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LAST CALL: Take the Wellness survey - help us meet the goal!
As of Tuesday, April 23, the New England Synod was just seven Mayo Clinic Health Assessment responses short of the 65% threshold that will bring a 2% discount to our congregations and organizations. That means if seven more members who have full Portico health benefits fill out the Mayo Clinic Health Assessment by Tuesday, April 30, we meet the goal! Have you taken the assessment yet? There's still time. Just fill out the assessment by clicking here, and not only will you help the Synod's congregations and organizations save money, you'll get a check for a cool $150 in return.
 "If you don't know me, know this: if I have gone and filled out this Portico health assessment then ANYONE can," writes Rev. Rachel Manke, pastor at First Lutheran in Malden, Mass. "Seriously, the fact that I have filled it out and you haven't should be embarrassing. It is life-changing. I swear it was practically overnight that they sent me $150 and look, I got some new shoes! (Don't worry these did NOT cost that much). Oh and seriously, the struggling congregations in the synod could use all the help they can get. Please help us save some cash on the overall cost of rostered leader benefits."
For more information, click here.
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 Faith Alive
Saturday, May 4
Trinity Lutheran Church
73 Lancaster St., Worcester, MA
Looking for a way to connect your faith and everyday life? Want to make decisions that reflect your faith? Then this day-long event is for you! You will leave this workshop with tools that you can easily apply to your relationships, actions, decisions, priorities and you will feel confident that you can indeed interweave your Christian faith and daily life.
The presenters are Bishop James Hazelwood and John Roberto. Bishop Hazelwood will use historical analysis and a look at the present-day church to examine questions about the future of the church, and how it can better meet the changing world around it. Bishop Hazelwood, who has visited 100 of the 185 congregations in New England since being elected last June, will talk about his findings from those visits. Roberto, a presenter for Vibrant Ministries, will lead workshops designed to help people weave their faith in with their daily lives.
The event runs from 8:30 a.m. until 3:15 p.m., with a 45-minute lunch scheduled for noon. There will be time for morning prayer and hymns as part of the presentation.
For more information, click here, and to sign up for the event, click here.
***Also coming up on the horizon is another Doing What Matters event, set for May 18 (rescheduled from Feb. 9) at Good Shepherd Lutheran in Rutland, VT. For more information, click here.***
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Welcome One Another Retreat
When: Friday, May 3 at 7 p.m. to Sunday, May 5, 2013 at Noon.
Where: The Walker Center - Auburndale, Massachusetts.
Host: New England Synod Team for LGBT Inclusion
The Synod Team for LGBT Inclusion extends an open invitation to the 6th Annual "Welcome One Another" Fellowship Retreat for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and heterosexual persons of the New England Synod and their families and friends. The retreat is offered as an opportunity for LGBT and heterosexual persons to be in fellowship through worship, large and small group sessions, and meals. The retreat begins on Friday evening with Evening Prayer, introductions, and fellowship. Large group plenary and small group discussion sessions on Saturday during the day will explore LGBT inclusion from a heterosexual perspective led by Pastor Cliff Gerber. Participants travel into Boston for dinner and fellowship at Club Cafe Restaurant on Saturday evening. The retreat concludes on Sunday morning with Eucharist.
The $220 registration fee covers all meals on Saturday (including dinner in Boston), breakfast on Sunday, and two nights lodging at the Walker Center.
There are still a few spots open for the event. To register, contact Pastor Nathan Pipho, pastorpipho@aol.com, 617-328-8348.
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June 7-9, 2013
Mass Mutual Center, Springfield, Mass.
Registration is now open for the 2013 New England Synod Assembly. You can register by clicking here to go to the event page on the Synod website, and scrolling down to the "How to Register" section.
Be sure to take a look at the workshops and their descriptions BEFORE you go to register, as you'll be asked to select which workshops you'd like to attend during the registration process. Visitors may also attend workshops. All workshop reservations must be submitted by May 1.
New this year, the Synod invites you to pay for your assembly registration in advance, using our Google Checkout credit card system. Voters are encouraged to register during April to lock in the best price structure and reserve space in workshops. The registration fee increases after April 30, and again after June 5.
Synod Council Nominations
The following Synod Council Positions will be filled at this year's Synod Assembly. They begin September 1st, 2013.
Elections will be held for four Synod Council positions. Terms begin September 1, 2013:
1. Lay Female, Person of color/primary language other than English, one-year term.
2. Lay Female, Young Adult (give the ages, 19-30), one-year term.
3. Lay Female from Massachusetts, three-year term.
4. Lay Female at Large, three-year term.
The Synod Council is the legislative body that acts for the Synod between Assemblies. The Council meets four or five times yearly (usually all day on Saturdays with at least one Friday/Saturday over-night meeting) and Council members also serve on various task forces and sub-committees as necessary. The responsibilities of a Council member are spelled out in the New England Synod Constitution and Bylaws Chapter 10.
The Constitution can be viewed and downloaded here.
Nomination Form in English
Nomination Form in Spanish
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Liturgical Lutherans gather at Valparaiso
Did you notice a void in New England last week? A lack of Lutherans? That's because there was a mass exodus to Indiana.
In the midst of great music from the organ and guitar, clouds of incense, worshipful dancing, four diverse keynote speakers, and a wide array of workshops, 18 New Englanders spent the second week of Easter at the Institute of Liturgical Studies. The 65th annual conference at Valparaiso University focused on the theme of "Embodiment: The Word Became Flesh."
To read more, click here.
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Hammonasset 2013
September 6th - 8th
Registration is now open!
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ELCA Malaria Campaign
In the Katakwi District of Uganda, malaria is the leading cause of death among children under the age of 5. Malaria is an additional burden on an already strained population recovering from conflict.
In Uganda, the ELCA Malaria Campaign is working with The Lutheran World Federation, which has built up trust and experience in Uganda for over 30 years. The connections have been made, the people are ready, but we need additional help.
In Honor of World Malaria Day, April 25, gifts to the ELCA Malaria Campaign through our congregations will be matched dollar for dollar up to $130,000. Write "World Malaria Day" in the check's memo line and submit gifts through your church postmarked by May 3rd, the deadline for this matching grant. Gifts should be sent directly to: ELCA Malaria Campaign, P.O. Box 71764, Chicago, IL, 60694-1764.
We are a church that believes God is calling us into the world together. Thank you for your prayers, partnership and generous gifts to help our Lutheran sisters and brothers in Uganda and other African countries defeat malaria in their communities.
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Organ Lesson Scholarships
If you are a pianist of intermediate or advanced level, and you would enjoy trying the organ, this is the year to do it. The Richard Donohue Studio of Music in Cromwell, Conn., is offering a year of organ lessons through the Elaine Ruth Hoog Memorial Scholarship, for the school year beginning September, 2013. The studio is located at 14 Prospect Hill Road, Cromwell.
The Hoog family (Rev. Winton Hoog, then pastor of Bethany Lutheran in Cromwell) established the scholarship in 1972 to honor Elaine, who died in a traffic accident. At the time she was a student at the Donohue studio.
This year, the scholarship is offered to a keyboard player for one year of organ lessons at the studio. Auditions will be held in June at the studio for anyone interested in applying for the scholarship. Please contact Linda Hilliard at lbh2892@gmail.com for an application.
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Director of Music Ministry - First, West Barnstable, MA
First Lutheran Church West Barnstable (Cape Cod) is prayerfully seeking a creative, energetic and capable director of music ministry, a part-time position.
The successful candidate will be a person of faith who possesses strong keyboard skills (organ and piano), experience in conducting adult & children's choirs and is open to developing new music ministries that engage our congregation.
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