The Upstate Update for Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Health Assement Take It Now April 30 is Deadline to Save $21,000!

Each of the past three years our synod has reached the 65% goal.  More than 65% of our eligible ELCA Primary health plan members and spouses took the Mayo Clinic health assessment and as a result: 

  • Congregations in our synod received a 2% discount on 2014 health care contributions.
  • Our synod received an additional 1% to support Wellness programs.

We aren't there for this year yet!   We still need 15 eligible ELCA - Primary health plan members and spouses / same gender partners in our synod to complete the confidential Mayo Clinic Health Assessment by April 30.  Taking the assessment will help all of our synod's portico participating congregations and organizations save a collective $21,000 in ELCA health contributions in 2015. 

 

If you have a spouse on the ELCA health plan, remind him or her to register for a spousal myPortico account and complete the health assessment. The steps are simple:

  1. Ask your spouse to locate his or her Portico "Member ID" and "SVC." These were mailed to each spouse in February, and will be again in March. If you cannot locate these numbers, spouses (not members) can obtain them over the phone by calling 800.352.2876, Portico's Customer Care Center. (Spouses need to use their own Member ID and SVC to create an account, not the member's.)
  2. With these two numbers in hand, have your spouse go to https://myportico.porticobenefits.org/ select the "Register Now" button, and follow the online instructions to register.
  3. Once registered, sign in to https://myportico.porticobenefits.org/  and select the "Go to Mayo Clinic Healthy Living" button to complete the health assessment, and to begin follow-up activities to earn all $500 wellness dollars.

And remember, by taking the assessment, you'll be taking stock of your health and earning $150 in wellness dollars.  Healthy leaders do enhance lives and ultimately create a healthier ELCA community.  If your spouse has ELCA - Primary health benefits and completes the Mayo Clinic Health Assessment, too, you'll receive another $150 wellness dollars into your wellness account, and will help us earn our synod-wide 2% discount on health contributions. 

 

Take the Mayo Clinic Health Assessment today - Go to for details. 

https://myportico.porticobenefits.org/Campaign/HealthyLiving.aspx  


 
 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 
 

The Gospel of Mark ends abruptly. The women came to the tomb to care for the body of their friend and Lord. They expected death. Seeing the stone rolled away, they entered the tomb; they entered into death. They didn't find Jesus. Instead, they saw a young man, who told them not to be amazed, that Jesus had risen. This same stranger told them to tell the disciples and then head to Galilee. Is it any wonder that terror and amazement seized them? 

We are on the other side of the first Easter. We have grown used to the story of the resurrection. The good news brings hope and comfort. It brings freedom and joy. But I don't think it causes terror and amazement. Maybe we are missing something. The Greek word for amazement, "ekstasis", means "change of place." And that is what has happened to us and all of creation because of the resurrection. Before Easter, we stood in a place of sin and death. After Easter, we stand in a place of forgiveness and life. Everything has changed. We are not the same. The world is not the same. The deadly, but familiar, way of the world can no longer be counted on. This new reality of forgiveness, life and salvation is and should be unsettling. Terror and amazement indeed! 

The world is turned upside down. It might look the same, but we are standing in a different place. Christ is risen. We are risen. Alleluia! 

 

Blessed Easter,Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 


 
PRAY FIRST
little-boy-praying.jpg
PRAYERS of COMFORT
for Rev. Bob Kasting (Southwest Conference) and Family at the death of his father, John

PRAYERS OF HEALING
for Rev. Becca Ehrlich
Conference of Bishops (COB) Overview

I have done some slight editing to this document to shorten it a bit and remove unnecessary portions.  Thanks to Bishop Ray Tiemann for his good work. Hopefully this will give you an overview of the work the COB moves through when it meets.  Bishop John S. Macholz
Read Article
"Living on the Edge"
Monday, April 27-Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Rev. Leilz Ortiz

Explore how leaders in the church are both challenged and blessed by the edges we encounter at Spring Convocation 2015, Monday, April 27 - Tuesday, April 28.

 

When we asked what edges you are encountering, here'swhat you said. EDGES ARE: 

  • cultural divides within the church
  • the realities of poverty and homelessness
  • the call for the church to be an incarnational presence of Jesus in the world
  • the reminder that life and death strengthen and threaten the connection we have to our faith
    President David Lose

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Monday evening: cookout and social gathering (children welcome!)
  • Tuesday Program: learning sessions by President David Lose and Pastor Leila Ortiz, LTSP PhD Candidate, and a presentation by the Rev. Kevin Strickland, ELCA Director for Worship
  • Tuesday evening: faculty reception; Easter Vespers worship and dedication of the Bornemann harpsichord; the annual Banquet with presentation of Distinguished Alumni Awards and "State of the Seminary" address by President Lose

$100 covers all program and meals (housing additional) OR choose your own package details here

 

On-campus housing is available on a first-come, first-served basis (see the


Friends and alumni of LTSP are invited to Spring Convocation 2015!

 

Learn more and register today at http://ltsp.edu/SpringConvo2015.

 

 

Marie Jerge ' 78 * Rick Summy '85 * Roger Zepernick '68
Join them at Spring Convocation 2015!uesda8
 
  
TIDBITS

"God's work. Our hands." Sunday 

is an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America - one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor.

The date for the 2015 dedicated day of service is Sunday, September 13. Mark your congregation's calendar today! In speaking about his congregation's 2014 experience, a 10-year-old member from St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Whittier, Calif., puts it best: "It feels good to give."  See more God's Work. Our Hands. 


 Congregations - Parochial Reports due to the ELCA

The requested deadline for Parochial Reports to the ELCA was February 15, 2015.  The ELCA will continue to accept reports until May 1st to be included in their annual reporting.  If your congregation has not yet updated their information for 2014, please do so by logging into the ELCA website at http://www.elca.org/en/About/Congregations .  You will be asked for your congregational ID # and password provided by the ELCA at the end of 2014.  If you do not know this information, please contact Karen Brundige at the Synod office at 315.299.4955.  If you are unable to file electronically, please remit the report directly to the Synod office.


Upcoming Practice Discipleship Webinars 

We're excited about our next "upcoming webinars! Dates and times coming soon.

Interested in learning more about Practice Discipleship Project?  Our website contains lots of FREE resources for the journey. 

 

Future Webinars:

  1. "Story of Adolescence" with Dawn Rundman - May 5th
  2. "Story of Self and Other" with Mindy Makant - Sept. 1st
  3. "Story of Service" with Mark Jackson - Oct. 6th
  4. "Story of Faith Community" with John Cummings, Meghan Sobocienski & Elizabeth Flores - Nov. 3rd.
Interested in learning more about the Practice Discipleship Initiative? Our website contains lots of FREE resources for the journey. 

Director for Evangelical Mission Position Available
 To review this job description please visit
Upstate New York Director for Evangelical Mission
Closing date for application is May 1, 2015

Application deadline extended - Communications Director Position Available
To review this job description please visit

Wartburg Youth Leadership School
& ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit
July 11-21, 2015 Apply at wartburgseminary.edu

Please visit our website upstatenysynod.org
 
Thank you for spending some time reading this edition of the Upstate Update. We hope, and pray, that you found it useful. If you know someone who could benefit from the Upstate Update, please forward it to them and ask them to sign up directly.
 
Kathy Neugent
Executive Assistant to the Bishop
Upstate New York Synod of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 
kneugent@upstatenysynod.org
Phone: 315-299-4955 Fax: 315-299-4981 
 
 Resurrection people who pray first, walk together and change lives.   
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