Southeastern Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
God's work. Our hands. E-News Weekly |
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Issue: #315 |
April 11, 2012 | |
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| Lean on Me | |
by Rachel Alley
Assistant to the Bishop for Young Adult and Youth Ministries
"Lean on Me" was the theme of the Alassippi 2012 Youth Gathering held at the Gulf Shores Christian Retreat Center March 23-25. Our theme verse was "we love, because He first loved us." Youth from Alabama and Mississippi were invited to attend.
We started the weekend swimming in the pool at the retreat center. The water was a little chilly but refreshing! On Saturday morning, everyone pitched in to fix an awesome breakfast, then we started our sessions learning how to be Peer Ministers. Peer Ministry is a method of teaching youth how to be welcoming, inviting, and then how to be good listeners. In the coming weeks a movie about bullying will be released. Our goal was to equip peer ministers to counteract bullying by reaching out to those who are bullied. Why? Because Jesus loved us, we should love others...
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Synod Assembly Information | | |
The Southeastern Synod Assembly
June 1-3, 2012
Marriott's Renaissance Waverly Hotel, Atlanta GA.
The theme for the 2012 Assembly is
"What in God's Name are We Doing Here?"
Visit www.elca-ses.org/Assembly.html for
information and to register.
Deadline for online registration: May 1, 2012. If your congregation will not elect voting members until after the May 1 deadline, you can still take advantage of the discounted online registration cost! Call the synod office at 404-589-1977 for instructions. |
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Two Important Upcoming Synod Events in the Chattanooga Area | | |
Thursday April 19, 2012
Interim Ministry Conference
Ascension Lutheran Church, 720 S Germantown Rd., Chattanooga, TN 37412
Southeastern Synod Interim Pastors and those interested in doing Interim Ministry are invited to gather at Ascension Lutheran on Thursday, April 19 from 10:00 AM-3:00 PM. Lunch will be provided. We will
- review expectations of Interim Ministries in the Southeastern Synod
- talk about specialized roles, such as mentoring
- have time for questions and answers
- worship and share fellowship
Interested? Please RSVP to Pastor Delmer Chilton at dchilton@elca-ses.org.
May 1 & 2, 2012
Pre-Retirement Seminar
Trinity Lutheran Church, 5001 Hixson Pike, Hixson, TN 37343
 This is a two-day pre-retirement seminar for pastors, rostered laypersons and lay employees in the ELCA Pension and Other Benefits Program, offered by Portico Benefits Services (formerly ELCA Board of Pensions). In this seminar you will explore issues that form the foundation of a healthy retirement, and learn how your financial decisions can help you achieve your retirement dreams. Persons who will be 50 years of age or over are invited to attend.
Seminar leader: Barbara Debski, Regional representative, Portico Benefit Services
Dates: May 1 - Seminar 12:30 pm - 5:00 pm., Bishop's Hour 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm; May 2 - Seminar 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Cost: $35 per person, $50 per couple (cost includes dinner, refreshments and seminar materials - cost DOES NOT include accommodations)
To register: Space for the pre-retirement seminar is limited. Interested members of the benefits program (plus financial partners) should register soon. Financial partners (i.e., spouses) are strongly encouraged to participate. Please complete this registration form and send your check by April 16th to:
ELCA Southeastern Synod
Attn: Pre-retirement Seminar
100 Edgewood Ave. NE, Suite 1600
Atlanta GA 30303
Questions: Contact Elaine Schwartz in the synod office at 404-589-1977, ext 235 or eschwartz@elca-ses.org. |
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It's Not Too Late... | | |
...there is still room for youth to attend the All-Georgia Youth Gathering April 27-29 at the FFA-FCCLA Camp in Covington, Georgia. This event is for grades 6-12. The All-Georgia special guest this year is Rachel Kurtz. She has been on stage at the Youth Gathering and has performed at many Lutheran events across the United States.
And don't forget to remind youth in grades 6-12 to sign up for Affirm before the price goes up in May. Affirm is the synod's premier summer youth event where faith is transformed and skills in discipleship and leadership are built. Affirm has over 40 years of history, building leaders in the Southeastern Synod. Please encourage the kids in your congregation to attend.
Registration forms for both Affirm and All-Georgia are available at http://www.elca-ses.org/Youth-Ministry-News.html and the April issue of Youth Ministry E-news. As always, if you have any questions please contact Rachel Alley at ralley@elca-ses.org. |
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We're About to Throw Away $35,000 | |
Does your congregation have money to throw away? It may be about to happen.
As a synod, we are in danger of not meeting our goal of 65% health assessment participation. Right now we are only at 37%, and we have less than 3 weeks to reach our goal. If we don't get there, we will have turned down the opportunity to keep an estimated $35,000 in this synod - dollars you could be using in your ministry.
CHURCH STAFF MEMBERS, ROSTERED LEADERS AND SPOUSES (and anyone else who is covered by the ELCA primary health care plan), please take the health assessment BEFORE APRIL 30.
The 79 who have taken the assessment are waiting for 58 more people to take it. If we don't reach our goal of 65%, we will ALL miss out on the much-needed savings.
In addition to the 2% discount on health contributions realized by congregations, the synod could receive funds from Portico Benefit Services to further the health and wellness of the synod for the sake of ministry.
This is a win-win opportunity; if you qualify to take this assessment, please spend the 20 minutes or so to get it done NOW!
Here's the link that will get you started. Please don't put it off. Don't be the one person whose participation would have made all the difference. Thanks.
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Play Ball! | | |
The Rev. Dr. Delmer Chilton
Assistant to the Bishop
 As they would say on Monty Python, "Now for something completely different."
Did you know that there are twenty professional baseball teams playing in the territory of the Southeastern Synod? You didn't? Well, here's a list by state:
Tennessee: Nashville and Memphis (Pacific Coast League, AAA); Chattanooga, Jackson, Sevierville, (Southern League, AA); Bristol, Elizabethton, Greeneville, Johnson City, Kingsport (Appalachian League, Rookie)
Georgia: Atlanta (National League); Gwinnett (International League, AAA); Augusta, Rome, Savannah (South Atlantic League "The Sally League," A)
Alabama: Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile (Southern League, AA)
Mississippi: Pearl (Southern League, AA)
I like baseball. I like baseball parks and baseball food and silly races and sing-a-longs and college kids in inflatable sumo-wrestling matches. The tackier the between-innings entertainment and the greasier the food, the better I like it.
So, I have decided to go on a quest this summer. I want to visit all 20 of the professional teams in the synod. It will take some planning and coordination of schedules, but I think I can pull it off.
Here are a couple of things you can do to help me.
- You can go with me. I'm going to announce my visits ahead of time if I can and I would love to have a contingent of Lutherans hanging out with me in the cheap seats, eating bad food, drinking beverages and sharing fun.
- You can make a pledge to Lutheranch, based on how many ballparks I make it to. For example, if you pledge $100 and I make it to all 20, you give Lutheranch $100 in my name. If I make it to only ten, your $100 pledge gets cut in half to $50.
- You can look at your home team's home schedule and invite me to preach on a weekend when the team is in town. Nothing like killing two birds with one stone.
I'm getting started right away. I'm going to the Braves home opener on April 13. (Oops, that's Friday the 13th. Whose bright idea was that?)
So send your pledges and your invitations for me to preach to dchilton@elca-ses.org.
Thanks,
Delmer |
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Around the Synod | | |
Lutheran Church of the Messiah Welcomes Days for Girls
Last month, the women (and men!) of Lutheran Church of the Messiah in Decatur, GA participated in two days of sewing for Days for Girls (www.daysforgirls.org).They were able to fully complete 12 kits (and 55 more were 90% completed!) for girls who would otherwise go without the most basic feminine supplies.
 Days for Girls is an international non-profit organization that reaches out to girls across the globe in a very personal way - providing hygiene kits. Each kit contains a washcloth, underwear, soap, safety pins, and reusable cloth menstrual supplies. This kit costs approximately $8 in supplies and a half hour's time for the seamstress, but to the girl receiving it- it is priceless. Along with the kit, she receives hygiene education from volunteers and/or nurses. She also gains confidence in herself and and the ability to attend school 3-5 more days every month.
Days for Girls Georgia Chapter will be meeting monthly at Messiah to organize, plan, sew, assemble and ship kits. Please contact Melissa Moody at lmessiah@bellsouth.net or 404-373-1682 if you would like to host a sewing event, donate to Days for Girls, or if you have a group which will be visiting an area in need of kits.
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Easter Around the Synod
Holy Tinity, Nashville, TN
Celebration of Grace, Canton, GA
Jerusalem Lutheran Church, Rincon, GA
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| View the entire Synod Calendar | | |
April 12-14
Candidacy Committee Meeting
Synod Office
April 19
Interim Ministry Conference
Ascension Lutheran Church, Chattanooga, TN
April 19
Nominating Committee Conference Call
April 21
Magi Conference Gathering (#4)
Trinity Lutheran Church
1826 Killian Hill Road
Lilburn, GA 30047
3:00 PM
April 27-29
All-Georgia Youth Gathering
FFA Camp, Covington GA
May 1 & 2
Southeastern Synod Pre-Retirement Seminar
Trinity Lutheran Church, Hixson, TN
Click here to learn more and register
May 1
Mission Conference Gathering (#5)
Celebration of Grace
411 Scott Mill Rd
Canton, GA 30114
6:30PM
May 5
LifeTogether Conference (#6)
Messiah Lutheran Church
6900 Kingston Pike
Knoxville, TN 37919
9:30 AM |
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ELCA-Southeastern Synod
100 Edgewood Ave. NE, Suite 1600
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-589-1977
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