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Issue #399
January 15, 2014
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2014 Commemoration Weekend for the
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The theme "Beyond Tolerance" will be highlighted in events as follows:
Saturday, January 18, 2014 - Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 3050 Cascade Road, Atlanta, GA 30311
An interactive panel discussion at 1:00 p.m. Click here for details.
Sunday, January 19, 2014 - Christ Our Hope Lutheran Church, 2165 Hwy 138, SW, Riverdale, GA, 30296
A Commemorative Worship Service will be held at 3:00 p.m. preceded by praise music which starts at 2:30 p.m. Click here for details.
Monday, January 20, 2014 - Rock of Ages Lutheran Church, 5135 Memorial Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30083
MLK 2014 - Lutheran Day of Service offering three volunteer opportunities. Click here to register.
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Always Being Made New:The Campaign for the ELCA
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atlanta, GA
Thursday, January 16, 2014
 Conversation with Clergy: Rich Duncan, ELCA Director of Mission Funding, and Andrew Steele, ELCA Manager of Donor Relations, invite you to share in conversation with rostered leaders in the Atlanta area at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 12:00 pm on Thursday, January 16 to discuss Always Being Made New: The Campaign for the ELCA, among other ministry related topics. Lunch will be provided. Rich and Andrew will give a presentation on the Campaign and field questions from those in attendance. Time permitting, they will also be able to answer questions regarding other Churchwide initiatives. There will also be time to discuss possible engagement plans for congregations to become supporters of the Campaign. Christine Post-Duncan, ELCA Foundation Regional Gift Planner for the Southeastern Synod, will be in attendance to offer information on planned giving for congregations.
Conversation with the Community: Rich Duncan and Andrew Steele also invite community and congregation members in the Atlanta area to discuss Always Being Made New: The Campaign for the ELCA, among other ministry related topics. Join them at 6:30 pm at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. Rich and Andrew will give a presentation on the Campaign and field questions from those in attendance. Time permitting, they will be able to answer questions regarding other Churchwide initiatives. Rich and Andrew also want to hear from those who support the work of the ELCA, and to hear ideas for improving engagement through the ELCA's three ministry expressions (churchwide, synod and congregations). The setting of this event will be forum/town-hall style. Questions are encouraged! Christine Post-Duncan, ELCA Foundation Regional Gift Planner for the Southeastern Synod, will be in attendance to offer information on planned giving for individuals. Click here for campaign information.
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St. Olaf Choir Tours the Southeast
The world renowned St. Olaf Choir launches its 2014 national tour in the
Southeast United States on Saturday, February 1, and will perform 15 concerts under
the direction of Conductor Anton Armstrong in Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
South Carolina,and Tennessee. Click here for dates and locations near you!
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2014 Bishops' School at LTSS
 Think of one or two exceptional high school youth in your congregation - the ones who ask the hard questions, stood out in confirmation classes, and exhibit a yearning to deepen faith and explore their relationship with God in more depth. If you have a young person currently in the 11th or 12th grade, please nominate him or her for Bishops' School at LTSS in 2014.
The 2014 Bishops' School will be held the week of June 22-28 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 Christ Chapel and witness the way God is working in the world and in their own lives. They'll also learn what it means to think theologically!
Attached is a brochure with additional information. Please note, nominations are due by April 1st, 2014. You are welcome to nominate more than one youth from your congregation.
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New Year's Resolution: Missional Planning in the New Year
 Rebecca H. Kolowé, Diaconal Minister, is a Director for Evangelical Mission and Assistant to the Bishop in the Southeastern Synod. She shares some thoughts on ministry direction for the new year. Has your congregation embarked on the Missional Planning journey yet? If not, why not make 2014 your year? Just like us as individuals, congregations have a purpose and a reason for being. And just like us as individuals, congregations are constantly changing. As we make New Year's Resolutions for ourselves, we should also be considering an assessment of our congregation's health and well-being in the New Year. Congregations each have a unique identity that is defined by location, population demographic, and a myriad of other things. Continue reading here.
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Mental Health, Suicide Prevention
and the Lutheran Community
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Elsie and Gerald (Jerry) Weyrauch, volunteers for the Lutheran Suicide Prevention Ministry, a new independent Lutheran organization, are hosting a seminar called "Mental Health, Suicide Prevention and the Lutheran Church," on Thursday, January 22 at 7:00 p.m. The seminar will be held at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Marietta, GA, where they are members. Details about the seminar, guest speaker and the ministry can be found in the attached two page flyer. |
News from NovusWay 
- Architects selelected to design Lutheranch Retreat Center. Click here to read article.
- Registration is open for 2014 Summer at Lutheridge, Lutherock and Luther Springs. Click here for information on available camps and programs.
- Auction Artwork wanted for Lutheranch Roundup. To participate, E-mail Holly Anderson at quiltholly@bellsouth.net. Note "ART AUCTION" in the subject line.
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Southeastern Synod Young Adult and Youth Events
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 AFFIRM 2014 will be at Berry College in Rome, Georgia, June 13-20. AFFIRM is our synod's youth leadership and discipleship camp. More than 300 youth from across our 4 states will participate in 9 different age appropriate units. Youth registration will open in January. We are currently accepting applications for 80 staff positions. If you love teens, don't mind talking about your faith, love rising early and going to sleep late, working for free, and worshipping God every day then Affirm staff could be for you.
SESLYO Assembly Registration is open. SESLYO is the Southeastern Synod Lutheran Youth Organization. SESLYO equips youth to be leaders in the church. Each year every congregation is encouraged to send 2 youth to the annual youth Assembly. The theme this year is Ready, Set, GO! The Assembly will be held at the Cherokee Retreat Center, near Cartersville, GA, February 21-23.
Alassippi Lutheran Youth Gathering "Let's Go!" will be at Shades Valley Lutheran Church in Birmingham, AL on March 1 -2. Alassippi is a youth event for 6th-12th graders who live in Alabama and Mississippi. Cost is $30 which includes meals, programming, and a t-shirt.
Attention Young Adults! Put "GO GREEN" a weekend retreat on your calendar! It will be March 14-16 at Ascension Lutheran Church in Chattanooga, TN.
For additional details, applications and registration forms for all of these events, please visit www.sesyouth.org, the Southeastern Synod Young Adult and Youth Ministry website. Click on the "2013-14 SCHEDULE" tab and select the appropriate event.
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Ninth Triennial Gathering 2014
"Of Many Generations"
Charlotte, NC
July 24 - 27, 2014
Join the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (WELCA) as they gather for a weekend of prayer and celebration at the Ninth Triennial Gathering. Given its close proximity to the Southeastern Synod region, this gathering is a rare opportunity for our synod to be well represented. Click here for details and registration information. Louise Hamilton, the Southeastern Synod Triennial Gathering Promoter, is also available to provide information. She may be contacted by telephone at 404 680-4687 or email lhami630@bellsouth.net. | |
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Steve Bullock Appointed to Care for the Troops Board
 | | Mr. Steven Bullock |
Mr. Steven Bullock, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, St. Simons Island, GA, was appointed to the Board of Directors for Care for the Troops. Mr. Bullock retired in 1994 as an Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel with the 210th Theater Army Area Command. Also a recently retired Vice President for Business Development with
L3 Communications, Mr. Bullock has 40 years of experience in business development and major programs management. Congratulations, Steve!
Care for the Troops, a ministry partner of the Southeastern Synod, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the mental health care of our returning troops and their families. Visit their website here. | |
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It's That Time of Year Again!
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Reports are Due February 15, 2014
Rostered Leaders Report (RLP): All rostered leaders who are not retired should complete an RLP annually. Click here and then click on Synods to access the forms for the report. Once completed, please email them to bishop@elca-ses.org or you can send a copy to the Southeastern Synod Office.
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Green Team - Care for Creation Reservations
The Southeastern Synod's Green Team is now receiving reservations/advanced registration for their retreat focusing on our " Care for Creation." The retreat is scheduled for Thursday, March 7-8, with registration originally scheduled for the evening of Thursday, March 6. The registration fee is $25.00 per person. For reservation/advance registration details, click here.
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LSG Spotlight - Expressions of Hope
 Lutheran Services of Georgia is calling for artwork submissions for Expressions for Hope, an upcoming art exhibit and auction to support those in need in the Savannah area. Click here for submission information.
Expressions for Hope will display the work of local artistsfrom February 7 through February 20, 2014 at the Starland Café (11 E. 41st Street, Savannah). Also at the Starland Café, Expression for Hope will feature a reception and silent auction on February 20th from 6-8 p.m. Proceeds from the silent auction will benefit Lutheran Services of Georgia's social service programs, including adoption, foster care, refugee resettlement, immigration services, family intervention services, and programs for individuals with developmental disabilities.
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 Mark Allan Powell, author of Giving to God: The Bible's Good News About Living a Generous Life, is the Robert and Phyllis Leatherman, Professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary. With permission from Dr. Powell, his thought provoking insights into what stewardship means and how to embrace stewardship as a duty and delight will be offered in this newsletter. This is the sixth of ten articles. Click here to read the series.
God promises to provide for us, rule our lives, and direct and enable us to manage our affairs more faithfully than we could on our own. However, stewardship is an awkward topic which many ministers and church leaders have difficulty addressing and may feel hypocritical, because they themselves haven't mastered stewardship. Religious appeals for money have also been tainted by those who abuse biblical principles for personal gain. Click here to continue reading.
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Southeastern Synod Mission Support Update
 Thank you to all of our congregations who have shared their mission support dollars with the Southeastern Synod. Thanks, especially, to those who have responded to our call to "catch-up" in their giving or give over and above what they have pledged. Thanks also to those who are giving even in the midst of lean budgets and decreased giving. Since our last report on mission support in the enews before Christmas, we can now report that, through December 2013, mission support to our Southeastern Synod is up from 3.3% behind where we were this time last year to 2.5% where we were this time last year. December's mission support results are available here. To be sure, we are still behind where we budgeted to be at this point in the fiscal year. In order to reach the Level 1 mission support goal for the current fiscal year, we will have to receive $277,367 in January. That will be a challenge, but we have received more than that in Januaries in the past. Thanks to your faithful ministry partnership, we look forward to closing that gap in the coming weeks.
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Fundraising From the Heart
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Henri Nouwen
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Join the Henri Nouwen Society and The Upper Room for a series of three call-in seminars featuring Henri Nouwen's A Spirituality of Fundraising, hosted by John Mogabgab, founding editor of Weavings Journal. For details and registration information, click here.
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Messiah Supports Hunger Walk/Run 2014
 Lutheran Church of the Messiah, Decatur, GA will host two events in support of Hunger Walk 2014. Join us! Your participation is greatly appreciated.
Sunday, January 26, 2014: Spaghetti Luncheon to benefit Hunger Walk/Run 2014. Team Messiah will be hosting a homemade spaghetti lunch immediately after worship service. Suggested donation of $5 per plate.
February 14, 2014: Date Night! Let your children join us for an evening of fun and games while you celebrate Valentine's Day with your loved one! Contact the office at Messiah to reserve your space office@messiahdecatur.org. Suggested donation of $10 per child or $20 per family. Money raised will be donated to the Hunger Walk/Run 2014.
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"Spiritual Gifts Made Our Congregation Grow"
You are invited to attend a webinar designed to help your congregation grow in the coming months and years.
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Stewardship Symposium: Stewardship for Adults Under 40
 A Stewardship Symposium, led by Chick Lane and Grace Duddy of the Center for Stewardship Leaders at Luther Seminary, Columbia, SC, is scheduled for January 31, 2014. Details and registration information are available here.
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10 Great Health Foods for Eating Well
Resolve to eat these often in 2014!
 If you are in need of a New Year's resolution here is an option that could potentially help you to become healthier if you are not already taking advantage of these wonderful sources of nutrition. Click here to continue reading an article by Connie Pearson, Chairperson of the Health Ministries Task Force.
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ELCA Global Church Sponsorship
 Celebrate a growing global community of light during Epiphany. Because ELCA missionaries have helped establish churches throughout the world, we are now part of a much larger story - a global community of more than 70 million Lutherans in 79 countries. Now we are building up God's global church together. To find out how you can be engaged in this global church, see www.ELCA.org/globalchurch.
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Resources, Retreats, Learning Opportunities
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Columbia Theological Seminary
Center for Lifelong Learning
Columbia Theological Seminary has space available in a number of their Lifelong Learning Courses. For details and registration information, click on the course names listed below.
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Tune Up
 The Worship Excellence Team for the Gulf Coast Synod has scheduled a second training event for contemporary worship musicians. The event will be held on February 22 in New Orleans. Details and registration information may be found here.
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Back to Basics
 Join Susan Nienaber at the Alban Institute to learn the basics of dealing with the inevitable conflict in your congregation in healthy transformative ways. This event is a part of an Alban Event Cluster.Click here for information on this and other events in the cluster.
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2014 - A New Year for Immigration Reform
The Immigration Task Force was established by the 2006 Synod Assembly  expressly to "...study the effects and implications of immigration reform and ways to educate and inform members of Southeastern Synod congregations of the issues..." To that end, chairperson the Rev. Justin Ask, Associate Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Woodstock, GA, will provide monthly articles in this newsletter. Pastor Ask will also, in a subsequent edition, provide an introduction to the members of the task force. Click here to read this month's article.
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Installations & Ordinations
Saturday, January 18, 2014
The Rev. Harry Tedrow will be installed as pastor at Celebration of Grace Lutheran Church, 411 Scott Mill Road, Canton, GA 30114, at 4:00 pm. Rostered leaders are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is white.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Mr. Stephen Hilgeman will be ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Southern Ohio Synod at St. John Lutheran Church, 380 Keny Boulevard, London, OH 43140. Mr. Hilgeman has accepted a call as pastor with Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 51 Wilmington Island Road, Savannah, GA 31410. He will be installed as pastor of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer on February 23, 2014. Details coming soon.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
The Rev. O. Dennis Mims will be installed as Pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2569 Tilson Road, Decatur, GA 30032, at 4:00 pm. Rostered leaders are invited to vest and process.
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Sunday, March 16, 2014
Associate in Ministry Melody Simpkins will be ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atlanta, GA. More details to come.
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Coming Up!
January 16: Always Being Made New: The Campaign for the ELCA
January 17 - 18: Synod Council Meeting
January 18: Installation of the Rev. Harry Tedrow
 January 18 - 20: MLK Celebrations
January 19: Ordination of Mr. Stephen Hilgeman
January 31 - February : ELCA Youthworkers Extravaganza
February 3 - 5: Two Bubbas and a Bible - Lent 2014
February 13 - 15: LTCA Anniversary
February 16: Installation of the Rev. O. Dennis Mims
February 21 - 23: SESLYO Assembly
March 1 - 2: Alassippi Youth Gathering
March 6 - 8: Green Team Retreat
March 16: Ordination of AIM Melody Simpkins
View the entire synod calendar here.
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Save the Dates
March 9: Atlanta Community Food Bank's Annual Hunger Walk
March 15: Lutheranch Roundup - Watch for details!
May 30 - June 1: Synod Assembly, Chattanooga, TN
Details will be provided in upcoming issues.
September 7: God's Work. Our Hands. Sunday 2014
Details will be provided as received.
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Click here to view descriptions and application instructions for the following open positions:
Full-Time Director of Music Ministry:
Clairmont Presbyterian in Decatur, GA
Assistant Director of Development and Director of Alumni Relations: Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, SC
Full-Time Director of Youth and Education:
Messiah Lutheran Church in Madison, AL
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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Synod Volunteer Opportunities
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Volunteers are crucial to the mission of the Southeastern Synod. Click here to find ways you can serve. Thank you for your generosity!
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Share this E-news with a friend!
Please send this email to those you know who would benefit from this information.
ELCA Southeastern Synod
100 Edgewood Ave. NE, Suite 1600
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-589-1977
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