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Issue #401
January 29, 2014
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2014 Southeastern Synod Assembly
Chattanooga Convention Center
One Carter Plaza
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 756-0001
Begins Friday, May 30, 2014
Ends Sunday, June 1, 2014
Note: New this year there will be optional programming beginning at 9:00 am on Friday.
Watch for more information with registration!
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Dr. Rolf Jacobson,
Assistant Professor of Old Testament
Luther Seminary
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The Rev.
Wyvetta Bullock,
ELCA Assistant to the Presiding Bishop,
Executive for Administration
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Speakers:
Dr. Rolf Jacobson
Keynote Speaker
The Rev. Wyvetta Bullock
Churchwide Representative
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Lutherans in Jordan, Holy Land Dedicate New Church
Near Jesus' Baptismal Site
  "When I was in Palestine in 2009, the Jordanian government had just given the land to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan, Holy Land (ELCJHL) and there was a dedication ceremony. Here are a couple of photos the ELCA photographer made of that service," said Bishop H. Julian Gordy, Southeastern Synod, after reading about the January 6, 2014 dedication. Click here to read article he was referencing.
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The Lutheran: Justice for Women
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"Justice for Women": Participants gather at the 1913 Women's Missionary Society convention in Toledo, OH
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Justice for women is the focus of The Lutheran's February issue. Read "Two women named Ida" and think about women, justice and what it means to be human. "Welcoming women as leaders" looks at living into God's vision in our church and society. To help your discussion of this article, click here for a study guide. Bishop H. Julian Gordy, Southeastern Synod, serves on the ELCA Justice for Women Task Force. | |
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Redesign of The Lutheran and Southeastern Synod Enews
Tell us what you think!
The redesign of The Lutheran was launched with the January issue. If you have opinions about the redesign, The Lutheran would like to hear from you. What works? What doesn't? Email your comments to Carolyn Davis and we'll forward them on to the magazine staff.
In order to accommodate the growing number of users who access the Southeastern Synod Enews on mobile devices, we have reformatted the resource to a single column layout. In keeping with that, and with less staff to maintain the Enews as a communication tool for the Southeastern Synod, the resource is a bit briefer than it has been in the last year. We continue to use it as the primary means to communicate important and timely information about the work that we are called to do together. Please take a minute to send an email to either Carolyn Davis or Michelle Angalet and let us know what you think. |
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The Rev. Dr. Charles A. Thompson Appointed Dean
 The Rev. Dr. Charles A. Thompson, pastor of St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, Plains, GA has accepted an appointment as dean of the South Georgia deanery of the Southeastern Synod. In making the appointment, which became effective January 1, the Rev. H. Julian Gordy, bishop, ELCA Southeastern Synod, said, "We have been blessed by the work of Pastor Thompson in our synod since he was called here as an assistant to Bishop Gerald S. Troutman in 1981. I am very grateful that Pr. Thompson has agreed to serve in this important way."
A native North Dakotan, after serving as Assistant to the Bishop, in 1986, Pastor Thompson accepted a call to become the pastor of Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Albany, GA, where he served 14 years until retirement. Subsequently, he served for a brief period as interim pastor at Mt. Zion-St. Luke in Oglethorpe, GA before pastoring at St. Andrew's.
In addition to his work at historic St. Andrew's, Pastor Thompson also serves as an  adjunct professor of Sociology at Andrew College, Cuthbert, GA and at Darton State College, Albany, GA. In his leisure, Pastor Thompson devotes time to his collection of tractors. During the summer of 2013, he rode his antique tractor as a participant in Sodbusters Days, a historic farm demonstration held in Random County, ND. He stated: "The tractor is like the one I grew up on - - - I estimate it to be new in about 1953."
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Congregations and David & Goliath
 Reflections from Dr. Everett Flanigan, Assistant to the Bishop/Director of Evangelical Mission.
We are told that in order for messages to resonate with your intended audience, it must be dynamic and memorable. The most effective ways to do that is with stories. There is a scientific explanation for this; stories it seems, activate more parts of the brains, than words or concepts. In other words, messages conveyed by mediums such as Power Point are not as memorable as those conveyed by simple stories. This is especially true for general audiences. Continue. |
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Create New Communities with Lutherans in Centering Prayer: Insight Timer App
 App insights from Monica Weber, Vicar at St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Hendersonville, TN. As Vicar at St Timothy Lutheran in Hendersonville, TN, I lead a centering prayer ministry that includes silence, labyrinth walks, lectio divina and other contemplative practices. Recently I underwent foot reconstruction surgery which restricts me to my home for several months, and while I can easily continue the discipline of centering prayer in my isolation, I found myself sorely missing the companionship and encouragement of my prayer community's physical presence. Continue. |
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It's That Time of Year Again!
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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. Reports are due by February 15, 2014.
Congregation Parochial Reports: These annual reports filed on behalf of congregations are due and can be accessed here.
Portico Health Assessment: Not only does this program remind us of the need to be good stewards of our health for the sake of our ministries, but ELCA employers (congregations, seminaries, other organizations) 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, 2014. It only takes 10-20 minutes and you get $150 in wellness dollars just for taking the assessment! Plus, if you do the follow-up activities, you can earn even more wellness dollars! For the last two years, our synod's success in achieving the participation goal earned us money from Portico which has been used to fund sabbatical and wellness grants for our rostered leaders. Make time today to take the assessment! Click here to get started.
Southeastern Synod Wellness/Sabbatical Grant Applications: Thanks to our synod's participation in the Portico Health Assessment the last two years, we have been able to award grants to rostered leaders for sabbaticals and wellness initiatives. The next deadline for grant applications is April 15. Learn more and find an application here.
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Thrivent Supports Green Team
The Green Team is pleased to announce that Thrivent Financial has awarded a fund request in the amount of $1,200 to support the Care for Creation Retreat. Find retreat details and registration information here. To follow the development of the retreat, go to "Care for Creation," as an event on Facebook.
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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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Stay Informed. Be Inspired. Get Involved.
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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 eight of ten articles. Click here to read the series.
Giving to a church or charity is special, because of renunciation, since Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and resist temptation. We don't give because the church needs money. Christians have a need to give, because our hearts are filled with faith, hope, and love for God. Continue.
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KAIROS Christian Resource Development
| Kairos is an organization whose 
purpose is to equip Christian
churches and ministries to realize the resources they need to carry out the ministries they are called to do. To learn more, click here. |
Ventures in Growing Stewards Workshop Begins in March
Want to transform stewardship in your congregation? Are you ready to move from an annual campaign to a year-round model of living as stewards? Ventures in Growing Stewards is a four-part workshop series that develops a vision and plan for growing stewards through a year round stewardship ministry. For more than ten years, the ELCA has offered this workshop series. Through it, more than 600 congregations in over thirty ELCA synods have learned how to grow faithful stewards and increase giving. For many congregations this experience included moving from a "paying the bills" approach to stewardship to a healthier response of "living the mission". A new workshop series will begin in Georgia on March 22. Contact AIM Michelle Angalet, Assistant to the Bishop, 404-589-1977, for more information and to see how your congregation can be a part. Space is limited so don't delay! | |
LSG Spotlight: Lutheran Night at the Gladiators
 A Breast Cancer Awareness event, Lutheran Night at  the Gladiators is scheduled for Saturday, March 1, 2014 at 7:05 p.m. The event is sponsored by Lutheran Services of GA. Tickets must be ordered by February 17, 2014. Metro Atlanta Chapters of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will provide matching funds for a portion of each ticket cost. Click here for details and ordering form.
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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.
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.
Has your congregation planned a special event to support the Hunger Walk? Please send the details of your event to Carolyn Davis.
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Resources, Retreats, Learning Opportunities
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New Lenten Resources for
Your Congregation
Too Deep for Words: Devotions for Lent 2014 will assist your congregation in the traditional Lenten practice of praying more than usual. For information on this Augsburg Fortress resource, click here. For additional resources, click here. |
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Journal of Lutheran Ethics
The January 2014 issue of the Journal of Lutheran Ethics is now available online here. Journal of Lutheran Ethics (JLE) is a free, bi-monthly online publication living out the Lutheran tradition of addressing social issues theologically, using the resources of historical, theological, and ethical tradition, biblical interpretation, and social sciences.
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 Prayer Breakfast
You are invited to a community prayer breakfast sponsored by the Day1 ministry on Thursday, February 13, 2014, at 7:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall of Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church 2715 Peachtree Road Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30305.
The hour-long breakfast will feature an inspiring message by Coach Dan Reeves. Day1 Host Peter Wallace will also be joined by other members of the clergy for an uplifting program. The event is open to the public and all members of the Atlanta faith community and friends of the Day1 ministry are welcome! Click here to register.
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 Reaching the Facebook Generation
Are you interested in reaching the young adults in your congregation and your community? You are invited to attend a webinar designed to give you some ideas on how to engage the Facebook Generation. Information can be found here. |
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More
Young Adult and Youth Events
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Do you know a 9th or 10th grade youth with leadership skills? One who's willing to serve? Who likes to travel? Who's interested in the greater church? The ELCA is looking for 6 young people to give them an opportunity of a lifetime to serve on a Leadership Core Team. Attached find the details and how to apply.
Southeastern Synod Young Adults (age 18 to 35) go to Guatemala, July 2014. Register Now. Cost is $900 plus airfare. There are only 8 spots available so sign up quickly!
For additional details, applications and registration forms for these events and more, please visit the Southeastern Synod Young Adult and Youth Ministry website or click on the links in "Coming Up" below.
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22nd Annual Festival of Homiletics Preaching With Holy Imagination Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis
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Guys, Guts and God's Glory, the 2014 Lutheran Men in Mission Gathering will take place in Nashville, TN, July 18-20. Larry Clark, Jay Gamelin and Peter Mayer will not only be there (along with Tim Wright, author of Searching for Tom Sawyer and other books), but they are helping to plan it! We're going to play, we're going to serve, and we're going to grow- come join us! Early bird registration is now open.
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GrantsPlus Grant Program
 Wheat Ridge Ministries invites and encourages Lutheran affiliated congregations, agencies, and non-profit organizations to submit initial proposals for its GrantsPlus Grant Program. The deadline to submit initial proposals is February 3. Click here for details.
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Fishers of Men at Lutherock: April 4-6, 2014
Come to the mountains to enjoy life and the serenity of fly fishing. This men's retreat at Lutherock offers an opportunity to be in a place where God can teach us a lot about our faith through the mountain waters. There is time for learning knots, entomology, and casting practice before heading out together on Saturday and Sunday mornings to the river. Through devotions and worship, we will prepare for time of reflection and prayer; enhancing the fishing experience beyond just catch and release. A North Carolina fishing license is required and can be purchased online at www.ncwildlife.org. There will be a limited amount of basic gear for rent.
Leaders: John Lord, Hooked Guide Service Cost: $219 per person
Visit the NovusWay website to register online or find out more information.
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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
Sunday, February 23, 2014
The Rev. Stephen Hilgeman will be installed as pastor of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 51 Wilmington Island Road, Savannah, GA 31410. Details coming soon.
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Coming Up!
January 31 - February 16: The St. Olaf Choir Tour
February 3 - 5: Two Bubbas and a Bible - Lent 2014
February 21 - 23: SESLYO Assembly
February 23: Installation of the Rev. Stephen Hilgeman
March 1 - 2: Alassippi Youth Gathering
March 7 - 8: Green Team Retreat
March 9: Atlanta Community Food Bank's Hunger Walk
March 14 - 16: "Go Green", Ascension Lutheran Church, Chattanooga, TN
March 15: Lutheranch Roundup
April 1: Nominations due for 2014 Bishops' School at LTSS
May 30 - June 1: Synod Assembly, Chattanooga, TN
June 13 - 20: AFFIRM 2014, Berry College, Rome, GA
July 18 - 20: Lutheran Men in Mission, "Guys, Guts and God's Glory", Nashville, TN
July 21 - 28: Young Adults Go to Guatamala
July 24 - 27: WELCA Ninth Triennial Gathering 2014
View the entire synod calendar here.
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Save the Dates
September 7: God's Work. Our Hands. Sunday 2014
Details will be provided as received.
October 13 - 16: Leadership Convocation, Lutheridge
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Click here to view descriptions and application instructions for the following open positions:
Part-Time Interim Worship Service Accompanist (New):
Epiphany Lutheran Church, Suwanee, GA
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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