Time After Pentecost
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June 3, 2015
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2015 New England Synod Assembly: What you need to know
The 2015 New England Synod Assembly is set for June 5-6, 2015, at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass.
The theme of this year's assembly is "Holy Experiment in Progress." Last year, Bishop James Hazelwood challenged the synod to take on a spirit of experimentation, to try new things in ministry, to fail boldly, and to share the stories of success.
Beginning with the opening of registration at 8:30 on Friday, June 5, we will spend two days celebrating those experiments, as well as voting on important measures regarding the year ahead. That includes voting for our representatives to the 2016 Churchwide Assembly, set to take place Aug. 8-13. 2016, in New Orleans.
We'll also be joined by keynote speaker, Rev. Molly Phinney Baskette, Pastor of First Church Somerville UCC, and author of "Real Good Church: How our church came back from the dead, and yours can too." She will be speaking on Saturday morning and will be available for book signing after her presentation. In the afternoon we'll hear from Bishop Hazelwood and leaders from congregations that have experienced transformation and renewal. The day will close with a Festive Eucharist which will celebrate the reception of two new congregations.
If you're planning to attend this year's assembly, either as a voting representative of one of our congregations or as a non-voting visitor, there are a few things you'll want to know.
Click here to read more.
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Three Guys and a Motorcycle Ride
After last year's wildly successful World Hunger Ride, Bishop James Hazelwood is enlisting the help of Steve Dumas and Bishop Rick Hoyme of the Northwest Wisconsin Synod for another trip. This time, they're riding to the ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit. Want to join in?
The global water crisis doesn't always make headlines. But the truth is that it claims more lives each year than war. Globally, 1.8 billion people - that's about one out of every four people in our world - drink from contaminated water sources. Unsafe water leads to illnesses that claim the lives of 840,000 people each year, almost half of whom are children under the age of 5.
Your gift helps local communities provide water for drinking and cooking, growing crops, and improving sanitation and hygiene, as well as providing for ongoing health education, training and maintenance for long-term sustainable access to water in the community.
Jim, Steve and Rick will start their engines soon, so get on your bikes and ride!
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Hammonasset 2015 - Registration is open!
Sept. 11-13
Hammonasset State Beach
Madison, Conn.
Hammonasset is an annual gathering of New England youth, including more than 60 church youth groups from all six New England states. This year's theme is "Signed, Sealed, Delivered."
"Did you ever wonder what it means at a baptism when the pastor marks a cross on the child's forehead and says '...child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.'?" reads the hammoconnect.com description of this year's theme. "Ephesians 1:13-14 says: 'In Him you also ... were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people ...' The seal is a sign of authentication or confirmation and designates ownership, and therefore protection by the Holy Spirit. The pledge is like a down payment that secures the promise of the entire future inheritance (as God's children) of salvation in Christ Jesus.
"Martin Luther tells us that in baptism God '...showers upon us the vast and boundless riches of his grace.' it is a 'new birth,' through which we become '...children of life, heirs of all God's possessions, God's own children, and brothers and sisters of Christ."
Music at this year's gathering will come from the Andy Needham Band, and the featured speaker is Knute Ogren, Director of Development and Communications at Calumet Lutheran Camp & Conference Center.
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Synod grant applications now available
The applications for two grants offered by the New England Synod are now available.
The Youth and Young Adult Ministry grant supports ministries to serve outreach to those particular age groups. The Congregational Renewal Grants assist in efforts designed to bring renewed vitality to your congregation.
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ELCA Domestic Hunger Grants
 The ELCA World Hunger-funded Domestic Hunger Grants support ministries that offer hope and assistance to many thousands of people who experience poverty and hunger in the United States. These grants do more than just give food to people who are hungry - in addition to immediate relief programs, ELCA World Hunger Domestic Hunger Grants fund projects in community development and community-based organizing and advocacy that strengthen the foundations of communities impacted by hunger and poverty.
In 2015, this program allocated a total of $739,075 to support 324 domestic projects and programs ranging from congregational food pantries to weekend backpack programs for children to job training and living-wage advocacy campaigns. ELCA World Hunger-funded Domestic Hunger Grants make a difference.
- Advocacy: 6 programs, $15,500
- Development: 58 programs, $148,725
- Organizing: 41 programs, $106,400
- Relief: 219 programs, $468,450
The domestic hunger grant application will become available May 8th , and close on July 10, 2015. Applicants can access the application by clicking here.
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Handel's Messiah: More than the Hallelujah Chorus!
June 13 - Emanuel Lutheran Church, Manchester, Conn.
June 14 - Bethesda Lutheran Church, New Haven, Conn.
Emanuel Lutheran Church (Manchester) and the Bethesda Music Series (New Haven) present an ambitious and unusual production of Handel's Messiah on Saturday, June 13, and Sunday, June 14, at 4 p.m.
Brett Judson, a graduate of the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, will direct the choirs of Emanuel and Bethesda with a professional orchestra and soloists Sarah Yanovitch, Mindy Chu, Gene Stenger, and Edmund Milly from the internationally renowned Yale Voxtet. Lars Gjerde, Director of Music at Bethesda, will play harpsichord. The 90-minute program will feature both well known and lesser-heard selections from this work of unique popularity in Western choral music.
The June 13 performance is at Emanuel (map), and the June 14 performance is at Bethesda (map).
While Messiah is usually presented before Christmas, the premiere was actually given in Dublin in April 1742. A summertime performance includes rich parts of the Messiah that are heard less often. Emanuel and Bethesda's production brings together large forces of amateurs and professionals in beautiful union to offer an afternoon of moving and thrilling music. Both congregations have long traditions of lifting up great sacred music for the inspiration of all who want to listen. Admission to the concert is free, but donations will be accepted. Free on-street and lot parking are available.
Contact information: Email Brett Judson, Director of Music, at music@emanuelmanchester.org, or call (860) 643-1193
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Your chance to save on the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit
August 6-7, 2015
 The Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit is an annual, national gathering of leaders for two days of talks and discussion "designed to help you get better and embrace your grander vision-the reason God called you to lead," according to its website.
"You are presented with a lot of opportunities to sharpen your skills and develop the people you lead. The Summit is a proven tool to leverage that produces these compelling outcomes for leaders who attend."
The Summit takes place in Chicago, but is broadcast to hundreds of sites across the country, including several sites in New England. If you'd like to attend, click on one of the registration links below. Registration is currently $189 for individuals and $149 per person for teams of 10 or more, but you can also save on registration costs by using our discount. To get the discount, input the code GLSCRFT15 when you register.
NEW ENGLAND SATELLITE SITES
MASSACHUSETTS
Grace Chapel, Lexington
Bethany Community Church, Mendon
North River Community Church, Pembroke
Community Covenant Church, Rehoboth
CONNECTICUT
Black Rock Church, Fairfield
Valley Community Baptist Church, Avon
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Manchester Christian Church, Bedford
Alton Bay Christian Conference Center, Alton Bay
Bethany Church, Greenland
RHODE ISLAND
Christ Church, East Greenwich
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2015/16 Companion Trip to the Holy Land
Dec. 29, 2015 - Jan. 14, 2016
Cost: $3,700 all-inclusive (airfare, room & board, ground travel, including Petra and Jordan)
Tour Leader: Pastor Tim Keyl, Bethesda Lutheran Church - New Haven, Conn.
The New England Synod Global Mission Team invites you to be transformed by the "living stones" of the Holy Land, to pray and learn as pilgrims, and to be companions for our brothers and sisters who seek peace with justice. Tour Leader Pastor Tim Keyl currently serves as coordinator for the synod's companion relationship.
For more information, contact Pastor Keyl at 203-787-2346 or via email at pastor@bethesdanewhaven.org
Download the flyer by clicking here.
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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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