Southeastern Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
God's work. Our hands. E-News Weekly |
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Issue: #302 |
January 11, 2012 | |
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MLK Commemoration Service - January 15 | | |
Welcoming God's Many Faces with an Open Heart
 The Southeastern Synod's commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will take place on Sunday, January 15, 2012 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 3050 Cascade Rd SW Atlanta, GA 30311. We will gather at 3:30 pm for a service of Word and Sacrament.
The preacher will be the Rev. Ruben Duran, who serves as Director for New Congregational Development in the Congregational and Synodical Mission unit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Commemorative Service is the hallmark of the King Holiday Observance. The service endeavors to empower Lutherans to engage in volunteer service in tribute to the work and life of Dr. King. It is a day "ON" not a day "OFF."
You are invited to bring rice and pots and pans to the service in preparation for our MLK Lutheran Day of Service which takes place the next day, Monday, January 16 at Clarkston Community Center at 3701 College Ave, Clarkston, GA from 9am to 1pm.
For more information, please visit http://mlklutherandayofservice.eventbrite.com/ or contact:
Dr. Everett Flanigan, ELCA Southeastern Synod
eflanigan@elca-ses.org
Malisha Brown, Lutheran Theological Center
mrb.consultants@gmail.com
Pastor Beverly Shaw, Emmanuel Lutheran Church
bbshaw1@comcast.net |
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Youth Ministry News | | |
Affirm Registration -- Now OPEN!
Grounded in Word and Sacrament, the Southeastern Synod Affirm Youth Event develops discipleship, leadership skills, and teaches Lutheran theology. We follow Christ, we live in a Christian community, and we teach youth how to be His hands in the world.
This year, Affirm will be held June 17-22 at Berry College in Rome, Georgia. Youth who have finished 6th-12th grades may register. Affirm also offers a unit called Young Adult Youth Ministry Institute for college freshmen and sophomores. Cost for 2012 is $375. Scholarships are available, applications are due before March 1. Visit www.sesyouth.org to register and pay online using Paypal!
Affirm staff applications due by January 15
Affirm staff applications are still being accepted. Click http://www.elca-ses.org/Youth-Ministry-News.html to download an application and send it in today! Applications are due by January 15, 2012 or email Rachel Alley, synod Director for Youth Ministries at ralley@elca-ses.org.
Be sure to check out ALL the latest Southeastern Synod Youth Ministry News at
http://www.elca-ses.org/Youth-Ministry-News.html!
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Nominations Sought for 2012 Assembly Elections | |
Bio Forms Due March 15
The Southeastern Synod Nominating Committee is currently seeking potential nominees for several positions to be elected at the 2012 Synod Assembly. Positions for which nominees are needed include:
2013 Churchwide Assembly Voting Members:
3 Clergy (both males and females)
1 Lay male person of color or primary language other than English
1 Youth (under age 18)
1 Young adult lay person (ages 18-30)
3 Other lay persons (so that the total is half male and half female)
Synod Council:
1 Young adult, 2-year term (male or female, ages 18-30)
2 At-large lay persons, 2-year term (gender designation to be determined)
The Committee's goal is to nominate two to four persons for each position. The Committee will consider individual skills and qualifications, as well as the Synod's inclusivity goals. These goals address the balance between lay persons and pastors, gender, status as a youth or young adult, and racial/ethnic background. Achieving some geographical diversity of nominees will also be a factor in the Nominating Committee's decisions.
Click HERE for more information about these positions.
DEADLINE for submission of biographical forms to be considered by the Nominating Committee: March 15, 2012. |
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Elections Q & A (Part 1) | |
With nominations now being solicited for elections that will take place at the 2012 synod assembly (see above), you may be interested in feedback about the elections process from last year's voting members. Here are some past concerns, along with brief explanations from those involved with Assembly elections:
Why are elections so complicated? Synod elections often seem unnecessarily complex! The Synod Council appointed a Task Force last year to study this concern. The Task Force concluded (and the Synod Council agreed) that the importance of addressing the synod's inclusivity goals is so important that it is worth the sometimes complicated structure to the balloting. The synod's inclusivity goals involve the balance between lay persons and pastors, gender, status as a youth or young adult, and racial/ethnic background.
Why are there so many ballots? Since 1996, the Southeastern Synod has allowed the names of persons nominated but not elected in specific demographic categories to be included on the ballots for subsequent elections of more general positions. For example, a female pastor might be nominated but not elected to fill a position restricted to female clergy. She would then be included on subsequent ballots for positions restricted to clergy, with gender not specified. Similarly, persons nominated but not elected for the youth and young adult positions would be included on subsequent ballots for the lay male or lay female positions. This process usually leads to an increased number of ballots, but provides maximum flexibility for synod assemblies to elect those whom they choose.
Watch for Elections Q & A (Part 2) in next week's E-News..................... |
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2012 Rostered Leader Reports | | |
2012 Rostered Leader's Report to the Synod Bishop are now due
Click here for complete instructions on how to complete the Annual Rostered Leader's Report to the Bishop and to download a blank report form. |
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Book of Faith Brief | | |
As we move into 2012, the Book of Faith Brief will be moving into a new format. After a brief hiatus, we look forward to using this E-news space to highlight some of the faithful and creative ways that our congregations gather around the Word. To do this so that it is helpful to you and to our congregations, we need your help.
Let us know how engagement with Scripture is part of your congregational life. It doesn't have to be what new and exciting studies or formats you have tried, but it could be. It doesn't have to be some special event or promotion that you tried, but it could be. Just share with us what works for you and how your congregation engages Scripture in ways that inform and inspire God's work that you do with your hands. Let us know of others you know of who have something helpful to share. We'll be reaching out and asking folks around the Synod to contribute. But we are confident that there are lots of you out there who have something to share that we don't know about. We look forward to hearing from you!
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News from the James R Crumley, Jr. Archives | | |
Click here to find the latest issue of the "Archival Survey," the occasional newsletter for the James R Crumley, Jr. Archives (ELCA Region 9). Please take a few moments to peruse this issue. You will find that although the Archives is about "old stuff," it is also about modern ways of caring for and accessing that "old stuff" (see Anna Moore's article on pages 1 & 2). And it is about finding really cool stories about our Lutheran history and heritage (see Dr. McArver's article on page 3). It's also about all the people involved with the Archives, through financial support and hands-on support (several items in this issue). And when you've finished reading it, pass along this issue to those in your congregation who have an interest in our church history and heritage.
Peace & Joy,
Don Poole, editor
Archival Survey
dbpoole@morrisbb.net |
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2012 Annual Report Covers | | |
The 2012 Congregational Annual Report Cover is now available online.
Product details
2012 Annual Report Cover ($5.50/pack of 50 copies)
Order online
http://resources.elca.org/Congregational_Life-Annual_Report_Cover_2012.html
Order by phone
Feel free to direct phone orders to 800-638-3522
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Free Webinars: Ending Family Violence | | |
The Office of the Secretary at the ELCA Churchwide offices wants to let you know that the Lutheran Community Foundation is sponsoring some free webinars as part of their Ending Family Violence Initiative.
Some topics include:
· How to Reduce the Risk of Child Abuse in the Church
· Stop Teen Violence Before it Starts
· Domestic Violence 101 for Christian Clergy
· What to do if a Registered Sex Offender Comes to Church
All of the seminars are free and open to anyone - you just need to register online at http://www.faithtrustinstitute.org/training/upcoming-webinars. |
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Around the Synod | | |
Around the Synod---Musically!!
WALK IN THE LIGHT: Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light
Doane College Choir; Tom Trenney, conductor
 The 48-voice choir from Doane College in Crete, Nebraska, will share a worshipful program of hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs entitled WALK IN THE LIGHT, on Sunday, January 22, 2011, 6:00 PM, at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Franklin, TN. The concert is open to the public and people of all faith traditions without admission charge.
Scripture, poetry, and reflections accompany the singing of choral works by J. S. Bach, Purcell, Scarlatti, Gretchaninoff, Scriven, and Lauridsen, and beautiful arrangements of great hymns of the church. The concert will feature St. Andrew Church's magnificent Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ played by guest conductor Tom Trenney. On this tour, the Doane Choir will share its music in St. Louis, Nashville, Sewanee, Atlanta, Memphis, Little Rock, and Kansas City.
St. Andrew Lutheran Church is located at 908 Murfreesboro Road, Franklin, Tennessee. For more information, please phone Dr. Darryl Miller, Director of Music, 615-646-2142.
Merrill Grant In Concert: "Look for the Silver Lining"
Jon Weber, piano
Sunday, January 29 at 4 p.m.
Christ the King Lutheran
5575 Peachtree Pkwy
Norcross, GA 30092
www.ctklutheran.org
Merrill Grant is a gifted performer - home on Broadway, concert stage, television. An Atlanta native, she grew up at Christ the King. Merrill will share favorite songs from musicals like "The Sound of Music" and "My Fair Lady" as well as the films of Shirley Temple and Alice Faye. Accompanist Jon Weber, the well-known jazz pianist, will soon be heard regularly on National Public Radio as host of "Piano Jazz Rising Stars." Family fun! The program is open to the public. A free-will offering will be taken.
Find out more about Merrill at http://web.me.com/merrillgrant/MerrillGrant/Home.html.
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Photo of the week:
Pastor Min Chan Park sent us this photo of the "Bi-Cultural" Children's message at Advent, LaGrange.
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| View the entire Synod Calendar | | |
January 13 & 14
Synod Council Meeting, Messiah, Montgomery, AL
January 15
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Commemoration, Emmanual, Atlanta, GA
January 16
Synod office closed, MLK observance
January 19
Project Connect Discernment Advocate Training
Christ the Lord, Lawrenceville, GA
January 23
Lutheranch Luncheon at Turner Field
January 27-28
Affirm Administrative Meeting
Christ the King, Norcross, GA
February 3 & 4
Talking Together as Christians Cross Culturally
Nashville, TN |
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ELCA-Southeastern Synod
100 Edgewood Ave. NE, Suite 1600
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-589-1977
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