The Festival of the Reformation

Throughout the Southeastern Synod, the Festival of the Reformation will be observed in a number of ways.  Most congregations will celebrate with a worship service on Reformation Sunday, October 26.  Click here to read about a few community celebrations of interest.  They are all open to the public.

Reformation Day at Emory

October 21, 2014
 

This sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Timothy Smith, Senior Pastor, Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atlanta, GA. (Romans 3:19 - 27 and John 8: 31 - 36)

Wittenberg, population 3,000 in 1517, was akin to Athens, Georgia, or closer to my roots, Chapel Hill, NC-that is, the town was the university.  The castle church door where Luther blogged his 95 theses was less a church and more of a relic museum of the powerful elector of the holy roman emperor, Frederick the wise.  Alongside precious vials of supposed breast milk of the blessed virgin to draw people to Wittenberg was his beloved university with its star young professor, Martin Luther.  Without Frederick's protection and Gutenberg's moveable-type printing press a half century earlier, we might have missed Luther altogether, but these circumstances not-withstanding, the 16^th century reformation was at its core a theological movement within the church catholic, thoroughly dependent on academia as the context for open debate. Continue.

Dancing on the Head of a Pen   

Nashville resident and critically acclaimed writer on the contemplative life, Robert Benson will be the featured speaker at St. Timothy Lutheran Church, 650 East Main St., Hendersonville, TN 37075 for the first of three events in the 2014-15 Education & Arts Series beginning Sunday, November 9 at 4:00 p.m.  Join Benson as he discusses his latest work, Dancing on the Head of a Pen, a look at the work and rewards of a writer's life - from a practical and spiritual perspective. Click here for a flyer. 

Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary

The Academy of Faith & Leadership at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary is providing lots of opportunities for the people of God to learn and grow this fall!  Check out the website for full details and registration information for each event. Stay up to date on Facebook.  

• October 26, 30, and 31: Reformation week celebration
• November 3: Being the Church in Our Changing World: Impacting Education in Our Communities (this event is co-sponsored with Columbia College and will be hosted on the Columbia College campus)
• November 6: Military Service: Keeping Faith & Finding Hope
• November 18: Clergy in the Legal Domain 

 2015 Open Enrollment

October 27 - November 21

Act Now to Benefit the ELCA Fund for Leaders

Sponsoring employers and plan members have been receiving information from Portico about 2015 Open Enrollment.  Every sponsoring organization and sponsored plan member are asked to make online benefit selections for the coming year - even if you simply want to keep your current option.  This includes members who are on leave from call, receiving disability benefits, or retired health plan members under age 65. Decisions about tax-advantaged accounts, life insurance, pretax retirement contributions, and beneficiaries must also be made at this time.

 New this year is a challenge for plan members to make selections early to help smooth out the enrollment process. If at least 60% of members enroll Oct. 27 - Nov. 11, Jeff Thiemann, President and CEO, Portico Benefit Services and his wife have pledged to give $5,000 to the ELCA Fund for Leaders. 

Synod Treasurer to be Elected in 2015

Nomination Deadline: December 1, 2014

An election for Synod Treasurer will take place at the 2015 Southeastern Synod Assembly. This office is open to both clergy and lay persons. The term of office is four years in length, beginning September 1, 2015 and ending August 31, 2019. The office of Treasurer is a volunteer position which requires attendance at the Synod Assembly, approximately three Synod Council and Executive Committee meetings per year, meetings of the Budget and Finance Committee, and occasional meetings of board of directors of the Southeastern Lutheran Holding Corporation.

An ad hoc nominating committee will consider all potential nominees and will recommend at least one person to be nominated by the Synod Council for election at the Assembly in June. All persons nominated by the Synod Council must undergo a criminal background and credit check prior to the 2015 Assembly.

Additional details about the position of Synod Treasurer, including a job description, have been mailed to all synod congregations and are available upon request from the synod office. An online biographical form, available here, must be submitted by all potential nominees. Nominations received by December 1, 2014 will receive full consideration. 

Lutheran Ministries of Alabama (LMA)
Double D

(Dinner & Donations)

Fall Fundraising  

Come enjoy an afternoon of entertainment, food and fun on Sunday, November 16, 2014 - 3:00 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Everyone will have a fun filled afternoon at the German Club Restaurant & Beer Garden, 2318 2nd Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203-3808.  This is the Fall Fundraiser to help support the ongoing ministries of LMA.  Click here for registration information.

 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering

Registration for the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering opened on October 15, 2014.  

AIM Noel Reagan is serving as the gathering coordinator for the Southeastern Synod. Please contact Noel with your questions or requests for her to come and speak with your congregation. Due to limited resources, when possible, combining several congregations in a group meeting would be greatly appreciated.  Noel has requested contact via email at sesgathering@gmail.com to facilitate the quickest response.