Southeastern Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
God's work. Our hands.
E-News Weekly |
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Issue: #350
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December 19, 2012
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Light in the Darkness: An Advent Reflection
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By Bishop H. Julian Gordy
"The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it."- John 1:1-6; 9-14
What is the good of light without some darkness to stick it in?- Arlo Guthrie
No one knows when Jesus was born. Reworking the Roman celebration of Saturnalia, the early church chose to celebrate Christmas in the bleak midwinter. Whether they intended it or not, it is appropriate to celebrate the Incarnation at the darkest time of year, if you think about it. Jesus is the Word, and the Word is the Light of the world, shining through the darkness of the long night
and pointing us toward the time when all will be light in the presence of God.
"The Word became flesh and lived among us." Or, a more literal translation: "The Word became flesh and pitched its tent with us." And where God's Word lives, there is light. And darkness can never overcome light....
Read the rest of this reflection on our synod blog.
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ELCA Expresses Sorrow for Lives Lost in Newtown, Connecticut
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News from the ELCA
Prayers of Intercession from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in response to the school shooting Dec. 14 in Newtown, Conn., are now available at ELCA.org. A gunman shot dead 20 students and six adults before apparently killing himself.
"Today we express our sorrow for lives lost in Newtown, and we are being drawn together as a people. May this tragic moment become the occasion to experience the depth of God's mercy and the love of Jesus," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop.
"May our mourning move us to join together to turn back a rising tide of violence, for this is not the world that God desires for God's children. In this season of Advent, we bear witness that our hope is in Christ, the prince of peace," said Hanson.
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Notices from the Southeastern Synod
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E-mail Difficulties
The Synod Staff have experienced e-mail difficulties over the course of the last two weeks. If you have emailed a member of the staff and have not heard back, or have a concern about the disposition of a recent email, please contact the synod office at 404-589-1977. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused and appreciate your patience as we seek to resolve the problem.
2013 Statement of Intent Forms Now Available
The 2013 Mission Support Statement of Intent forms are now available in both English and Spanish on the new synod website by clicking here.
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Help the ELCA Malaria Campaign Reach Its Goal!
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Dear friend,
I am thankful for your support of the ELCA Malaria Campaign and ask that you make one more special gift this year. We have less than two months to raise $1 million, and we need your help.
Today, thousands of children in Africa will contract malaria. It will start with a fever, headache and vomiting. But within just a few days, the disease can turn deadly - all because of the bite of a mosquito.
A child dies from malaria every 60 seconds. Most are children under the age of 5.
Our church is making a difference. It has been less than two years since the ELCA Malaria Campaign joined the global movement to fight malaria, and we have already seen a reduction in the number of deaths from this preventable, treatable disease. Thank you for being a part of this!
We have more to do. This year, our goal is to raise an additional $4 million toward our goal of raising $15 million by 2015. Thanks to the generosity of people like you, we just passed the $3 million mark.
We are so close - but we need you.
Give now to help reach our goal. Your gift will ensure that the work of the ELCA Malaria Campaign continues. We need to raise $1 million more by the end of our fiscal year - January 31 - so that malaria programs in Africa that are just getting off the ground will continue to gain momentum. I know we can do it!
 Your gifts are critical - families in Africa will benefit from your support. A mother in Zambia recently told us, "The malaria program has really helped. Before the program started, people only slept [under] the mosquito nets during the rainy season, but now we all sleep under mosquito nets throughout the year. We now know how to protect ourselves."
We are a church that believes God is calling us into the world - together. Join the ELCA Malaria Campaign, working with Lutheran churches in Africa, to provide what is needed to help eliminate deaths from this disease - for good. Please give today.
Thanks for your gifts, prayers and partnership.
In Christ's service,
Jessica Nipp Hacker
Coordinator, ELCA Malaria Campaign
P.S. For resources on how to get your congregation involved visit www.elca.org/malaria. Remember that your gift, received before Dec. 31, 2012, is tax deductible as allowed by law.
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Announcements for Youth and Young Adults
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Join us at the Alassippi Youth Gathering 2013!
Join other youth from all across Alabama and Mississippi at the Alassippi Youth Gathering on February 9 at Ascension Lutheran Church in Jackson, MS. Cost is $20 per person which includes lunch, programming, and a T-shirt. Our theme for this year is "Get Wet" and the band Starboarders will be our musicians for the day. Register online and download the publicity poster on the SES Youth website.
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Apply to join the Affirm 2013 Staff!
 Are you looking for a way to change live s? Do you like listening and talking with youth?Consider applying to be on the Affirm 2013 Staff. Affirm is our leadership and discipleship event held at Berry College for 6th through 12th graders and college freshman and sophomores June 16 through 21. Staff applications for Affirm 2013 are due on January 15. You can download the application online here. Staff arrive on the evening of June 14th for a weekend of training. There is no financial cost for you, just your time. ********************
Coming Up: SESLYO 2013 Assembly The SESLYO 2013 Assembly is February 22 through 24 at Grace Point Episcopal Retreat Center in Kingston, TN. SESLYO is an acronym for Southeastern Synod Lutheran Youth Organization. Two youth from each congregation in our synod are encouraged to attend and serve as delegates representing their congregation. Similar to the Synod Assembly, the youth will participate in business sessions and workshops. The weekend also includes lots of fun and fellowship and of course youth-led worship. In 2012, you might remember that from this event came a resolution from the SESLYO assembly about having Immigration Conversation back in your home congregation. Cost is $100 per person. A congregational information packet and individual registration is available on the SES Youth website.
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Help Provide Dinner for Lutheran Campus Ministry
Are you passionate about seeing young adults come together for worship and fellowship? Would you like to support Lutheran Campus Ministry in Atlanta in the upcoming year? Consider providing dinner for students to eat during meetings throughout the spring semester. See the dates below and contact Pastor Matt Simpkins to reserve your date. Dates are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so act fast! The available dates for 2013 are: Jan. 15
Jan. 22
Feb. 5
Feb. 12
Feb. 19
Mar. 5
Mar. 12
Apr. 2
Apr. 9
Wondering what to bring? Here's all the information you'll need.
- Prepare for 30-40 students to eat. What's not eaten will be eaten by students who come by the house during the week.
- Please bring ice and drinks as well.
- Paper products are needed (napkins, solo cups, paper plates, paper towels)
- Please bring the dinner by 5 pm all ready to go (can be heated if needed).
- There are a couple of vegetarians, so a vegetarian option is always good.
- You are welcome to stay and participate in the dinner and devotion.
- You are welcome to serve the students if you'd like, but the kitchen does get pretty crowded.
- You are welcome to stay and clean up, but that's a job Pastor Matt usually gives to the students.
Lutheran Campus Ministry loves you! Thank you so very much!
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Upcoming MLK Day Opportunities
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As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Day rapidly approaches, here are some opportunities for commemoration and service throughout the Southeastern Synod.
Lutheran Day of Service in Clarkston, GA
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. believed that all citizens had the power - and the responsibility - to create a better world by putting into action the principles of love, tolerance, and service to others. On the Lutheran Day of Service, we have the opportunity to transform his life and teachings into action and help change our community for the better.
This year, the Lutheran community of metro Atlanta and the Clarkston Community Center are partnering to help make Dr. King's vision of a nation free from injustice, discrimination, and hate a reality. Together, we will serve some of the most vulnerable individuals in contemporary society - refugees. Clarkston, GA has one of the highest concentrations of refugees in the U.S. Refugees come to our country having faced violence, terrorism, and war yet maintain a spirit of optimism and resilience that serves as an example to us all.
Your congregation is invited to serve on MLK Day 2013 by sending a team of volunteers to participate in the Lutheran Day of Service to benefit refugees resettled by Lutheran Services of Georgia. This year's Day of Service will take place on January 21, 2013, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Clarkston Community Center (3701 College Ave, Clarkston, GA 30021). Opportunities for service include:
- Sorting and packaging rice for refugee families
- Sorting and packaging pots and pans for refugee families
- Cleaning up the neighborhood surrounding the Clarkston Community Center
- Distributing and sorting incoming book donations for the children of Clarkston
All volunteers are strongly encouraged to bring one or more of the following items to the Day of Service: a bag of rice of any size; pots, pans, or other flatware; new children's books. To help coordinate service opportunities, volunteers are asked to register in advance online here.
Congregations are also encouraged to for reflection and worship, either before or after serving with us. Congregational resources for preparation, worship, reflection, or organizing your own MLK Day of Service project are available here.
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Worship and Sing at the MLK Celebration Service
On Sunday, January 20, 2013, join us for this year's special MLK service of worship and celebration. The Celebration Service will bring Lutherans together to remember MLK's vision of justice and inclusive, beloved community. The service will begin at 3:00 pm at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd at 3099 Chapel Hill Rd in Douglasville, GA, 30135.
Also, if you are interested in being part of a Mass Choir for the MLK workship service, please contact Randy Stephens at (678) 639-4477 or Bernice Bland at (404) 294-9247. Tentative rehearsal dates are Saturday, 1 to 2:30 pm on January 12, 2013 and January 19, 1 to 2:30 pm, both at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 3099 Chapel Hill Rd, Douglasville, GA 30135.
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The House I Live In:
The House I Live In is a 2012 Sundance Award winning film on the consequences of America's failed drug war and the injustices of the current criminal justice system. In January of 2013, Charlotte Street Films and Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference are inviting high schools and faith communities to host screenings of this film as part of a national day of education. Click here to view the trailer or to learn about how your congregation can host a screening .
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Educational Opportunities
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Community Organizing at Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta:
 The Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta announces a One-Day Workshop entitled Community Organizing and the One-to-One "Relational Meeting": Practical Applications. The field of community organizing offers a great tool for building or deepening relationships within congregations as well as in the broader community. This workshop will also give you the opportunity to engage in and discover the practical applications of a community organizing tool known as the one-to-one relational meeting. The one-to-one is a natural but uncommon conversation, talking and listening with someone you want to know or know better. The one-to-one relational meeting is fundamental for effective community work. It's a natural approach that flows from your curiosity and how your conversation partner responds. Learn how the "One-to-One" can be an effective tool for enhancing public speaking, selecting issues for action, increasing involvement in public activity, and for heightening your organization's public profile.
The Rev. Susan Engh, Director for Congregation-Based Organizing (CBO) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, will facilitate. This workshop will be held on Wednesday, January 16, 2013, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm at LTCA, 700 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310. The cost will be $50. For more information and registration, call or e-mail the Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta at (404) 614-6328 or at ltcaadmin@itc.edu.
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Coming up at the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary:
Youth Nominations for 2013 Bishop's School
 The 2013 Bishop's School will be held the week of June 23-29 on the campus of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, SC. Youth from all over the southeast will come together to study with seminary professors, worship in Chris Chapel, and witness the way God is working in the world and in their own lives. Click here to view a brochure with additional information. Please note, nominations are due by April 1st, 2013. Feel free to nominate more than one youth from your congregation.
Should you have any questions, please contact the Coordinator for Bishop's School, Ms. Sandra Holland, AIM at sandrah@salutheran.com. You may also contact Ms. Tiffany Pieters in the Region 9 office at 803-461-3263 or tiffany.pieters@lr.edu. Thank you.
LTSS Spring Visit Opportunities
Does your life feel a little cloudy? Find some clarity! If you are discerning God's call to ministry, please join Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary for one, two, or all of the dates listed below to learn more about how we teach, form, and nurture women and men for public ministry. You will have a chance to attend lectures by distinguished faculty members, worship with the seminary community, interact with students and faculty in small groups, learn about financial aid opportunities, and meet others discerning God's call. LTSS spring visit opportunities include:
- Discernment Retreat: February 2 through 4
- Open House: February 25
- Seminary Saturday: March 23
- Open House: April 21 through 22
To take advantage of one of these opportunities, register online today at ltss.lr.edu or call 803-461-3238.
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Opportunities at Columbia Theological Seminary:
January Seminars - Resurrection: New Life, New Song
The Center for Lifelong Learning at Columbia Theological Seminary is pleased to share the updated schedule of events and workshop descriptions for Resurrection: New Life, New Song, a 3-day seminar on January 27 through January 30, 2013. Some of the seminar events will include:
- An informal Reception and Artist Review where conference attendees will sing along as they share hymn or Psalm texts and creations of liturgical art or other renditions of Eastertide artistic expressions created prior to or during the conference workshops (for conference attendees only)
- Three Days/Three Ways: A Triduum Festival of Psalms, an evening journey of orientation, disorientation, and reorientation from Good Friday through Easter Sunday (open to the public)
- New Life, New Song: A Festival of Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Songs from Glory to God, the new Presbyterian Hymnal (open to the public)
For additional information and to register for the entire event, please click here. Registration options include discounts of $200 for 2+ persons from the same congregation, a seminarian discount (basic or advanced degree students) of $100 per person, and regular registration of $235 per person.
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News from ELCA Churchwide
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ELCA Worship News from December 2012
Dear Friends,
In these weeks of Advent we are immersed in stories and images from the Lukan narrative. We encounter John the Baptist, Zechariah, Elizabeth and Mary as we move from images of the coming of the Son of Man toward images of expectation and hope in the coming of the savior. And so we prepare and we wait with eager anticipation for the coming days.
The waiting and the preparation, as difficult as they may be, are important to us as we will soon enter into the narrative of Jesus Christ. In the coming days we will move from birth, to death, to resurrection, and in this season of Advent we are reminded of the purpose of this narrative-the divine fulfillment of all things. And so we wait and we prepare, we sing with Mary and Zechariah the joys of this coming savior and we celebrate the advent of our Lord in the bread and wine broken and poured out for us in the midst of our assemblies.
These weeks of Advent are a gift to us and I pray that you are able to enter most fully into the wonder and mystery we behold in this season as we prepare for the Nativity of Our Lord.
From your partners and friends on ELCA Worship Staff, we wish you a blessed Advent and Christmastide.
Peter Perella+
Director for Worship Formation and Liturgical Resources
Click here to read more Worship News from December 2012.
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Christmas Eve CBS Special to Spotlight ELCA Congregation
From ELCA News Service
Hope Lutheran Church in Reading, Pa., will be featured in "One Christmas Story: People Rich in Spirit" -- a national CBS television special to air Dec. 24 at 11:35 p.m. (EST). Hope is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Produced by Odyssey Networks, a multi-faith coalition based in New York, the Christmas special is one hour, commercial free. Filmed at Hope Lutheran Church, the special features the congregation's choir, along with other choral groups from Reading.
"We hope we'll be able to show the world that we are full of faith, and we are a place of hope" in Reading, according to the Rev. Mary Wolfe, pastor of Hope.
"There is so much richness here, and the folks here are so rich in spirit," said Wolfe, adding that the special will show "to the whole world how much (members of Hope) have to offer, and how much there is still to celebrate in (Reading), the people here and their faith."
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A Common Calling: A Story of Faith in Action from the ELCA
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Megan Ross, center, is an ELCA deaconess in Balige, Indonesia.
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The role of the deaconess in the ELCA is first and foremost to act as a bridge connecting the church with the needs of the world.
According to Megan Ross, an ELCA deaconess serving in Balige, Indonesia, "Our image is that of washing feet. As Jesus washed his disciples' feet, so we, too, are called to humble service."
In the spirit of that humble service, Megan is working with a school through the Protestant Christian Batak Church in the Sumatra region of Indonesia to train women to serve as deaconesses like herself.
 | | Indonesia, CIA World Factbook |
The school, supported in part by gifts
to Mission Support - the percentage of weekly congregational offerings that is shared with synods and ELCA churchwide ministries - provides training the women need to serve their communities and be that connection to Christ that many of their communities desperately need.
"In Indonesia, some of the deaconesses live in villages far from what Americans would consider a comfortable life," Megan says. "But here, village life is the way of life for many people, so the diaconal heart and humble serving encompasses all of life and those in need."
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Southeastern Synod Mission Trip to Ethiopia
In late January, a delegation from the Southeastern Synod will be traveling to visit our sisters and brothers in our companion synod in Ethiopia - Makane Yesus Southwest Bethel. They will be installing water pumps to provide a source of clean water for thousands of people in their synod. The team has almost met their financial goal for this trip and would appreciate additional donations. Please prayerfully consider any gift that you are able to make. Donations can be sent to the Southeastern Synod Office and designated for Ethiopia Water Pumps. For more information, view the brochure.
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Israel Study Tour with Newberry College
On June 1-14, 2013, Newberry College invites you to walk where Jesus walked on a study tour through Israel. Hosted by campus chaplain, the Rev. Ernie Worman, and Professor of Hebrew Scriptures at the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Dr. Monte Luker, this life-changing, faith-building, Bible-illuminating event will be accompanied by Newberry religion program professors Dr. Wayne Kannaday and Dr. Christina Wendland. Newberry students, alumni, pastors, and friends of the college are invited to join the journey. Many Old and New Testament sites will be visited along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, the Sea of Galilee, the Dead Sea, and the Red Sea. This fabulous study tour is being coordinated through the Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies. The all-inclusive cost is $4,198.
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Celebrating the Installation of Interim Pastor Duane Salness
On Sunday, December 16, Messiah Lutheran Church in Savannah, GA celebrated the installation of interim pastor Duane Salness. In the photograph above, from right to left, are Council President Mr. John Duren, Pastor Duane, and the Reverend Darrel Peterson.
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Nordic Choir to Perform in Athens, GA
Luther College Nordic Choir, one of the top college choirs in the nation, will present a concert at 8:00 pm on Thursday, January 31, 2013 at the University of Georgia Performing Arts Centers: Hodgson Concert Hall, 230 River Road, Athens, GA. Conducted by Allen Hightower, the choir will perform sacred choral works. Tickets cost $15 for the general public and $5 for students. To purchase tickets, visit www.pac.uga.edu or call 706-542-4400.
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Standing on the Promise: Lutheranch Congregational Training
To fund the construction of the Lutheranch camp and conference center, the Standing on the Promise seeks to raise $4.9 million in gifts from individuals, families, congregations, and foundations across the Southeastern Synod. On February 2, 2013, Standing on the Promise will offer two Congregational Leader Training sessions for those who will engage congregations in giving. The training will take place at the Lutheranch Holy Trinity House at 333 McGinnis Road, Tallapoosa, GA 30176. The first training session will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon, and the second from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Choose whichever works best for you. Refreshments will be served and materials will be provided for each congregation. Please RSVP to Libby Bedenbaugh at libby@llmi.org or by cell phone at 803-940-6523. To learn more about the Standing on the Promise Campaign, visit the Lutheranch website.
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| View the entire Synod Calendar | | |
Dec 24-26
Southeastern Synod Office Closed for Christmas
Dec 28
Synod Council Reports Due
Jan 1
Synod Office Closed for New Year's Day
Jan 11-12
Talking Together as Christians Cross-Culturally
Nashville, TN
Jan 14-16
First Call Theological Education
Jan 18-19
Synod Council Meeting
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ELCA-Southeastern Synod
100 Edgewood Ave. NE, Suite 1600
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-589-1977
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