This article was written by the Rev. Elizabeth "Libby" Howe, Director for Evangelical Mission & Assistant to the Bishop of the La Crosse Area Synod. It was originally published in the September 2015 issue of the Coulee Courier and is reprinted with her permission.
When the ELCA was formed, we stated this hope and goal: within 10 years, at least 10 percent of our membership would be non-white to more accurately reflect the diversity of the country in which we live. Here's a fact. The latest PEW report reveals that according to 23 denominations' own statistics, the ELCA is the second least diverse Christian denomination in the U.S (96% white). The only denomination less diverse is the National Baptist Convention (99% black).
A friend of mine, an ELCA pastor, posted the following status on his Facebook page:
OK folks, finish the sentence:
"You know you're part of a predominantly White church when..."
And people did. There are now more than 85 responses that complete the sentence. Most of them are written by people of color, and they include statements like,
"...you notice that only the persons of color in the room are being asked, 'When did you become a Lutheran?'" and Continue.
Confronting Racism Webcast
ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and William B. Horne II, an ELCA member from Clearwater, FL, discuss the complexity and implications of racism in a webcast originally broadcast on August 6, 2015. The webcast is provided in its entirety for those who were unable to watch.
August 23, 2015 at 3:30 p.m. EDT
The Rev. Bonnie E. Lanyi will be installed as Pastor of Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 2801 Frederica Road, St. Simons Island, Georgia. Rostered leaders are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is green. A reception will immediately follow.
August 30, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. EDT
The Rev. Jack A. Wilder will be installed as Pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 6632 Chapman Highway, Knoxville, Tennessee. Rostered leaders are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is green. A reception will immediately follow.
October 4, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. EDT
The Rev. Stephen Friedrich will be installed as a Pastor at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 4814 Paper Mill Road SE, Marietta, Georgia. Rostered leaders are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is green.
Candidacy - Your Synod at Work
The Candidacy Committee announces the following decisions from its August 2015 meeting.
Approved for ordained ministry
Keith Lankford, Holy Cross, Athens, GA
Katherine Museus, Christ, Nashville, TN
David Sivecz, Redeemer, Atlanta, GA
Approved for ordained ministry - TEEM (Theological Education for Emerging Ministries)
Everett Flanigan, Christ Our Hope, Riverdale, GA
Approved for ordained ministry - Ordained in another Christian Tradition)
Crispin Ilombe, St. John's, Atlanta, GA
Anna Tew, St. John's Atlanta, GA
David Trott, St. Stephen, Decatur, GA
Approved for diaconal ministry
Melanie Johnson, Redeemer, Atlanta, GA
Endorsed for ordained ministry
Karen Slappey, Redeemer, Atlanta, GA
Jonathan Trapp, Redeemer, Atlanta, GA
Endorsed for ordained ministry - (Ordained in another Christian Tradition)
Evangeline Anderson Rajkumar, St. John's, Atlanta, GA
Endorsed for ordained ministry - TEEM (Theological Education for Emerging Ministries)
Debra Jimenez, Prince of Peace, Johns Creek, GA
Entranced for ordained ministry
Elise Anderson, Redeemer, Atlanta, GA
Josh Moss, Messiah, Knoxville, TN
Entranced for ordained ministry - TEEM (Theological Education for Emerging Ministries)
Michael Sauls, Sinking Springs, Midway, TN
Glossary:
An Entrance decision means the Candidacy Committee has affirmed the candidate's potential for ministry and initiates the candidate's candidacy process in the ELCA.
An Endorsement decision affirms a candidate's specific ministry track (happens about half-way through the process) and his/her continued progression through the candidacy process.
An Approval decision affirms the candidate's readiness for rostered ministry in the ELCA and initiates his/her assignment to a synod and eligibility for a call.
To begin the candidacy process, speak with Jeanette Burgess in the Synod Office, 404-589-1977, ext. 232.
Upcoming Candidacy Meetings:
November 5-7, 2015 (paperwork deadline is September 15)
April 14-16, 2016 (paperwork deadline is February 15)
July 28-30, 2016 (paperwork deadline is June 1)
Click here to learn more about candidacy in the ELCA.
Southeastern Synod Leadership Convocation
Lutheridge Conference Center
Arden, NC
September 15 - 17, 2015
Click here to read about the 2015 Leadership Convocation and to learn about our keynote speaker, Mr. Robert Benson, pictured above. To register visit the NovusWay website at www.novusway.com . Click on "Our Programs" and "Registration Information." If you already have a NovusWay username and password, you will need to have it available when you register.
First Call Theological Education will also be offered for first call candidates beginning on Monday, September 14 and the Interim Pastor's Gathering will begin on Thursday afternoon and conclude on Friday. You can register for both of these events by following the instructions for registering on the NovusWay website above.
WE ARE LUTHERAN
The Lutheran Magazine
Southeastern Synod Supplement
In 2015, four issues of The Lutheran magazine will contain a Southeastern Synod supplement. These supplements will feature articles written by leaders throughout our synod that tell the story of Lutherans and how it is that "We are church" together.
Our guest writers are the Rev. Mark Beatty, associate pastor, Prince of Peace, Johns Creek, GA; Ms. Mary F. McCoy, member of Good Shepherd, Woodstock, GA and the Synod Green Team Task Force; and the Rev. David M. Hood, interim pastor, Holy Trinity, Nashville, TN.
Click here to read the August 2015 supplement, as well as any you may have missed.
The Grace Gathering will be held in conjunction with 2016 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in New Orleans, Louisiana. This gathering will create an opportunity for ELCA members to gather from all synods and regions to experience personal renewal in faith, to become more deeply engaged and involved in the ELCA's life and ministry, and to be equipped for local and regional observances of the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation.
Stay tuned for more information! Early bird registration will start October 31, 2015!
See Grace Gathering on the ELCA homepage for up-to-date information on the schedule of events, workshops, keynote speakers, registration and more!
It's a Low Country Boil for Lutheran Campus Ministry Atlanta (LCM), and we need your support. LCM serves GA Tech, Georgia State, Emory and Agnes Scott. Please come to our fun event on Saturday, August 22 at Living Grace Lutheran Church, 1812 Cooledge Road, Tucker, GA at 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person, and anyone under 21 is admitted free! Tickets are available online at the LCM Atlanta webpage. Can you donate an item for the silent Auction? Please contact Evelyn Cannon for questions and donations.
In September the ELCA Southeastern Synod will kick off the Together We Can! Synodical Appeal. Through Together We Can!, we seek to grow mission support giving to enable us to do more of the work God has called us to in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Click hereto learn more about the appeal and how you can participate.
Also, check out the new Bulletin Inserts that have been added to the toolkit!
Deadline: September 15
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 September 15. Learn more and find an application here.
Stewardship of Life Institute (SOLI) Grants Available
The Stewardship of Life Institute (SOLI) seeks to promote stewardship education in the ELCA, especially with seminarians and rostered leaders. Thus, SOLI Is accepting grant proposals from ELCA seminaries, synods, congregations, and other ministries for projects, workshops, or events that encourage stewardship education.
In keeping with SOLI's mission, proposals of primary interest will be those that assist in seminarian education or first call theological education. Of secondary interest will be proposals that assist in stewardship leadership education among laity and clergy. SOLI is especially interested in proposals that that are repeatable and scalable across multiple constituencies and/or that involve collaboration within the ELCA. SOLI anticipates that its grant funding is part of a budget that includes "skin in the game" by the sponsoring organization and/or participants.
Grants will normally be a one-time award. Funding may be extended for an ongoing project, but applicants must submit a new application after the first year's award. Reports are expected upon completion of all projects, and must be received before funding is extended.
Grants will be awarded twice each year. Application deadlines are March 15 and September 15. Notification of grant awards will be made by May 15 and November 15. Grants will normally range from $1,000 to $8,000; in exceptional cases, a grant of more than $8,000 may be granted, up to a maximum of $12,000. Grant proposals must include the application and a detailed budget. If you have any questions, please contact SOLI's executive director, the Rev. Dr. Marty Stevens, [email protected].
GRANT APPLICATION:
Go to www.stewardshipoflife.org/grant/ for details and to download the grant application form, which is in Rich Text Format. Save the form onto your computer, fill it out, rename the file and send it by email to SOLI's executive director, the Rev. Dr. Marty Stevens, [email protected].
The Stewardship of Life Institute (SOLI), founded in 1994, promotes stewardship in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Headquartered at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, SOLI carries on the vision and work of its founder and benefactor, the late Arthur Larson.
Lutheran Services of Georgia is thrilled to announce our 2015 Heroes of Hope. Please join us for a special evening to include a buffet dinner, drinks, silent auction, and a time to honor our Heroes.
The Southeastern Synod's Budget and Finance Committee is now accepting requests for funding in the Synod's 2017-18 Ministry Funding Proposal, which will be presented for action at next year's synod assembly. Agencies, institutions and other groups are invited to submit their requests between now and the September 25th deadline, using the online request form available here.
Funding for committees and task forces is approved on a different cycle and requires a different form. Please use the online form located hereto request support for a committee or task force during the next fiscal year (2016-17). The deadline for submitting committee/task force requests is September 25.
Note that links to the funding request forms are also included as one of the "Quick Links" on the synod website homepage - www.elca-ses.org.
Concert at Christ Our Hope
This Saturday, August 22, 5:00 p.m.
2165 Highway 138 SE
Riverdale, GA
This concert will feature Voices of Hope from Christ Our Hope, joined by members of the St. John's Episcopal Church Choir, Mr. Bob Lawrence and the Praise Team from Reaps of Joy Outreach Ministries. There will be a free-will offering to help support the music ministry. All are welcome to attend.
Lutheran Church of the Messiah Carnival
Saturday, August 29
465 Clairemont Avenue
Decatur, GA
Come one! Come all! This year's Carnival is bigger and better than last year! Mark your calendar, cancel your appointments, bring your neighbors, and invite your distant cousins! Food Trucks! Games! Prizes! Performers! Bouncy Houses! Call (404) 373-1682 for more information.
Cross Of Life Lutheran Church of Roswell
Hosts Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University
Cross of Life Lutheran Church, 1000 Hembree Road, Roswell, Georgia will host weekly sessions beginning Sunday, September 13th and also on Wednesday, September 16th for 9 weeks. Attend this special educational series focused on financial studies based on God's word and Spiritual principles.
For information and registration, click here. You may also visit the Cross of Life webpage here or call 770-475-9159.
This week marks the beginning of a new multi-week series: Funding the Next Church. Click here to read.
WE ARE CHURCH FOR THE SAKE OF THE WORLD
The August edition of ELCA Global links is available here.
On August 21st and 22nd the Southeastern Synod Women of the ELCA will have 7 Ingathering locations across the southeast to collect this year's Quilts and Kits for Lutheran World Relief. There will be trucks at each location on August 21st & 22nd. The times vary and are set by the site coordinator. Click here for details.
SYNOD CALENDAR
2015
August 22, 2015: Concert, Christ Our Hope, Riverdale, GA
August 22, 2015: Low Country Boil for Lutheran Campus Ministry Atlanta, Living Grace, Tucker, GA.
August 29, 2015: Carnival, Lutheran Church of the Messiah, Decatur, GA
September 11, 2015: Synod Council Meeting, Living Grace, Tucker, GA.