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Season of Pentecost
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August 27, 2014
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Synod office closed Friday
Please note, the Synod Office will be closed on Friday for our annual picnic, and Monday in observance of the Labor Day holiday. We will re-open on Tuesday, Sept. 2.
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A tale of two gifts
Rick doesn't own Rick and Diane's Brick Oven Pizza in Antrim, New Hampshire, but he does work there. I had stopped in front of this pizza place on my ELCA World Hunger Ride late this summer. I wasn't planning to eat, just a stretch break as I made my way south along Route 10 and 31 in the Granite State.
"Nice Bike!" barked a voice from behind me. I turned around to see a large man with only a few teeth. We talked bikes and travel for a few minutes.
"What's the deal with the bumper sticker?" He was referring to the now faded, #bikeforbread ELCA World Hunger Ride sticker on the back fender. It depicts a cartoon version of me on the motorcycle.
"I'm on a ride throughout New England raising funds and awareness about hunger." I answered, and then elaborated on where I'd been.
"So how do you raise money for it?" he asked in this curious manner. I described that people either bought T-Shirts, tugging at my own T, or people make donations.
"Donations, huh," he gruffly responded, and then reached in to his pocket, pulled out a $5 bill and handed it to me.
I thanked him, asked him for a photo and noted the address of the restaurant.
***
Two days later I was sitting in a meeting room of one of our congregations here in Connecticut. The pastor had ordered lunch for the four of us. Along with the pastor, Sharon Magnusson of the ELCA World Hunger Appeal, and myself was a lovely lady who was there to make a gift to the World Hunger Appeal.
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School of Lay Ministry - registration ends Friday
The 2014-2015 school year for the New England Synod School of Lay Ministry begins with a retreat at Camp Calumet from Sept. 19-21. The presenter is Dr. Pamela Shellberg, former New Testament professor at Bangor Theological Seminary. Our focus this year is the Bible: Hebrew Scriptures, New Testament and how Lutherans interpret the Bible.
The application deadline has been extended until Friday, Aug. 29.
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Ordination of Carolyn Neighoff
Carolyn Neighoff, who has been called to Water of Life in Newcastle Maine, will be ordained on Oct. 12 at 4 p.m. at Water of Life. Carolyn is a graduate of Bangor Theological Seminary, and did her Lutheran studies at Philadelphia Seminary. Bishop James Hazelwood will preside. Clergy are invited to vest, and the color of the day will be red.
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Safe Church Training
 First Lutheran - Southington, CT
Sept. 13 - 9 a.m.-noon
On Saturday, Sept. 13, First Lutheran in Southington will host a training on child safety.
The training will cover all of the child safety recommendations required by most church insurance companies and safety experts, but more importantly, it is part of our ongoing efforts to ensure that all children in our congregations and synod are safe in their churches, church schools, and other church-related activities. The training will be offered by Rev. Dr. William Barter (right), the New England Synod's Safe Church Training Director. Dr. Barter is a licensed forensic psychologist specializing in child abuse. Bill is also an ELCA pastor who understands the special needs of congregations. Medical, educational, and mental health professionals will receive a 3-hour certificate for attending. There will be ample time to ask questions of Dr. Barter.
Registration and fee required by September 5th. Please send checks to First Lutheran Church, 232 Bristol Street, Southington, CT 06489. Contact Rev. Joshua Rinas at: 860-628-9001
$12 per person / $90 cap per congregation.
Bring your Sunday School Teachers, Congregation Leaders, Nursery Attendants, Confirmation Instructors, Pastors, Youth Workers, Chaperones, Pageant Helpers, etc.
Attendees will receive course materials, refreshments, and a certificate.
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Bus to People's
Climate March
Lutherans from New England are invited to join the region's Episcopalians on a bus ride to the People's Climate March (PCM) on Sunday, Sept. 21 in New York City.
The bus will leave from Springfield, Mass., stop at New Haven, Conn., and continue on to Central Park to gather with other people of faith. En route, as it is a Sunday morning, we will celebrate a simple Holy Communion. Nourished in the Body of Christ we will go forth to the march as a congregation witnessing to our love and care of God's Creation.
To sign up for the trip, click here.
To learn more about the People's Climate March, click here.
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Bethesda Music Series features Ali Amr
Sept. 21 - 4 p.m.
Bethesda Lutheran Church
450 Whitney Ave., New Haven, CT
 Internationally renowned Moroccan qanun player Ali Amr of Morocco, who has performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the White House, the Royal Palace of Jordan, and other prestigious venues, will bring his entrancing fusion of jazz and Arabic music to the New Haven community on Sunday, September 21, at 4 p.m.
The hour-long program will take place at Bethesda Lutheran Church, 450 Whitney Ave., New Haven.
Ali Amr tours the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and Scandinavia with his creative playing and singing, is a composer, actor, and producer, and has been featured as a musician in film and radio. Read more about him at www.aliamr.com.
The concert is hosted by the Bethesda Music Series. The event is free and open to the public.
A free-will offering will be collected to support Luther House Campus Ministry, which participates in after-school tutoring programs and other social outreach efforts in New Haven.
A reception will follow the concert. There is free parking in the church lot at 450 Whitney Ave. and on St. Ronan St.
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Forward Leadership Community Applications Due
At this year's Synod Assembly we resolved to become a synod of Experimentation, Innovation, and Creativity, asking congregation councils and other congregational leadership teams to spend at least 20 percent of their time focused on innovation and experimentation, and encouraging them to share the results of this focus (both successes and failures) with others throughout the synod.
Experimentation and innovation will require a change to the status quo. These changes are often met with some sort of resistance. Even if leaders have a great goal or vision, it can be difficult to implement new ideas and ways of doing ministry. Over the past year, the synod has been developing a pilot program for congregations who are ready to lead change and engage in transformational ministry.
Clergy and lay leaders from five congregations were invited to join the 2014 Forward Leadership Community; a year-long program developed to equip leaders to create goals based on their context and ministry setting and implement changes to attain those goals. We called this a "community" rather than just a program because all of our learning is done in an atmosphere of mutual support and collaboration.
We are accepting applications to join the 2015 Forward Leadership Community through Sept. 1. If your congregation is looking to strengthen its mission and ministry and experiment, innovate, and explore how to "be church" in the 21st century, then Forward Leadership is for you! For more information contact Rev. Sara J. Anderson or Kim Bergstrand
Information and Application:
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Bishop's Convocation 2014 - save the date!
Nov. 10-12
Holy Family Retreat Center
West Hartford, CT
The annual Bishop's Convocation will be held Nov. 10, 11, & 12 at the Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center in West Hartford, Conn. This year's presenter is Brian McLaren (right). He is the author of many books, including "A New Kind of Christianity" and the recently published "We Make the Road by Walking." You can visit Brian's website by clicking here.
On Monday, Nov. 10, McLaren will also deliver a public lecture at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Hartford. Tickets for the lecture are $25 (included in our leaders' cost for Convocation registration), and all are welcome. Mr. McLaren will also be presenting on Tuesday morning at Holy Family to our Rostered Leaders.
Registration will open next week, and we will provide details once it's set up.
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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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Musician
Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Kingston, R.I.
Good Shepherd is looking for a 1/4 time musician for 1 Sunday worship (9 a.m.) and to direct a small choir (1 day/week practice). We use both piano and organ, with preference for piano. All inquiries via email with Subject: Minister of Music, addressed to Pastor Mary using email: GoodShepherdRI@gmail.com. No phone calls please for initial inquiries.
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Associate General Counsel - ELCA
The ELCA is currently seeking a qualified attorney to fill the position of Associate General Counsel. As an in-house attorney for the ELCA, the Associate General Counsel provides legal advice and services to the churchwide organization and its units and performs other necessary legal services as assigned; regularly consults with synods, synod attorneys and other lawyers representing ELCA ministries; reports to the General Counsel, or in his/her absence, to the Secretary of the ELCA.
For more information and application directions, click here.
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