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2020: The Next Church
 This spring, Bishop Jim Hazelwood is coming to a conference or church near you. The purpose of this tour is to engage you, your synod assembly voting members, and church council leaders around the broad theme of what the Next Church will look like. Specifically, Bishop Hazelwood's presentation will focus on the following:
- How can the church engage people in contemporary New England culture?
- How can I as bishop provide support in the area of stewardship & generosity?
- How can we as a synod make the best use of congregational and individual mission support?
- How can we move more deeply into true mission partnership rather than isolated ministry sites?
Please invite your Synod Assembly voting members to your local conference meeting, as Bishop Hazelwood will be presenting information about several items that will come before the Assembly in June. However, this is also an event for anyone, and we are encouraging you to bring church council leaders as well.
Click here to visit the Synod's 2020 page for information, including download links for the above flyer as well as conference-specific flyers to help promote your conference's meeting.
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2015 New England Synod Assembly
The 2015 New England Synod Assembly is scheduled for June 5-6, 2015, at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. Our theme for 2015 is "What's New in New England."
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: THE REV. MOLLY PHINNEY BASKETTE
She serves as a senior consultant for the Center for Progressive Renewal, with an affinity for church renewal, social media and spiritual formation for the new millennium.
She is a regular contributor to the United Church of Christ's Feed Your Spirit site, including the UCC Daily Devotionals, and the co-author of "Remembering My Grandparent" and "Remembering My Pet," two practical grief books for children. She's currently working on two new books for Pilgrim Press, including a book about her church's practice of testimony tentatively titled "True Story: The Art of Confession," and a progressive Christian parenting book.
She lives in Arlington, Mass., with her husband and two children, where she loves to cook from the garden, read in the hammock, and train for the cuddling Olympics.
She will be speaking on Saturday morning and will be available for book signing after her presentation.
CLERGY SHIRT DROP-OFF
Any leaders who have spare clergy shirts are encouraged to bring them to the Assembly, where we will be collecting them for donation to clergy in need in Zimbabwe. Ransom Gambiza, a member of Faith (Andover, Mass.), will have a donation box available for the shirts.
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Church office staff retreat
 Camp Calumet
Freedom, N.H.
May 3-5
Bulletins, newsletters, communications ... oh my! So much work goes on behind the scenes, helping churches to function and carry out their mission, that it really shouldn't be called "adminstration," it should be called "ad-ministry!" This retreat is dedicated to all the support staff that help keep congregations throughout the Synod informed, enlightened, and on schedule.
Examples of retreat sessions have included copyright information, digital photography, church safety, CPR, stress relief techniques, and more.
The time away will include opportunity to think, to read, to reflect, to sing, to enjoy delicious food, to check out the beautiful grounds of Camp Calumet, and to have tons of fun.
For more, click here.
Registration for this event will be handled directly by Calumet. Contact Betsy for more information or to make your reservation, by calling (603) 539-3223, or emailing Betsy@calumet.org.
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Ecumenical Stewardship Event
Stewardship in the Changing Church: Moving from Consumerism to Generosity
April 17-18, 2015
Holiday Inn, Boxborough, Mass.
A 2-day conference on Stewardship for clergy and lay leaders
Churches can't just keep doing things the same old way and expect new results. Instead we need to look at transformation and what moves individuals to a new spiritual place in how they look at money. This conference features inspiring stories, practical aids, engaging worship, and networking opportunities to learn from others around New England. Come hear about what is working in churches and new forms of stewardship, learn some skills and get resources to take back to your congregations.
Special keynotes by The Right Rev. Michael Curry, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, and entrepreneur/author Ben Stroup.
Several workshops available, including "Real Good Church: Authenticity, Transparency, Money and the Millenials," given by the Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette, 2015 New England Synod Assembly keynote speaker.
For more information and to register, click here.
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Women in Ministry Retreat
"Mama Mia" - A retreat for female leaders on the ELCA roster
in New England and their Ecumenical counterparts
Dates: May 4-6, starting at 3 p.m., ending at noon (before lunch)
Cost: $245, covers two nights' lodging, 5 meals, and program
In addition to providing rest, spiritual renewal, and quality time getting to know other women in ministry in New England, the retreat will provide participants a chance to explore their roles in ministry through the lens of what they learned from their mothers about being a "woman in charge." Program leader Jan Gregory-Charpentier will invite us to enter the story of our relationship with our mother(s) from several angles and identify insights and applications for our lives and ministry today.
Program Leader: The Rev. Dr. Jan Gregory-Charpentier, D.Min, an ordained United Church of Christ minister, is a pastor and teacher, retreat leader, ministry supervisor and a daughter.
Space is limited. Please register by April 27, 2015, by clicking here.
Contact: The Rev. Lydia Wittman, 860-633-1188; prlydia@gmail.com
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Calling All ELCA-Primary Health Plan Members
43 More Needed to Earn the 2% Health Contribution Discount
 As of the end of February, 40.57% of the eligible ELCA-Primary health plan members and spouses in our synod completed the confidential Mayo Clinic health assessment. Thank you to those who have already done their part!
But we still need 43 more people to take the health assessment to reach 65% participation and earn a 2% discount on all of this year's ELCA health contributions for synod employers. ELCA-Primary health plan members and spouses: Complete the assessment by April 30 to take stock of your health, earn $150 in wellness dollars, and get us that much closer to saving 2% this year.
If your spouse has ELCA-Primary health benefits and completes the Mayo Clinic health assessment, too, you'll receive another $150 wellness dollars and will help us earn our synod-wide 2% discount on health contributions.
New this year: To take the Mayo Clinic health assessment, access Mayo Clinic Healthy Living online directly through myPortico - no separate Mayo Clinic ID and password necessary. Go to PorticoBenefits.org/HealthyLiving for details.
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Ecofeminism and faith:
A weekend with Dr. Rosemary Radford Ruether
 April 10-12
St. Ansgar Lutheran Church
515 Woodford St., Portland, Maine
What is ecofeminism? Find out April 10-12 when St. Ansgar Lutheran Church in Portland welcomes
Dr. Rosemary Radford Ruether, world-renowned activist, feminist theologian, and international lecturer. A prolific author, she is also currently teaching at Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, Calif.
The centerpiece of the weekend will be a presentation by Dr. Ruether, followed by Q&A with the audience. The presentation will be followed by lunch, then a panel conversation about Mainers engaging in a range of ecological efforts, including solar energy, sustainable living, and climate change in Maine.
Among the panelists: Rev. Dr. Susan E. Davies, feminist theologian, activist and former Academic Dean and professor at Bangor Theological Seminary; David Littell, Commissioner of the Maine Public Utilities Commission and former Commissioner of Maine's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); Ray Sirois, IT Director at Wright Pierce Engineering and one of 3,000 presenters trained by Al Gore's Climate Project.
Rev. Susan Gilpin, a sustainable living course instructor at OLLI (the Senior College at USM), and Dr. Debra McDonough, an associate lecturer in biology at the University of New England will facilitate.
Schedule: Friday, April 10 at 7 p.m. - Disruption: Film screening, followed by a discussion facilitated by Anne D. Burt, Consultant for Maine Council of Churches' Environmental Justice Program; Saturday, April 11 at 10 a.m.-2 p.m. - Presentation by (and Q&A with) Dr. Rosemary Radford Ruether, followed by complimentary lunch, then panel discussion. (Dr. Ruether will be signing books after the event.); Sunday, April 12 at 10 a.m. - Worship with Dr. Rosemary Radford Ruether, guest preacher
Where: St. Ansgar Lutheran Church, 515 Woodford Street, Portland (corner of Woodford Street and Brighton Avenue)
All events, including lunch, are free of charge. For a complete schedule or list of speakers, call 774-8740, ext. 4, email rrr@saintansgar.org, or go to www.saintansgar.org. RSVP to rrr@saintansgar.org or 774-8740, ext, 4. (RSVP appreciated but not required.)
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"Welcome One Another" Fellowship Retreat 2015
 May 1-3, 2015
The Walker Center, 144 Hancock St., Auburndale, Mass.
The Synod Team for LGBT Inclusion extends an open invitation to all members and friends of the Synod to the 2015 "Welcome One Another Retreat." The retreat will include worship, fellowship, meals, small group reflection, and large group plenary as participants learn more about the "B" in LGBT: bisexuality. For more information, please contact Pastor Nathan Pipho at 617-328-8348 or by email at PastorPipho@aol.com
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2015 New England Synod Honduras Mission Trip  ***Reduced Registration Fee***
April 20 - 28, 2015 Yuscaran, Honduras
Leader: Pastor Dave Rinas
Estimated Costs: $745* plus airfare (approx. $850) from Boston to Tegucigalpa.
With the trip to Yuscaran just around the corner, a generous grant of $1,000 allows us to reduce the registration fee from $795 to $745 for the first 20 participants. This also allows us to send more money for the construction of the church in Yuscaran for this year's 10th anniversary celebration of our partnership there. Others who might not be able to go on the trip may also send money to complete the edifice, which completion is only about $12,000 away. For more information on the trip, see www.sdumas.net, or contact Pastor Dave Rinas at prdrinas@yahoo.com, or call (978) 256-6300.
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Job listings policy
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.
Additionally, job listings are now hosted on the Synod website's new job board.
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Minister of Music
Concordia Lutheran Church, Manchester, Conn.
Duties have included playing the organ (and piano) for services, directing the choirs, and working with the pastor and the worship and music committee to plan liturgies.
Concordia has a two-manual Austin pipe organ that is in good repair, a two-manual harpsichord, and a Kawai grand piano. Any interested candidates should inquire by sending a resumé and cover letter to the attention of Carol Stoneman, President of the Concordia Church Council, by emailing office@concordiamanchester.org, or calling (860) 649-5311. The position is open on June 22, 2015.
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Parish Administrator
Grace Lutheran Church, Hartford, Conn.
Grace Lutheran Church is seeking a part-time (20 hr./wk) parish administrator who will support the ministry of the church through administrative and infrastructure functions within the congregation. The parish administrator answers phones, prepares materials for meetings, processes correspondence and purchase orders, and more. The successful candidate demonstrates excellent people skills, has a gift for hospitality, maintains strict confidentiality, and communicates professionally in person, in writing, and by telephone. S/he is proficient in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel and Publisher, as well as other software.
Interested parties can contact Pastor Rick Kremer at rickkremer@aol.com, by calling (508) 728-7030, or writing to him at:
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
46 Woodland Street
Hartford, CT 06105
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This year's keynote speaker is the 