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Season of Lent
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April 2, 2014
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Mission Support Remittance forms mailed
Mission Support Remittance forms have been emailed to all congregations in a PDF form this year instead of the two-part forms used previously. If you do not have the 2014 form, please email Marianne Uva to let her know and she will get one out to you.
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Gift from estate moves Forward
The Forward Leadership Community is helping synod congregations discover where they are and where they need to go. Using a Church Assessment Tool (CAT) the church gets a clear picture of its current context. This is followed by monthly seminars which help the congregation move forward in their planning. This past fall the New England Synod received a gift from the estate of
Roger C. Langlois in the amount of $26,000. This was part of a charitable remainder gift annuity established with the ELCA Foundation.
The gift from the estate of Mr. Langlois has provided support funding for this initiative, which helped us launch the program.
The Synod Council established a new program called Forward Leadership Community as a two-year experiment in learning how best to work with congregations desiring to be more effective in their ministry. The program takes five congregations who have volunteered to participate in a year-long focus on improving outreach, worship, faith in daily life, community building - whatever is determined their area of needed focus. Each congregation commits a team of four persons to attend regular monthly seminars that help to focus on areas designed to make their ministry more vital and healthy.
This year's participants are:
First - Southington, Conn.; Holy Trinity - North Easton, Mass.; First - Waltham, Mass.; Christ the King - Holliston, Mass.; and First - Lynn, Mass.
The gift from the Estate of Mr. Langlois of Connecticut has helped launch this program. If your congregation is interested in participating in year two, which begins in January 2015, you can learn more by attending the Synod Assembly workshop or by contacting Kim Bergstrand, Forward Coordinator, at kimberlybergstrand@gmail.com.
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 The Effective Small Church
On May 6 at 7 p.m.
, Bishop Jim Hazelwood will be joined by pastors Anne Deneen (St. Paul - Gloucester, Mass.) and Julie Reuning Scherer (Our Savior's - Newington, Conn.) for a webinar called "The Effective Small Church in New England." More details, including registration info, to come!
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'New Name-ness' in Naugatuck - the Final Four!
The Lutherans at
Salem and Immanuel Churches in Naugatuck, Conn., are in the process of finding a new name for their new congregation, and inspired by the bracket-addled month of March, they've dubbed the process "New Name-ness" (instead of March Madness - get it?)
The members of the two congregations, who will unite as one under the new name, have been whittling down their many options to set up a bracket system, and they're now down to the Final Four. On April 6, they'll vote for two finalists, and then vote for a champion on April 13, Palm Sunday. The new congregation's name will be announced on Easter Sunday, April 20.
The Final Four are:
- Good Shepherd
- Grace Lutheran Church
- Resurrection Lutheran Church
- St. Matthew's Lutheran Church
The congregations are sharing their voting results with their members via email updates, and the Synod will include the results here in the weekly NES News as "New Name-ness" nears its exciting conclusion!
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Thrivent to host online town hall meeting
 April 8, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Presented by Brad Hewitt (President & CEO) and Randy Boushek (Chief Financial Officer), Thrivent Financial
Bishop Jim Hazelwood, his wife, Pastor Lisa Stoen Hazelwood (St. Andrew - Charlestown, R.I.) and their son, Benjamin, will join the president and CFO of Thrivent Financial for a town hall-style member meeting on April 8.
Get updates on 2013 results and 2014 plans from Thrivent Financial President and CEO Brad Hewitt and Chief Financial Officer Randy Boushek during our virtual Member Meeting. With an opportunity to ask your questions directly to Brad and Randy, this is your chance to attend - right from your own home - Thrivent Financial's version of a shareholders' meeting. You only need a computer or mobile device and an Internet connection to participate. Before the event, you will receive an email from ProLibraries.com that includes a link to connect you to the program, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. Central time on Tuesday, April 8.
Click here to visit the registration page.
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Deadline to save $34,000 is April 30
 Please encourage your pastor, spouse/partner and any lay employees in your congregation who have ELCA-Primary health benefits to take the 2014 Mayo Clinic Health Assessment by April 30. As of March 1, 39.69% of our eligible members had completed the confidential Mayo Clinic Health Assessment. We thank those who have done their part!
April 30 is the deadline to save the Synod a collective $34,000 on health contributions. We need 65% of the eligible ELCA-Primary health plan members and spouses in our synod to complete the confidential Mayo Clinic Health Assessment by April 30. Taking the assessment will help all of our synod's congregations and organizations save on ELCA health contributions in 2014.
And remember, by taking the assessment, you'll be taking stock of your health and earning $150 wellness dollars. Healthy leaders do enhance lives and ultimately create a healthier ELCA community.
Find instructions for taking the health assessment at myPortico.PorticoBenefits.org.
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Have dinner with LTSP!
 April 5, 5:30 p.m.
City Steam Brewery Café
942 Main St.
Hartford, CT 06103
Are you considering a seminary education? You are invited, at no cost to you, and with no strings attached, to join the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia for a prospective dinner, gathering at 5:30 pm on Saturday, April 5, at the fun and exciting City Steam Brewery Café, 942 Main Street, Hartford, CT, 06103.
The dinner will be hosted by Rev. Bill Petersen, pastor of Faith (East Hartford); Rev. Becca Middeke-Conlin, pastor of Bethlehem (Georgetown, Conn.); Rev. Chris McKinstry, pastor of Immanuel (Meriden, Conn.); and Rev. Dr. Rolf Hedberg of East Longmeadow, Mass. The visit team from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP) will include three current students including Dan Purtell, President of the Student Body; Dr. Jon Pahl, Peter Paul and Elizabeth Hagan Professor in the History of Christianity; Merri Brown, Director of Communications; and D. Guy Johnson, Vice-President for Student Advancement. Please RSVP by Wednesday, April 2, by emailing pastor@faithlutheranct.org. Please indicate any dietary restrictions.
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Catch us on YouTube!
The New England Synod's YouTube page is relatively new, but we're looking to improve and enhance it throughout 2014. You can become a subscriber to the channel, and any time we upload a new video, you'll get a notification. To give you an idea of the kinds of videos we post, check out one of our video updates from last year's Churchwide Assembly:
We're also looking to use YouTube's broadcasting abilities to bring you to live events, including Synod Assembly. To subscribe, click here and then click on the red "Subscribe" button at the top right of the page.
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Get your photo taken at Synod Assembly!
 During the 2014 Synod Assembly, the New England Synod will set up a photo booth to take updated photos of all of our rostered leaders.
The purpose of our photo booth will be twofold: One, we'll have updated photos of everyone for a future online directory that's already in the works. Two, any leaders who wish to have a professional photo for any purpose - websites, Facebook, printed materials - will be able to request a copy.
We're working out the exact details, but we plan to have at least a couple of sessions during which leaders can swing by the photo booth to have their picture taken, and we will provide a schedule of when the booth is open so that everyone can find some time during the three-day assembly to visit.
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.
For more information on this year's assembly, click here to go to the Synod Assembly page on our website. That page also includes registration links for voting and non-voting attendees.
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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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Children/Youth Ministry Coordinator
Christ - Natick, Mass.
Christ Lutheran in Natick, Mass., is expanding its children and youth ministries, engaging youngsters in grades 1 through 8 through music, drama, visual arts, movement and more. The congregation is looking for a new part-time, year-round coordinator who will develop and coordinate programs within those skills and disciplines. Click here to download a full job description. For more information or to submit resumes, email kidminCLC@gmail.com.
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Executive Director, Boston Faith & Justice Network
The Boston Faith & Justice Network has begun the process to recruit a dynamic and innovative leader to serve as Executive Director. This individual will work with BFJN's board to equip the Church to live simply and give generously.
A detailed job description is available here. Applicants who meet these qualifications should send their resume and cover letter to edsearch@bostonfaithjustice.org by May 15, 2014.
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Director of Music Ministry
(St. James, Barrington, R.I.)
St. James is seeking a talented, creative leader to provide musical direction and piano/organ accompaniment for traditional and contemporary worship services. Duties include: Leading and rehearsing the adult choir, contemporary praise band, and youth choir, collaborating with the pastor and Worship and Music Team in the planning of worship, and recruiting and facilitating participation from all age groups and abilities within the congregation. For a full job description click here, or contact Mary Hassan,mehjaime@aol.com; (401) 246-1502.
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