Synod Servant E-News

July 19, 2016

Joys and Cares

We pray for

Pastor Don Herb (retired) who had a heart valve replacement on June 27.

Family and friends of Phil Fleming, member of the synod's Outreach Team, upon his death on July 10. Phil was a member of Abiding Presence, Fuquay-Varina and a partner with Joy of Discovery, Raleigh.

Pastor Brenda Bynum (chaplain, Trinity Oaks, Salisbury) at the death of her mother, Clemontene Richmond, on July 13.

Ian Hartner, husband of Pastor Emily Hartner (St Mark's, Charlotte), who is scheduled for surgery to remove a benign brain tumor on Thursday, July 21.

Jennifer Manis, (Diaconal Minister for Campus Ministry, Holy Trinity, Raleigh) who will be having outpatient surgery on July 21.

Natalie Rimmer, wife of Pastor Chad Rimmer (missionary to Senegal; currently in NC) who is preparing for more chemo treatments. Editor's note: Pastor Rimmer's country of service was incorrectly noted as Sudan in the last issue.

The families of Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, the ten Dallas and three Baton Rouge police officers as they mourn the loss of their loved ones. We pray for an end to violence.

The lives lost and all those injured in Nice, France. We pray for healing and peace.

We give thanks for

Bishop Tim and Wendy Smith welcomed their first two grandchildren on July 8 in Asheville. Ruth Smith and her husband Tommy Ransdell are the proud and exhausted parents. Both Theodore Andrew Ransdell and Marcus Tal Ransdell weighed over 6 lbs. All are well.

Additionally, Bishop Tim and Wendy welcomed their third grandchild on July 16 in Lexington. Pastor Matthew Smith (Holly Grove, Lexington) and wife, Keri, are the proud parents of Marcus Benjamin weighing 7 lb, 5 oz. All are healthy, well, and tired.

The installation of the Rev. Mary Miller-Zurell as pastor of St Timothy, Conover, and Faith, Conover on Sunday, July 10.

Conference Dean Pastor Jeff Lindsay presides at Pastor Mary Miller-Zurell's installation at St. Timothy.

From Bishop Smith's office

Bishop Smith's reflections

Myth Busters: Church Closings

If our primary purpose as a synod is to be the church better and stronger together than we can be apart, then it's no secret that one of the biggest challenges we face in the NC Synod today is the number of congregations that struggle with their very viability. At last count, we had about 108 congregations out of 203 total in our synod with average worship attendance under 100.

Assembly resolution explained

Resolution NC16.04, approved at this year's synod assembly, is appropriately named "Recognizing the Work of Agencies and Institutions in the Ministry of the North Carolina Synod of the ELCA." While the resolution did pass, several questions were raised at assembly which indicated the need for more clarity of context. One of the resolution's signers, Ted Goins, Jr., President of Lutheran Services Carolinas, offers a helpful explanation.

Rostered leader transitions

Pastor Kim Trabold (Wittenberg, Granite Quarry) has transferred to the Florida-Bahamas Synod effective June 20. She will be pastor at St. Matthew's, Jacksonville. Her installation is scheduled for July 31.

Dr. Eric Childers (St John, Cherryville) is transferring to the SC Synod, serving as pastor at St. Matthew's, Charleston, beginning July 31.

Pastor Gordon Myers is transferring to the Southeastern Synod, effective August 1. He will be pastor at Living Word, Arlington, Tennessee.

Pastor Justin Eller (missionary to Argentina) is transferring to the Nebraska Synod, serving as associate pastor at First, Lincoln, beginning September 1.

Evangelical Mission

ELCA Coach training coming

The NC Synod will host an ELCA Coach Launch event: a two-day training workshop, August 22-23. Learn how to use your skills as a coach; to walk alongside another leader.

Read the brochure or continue reading to learn more and register.

Why does Lilly care?

Why does Lilly Endowment care about "Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders"?

1) Financial burdens are barriers to effective, faithful and fruitful ministry.

2) Rostered leaders who are capable of providing excellent financial and managerial leadership make invaluable contributions to the health and vitality of ministries where they serve.

3) Flourishing local congregations, with capable financial and managerial leadership from clergy and laity alike, can better fund ministries that share and participate in the generosity of God for all creation. Healthy leaders lead to vital congregations leading to flourishing communities!

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the Church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the Church, the Body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT)

Stay tuned for more from the synod's Lilly Endowment Project Team.

Forward Together again!

During 2014 and 2015 as part of the synod's Forward Together: In Christ. In Community. initiative, more than 60 lay and rostered companions were recruited and trained to walk alongside congregations as they focused on renewal-- discovering their mission, vision, values and goals. More than 64 of our congregations participated in these three great listenings: to God, ourselves and our neighbors.

Based on feedback from participants, the synod's Renewal Team has worked with Pastor Mike Ward to update and make a few modifications to the program as well as incorporate additional materials. Additional companions have been recruited and will be trained in August; the tool will be ready for congregational use in September.

If you think your congregation would benefit from renewal, please contact Pastor Ed Harper.

News

Brown writes for Living Lutheran

The Rev. Tim Brown, Senior Pastor at Good Shepherd, Raleigh, will be writing feature articles for Living Lutheran (formerly, The Lutheran) magazine. Pastor Brown is the son of Pastor Peter Brown (St Mark's, Charlotte) and is a Valparaiso and LSTC graduate. He served a congregation on the north side of Chicago before coming to NC.

About the evolution of his writing Brown says:

Once in the parish, I began blogging out of necessity. Thoughts and ideas kept bubbling up in my heart and mind, and not being suitable for a sermon, I began recording them for the great wide web. My blog was picked up early on by Living Lutheran in their blogging section, and then I was contacted by the editor to begin writing regularly for them. The relationship has grown, and I now write for them almost every other month, including some feature articles this coming fall.

Other than writing, Pastor Brown's interests include reading, learning about leadership and building block towers with his sons, Findley (3) and Alistair (17 months). His wife, Rhonda, is a professor in biology in Raleigh. He adds, "Mysticism and the intersection of faith/doubt are my two favorite theological topics, which are best discussed over beer or coffee, two of my other interests from the world of mortals."

Thank you, Pastor Brown, for sharing your gifts with our synod and the wider church.

NC Young Adults in Global Mission

We are thrilled to share that the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program has called 87 young adults into service, beginning in August. Among these 87 newly-appointed YAGM, nine of them have named a congregation, campus ministry, ELCA camp, or ELCA college/university as a faith home within the North Carolina Synod. Click here to meet our YAGM! YAGM are often eager to share newsletters, blogs, make Skype calls, and participate in post-service presentations. These young volunteers each commit to raising $4,000 to support their year of service, and additional contributors to the ELCA help to support the additional $9,000 per YAGM program costs. Please consider supporting these deserving young folks. Give to them here (Click "Donate Now" and choose the name from a drop-down list).

Augsburg Fortress gets a new name

From Augsburg Fortress:

The Publishing House of the ELCA--the official name of our parent organization--will now receive the new "doing business as" name of 1517 Media. Augsburg Fortress is one of three familiar publishing units within 1517 Media:

Augsburg Fortress serves Evangelical Lutheran churches in North America with resources to support worship, faith formation, and the congregation's life.
Fortress Press supports students and teachers across the ecumenical and interreligious landscape with resources for the classroom or for individual study.
Sparkhouse creates Christian faith formation resources for children and youth in congregations and, through Sparkhouse Family, at home.

Our new parent identity expresses our rootedness in the Lutheran tradition and the gifts of the Reformation while highlighting our attention-within all three publishing units-to a wide range of current and future media resources for the church, classroom, and home. Read more.

LRU Provost named to ACA Council

Dr. Larry Hall, Provost of Lenoir-Rhyne University, has been elected as Chairman of the Dean's Council of the Appalachian College Association (ACA). The ACA is a non-profit consortium of 35 private four-year liberal arts institutions spread across the central Appalachian Mountains in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The Association unites member institutions in cooperation and collaboration to serve the residents of Appalachia with quality higher education opportunities and services.

Events

September 26-28

Hold the date for this year's Fall Convocation at Lutheridge! All rostered leaders and professional church workers--musicians, administrators, youth and family ministry workers, etc.--are encouraged to attend for education, inspiration and fellowship. Guest speaker is Matthew Skinner of Luther Seminary. Click here for the brochure. Registration will be open by August 1.

Cancer Companions in NC

July 25, July 26, July 27

Learn more about Cancer Companions, a resource for congregations to offer a ministry to cancer patients and their families. Events coming up in North Carolina include options in Garner, Statesville, and Conover. Choose one and learn more.

"Models of Preaching"

July 26

Join other preachers for this event at Lenoir-Rhyne University from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. with the Rev. Father Benjamin Adam Roberts, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church in Monroe, NC. Please pre-register. Click to learn more.

60 years of Lutherock

August 19-21

Come celebrate 60 years of ministry at Lutherock! The weekend will be full of fun camp activities such as: ice cream making, skits and songs around the campfire, hiking on the property, climbing the Challenge Tower, zipping off the ropes course and so much more! Overnight accommodations are based on availability and require pre-registration. Learn more or register.

Keeping Sacred Spaces Sacred

Sept. 20, Sept. 21, Sept. 22, Sept. 23

The NC Council of Churches and American United for the Separation of Church and State will offer a series of workshops across the state to help pastors and church leaders distinguish between politicking and issue advocacy. Register today.

Holy Land Study Tour

January 9-21, 2018

The NC Synod is sponsoring Southern Seminary's Holy Land Study tour in January 2018. Bishop Smith will be on the tour, and registration is open to the synod and to seminary students first. Please contact Pastor Beth Kearney with questions.

Congregations

Hannon to preach at Grace

In the next-to-last month of its Centennial year celebration, all

are invited to join Grace, Hendersonville, in welcoming to its pulpit the Rev. Terry Park Hannon at all morning services on Sunday, August 7. Pastor Hannon is the daughter of the Rev. Karl Park who served as Grace's pastor from 1972 to 1983 during which time Grace constructed and moved from downtown Hendersonville to its new location.

Pastor Hannon remembers that she was in her first year of college when her family moved to Hendersonville in 1972. She said, "My favorite and most vivid memory is of my wedding day, April 16, 1983." Join us as we welcome Pastor Hannon.

--Greg Munson, Public Relations, Grace, Hendersonville

Resources

Animate sale through 7/31

Until July 31, receive one free Animate: Faith Facilitator Guide when you purchase 10 or more Animate Participant Journals. Enter ANIMATE10 at checkout. (May not be combined with any other offer.) Animate: Faith is an adult curriculum from Sparkhouse (see the 1517 Media article in "News" above). Preview samples online or contact the synod's Heilig Resource Center for a free hands-on preview.

Free Catechism app available

Augsburg Fortress announces their first mobile app, featuring Luther's Small Catechism in English and Spanish. Perfect for youth education and confirmation classes, individuals, adults, congregations, church leaders-anyone who wants easy access to Martin Luther's guide to the basics of Christian faith. The app is available from the Apple iOS App Store and on Google Play. Content from the Study Edition is also available as an in-app purchase of $1.99.

Florida Retreat Center

Located in Homestead, Florida, the St. Andrew's Retreat Center is minutes from the Homestead-Miami Speedway, making it the perfect location for groups looking to enjoy the last weekend of the NASCAR race season, November 18-20. The St. Andrew's congregation, hopes to host other ELCA congregations and friends for this weekend or other times, and can accommodate groups between 9-30 people. See their brochure and policy document.

Quick Links

Congregations in the Call Process

Career Opportunities

Did You Know...

The ELCA's Facebook page just celebrated the milestone of 100,000 followers! Are you one of them? If not, join them today. Wait...they are us! We are them! So, join US today as we are church together.

Contact Information:

Catherine Fink, Editor

Rick Godby, Technical Support