| 2013 Reformation Day at LTCA
 The Rev. William Flippin Jr., Senior Pastor, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Atlanta, GA will preach at Reformation Day Chapel at The Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC), Atlanta, GA. The service will be held on Thursday, October 31, 2013 at 11:00 am. LTCA is housed on the ITC campus. The Rev. Flippin joins past notables to commemorate this astute occasion when Martin Luther and other men called "the Reformers" helped the church find its way back to the Bible and back to Jesus.  |
2013 Reformation Day at Emory
The twenty-sixth Reformation Day at Emory will be held on Thursday, October 24, and takes as its theme, Reformation Women. This year's program celebrates the contributions by women to the Reformation of the sixteenth century, as well as their contributions to the renewal of the church and academy today. Registration is required. The event runs from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm. Read more and get registration information here.
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Open Enrollment Coming Soon...
Open Enrollment - Beginning November 1 through November 22, individuals will be able to enroll in the health benefit program. Visit the Open Enrollment Center to learn more about open enrollment for individual plan members.
New Benefit Offering - In addition to choices of benefit coverage, the ELCA Survivor Benefits Plan is changing. It is transitioning to fully-insured, group life insurance benefits offered through Minnesota Life. These benefits include basic group life insurance protection and optional supplemental and dependent life insurance for the plan member, spouse or eligible same gender partner, and children at discounted group rates. For more information, login to myPortico and visit the Open Enrollment Center.
Don't Leave $500 on the Table - Time is running out to earn 2013 wellness dollars. ELCA-Primary members, earn up to $500 - or $1,000 if you have a spouse on the plan. Complete 30-A-Day and a few small steps by Nov. 30. You must have completed a health assessment in order to earn the additional wellness dollars. Click here to learn more.
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The Rev. Amy Allen preaches at St Andrew, Franklin, TN
St Andrew Lutheran Church, Franklin, TN, celebrated Women of the ELCA on Sunday, September 29, 2013. The Rev. Amy Allen served as the guest preacher for the day.
Rev. Allen's sermon, based upon John 1:4-51, is posted on our website and is available here.
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WELCA Boldly Responds with Love
 On August 23rd & 24th the Southeastern Synod Women of the ELCA had seven In-gathering locations across the synod to collect this year's Quilts & Kits for Lutheran World Relief.  A total of 31,628 pounds was collected, exceeding the 2013 goal and surpassing last year's collection by 3500 lbs. Click here and scroll down the page to read more about their success. |
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"God's Work. Our Hands." Sunday
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September 8 was "God's Work. Our Hands." Sunday. Congregations throughout our synod shared photos and stories from their service projects on our website. If you'd like to see your congregation featured, email stories, photos, and reflections to Carolyn Davis. We'll also rotate "God's Work. Our Hands." Sunday stories in our E-News Weekly.
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Joyful Service with Peace
The congregation of Peace Lutheran Church, Spring Hill, TN, paused their Sunday morning service on September 8th and dispersed into several groups in support of, "God's Work.Our Hands." Sunday.
  For a time the community of Spring Hill, TN appeared to be infiltrated by an army clad in Peace Lutheran Church T-shirts.
Parks needing a spruce-up as well as trash along the highway that runs past the church were no match for the cleaning efforts of one group of volunteers. Other groups settled in prepping mailings for Lutheran Services of Tennessee and the local food pantry; writing cards and letters for our soldiers overseas; and, visiting shut-ins.
After all efforts were completed, the volunteers gathered for the conclusion of the worship service, taking the opportunity to share their joy through thoughts and experiences.
"I slept and dreamt that life was joy.
I awoke and saw that life was service.
I acted and behold, service was joy."
- Rabindranath Tagore
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Worship in Pink "Breaking Every Chain"
 Emmanuel Lutheran Church cordially invites you to Worship in Pink/Purple 2013 " Breaking Every Chain." This will be a time of celebration for survivors of Breast Cancer and remembrance for those who have passed on from Breast and Pancreatic Cancer.
The commemoration will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 20, 2013, at Emmanuel, located at 3050 Cascade Road SW, Atlanta, GA 30311. Guests are invited to lift up an offering of praise via song, dance, mime or spoken word. All selections must be submitted to Emmanuel for approval to avoid duplication.
If you are a survivor, would like to recognize someone or would like to lift up an offering, please contact Jacqi El Torro at 404 452-5354 or email at emmanuelluthrean@att.net, jacquieltorro@yahoo.com.
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Christ Lutheran partners with the River Region Food Policy Council
Members of Christ Lutheran Church in Prattville, Alabama, participated in a River Region Food Policy Council listening session on Sunday, October 13, to talk about food scarcity and food policy issues affecting Central Alabama. The members of Christ's quilting ministry donated a quilt to the Food Policy Council in appreciation for their visit. The Council plans to auction the quilt at an upcoming fundraiser. You can click here to visit the River Region Food Policy Council website.
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Natalee, Food Policy Council volunteer, Rebeca Kolowe, Diaconal Minister and Director for Evangelical Mission, Southeastern Synod, The Rev. Daniel Pharr, Pastor Christ Lutheran, and Skye Borden, Food Policy Council director
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A Few Thoughts on Prayer
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The Rev. Dr. Delmer Chilton, Pastor-in-Charge,
The Episcopal Church
of the Messiah, Murphy, NC
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"Pastors think people come to church to hear sermons. They don't. They come to church to pray and to learn to pray." George A. Buttrick, famous preacher and professor of preaching. I think Buttrick is right; both about pastors being self-centered enough to think they are the star of the Sunday show and about people's real reason for being in worship. In an interview in the Wittenberg Door, (a sort-of-Lutheran, religious satire and humor magazine) radio humorist Garrison Keillor said something similar about preaching. "I come to church to commune with God. If you're going to get up and interrupt that conversation ...
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Christian Theology Course at LTCA
The ELCA Southeastern Synod Mission Lay School is offering Christian Theology Made Simple, a two session course for people interested in learning more about what it means to think about how God works in the world.
These introductory sessions are designed to offer the broad strokes of an outline for equipping individuals for doing constructive and practical theology in congregations, communities and other social contexts. We will learn how to follow Christ's commands to love one another as we love ourselves. In the most practical sense, the class focus is on how we talk and live out our faith. Christianity is about the day to day, hour to hour practice. The ability to speak about why and what we believe is important. The will to practice Christianity is at the heart of the matter. This class will help participants do that.
The course will be taught by Dr. Andrea Green and by Ms. Joanne Astalos. Dr. Green is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA and also serves on the faculty at the Candler School of Theology, Atlanta, GA. Ms. Astalos practices as a spiritual director.
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Ms. Joanne Astalos
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Sessions are $10 each and will meet at St. John's Lutheran Church, 1410 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE, Atlanta GA 30307. Session 1 is Friday, Oct 18 from 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm and Saturday, October 19 from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Session 2 is Friday, December 6 from 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm and Saturday, December 7 from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
You can register here. For questions or additional information, email ltcaadmin@itc.edu or call 404-614-6328.
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Tee Off with Lutheran Services of Georgia at the Savannah Golf Classic!
On Monday, October 21 at 11 am EST, you're invited to tee off with Lutheran Services of Georgia at the 10th Anniversary Savannah Golf Classic. Held at The Club at Savannah Harbor, the outing will benefit LSG's many social service programs for people in need throughout Georgia, including adoption, foster care, refugee resettlement and immigration services, family intervention services, and programs for individuals with developmental disabilities.
The outing will feature special opportunities for golfers including Longest Drive Challenge, silent auction, awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams, and a chance to win a new Buick, courtesy of Critz, Inc.
Each year, the Savannah Golf Classic receives strong financial support. Over the past nine years, this event has raised more than $175,000 to serve individuals in need throughout Savannah and the surrounding area.
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Mr. Ben Tucker
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The 10th Anniversary Savannah Golf Classic will also remember Mr. Ben Tucker, legendary jazz musician and member of Lutheran Church of the Ascension in Savannah. Ben died on June 4, 2013, when a car crashed into his golf cart. Ben was a much loved and active supporter of LSG, and will be missed.
For information on sponsorship and participation, contact Linda Larson at llarson@lsga.org or 912-353-8875, ext. 120. Click here for more about Lutheran Services of Georgia. |
Funding Request Deadline Extended to November 1
The Southeastern Synod's Budget and Finance Committee has extended the deadline for submitting proposals for funding in the 2015-16 Ministry Funding Plan. The new deadline is November 1. Agencies, institutions and other groups who wish to request synodical funding should submit their requests online, using the following link:
2015-16 Funding Request.
The deadline for committees and task forces to submit their requests has also been extended to November 1. Committee and Task Force chairpersons should submit their funding requests for the 2014-15 fiscal year, using the online form located at: Committee/TF Funding for 2014-15.
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Planning for 2014 Compensation
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The Rev. Scott Seeke
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Because many congregations are preparing budgets for 2014, we thought it would be helpful to bring the synod's Compensation Guidelines to your attention for planning purposes. The Compensation Guidelines can be found here and provide recommendations for compensation for all rostered leaders (pastors, associates in ministry, diaconal ministers and deaconesses), including recommendations for cost of living adjustments and merit raises. The Compensation Guidelines are reviewed annually by the Compensation Guidelines Committee and are presented to the Synod Assembly in June for approval by the Synod Council.
The 2014 Compensation Guidelines recommends a 2% cost of living/merit increase for rostered leaders. This recommendation was made based on current economic forecasts at the time of the assembly, which forecast an inflation rate slightly above 2% for 2014. At this time, it appears that the actual inflation the rate will be closer to 3%. As the Compensation Guidelines are just that, guidelines, we encourage congregations to use both the recommendations and real-time information to guide them in their compensation decision-making.
Please remember that cost-of-living increases will only allow your staff to keep pace with rising prices. It is not a raise or a merit increase. Keeping salaries flat over time have the effect of a decrease in pay as inflation impacts income. If you wish to give a raise, that would need to be in addition to the 2% cost-of-living increase the synod recommends.
I am available to answer any questions you have about these recommendations or Compensation Guidelines. God bless you as prepare your budgets for 2014!
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Lutheran-Catholic Discussion 2013
at St. Paul, Mobile AL
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The Rev. Joy Blaylock
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It seems a long way in the future, but the year 2017 is really not so far away, after all. It will be the 500th anniversary of the fateful year when Martin Luther offered his 95 theses for debate on indulgences and abuse, leading ultimately to what we now call "The Protestant Reformation."
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The Rev. Randy Jones
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At 7:00 pm on Sunday evening, November 3 (as near as possible to "Reformation Sunday"), the original issue that set Luther off, that of the sale of indulgences, will be examined. The context of the discussion is to suggest that the "Reformation" didn't have to happen-at least, not the way it unfolded. The background of the 16th century, the 95 Theses themselves, and the "rebuttal" offered by Dominican Johann Teztel, a leading proponent of the indulgence sale, will be explored.
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The Rev. David Tokarz
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The event will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Mobile, AL. Presenters include the Rev. Joy Blaylock, Pastor, St. Paul, the Rev. David Tokarz, Pastor, Our Savior Catholic Church, Mobile, AL; and the Rev. Randy Jones, Pastor, Messiah, Montgomery, AL. Admission is free. Refreshments will be served. A Q&A session is planned. Please join the discussion!
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Advent Workshop with Gertrud Nelson
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Gertrud Mueller Nelson
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On Saturday, November 16, 2013, First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Nashville, TN will host an Advent Workshop with artist and author Gertrud Mueller Nelson. Gertrud Mueller Nelson, author of To Dance with God: Family Ritual and Community Celebration, will help parents, pastors, and other church leaders make the connection between sacred story, community worship, family ritual, and living the Gospel in the world. This presentation will help spark ideas for bringing faith forming practices into the home and encourage the development of a deeper understanding of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. Admission is free. Please RSVP by November 11 by emailing pastor.brian@first-lutheran-nashville.org or neelie.crooke@gmail.com. Click here to learn more. |
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Employment Opportunities
Our synod website will now feature employment opportunities submitted by congregations and ministries throughout our synod. Click here to view descriptions and application instructions for the following open positions:
Part-Time Music Director/Organist:
Epiphany Lutheran Church in Conyers, GA
Full-Time Coordinator of Youth and Family Ministries: St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church in Memphis, TN
Full-Time Director of Youth and Family Ministries:
St. John's Lutheran Church in Springfield, IL
If you'd like to see your employment opportunity listed on our website, please submit your position title, description, contact information, application instructions, and other relevant information to Carolyn Davis. |
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Resources, Retreats, & Learning Opportunities
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Resources from LTSS Provost
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The Rev. Dr. Clayton J. Schmit
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At the Southeastern Synod Leadership Convocation in September, keynote speaker, the Rev. Dr. Clayton J. Schmit, Provost of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, SC, shared several hymn texts he has written. He has given permission for their use within Southeastern Synod congregations so long as they are not used in any permanently printed collections without further permission. They can be found here. Relevant books written by Dr. Schmit include:
Too Deep For Words, Westminster/John Knox Press (2000)
Sent and Gathered: A Worship Manual for the Missional Church, Baker Academic (2009)
Public Reading of Scripture, Abingdon Press (2002)
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Connect with Care for the Troops
 Care for the Troops' mission is "to care for those who have borne the battle, and their spouses, children, and families." By working with organizations, congregations, and community leaders, Care for the Troops helps connect military families to providers of spiritual and psychological services. Care for the Troops sends out periodic e-newsletters with useful information and resources. This month's newsletter includes tips on becoming a Veteran Friendly Congregation, upcoming events, webinar series, and more. Read the newsletter or visit the website for more on how you and your congregation can care for the troops!
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Candler's Women, Theology, and Ministry Annual Women's Forum: "Living Out Love"
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The Rev. Becca Stevens
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Featuring The Rev. Becca Stevens
Nov. 1, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Cox Hall, Emory University Campus, Atlanta, GA
Author, social entrepreneur and Episcopal priest The Rev. Becca Stevens will deliver the keynote address, "Living Out Love: Advocacy for Women as a Theological Practice." Read more here.Cost: $15; free for Candler students, with limited scholarships available for students from other schools. Register by Oct. 22 by going to this link. |
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BibleWorks Workshop
 The Pitts Theology Library at the Candler School of Theology has invited Mark Cannon from BibleWorks to conduct two three-hour training sessions on BibleWorks 9, powerful Biblical exegesis software commonly used by scholars, pastors, and students. The sessions will be held on Monday, November 4th, from 8:30am to 11:30am, and from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. Both sessions will be held in Cannon Chapel at Emory University, Room 106. The first session, the BibleWorks Essentials Workshop, will offer a broad introduction to BibleWorks, and the second, the BibleWorks Intermediate Workshop, will demonstrate more advanced features of the software. Registration is open to all, and the cost is $30 for each session. To learn more and to register, click here.
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To learn more about the ELCA's approach to advocacy and important issues for 2013, visit the ELCA website.
Jesus Weeps--Resisting Violence, Building Peace at Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2014: Join hundreds of Christians at the 12th annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days in "Resisting Violence, Building Peace." Guided by the image of Jesus weeping over a capital city that turned from the true way of peace (Luke 19:41-42), we will expose the violence that pervades our culture and world. On Friday, March 21 to Monday, March 24 we will gather in Washington, D.C. to focus on the ways various forms of policies promoting violence can be transformed to policies which enable peace. Click here for more.
 E-Advocacy-Take Action Now!: Become a part of the ELCA advocacy effort by signing up for the e-Advocacy network.
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Share Your Story
Is God doing exciting work in your congregation or ministry that you would like to share with the rest of the synod? Are you looking to spread the word about an upcoming event or opportunity for ministry? The E-News Weekly is open for congregations to share news, stories, photos, announcements and more. Send your stories to Carolyn Davis. Carolyn can also be reached at (404) 589-1977, ext. 235. Submissions are due Mondays by 5 pm. The Synod E-News Weekly (usually) goes out on Wednesdays.
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Did You Know?
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The Rev. Beth Birkholz and the Rev. Scott Seeke
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Southeastern Synod pastors, the Rev. Beth Birkholz and the Rev. Scott Seeke are cohosts of "Revs," a new podcast about God, church, and family. Pastors Birkholz and Seeke have been married to each other for almost fifteen years, and have both been pastors almost as long.
"Beth has been telling me for awhile now that we should do a podcast," said Pastor Seeke. "I should have listened to her sooner."
During each episode, both pastors discuss the topic and offer their observations and insight. One recent episode was titled "The Revs Lean In." It covered their thoughts on the election of ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and the popular women's leadership book "Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg. In another, titled "Mr. Mom," they share how differently people reacted to their respective turns staying home with their children. An upcoming episode will feature an interview with Bishop Gordy.
"I just thought it would be a fun way to talk about questions we've been answering since we met in seminary," said Pastor Birkholz. "And it is!"
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Installations & Ordinations
October 27 - The Rev. Ben Moravitz will be installed as pastor at Incarnation Lutheran Church, Marietta, GA, at 3:00 pm. Rostered leaders are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is red.
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All-Tennessee Youth Gathering
Youth Gathering Registration is OPEN and available
All-Tennessee is a weekend retreat for 6th-12th graders. Cost is $45 per person which includes meals, programming, a t-shirt, and a Riverboat Cruise! This year's Gathering will be held November 2nd and 3rd at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hixson, TN (Chattanooga area). Our In-Kind Offering will go to the Trinity Voucher Program.
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The Little
Here's a sneak peek at the focus for future issues of The Little Lutheran!
November 2013 Giving
December 2013 Christmas
The Little Lutheran
(for children)
The Little Lutheran excerpts and subscription information are available on
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Living
Lutheran
Spotlight
Inspiring Congregations to Share God's Love
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word "stewardship"? Budgets and spreadsheets? Money? Pledge cards?
Instead of thinking of stewardship as facts and figures and annual campaigns, what if we thought of stewardship as an extension of mission?
Continue reading.
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Malaria Campaign Spotlight
Think Malaria is only found in third world countries?
On average, 1500 cases of malaria are reported every year in the United States,even though malaria has been eradicated in this country since the early 1950s.The vast majority of the1500 cases in
the United States are in travelers and
immigrants returning from countries
where malaria transmission occurs,
mostly from sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Learn more about the ELCA Malaria Campaign and how you and your congregation can play a part in eradicating this disease - click here. | |
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Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
Sign-up to receive the LIRS Leadership Tool Kit
The Tool Kit is a bi-monthly resource newsletter that gives congregations the tools and resources they need to welcome refugees and immigrants into their communities.
'New Models For Alternatives to Detention in the US' - LIRS Staff Write at Forced Migration Review
Forced Migration Review, the foremost international journal aimed at improving policy and practice for people affected by forced migration, has just published an article written by LIRS staff. The LIRS contribution "New Models for Alternatives to Detention in the US" offers insight gained on the front lines of LIRS' work for migrants impacted by detention, as well as their work for migrant children. The authors also examine challenges facing community-based alternatives to detention. Click here to read more!
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Who to Contact
Do you have a question or a comment for a member of the synod staff, but aren't sure who to contact? Check out our regularly updated contact page on the synod website.
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| Synod Calendar |
October 26
Talking Together Cross-Culturally @St. Paul, Mobile, AL.
November 2-3
All Tennessee Youth Gathering
November 7-9
Candidacy Committee Meeting
View the entire synod calendar
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