News from The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Southeastern Synod

Issue #358

02/20/2013

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A Vision for Mission

Inside Gethsemane

Read about how Gethsemane Lutheran Church, the oldest ELCA congregation in Seattle, WA, reexamined the way it could address need in its community, even as it faced tough questions about its own future. What they learned and did created new life, both in the community and in the congregation. Click here.

To read more stories about how others are Living Lutheran in their communities, check here daily. We also feature a Living Lutheran story in our e-news. You can find this week's story to the right in the red sidebar.

Please mark your calendars now for the

2013 Southeastern Synod Assembly.

Registration is now open!

2013 Southeastern Synod Assembly

May 31, June 1 and 2, 2013

Chattanooga Convention Center

"Always Being Made New"

Following the theme of "Always Being Made New," the 2013 Assembly will remember our roots and celebrate how God has worked through our hands these past 25 years. Click here to view the ELCA's interactive timeline of some of the milestones of God's faithfulness.

Our speakers for the 2013 Assembly will be (from left to right): The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA; Beth Lewis, president and CEO of Augsburg Fortress; and The Rev. Harold C. Skillrud, Bishop Emeritus and first bishop of the Southeastern Synod. For more information or to register, visit the synod website.

When Strangers Become Neighbors: Registration Now Open!

I was a stranger and you welcomed me. Matthew 25:35

You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:31

Saturday, April 6, 2013

9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Registration begins at 9:00 a.m.)

Registration Fee $15

Christ the King Lutheran Church

5575 Peachtree Parkway

Norcross, GA 30092

As people from around the world make the United States their home, the political, economic, and spiritual issues related to immigration continue to divide us. Even the language we use--alien, stranger, foreigner--creates division. Jesus calls people of faith to show hospitality to strangers in our midst. But what happens when these strangers become our neighbors, those we are call to love as we love ourselves?

When Strangers Become Neighbors: Immigration and the Church Today aims to deepen the conversation about the church's role in loving our new neighbors: refugees who seek safety and a new home; children orphaned or torn from their parents during conflict; asylum seekers, survivors of torture, and victims of human trafficking who need protection; and migrants who flee desperate circumstances in search of opportunity. This event is intended for Social Ministry Committee members, pastors and rostered leaders, lay leaders, and those interested in the church's response to immigration issues. During this event:

Keynote Speaker: The Reverend H. Julian Gordy, Bishop of the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA and Chair of the Immigration Ready Bench for the ELCA Conference of Bishops
Presentations by: The Reverend Robert Strickert, representative of the Florida-Georgia District of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod and The Reverend Floyd R. Blair, President and CEO of Lutheran Services of Georgia
Resources and opportunities for further conversation, education, advocacy, and volunteer engagement will be provided for congregations.
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS) and LSG will host a "Community Conversation" on immigration issues and the church today for conference attendees as a model of how to design and host conversations that engage newcomers and congregations in productive dialogue.

The deadline for registration and payment is April 1, 2013. Registration and payment must be handled separately:

Register online by clicking here.

$15 registration fee made payable to Lutheran Services of Georgia:

To pay by check: Remit and mail check with designation "WSBN Conf April 6" to Lutheran Services of Georgia, 100 Edgewood Ave NE, Suite 1800, Atlanta GA 30303
To pay by credit or debit card: Visit LSG's website, click on the purple "donate" icon in top-right corner, fill out the form, and put "WSBN Conf Apr 6" in the comments section.

To promote this event in your congregation, click here for our promotional flyer. For more information, contact Melanie Johnson at LSG or The Reverend Darrel Peterson in the synod office or visit the synod website.

The Update: Immigration Reform 2013

Every Tuesday Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS) publishes The Update. The Update provides weekly

updates about the latest developments in immigration reform. It is now available in both English and Spanish versions. You can also sign-up to receive regular email blog updates. We'll begin posting links to The Update each week in the red sidebar as a weekly feature.

Raise Your Voice & Advocate!

The Southeastern Synod E-News Weekly's Raise Your Voice will feature educational resources and offer opportunities for advocacy related to important advocacy concerns.To learn more about the ELCA's approach to advocacy and important issues for 2013, visit the ELCA website.

Churches for Middle East Peace Advocacy Conference:

Churches for Middle East Peace works to encourage U.S. policies that actively promote a just, lasting, and comprehensive resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On May 20-21, 2013, peacemakers from across the country will gather in Washington D.C. to learn how to effectively advocate for peace in the Holy Land. Participants will receive updates about the situation on the ground and meet with Congress to promote peace and security for all people in the Holy Land. Click here to learn more about the CMEP Conference. To discover other ways to advocate for a just peace in Palestine and Israel, explore the Peace Not Walls campaign on the ELCA website.

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ELCA Advocacy National Priorities Survey:

The third

annual ELCA Advocacy National Priorities Survey allows you to speak up about what is important to you and share how you serve God's creation and our vulnerable neighbors with your hands and your voice. The advocacy ministries of your church want to hear about your service --on mission trips, in local food pantries and homeless shelters, on congregational green teams -- and how these efforts and relationships inform your important policy issues. By completing the short, four-question survey, you are helping to determine the collective priority issues for our active and growing network of Lutheran advocates. Get started now by clicking here.

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At God's Table: Food Justice for a Healthy World: On Friday, April 5 through Monday, April 8, join Christian advocates at the 11th annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days to seek Food Justice for a Healthy World in Washington, DC! Click here for more information or to register.

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LIRS Releases Leadership Toolkit: Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS)

has released a leadership toolkit to empower individuals, communities, and congregations to Stand for Welcome. Stand for Welcome is LIRS's campaign to stand alongside refugees and migrates and advocate for just, fair laws and policies.

Click here to access the LIRS February leadership toolkit.

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E-Advocacy - Take Action Now!: ELCA advocacy ministry speaks for biblical values: peacemaking, hospitality to strangers, care for creation, and concern for people living in poverty and struggling with hunger and disease. ELCA advocacy works for change in public policy based on the experience of Lutheran ministries, programs, and projects around the world and in communities across the United States. Become a part of the ELCA advocacy effort by signing up for the e-Advocacy network.

Southeastern Synod Developer & Redevelopers Fellowship and Mission Retreat

When: Tuesday &

Wednesday, April 23-24

Where: Blessed Trinity Shrine Retreat Center

107 Holy Trinity Road

Fort Mitchell, AL 36856

(334) 855-4474

Directions and information available here

Why: Fellowship, worship, mutual support and consolation

Cost: TBA - under $100

Agenda: (Tentative)

Tuesday (all times are EST)

1 pm: Welcome & Settle in. Please eat lunch before you arrive.

2 pm: Opening Worship

3 pm: Checking In

5:30 pm: Supper

7:30 pm: Ministry; Presentation/Discussion

9:30 pm: Libations and Fellowship

Wednesday

8 am: Breakfast

9 am: Presentation/Discussion

10:30 am: "Fireside Chat" with your Directors for Evangelical Mission

11 am: Closing Worship

Noon: Lunch, Farewell & Godspeed

RSVP Today: Pastor Gary - revgary@cclcatl.com

More information to follow soon.

Sponsored by the Southeastern Synod Outreach & Renewal Team

Metro Atlanta Congregational Resource

The Regional Council of Churches Of Atlanta is a clergy-led, ecumenical initiative to build relationships between churches and create a community response to issues of justice, reconciliation, and want. Each week, RCCA sends out a Church Action e-Newsletter containing events, volunteer opportunities, and resources of special interest to faith communities in the metro Atlanta area. Current and past issues of this exciting area resource can be found on the RCCA website here. To subscribe to the E-Newsletter, click here. For the next couple of weeks, we'll include a link to the RCCA website. After that, you'll be able to find the link under "Quick Links" in our red sidebar.

Lenten Reflections: Bread for the World

The season of Lent is an ideal time to reflect on the devastation of hunger in this world and take action to stop it. This year, Bread for the World has teamed up with the Women of Faith for the 1,000 Days Movement, a movement to promote maternal and child nutrition in the 1,000 days between pregnancy and the child's second birthday. Together, they have developed

Forty Days for 1,000 Days, a series of Lenten activities and resources that examine maternal and child nutrition.

Throughout Lent, the Bread Blog will also

feature Lenten devotions written by women in the movement, Bread activists and staff, and other people of faith. Today's reflection, entitled "Encouraging Faith Through Pain", reminds us of the strength we can find in God's love, even in the midst of pain. Click here to read this and past reflections.

Important Synod Information -Action Required

2013 Synod Council Elections:

In addition to the officer elections scheduled this year, several positions on the Southeastern Synod Council will be filled by election at the 2013 Synod Assembly in Chattanooga. The Synod Council is the synod's board of directors, meeting three times each year to provide leadership and oversight for synod ministries.

Four of the Synod Council positions will be filled by at-large elections by the entire synod assembly; five other positions will be filled by conference nomination, with ratification by the assembly. Note that all Synod Council members are expected to attend a Friday/Saturday meeting in early September and mid-January, and a Thursday meeting in late May/early June, just before each synod assembly.

Biographical forms are due March 15 for the following positions to be elected at the 2013 Synod Assembly:

1 Youth, 2-year term (lay person under age 18; must complete term before graduating high school)

1 Young Adult, 1-year unexpired term (lay person age 18-30)

2 At-large members, 2-year term (Gender and roster designations to be determined at a later date)

The following conferences will also be electing conference representatives for two-year terms on the Synod Council:

Ebenezer (Conference #1) - Clergy

Good N.E.W.S. (Conference #2) - Lay Person

Trinity (Conference #3) - Clergy

Magi (Conference #4) - Lay Person

Mission (Conference #5) - Lay Person

Persons interested in being considered as potential conference representatives should check with their conference chairpersons for details about the timing of conference elections.

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Nominations for Consultation & Discipline Committees:

Nominees are currently being sought for both the Consultation and Discipline Committees in the Southeastern Synod. Although these committees meet only in extraordinary circumstances, it is extremely important that they have well qualified members available for service when needed. The Consultation Committee functions primarily in an advisory role to the synod bishop, assisting the bishop in investigating situations that are potentially matters for formal discipline. Nominees are needed in the following categories:

2 Clergy (6-year terms)

1 Clergy (4-year term)

2 Lay Females (6-year terms)

The Discipline Committee consists of 12 members who serve as a pool of individuals available for potential participation in disciplinary hearings. Nominees are needed in the following categories:

1 Clergy (6-year term)

1 Lay Male (6-year term)

2 Lay Females (6-year terms)

Persons interested in being considered by the Nominating Committee for any of these positions are asked to submit their biographical forms by March 15, 2013.

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Portico Health Assessment: The Portico Health Assessment program allows ELCA employers (congregations, seminaries, other organizations) to earn a 2% discount on their health contribution payments if 65% or more of the ELCA-primary plan members and eligible spouses take the online Mayo Clinic Health Assessment between Jan. 1 and April 30. It only takes 10-20 minutes and you get $150 in wellness dollars. Click here to get started!

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Congregational Mission Planning Grants: Did you know that grants of up to $1,000 are available to congregations that are currently engaged in or will be engaging in a congregational mission planning process? Grants are available from the synod's Great Commission Fund for renewal, re-visioning, and mission planning. For more information and for an application, please visit the synod website here or contact Rebecca Kolowé.

Learning Opportunities

Go Make Disciples: An Invitation to Baptismal Living

On April 25-27, the North American Association for the Catechumenate will offer a three-day institute in Houston, Texas. The Cathechumenate is a process of faith formation and spiritual development that offers a paradigm shift from "members" to "disciples", training and equipping believers for a life of discipleship. Pastors, worship leaders, educators, cathechetical teams, students, and congregational teams are all invited to attend. For more information or to register, click here.

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Register by Friday for Technology for Ministry!

How does technology affect your theology? Join Candler School of Theology's technology and media experts for a day of learning and sharing about digital communications, selecting software, and planning for the future. This day-long workshop will be held on March 1, 2013, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Candler School of Theology, Room 102, 1531 Dickey Dr. Atlanta, GA 30322. Deadline to register is February 22, 2013. Click here for more information.

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ESL Classes at Christ the King

English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at Christ the King in Norcross, GA are free, but students must buy the $20 textbook. You may pay the $20 on the starting dates, February 12-16. If students complete the full course, they will receive a prize. Classes will finish between April 16-20. Before beginning the class, students must register and take a placement level test. Please contact Young Kim, the Director of the ELS classes, at esl@ctklutheran.org or 720-903-6997 for information or to schedule the test. Registration begins January 21, but must be completed by the end of February. The course schedule is as follows: Tuesdays beginning February 12 from 7:00-8:30 p.m.; Thursdays beginning February 14 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and also from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; and Saturdays beginning February 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. We have 3 levels of ESL classes: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced classes that meet on each date. There is no class level division on Saturday. Everyone can come to the free-talking class.

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Festival of Homiletics: On May 13-17, 2013, join many of the nation's finest preachers and teachers at the 21st Festival of Homiletics in Nashville, TN. The Festival of Homiletics is a weeklong conference on preaching, worship, and culture in the 21st century. Experience the fellowship of and be inspired by preachers and teachers from around the country. Click here for more information or to register.

Celebrate Our Heritage in Rincon, GA!

More Resources...

In addition to numerous resource links in the sidebar of this e-news, the following links will take you to videos that can be used to tell the story of the work that the ELCA is engaged in. Take a minute to look at them and forward them to others for them to share, too!

Public Service Announcements: ELCA public service announcements, intended to share the message of God's love with media audiences, are available here.

World Hunger Video Series: Click here to hear and see stories of how ELCA World Hunger has impacted people around the world.

Stories of Faith in Action: In the Stories of Faith in Action videos, you'll discover stories of people throughout the ELCA living out their faith in the world. Click here for more.

Animate Faith: Looking for a resource to get faith conversations started? Take a look at Animate Faith. You can see sample videos from seven of the leading Christian voices who pose questions designed to help us talk about faith and church. This is a great resource to use with people who are new to church or people who have been engaged in the life of the church for years!

Hunger In Our Midst

LEARN...

Hunger Fast Fact: 515 million youth, nearly 45% of all youth (ages 15-24), live on less than $2 per day.

To learn more about hunger, sign up for the ELCA Hunger Fast Facts listserve here.

THEN DO...

On Sunday, March 10, more than 15,000 people will come together at Turner Field to get outdoors, get moving, and have fun, all for a good cause--to raise awareness and funds for hunger relief in Atlanta. The Hunger Walk is an annual 5K walk/run and a project of the Atlanta Community Food Bank to benefit local hunger-fighting organizations, including Lutheran Services of Georgia! Registration for the 29th annual Hunger Walk/Run is now open. Individuals and teams can register online and view resources for collecting donations by clicking here. To walk/run to benefit Lutheran Services of Georgia, sign up on this page.

Hope Renewed Ministry In Search of House Mother

Hope Renewed Ministry is committed to walk hand-in-hand with female parolees who have served long-term prison sentences and have no place to go when released. HRM will partner to teach them life skills, show them ways to find employment, and assist with clothing, food, shelter, and transportation. HRM will also require they spend time in daily prayer, journaling, and meditation in order to become productive members of society.

Hope Renewed Minsitry is currently in search of a House Mother. She needs to be a woman of strong faith who feels called to this ministry. The position is room and board only. She will have a furnished bedroom with private bath. She will need to have some kind of income to meet her own needs. She will need to have her own car. She will need to have some familiarity with female inmates. If you are interested, email Judy Knapp.

Lutherans Restoring Creation

Lutherans Restoring Creation (LRC) is a grassroots movement promoting care for creation in the ELCA. LRC's mission is to empower and equip ELCA congregations, synods, seminaries, colleges and universities, outdoor ministry sites, public policy offices, social ministry organizations, and the ELCA churchwide leadership to embrace caring for creation in more substantive and meaningful ways. Upcoming LRC opportunities include:

Energy Stewards Initiative: This two-year LRC program for ELCA congregations and Lutheran Outdoor Ministry sites is designed to: reduce your energy use and costs, lower your carbon footprint, and save money for other expressions of mission. LRC is recruiting congregations to begin the program in February. Late registrations will be accepted from March through May. Click here for more information.

Greenfaith Certification: This two-year program provides one-on-one coaching, resources, and networking opportunities to help congregations enhance their environmental programming. To learn more about LRC's partnership with Greenfaith, including a 50% Certification Program tuition discount opportunity, click here. Congregations can attend a free Greenfaith Certification Program Information Webinar on February 25, 2013. Visit the LRC website for more information about this program.

Around the Synod

Celebrating the Rev. Laura Shally's Ordination: Last Saturday, February 16, the Rev. Laura Jane Shally was ordained at Christ Lutheran Church in Fairfield Glade, TN.

Photo credit: Dennis Anderson

Pictured in this photo: Bishop H. Julian Gordy and the Rev. Laura Jane Shally. Photo credit: Dennis Anderson.

Pictured in this photo (from left to right): the Rev. Jenny Barnes (Christ Lutheran Church), Bishop H. Julian Gordy, and the Rev. Laura Jane Shally. Photo credit: Dennis Anderson.

Visit the synod website to read the Rev. Joe Nilsen's sermon for the service of ordination. The Rev. Laura Shally will be installed at Shepherd of the Lake in Loudon, TN on Thursday, April 18 at 6:00 p.m. CST.

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Southeastern Synod Joyfully Serves in Guatemala!

Fifteen members of our Synod just returned from a ten-day mission trip to Guatemala. What a wonderful experience it was! Full of fun, laughter, sharing, and meaningful labor.

During their stay, they created a 30-foot long mural of the Gospel of Luke on the elementary school operated by our Companion Synod, La Iglesia Luterana Agustina de Guatemala. The mural was designed by two artists from our synod, Patty Pantelakis and Suzy Mellott, members of Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Marietta GA. Other members spent time at the Lutheran Center building shelves for future guests and doing necessary repairs and renovations.

After the mural was completed, the team spent several days learning about the culture and history of Guatemala, especially the Mayan people, by visiting the Lake Atitlan area and the City of Antigua.

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Synod to Again Visit the Lutheran Church in Guatemala

Come join the Southeastern Synod delegation to Iglesia Luterana Augstina de Guatemala (ILAG), the Lutheran Church in Guatemala, this summer! We will depart from Atlanta, GA on Monday morning, June 17, and return to the U.S. on Sunday afternoon, June 23. While in Guatemala the delegation will interact with children at a church-sponsored school and visit a rural village for three or four days, teach a Bible story or lead a craft activity, while meeting some of our fellow Lutherans. The approximate cost of the trip will be $1700. Please contact Bill Emerson who has gone on three trips to Guatemala by email or at (256) 461-8782.

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Worship Books Free to a Good Home:

The Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, Albany, GA has these items to give to a good home:

65 With One Voice hymnals
68 NRSV Bibles (with Lutheran Church of Our Saviour imprinted on the cover)
100 LBWs

If you are interested in any of these books, please call the synod office at (404) 589-1977.

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Position Open (Available Immediately)

St Luke's Lutheran Church in Atlanta, GA is looking for a part-time Church Secretary, 16-20 hrs/wk, Monday-Friday. For job description, contact Pr. Ruth Hamilton at St Luke's: (404) 237-4413; pastor@stlukeatlanta.org. Click here for more information.

Stripping the Altar: A Lenten Reflection

Diaconal Minister Mary Houck, Cross of Life Lutheran Church in Roswell, GA

February marks the beginning of the purple season of Lent. In Jesus' time, purple was the color of rulers and the ruling class. A fashion statement? Not really. It was a status symbol because purple dye was difficult to come by and extremely expensive. It was made only in the small Mediterranean kingdom called Phoenica (which also gave us the alphabet and the English word 'phoenetic') from the cast-off shells of tiny sea creatures, which had to be crushed and processed to produce the dye. Wearing purple was the modern-day equivalent of wearing a Rolex or driving a Lamborghini in a third-world country....

Read the rest of this reflection on our synod blog.

In This Issue

Learning Opportunities

Pan-Lutheran Retreat

More Resources

Hope Renewed Ministry

Restoring Creation