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Issue #449 October 21, 2015
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Powerful Words
What is Lutheran? Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton asks this question in her October column for The Lutheran. What we eat, what hymns we sing, what jokes we tell, what color we are ... none of this binds us together or makes us Lutheran, she says. Our theology must define us. And it's all about God's grace.
 Reflections written by the Rev. Dr. Timothy Smith, bishop, North Carolina Synod - ELCA on September 29, 2015. Bishop Smith served as Senior Pastor of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atlanta, GA before being elected in May and installed on September 12, 2015. Reflections is his response to the question "What are you and the North Carolina Synod going to do about the Muslim threat?" Our Bishop Gordy said, "this is a powerful testimony for hospitality and against fear-mongering."
 Adult Vaccinations written by Connie Pearson, RN, MN, and Chair of the Southeastern Synod Health Ministries Task Force. Connie's article helps to raise our awareness of the need of being good stewards of our bodies by being properly immunized as adults.
All of the sermons and writings are reprinted with permission.
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Thank you for your support of the ELCA Southeastern Synod Together We Can! Appeal! Thus far, we have received more than $14,000.00 in contributions to Together We Can! Your generosity will help us to strengthen our mission support, expanding our reach to do more of the work God has called us to in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Thank you for your generous support.
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Lutheran Campus Ministry and Passion Collective Receive Grant
As recipient of the substantial Lilly Endowment Grant, the Passion Collective program will continue for years to come.
ATLANTA, Ga. (Oct. 12, 2015) - Earlier this fall, Lutheran Campus Ministry (LCM),
which ministers to area college students, launched the Passion Collective. This gap year program works to seek out and develop leadership through an intentional Christian community.
After recently receiving the $100,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., LCM plans on continuing the Passion Collective for years to come and building
tomorrow's faith-based leaders in the process. (Continue.)
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October 24, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. EDT
Ms. Melanie Johnson will be consecrated as a diaconal minister. The service will be held at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 731 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, Georgia.
October 31, 2015 at beginning at 11:00 a.m. EDT
The Rev. Susan K. Thisell will be installed as Pastor of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 41 Main Street, Garden City, Georgia.
October 31, 2015 continuing at 12:30 p.m. EDT
The Rev. G. Steven Plonk will be installed as Pastor of Jerusalem Lutheran Church, Rincon, Georgia.
November 1, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. EST
The Rev. David W. rogers will be installed as Associate Pastor for Spiritual Care at Cross of Life Lutheran Church, 1000 Hembree Road, Roswell, Georgia.
December 6, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. EST
Dr. Everett Flanigan will be ordained to the office of the Word and Sacrament at Christ Our Hope Lutheran Church, 2165 Highway 138, Riverdale, Georgia.
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"God's Work. Our Hands." Sunday
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Athens, GA
The congregation of Holy Trinity, Athens celebrated "God's Work. Our Hands." Sunday by preparing "goodie baskets" for the nurses at St. Mary's, a neighborhood hospital. Other activities included trash pick-up along the nearby streets; praying for the children and families at Alps Road School; and making baskets for their home bound members. Realizing the importance of everyone's involvement on this special Sunday, the children of Holy Cross (pictured above) wrote letters to United States veterans.
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Peterson awarded Fund for Leaders Scholarship
 Kimberly Peterson, (pictured left with Bishop H. Julian Gordy of the ELCA - Southeastern Synod), was awarded a full Fund for Leaders Scholarship at a banquet in Chicago in early October.
Kim, a former classical language teacher, is a student at Trinity Lutheran Seminary. She earned her bachelor's degree in classical studies, with minors in Greek and chemistry, in 2002 from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., and a master's degree in 2004 from Vanderbilt University in Nashville. She taught Latin at Pace Academy, a K-12 private school in Atlanta, Ga. A member of Hope Lutheran church, Ellijay, Ga., she lists Pr. Dave Smedley as the person who helped her discern a call to ministry.
Other Southeastern Synod candidates who received scholarships include:
Sarah Garret, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia - half scholarship
Edward Jones, Trinity Lutheran Seminary - half scholarship
Sue Lynn White, Luther Seminary - Southeastern Synod Fund for Leaders Skillrud Scholarship
Debra Jimenez, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary - Southeastern Synod Women of the ELCA Fund for Leaders Scholarship
Sue Lynn White, Luther Seminary - Rev. John Weber Seminary Scholarship Fund/Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church, Peachtree City, Ga.
William Wing, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary - St. John's Lutheran Church Seminary Scholarship Fund, Knoxville, Tn.
Congratulations to all of the Fund for Leaders Scholarship recipients.
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fortress press
Resources for clergy, congregations and Christian communities.
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Lutheran Services in Tennessee's (LST)
Golf Fore Hope Event
Supports Ministries to Those Living in Poverty
On the second day of Fall Break when the MyCanvas crew of LST arrived at their  second ministry site for the day, one of the children approached a leader and said, "We waited so long for you to come."
Arts through the MyCanvas program is an important part of the lives of children living in poverty during school breaks. On Oct. 12, 38 wonderful golfers came together to raise over $2700 to support the work of MyCanvas and other programs of Lutheran Services in Tennessee.
A great big thank you to all who participated and helped support this event -
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Left to right: Pr. Ben Moravitz, Steve Groce, Pr. Lewis Groce and Justin Groce
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especially the Rev. Rick Roberts, pastor, St. John's Lutheran Church, Nashville, Tennessee, who was instrumental in organizing the event.
The Southeastern Synod staff's own Rev. Dr. Ben Moravitz was part of the winning team which also included the Rev. Lewis Groce, pastor, St. Timothy Lutheran Church, Hendersonville, Tennesse, his brother Steven Groce and son Justin Groce. The team credits the "judicious management of string and mulligans" for their win.
Click here to learn more about the MyCanvas program. |
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Support Lutheran Services of Georgia
on November 12th
for GEORGIA GIVES DAY!
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Upcoming Program at Lutheranch
Christmas Craft Retreat for Women
See the Nativity
December 4-6, 2015
Preaching the Lectionary Texts for 2016
Two Bubbas and a Bible
January 11-13, 2016
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Our Children Are in Danger
"Act to End the Violence"
A SYMPOSIUM TO EDUCATE THE CHEROKEE COUNTY COMMUNITY
Thursday, October 29, 2015
7:00pm - 8:30 p.m.
Hosted by Celebration of Grace Lutheran Church
411 Scott Mill Road, Canton, GA 30114
Join us for a Community Awareness program on
"Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking and Cyber Safety Symposium"
See flyer for additional information.
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CONNECT. REFLECT. DISCOVER
Early Bird Registration Begins
October 31, 2015
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.
See Grace Gathering for up-to-date information on the schedule of events, workshops, keynote speakers, registration and more!
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The All-Tennessee Youth Gathering
 Messiah Lutheran Church
6900 Kingston Pike
Knoxville, Tennessee
November 14 - 15, 2015
Theme: Who Are We?
Plan on a weekend of fun while learning about who you are as Lutherans and Christians. You'll be running an Amazing Race with challenges and pitfalls looking at your past, present, and thinking about the future! The weekend will also include Crazy Games, Music, Crafts and Videos and of course worship! Cost is $35 per person for your food, programming, and t-shirt. Youth grades 6th-12th grades are invited from our Tennessee Congregations. All adults who register must bring a copy of their background check or use Safe Gatherings.com to get your boundary training and background check. Find the online congregational registration form and the informational packet at www.sesyouth.org. And if you're a young adult from Tennessee and willing to serve this weekend as small group leaders, musicians, or leading games please contact Jeremy Giesel at jeremygiesel@yahoo.com.
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Training & Counseling Center at St. Luke's
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WE ARE CHURCH FOR THE SAKE OF THE WORLD
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Green Team Creation Retreat
at Lutheridge
November 13-14, 2015
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2015 
October 31, 2015: Grace Gathering, New Orleans, LA - Early Bird Registration
November 5 - 7, 2015: Candidacy Committee Meeting, Southeastern Synod Office, Atlanta, GA
December 13, 2015: An African Advent Concert "Ku Imba Mungu"...Sing to God, St. Paul, Decatur, GA
2016
January 15 - 16, 2015: Synod Council Meeting, Epiphany Lutheran Church, Suwanee, GA
January 17, 2016: The ELCA - Southeastern Synod service of commemoration for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Location to be determined.
May 27 -29, 2016: - 2016 Southeastern Synod Assembly, Birmingham, AL
2017
July 13 - 17, 2017: Tenth Triennial for Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Minneapolis, MN
2018
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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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Descriptions and application instructions for the following open positions and others are listed on our website:
Full-Time Preschool Director
Peachtree Road Lutheran Church, Atlanta, GA
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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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