridenhour, Lutheridge LEAP Coordinator
Base rate and housing for Lutheridge: Whisnant - $110; Lakeside Cabins - $120
Leader for Lutherock: Van Van Horne, Lutherock Program Director
Base rate and housing for Lutherock: Moretz Lodge - $110
Base rate includes lodging for two nights, three meals, and some program costs. |
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Did You Know? | | |
The 2010 Southeastern Synod Resource/Minutes Book is now available. This book is a listing of 2010 directories and resource documents of our synod. The information is based upon records in the synod files. Please take a moment to review your information and notify the synod office immediately to advise of any changes. Click here or visit www.elca-ses.org, Resources, Resource Book.
Nominations for Synod Treasurer are due by December 1. A new synod treasurer will be elected at the 2011 Synod Assembly. The Treasurer Nominating Committee has set December 1 as the deadline for potential nominees to submit their biographical information for consideration. Additional details are available at http://www.elca-ses.org/Treasurer-Nomination.html. |
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Lutheran Night at the Braves Survey | | |
 Thrivent Financial for Lutherans created Lutheran Night at the Braves as a gift for the Lutheran Community. It is sponsored annually by the 14 Metro Atlanta Chapters of Thrivent Financial for Lutheran.
Take a short, five-minute survey to help plan this event for 2011, including potential dates for the event, ticket pricing and congregational participation.
Click here to take the survey! |
| AROUND THE SYNOD | | |
From Synod Reporters
On Sunday, December 5 at 4:00PM, Dr. Richard Elliott of the Mercer Medical School will make a presentation on Stem-Cell research at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 390 Pierce Avenue,
Macon, GA 31204. This talk is open to the public at no charge. Our adult Sunday school class has been studying the Social Statement on Genetics and we felt this lecture would add to our understanding. All are welcome to attend. Dr. Elliott is known for speaking to non-medical audiences. (Submitted by Pastor Jim Braswell)
On Reformation Sunday, Ascension Lutheran Church in Chattanooga, TN received 5 new German members. Over 30 visitors from the local Volkswagen plant were in attendance. Also visiting that day were 18 members of the Hispanic 7th Day Adventist Church, with whom Ascension shares their building. It was a true multi-cultural, trans-continental gathering that clearly demonstrated the universality of the Gospel. (Submitted by Pastor Terry Fugate)
Pastor Erik Allen and AIM Jo Hood have joined the staff at St. Andrew Lutheran Church (Franklin, TN). Pastor Erik will be serving as the Pastor for Christian Education and Jo Hood as the Director for Youth and Children's Ministries. (Submitted by Pastor Ann Bassett)
Our Christian Sympathy is extended to Celebration Lutheran Church (Mt. Juliet, TN) whose music director, James Johnson, joined the Church Triumphant on November 8. A memorial service was held at Celebration on November 17. Jim had been serving at Celebration for over 3 years and spoke often of the love and support he experienced there. |
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Synod Calendar of Events |
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Note: Next week's E-News will be sent on Wednesday, Nov 24 Coming up:
Nov 20-21 All Tennessee Youth Gathering
Nov 25 Thanksgiving
Nov 25-26 Synod Office Closed
Nov 28 First Sunday of Advent
Nov 29 Synod Assembly Committee Conference Call
Dec 4 Budget & Finance Committee Meeting
Dec 14 Nominations/Elections Task Force Conference Call
View the entire Synod Calendar
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ELCA-Southeastern Synod
100 Edgewood Ave. NE, Suite 1600
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-589-1977
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