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Season of Epiphany
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Jan. 15, 2014
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Metro Boston Hope District Leadership Academy
 April 5, 2014
Crawford Memorial United Methodist Church
The Metro Boston Hope District Office of the United Methodist Church and the Hope Academy team are providing an amazing opportunity at its next Leadership Academy, its bi-annual training event for clergy and laity in the Metro Boston Hope District.
The speaker and leader for the Spring 2014 Leadership Academy will be author and Lutheran pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber. Rev. Bolz-Weber is the founding pastor of House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, Colorado. She is the author of "Salvation on the Small Screen? 24 Hours of Christian Television" (Seabury 2008) and the New York Times bestselling theological memoir, "Pastrix: The Cranky Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint" (Jericho 2013). She blogs at www.sarcasticlutheran.com and Jim Wallis' www.Godspolitics.com. Her writings can be found in the Christian Century, The Lutheran Magazine and Patheos.com. Nadia has been featured in The Washington Post, NPR's Morning Edition, The Daily Beast and on CNN.
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CommFest 2014 - it's not too late!
 | | Don't just sit there - register for CommFest! |
Jan. 25, 2014
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Trinity Lutheran Church
Worcester, Mass.
After a successful communications seminar last year, the Synod once again invites you to join us for a day spent discussing strategies and tips to help congregations better communicate - with their members and with the outside world. Speakers at CommFest 2014 include Pastor Keith Anderson (Upper Dublin Lutheran Church, Ambler, Pa.) and Elizabeth Drescher, co-authors of Click 2 Save: The Digital Ministry Bible.
REMINDER: Two additional satellite sites have been reserved for those who can't make it to Worcester:
Holy Trinity, Newington, N.H. - If you'd like to attend in Newington, please email Tim Roser at troser@nesynod.org to inquire about space.
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Bishop Hazelwood to preach at ecumenical events
 Wednesday, Jan. 22, 7 p.m.
Christ Church Cathedral
35 Chestnut Street
Springfield, Mass.
Friday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m.
Assumption College Chapel of the Holy Spirit
500 Salisbury St.
Worcester, Mass.
Bishop James Hazelwood has been invited to be the main speaker/preacher at two ecumenical events later this month. These events are a part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. His presentation, the same for both events is titled, "Is Christ Divided? You Betchya." He will join the Rt. Rev. Douglas J. Fisher, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, for a service of Evensong during the week of prayer for Christian Unity on Wednesday, Jan 22 at 7 p.m.
Assumption College will host a prayer service on Friday, Jan 24 at 7 p.m. Bishop Hazelwood will also speak at that service, and will be joined by leaders of the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and other Christian denominations.
Invited are those from all our diverse religious traditions to come together to celebrate our unity in Christ.
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Rostered Leaders Retreat
Feb. 4-6, 2014
Camp Calumet
Freedom, N.H.
 This is an opportunity for the New England Synod's rostered leaders who are serving any of the 180+ congregations to come together in fellowship and discuss the common issues - the challenges, the hopes, the changes - facing churches today. This time together will include talks, as well as recreational activities such as tubing, broomball, and a power-walk.
Lodging and meals are FREE to leaders and their spouses. Accommodations are available in the Conference Center, the Retreat Lodge, the Staff House by the Lake, the Village Cabins, and in any of the heated cabins. This is a very popular event and space is limited. For guests who are participating without a spouse, consider helping to steward the lodging space by "rooming" with a colleague. Please contact betsy@calumet.org, or call 603-539-3223 ext. 219, to make your reservations today.
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Ignatian Immersion: Lenten Retreat
Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center
303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT
March 31-April 1
Offered by the Continuing Theological Education Team, this two-day, one overnight, retreat offers a prayerful Lenten time-out for rostered leaders. The retreat is structured by the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius; no prior experience with the exercises is necessary. We will be introduced to aspects of Ignatian spirituality over the course of the retreat, in four parts, interspersed with periods of silence, reflection, and worship. We'll have time for quiet conversation during meals, and presentations. Our goal is to make this a restful, contemplative experience for participants. Come and dive into the refreshing waters of an Ignatian retreat set on the beautiful grounds of the Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center.
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On Our Shelves
 at the Janssen Resource Center
"A People's History of Christianity" (Series)
from Fortress Press
"This series of volumes 'turns history upside down and reveals what times and events were like for average Christians living in each period represented, from Christian Origins [Vol 1] through Modern Christianity to 1900 [Vol 6]-and sometimes their rivals and enemies." [Vol 7, Global Christianity is not currently in the Resource Center]. Martin Marty speaks of this series, saying, "...this 'people's history' represents a virtual revolution in the writing of Christian history."
Volumes One through Six are available. These textbook-style books sell in paperback for more than $20 each, but are available as a free loan to you. We urge you to borrow one volume at a time.
This new NES News feature will highlight resources in the Janssen Resource Center, which is located in the basement of the New England Synod House. A complete listing of books and other materials available at the Janssen Resource Center is available by logging in to www.librarything.com with the user name: janssenrc and password: nesynod. For more information on how to borrow, email Andy Merritt at amerritt@nesynod.org.
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Women in Ministry Retreat
St. Edmund's Retreat Center
Enders Island, near Mystic, CT
May 5-7
The Synod will host a retreat for all rostered women in ministry and current interns, featuring rich worship, conversation and learning over three days at the St. Edmund's Retreat Center.
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Youth workcamp basics webinar
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 7 p.m.
Everything that you ever wanted to know about hosting or joining a Youth Workcamp but were afraid to ask...
Workcamps have the potential to dramatically change the culture of your youth ministry. They can be week-long or a weekend. They can be international or just down the street. Either way, they can have a significant impact on community life. This is for all persons interested in Workcamp ministry.
- If you have led workcamps in the past, we welcome your input and shared experience.
- If you have never done a workcamp, this is a great way to get started.
- If you are attending one this summer, here is a great opportunity to learn what to expect.
Join us on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. via the internet. Register Now
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Seven Approaches to Congregational Renewal
at the Hartford Seminary
The Hartford Seminary is offering a course in congregational renewal in the Winter and Spring.
The course description: "After a quick review of the theologically prescribed tasks of the local church and prevailing wisdom about organizational innovation, the class will dive into the rapidly growing (and desperately needed) literature on congregational renewal. Indeed, we will read, comparatively analyze and discuss, from the point of view of one's own ministry setting, seven different approaches to congregational renewal. The majority of these approaches will come from among those receiving wide, popular attention today (e,g, Bass' Christianity for the Rest of Us; Schwarz's Natural Church Development). But we won't entirely forget the classics (e.g., Schaller's The Change Agent; Grierson's Transforming A People of God), and we will read at least one work that is not written from a Christian perspective (e.g., Cohen, Hoffman and Kelman's Sacred Strategies)."
For more information, click here.
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Our chance for savings!
 Once again, Portico Benefit Services is offering us the opportunity to earn a 2% discount on ELCA health insurance costs again in 2014. Each congregation and organization in our synod will receive a 2% discount on health insurance premiums for all of 2014 if 65% of our eligible ELCA-Primary plan members and eligible spouses complete the confidential Mayo Clinic Health Assessment Jan. 1-April 30.
If you have ELCA-Primary health benefits, we need your help. Take the 2014 Mayo Clinic Health Assessment on the EmbodyHealth web portal at www.elcaforwellness.org Jan. 1-April 30. We'll be one person closer to 65% participation, and you'll earn a $150 credit to offset out-of-pocket medical costs.
Find instructions for taking the health assessment at myPortico.PorticoBenefits.org
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2014 Synod Assembly
 The 2014 New England Synod Assembly will be held Thursday, June 5, through Saturday, June 7, at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. Our theme for 2014 is "Mission and Worship in the Age of the Spirit."
Our keynote speakers are Rev. Dr. Scott Thumma and Rev. Dr. Claudio Carvalhaes.
Scott Thumma is a professor of sociology of religion at the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, and specializes in research on megachurches, homosexuality and religion, religion and the Internet, and congregational studies. He's also the author of "The Other 80%: Turning Your Church's Spectators into Active Participants." For more information on Scott, check out his page at the Hartford Institute.
Claudio Carvalhaes is an associate professor of worship and liturgy at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. A theologian and artist, Claudio was born in São Paulo, Brazil, studied ecumenism in Switzerland and received his masters in theology and literature from Methodist University's Ecumenical Institute of the Graduate School of Religion in São Paulo. Carvalhaes has served with the Presbyterian Church (USA) in its peacemaking and immigrant groups ministries, and is a much sought-after speaker, writer, performer and consultant. Visit Claudio's website for more information, including links to his speeches and lectures.
The Assembly now has an online home at our website. You can access the 2014 Synod Assembly page by clicking here. Watch for registration information to appear there (and in other Synod communications) sometime in March.
Among the many events and actions planned for the assembly is the election of a series of positions on Synod Council and the Discipline and Consultation Committees. Click on the link above to see a list of all the positions up for election at this year's assembly.
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Wet Toes Weekend at LTSP
 Friday-Sunday, Feb. 7-9
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
Wet Toes Weekend is a great way to get your feet wet and see what LTSP seminary life is like. We will accompany you as you discern how you will respond to the invitation of Jesus to "Come and See" where and how God is calling (John 1:39 - the theme of this gathering). The weekend is for anyone thinking about earning a seminary degree.
Here is your opportunity to...
* Experience support from and explore your future with others also figuring out where God is calling
* Meet seminary faculty and be part of three powerful presentations similar to seminary classes
* Get to know and talk with current students at LTSP; find out about their "seminary adventures"
* Join in the worship and devotional life of the seminary
* Share in great meals and stimulating conversation
* Discover life in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia (LTSP's location) and the thriving metropolis of Center City Philadelphia
* Know that the church supports you as you explore your sense of call
* Find out about resources that make a seminary education affordable and other helpful resources for your discernment journey
LTSP will provide housing and meals while you're on campus, and in some cases can assist with transportation costs. The registration fee of $25 is the only cost for the weekend.
For more information and to register, visit LTSP.edu/visit, contact Don Johnson at djohnson@ltsp.edu or Matthew O'Rear at morear@ltsp.edu, or call 215-248-7302.
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Update on job listings policy
Due to the (welcomed) increase in employment opportunities sent in for synod-wide communication, we have updated our policy for NES News listings. Job postings will run for two weeks in the synod's weekly NES News and/or Bishop's E-News, and then will be removed to make space for new listings. The listings will also be edited, so we urge you to submit them as 2-3 sentence listings with a contact if job seekers seek further information. Readers are encouraged to retain weekly emails if they wish to reference the job listings past their two-week publication period.
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