New England Synod
NES News 
Time After Pentecost

October 7, 2015 

In This Issue
Notice - Congregational Treasurers
The synod database is in need of contact information updates for congregational treasurers. If your congregation's treasurer is new, or you have reason to think they might not be in our database, please contact Marianne Uva via email or by calling (508) 791-1530 x100.
Help our brothers and sisters in South Carolina
The people of South Carolina are still reeling from floods that have crippled large swaths of the state and caused billions of dollars in damage.
 
Bishop Herman Yoos of the South Carolina Synod wrote in a newsletter this week, "The ELCA South Carolina Synod is deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers for the people of South Carolina in the midst of severe flooding. Homes have been destroyed. Bridges and dams in neighborhoods have collapsed. Interstate highways and roads have been compromised in the worst storm since records have been kept in this state. The ELCA Conference of Bishops, meeting in Chicago this week, prayed at its Sunday worship service and again on Monday for all who have suffered and are continuing to suffer. Offerings from Sunday's worship were designated for the victims of the wildfires in Northern California. Bishop Mark Holmerud from the ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod asked the Conference of Bishops to divide the offerings to include the people of South Carolina. Another ELCA bishop asked for a chance to take up a second offering for both synods before we leave Chicago.
  
"These generous expressions of love and compassion for all impacted by these floods is deeply appreciated. Right now designated flood relief funds should be sent to the South Carolina Synod and / or Lutheran Disaster Response.
  
"The synod office is located at 1003 Richland St., Columbia, SC 29201.
  
"To send gifts to ELCA Lutheran Disaster Response go to https://community.elca.org/usfloodingrelief."

We encourage New Englanders to help our brethren in South Carolina as they continue to cope with the flood, which is still wreaking havoc even after the rains have stopped.
The Church We Are Becoming
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015
10 a.m.-4 p.m. 
(Registration begins at 9:15 a.m.)
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 15 Hayes Street, Providence, R.I.
Join us for a day of learning and discussion on "The Church We Are Becoming."

Presentations will include concurrent sessions in English and in Spanish.

Featured speaker:
Pastor Ruben Duran, Director for New Congregations, ELCA is our keynote speaker. His presentation in English will be simultaneously translated into Spanish.

Other presenters include:
  • Pastor Tiffany Chaney, who serves as Pastor Developer for The Intersection, a congregation under development in Dorchester, Mass.. 
  • Pastor Ryan Lun, who has been serving as the pastor of Good Neighbor Lutheran Church in Quincy, Mass. since 2012. 
  • Pastor Santiago Rodriguez, who serves as pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, a multicultural congregation in Providence, R.I. 
For more information, including a bio for each speaker, click here to download the flyer.

All are welcome. Please register by October 30. The registration fee of $20 includes lunch and coffee/light refreshments. Parking in downtown Providence will cost approximately $10. To register for this event, please e-mail Arlene Creswell at aswellone@comcast.net. Prepayment of the registration fee is requested. Instructions for payment will be sent upon receipt of your registration.
Sponsored by the New England Synod School of Lay Ministry
REMINDER: Bishop Eaton to preach in New England
Oct. 18, 10:15 a.m.
University Lutheran, Cambridge, MA
Oct. 19, 7 p.m.
Emanuel Lutheran, Hartford, CT

Elizabeth Eaton, the presiding bishop of the ELCA, will make two stops at New England congregations in October, in conjunction with her visit to this year's Bishop's Convocation.

Bishop Eaton is scheduled to preach at University Lutheran Church in Cambridge, Mass., on Sunday morning, Oct. 18, at UniLu's 10:15 a.m. worship service. University Lutheran is located at 66 Winthrop St., Cambridge, Mass.

Bishop Eaton's visit to University Lutheran is also a return to her old stomping grounds, as she earned her Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School.

On Oct. 19, Bishop Eaton will preach at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Hartford, Conn., at 7 p.m. Emanuel is located at 311 Capitol Ave. in Hartford.

Both events are open to the public. Click here for more information.
New Dollars and Partners for Your Sacred Place
Are you wondering how to make better use of your building? 
The New England Synod has arranged for Partners for Sacred Places to present a one-day workshop introducing their New Dollars/New Partners for Your Sacred Place training program.
 
Congregational teams of clergy and 2-3 lay leaders are encouraged to attend.
 
The event will be held on Saturday, Nov. 7, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Emanuel Lutheran Church, 311 Capitol Ave., Hartford, CT  06106
 
Please register by Nov. 2 to ensure a space for your congregational team. The registration fee is $10 per person.
 
 
New Dollars/New Partners is an innovative training program offered by Partners, available to congregations with older or historic buildings. This training combines the best of the resources, techniques, and knowledge developed by Partners since 1989, and is the only one of its kind. Partners has developed a strong expertise on fundraising for older religious properties since its founding in 1989. For example, Partners' Complete Guide to Capital Campaigns for Historic Churches and Synagogues is considered the definitive book on the subject. Partners' staff are joined during the year-long training program, of four day-long workshops, by consultants with in-depth experience in specialized topics.
 
Congregations that typically participate in and benefit from the training have a sacred place older than 50 years, have capital needs beyond the current financial capability of the congregation, and also possess a desire to deepen their community connections and use their buildings more effectively. Each training course includes four leaders (senior clergy and lay leaders with responsibility for property, outreach, and finance/fundraising) from 8 to 12 congregations that want to find new ways to fund and support their older or historic buildings.
 
For more information about the event, contact Kim Bergstrand.
 
To learn more about Partners for Sacred Places, visit SacredPlaces.org.
Portico selection periods coming soon
The Synod would like to remind Portico healthcare plan members and employers of two important periods that are approaching soon. 

First, Portico Employers should be aware that they will be expected to select their ELCA-Primary health benefit option on EmployerLink between Oct. 5 and 30. We encourage employers to be prepared ahead of time and to register their plan selections promptly so that their employees have time to prepare for open enrollment.

Which brings us to reminder No. 2: Open Enrollment for Portico plan members begins on Nov. 2, and runs until Nov. 30. Members are encouraged to start figuring out their choice by visiting their personalized Enrollment Guide, which is now available at myPortico.
Rev. Renée LiaBraaten named Associate to the Bishop
The Synod is thrilled to announce the appointment of Rev. Renée LiaBraaten as the new Associate to the Bishop for Generosity!

Rev. LiaBraaten served as a parish pastor for 14 years before becoming a stewardship consultant with Kairos and Associates in 1999. Renee has extensive experience in leading congregations of all sizes through customized stewardship, capital funding and visioning programs. Renee is a graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., and Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. She has worked in Estonia and Latvia, raising funds and organizing summer work projects to help rebuild churches in the Baltic States. She has led stewardship workshops at The Parish Resource Center in Lancaster, Pa., the Northeast Stewardship Conference, and numerous Synod Assemblies. Renée lives on the coast of Maine with her husband, Jerry, a newly retired ELCA pastor.

In her position, Rev. LiaBraaten will have primary responsibilities for cultivating thanksgiving and generosity in our synod. She and Ms. Kimberly Bergstrand, the Associate to the Bishop for Mission, will work in tandem to perform many of the duties formerly tasked to the director for evangelical mission. 
Ask, Thank, Tell - Now!
Inspired by the book by Charles Lane, and serving as an extension of the Crazy Stewardship Consults, Bishop Hazelwood has started a new Facebook group which will be a place to exchange ideas on how to implement a year-round stewardship emphasis, creating a culture of thanksgiving and generosity in your faith community. 

The group will have updates, ideas and news with practical ideas on how to engage in meaningful, year-round stewardship, all based on "Ask, Thank, Tell," by Charles Lane - the book Bishop Hazelwood calls "the single best book on stewardship ever published."

Want to follow the conversation? Click here to visit the Facebook group, and click "Like!"
Ordination: Eric Worringer
October 17, 4 p.m.
St. Paul - Arlington, Mass.
Eric Worringer has been called to serve as pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lawrence, Mass. He will be ordained on Oct. 17 at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Arlington, Mass., at 4 p.m. Bishop James Hazelwood will preside and preach, the color of the day is red, and clergy are invited to vest and process. All are welcome.

Eric Randall Worringer holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the Ohio State University, and a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Theological Studies from Luther Seminary, where he is also a candidate for the degree of Master of Theology in Pastoral Theology.
 
News & Notes
Mental Health & Parish Life
Saturday, Nov. 14; 9:30-noon
First Lutheran Church 
118 Division Street
East Greenwich, RI 02818

In our wide welcome of all God's people, we recognize that those with mental illness bless us with their witness of faith. And, yet, their actions can sometimes be intense and draining for good lay leaders (and pastors too).
 
How do we gather in, and care for people whose life's journey is more challenging than most? How do we support them in their eagerness to fully participate in this community of faith? Ask for help!
 
Susan Lindberg Haley, a diaconal minister from the All Right Ministry, will host a discussion on mental health and parish life at First Lutheran in East Greenwich, R.I. on Saturday, Nov. 14. The talk will run from 9:30 a.m. until noon, with a coffee hour. All are welcome to attend.  Please bring your church lay leaders, who often need support in this area of parish life.
Young Adults in Global Mission - learn more
The ELCA's Young Adults in Global Mission program sends more than 70 young adults every year to more than a dozen different countries, living and working in and with some of the ELCA's many companion churches for a year of service and accompaniment. The volunteers experience life and community in a totally different context and culture, learning in relationship with their brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world. 
 
Michael Dickson, a 23-year-old Global Mission recruiter who just returned from a YAGM year in Jerusalem himself, is now visiting the New England area to share about his experience and the many opportunities in Global Mission. He will be in the area starting around Oct. 9 and staying for a week or two depending on interest. 
 
Age requirements for YAGM are 21-29, but it's never too early to get youth and young adults thinking about global mission. Michael can preach or speak in a worship service, a Bible study, or any other sort of forum, and he'll be available as well to meet individually with interested young adults or with pastors or community leaders who want to learn more about the program before recommending it to their young adults. 
 
Call him at (919) 230 0736 or email him at Michael.Dickson@elca.org
On the Trail of Martin Luther
October 12-22, 2016
Dennis and Karin Kohl will be leading a group to Reformation sights in October 2016. They have been in these places many times and would like to share the Reformation history through travel. The trip will last 11 days and includes 14 meals. The trip will include Mainz, Worms, Erfurt, Eisenach (Wartburg Castle), Eisleben, Dresden, Leipzig, Wittenberg, and Berlin. If you would like more information, please contact Pastor Kohl at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 1817 Warwick Ave., Warwick, RI 02889, by telephone at (401)-739-2937, or by e-mail at pastorkohl@icloud.com.

The cost: double occupancy is $3,669, single occupancy is $4,169. Includes transport to the airport from church and return to church, 14 meals (9 breakfasts, 5 dinners), and lodging at 4- and 5-star hotels. Click here for more information. If you have questions, contact Eastside Travel at (401) 724-3111. A deposit of $250 is due with registration, and is fully refundable until April 13, 2016. Final payments are due for this trip by Aug. 12. 
Walk in the Steps of Martin Luther
On October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg with the stroke of his hammer, he set the Reformation in motion and changed the world.  

Pastor Joe McGarry and Pastor Rick Olson invite you to celebrate the 500th Anniversary of this great event by following in Luther's footsteps throughout Germany. Watch as the Reformation comes to life as you discover the history and spirit of the Great Reformer and the places and people important to our Lutheran heritage:
  • Visit Castle Church in Wittenberg where Luther nailed his 95 Theses. 
  • Visit Eisenach and see the Reformation Room in Wartberg Castle
  • See Luther's birthplace in Eiselben.
  • Visit Erfurt, where Luther was struck by lightening and entered the Augustinian Cloister.
  • Explore Leipzig where he debated Johann Eck
  • Visit Augsburg where Melanchthon presented the "Augsburg Confession" in 1530
We will be traveling for 11 days visiting 13 sites. The dates are May 11-21, 2016.  

Click here for more information, including a proposed itinerary. If you have any questions or if you would like to sign up please contact Pastor Joe McGarry at pastor@faithgardner.org.
Employment Opportunities

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.

Music Director
St. Matthew Lutheran Church - Avon, Conn.
St. Matthew Lutheran Church is seeking a part-time music and worship leader to join its staff. The Music Director provides leadership and oversight of St. Matthews's music ministry. This includes serving as organist and director of adult and children's choirs as well as the supervision, guidance, and support of volunteer leaders in the music program. A Bachelor's degree in music, concentrated study in organ and church music, or significant church-music experience is required. Specific duties and responsibilities include: Two worship services each Sunday plus special holiday services; leading an adult choir and children's choirs; weekly choir rehearsals; participation in weekly staff meetings; assist pastors in worship planning.

To be considered please submit a resume and a brief essay on what it means to be a church Music Director along with a cover letter via email to stmatthewmusicdirector@gmail.com or by mail to Music Director Search Committee, St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 224 Lovely Street, Avon CT, 06001.
Bell Choir Director
Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer - Foxboro, Mass.
Handbell Director needed for a teaching role to a 10-12 member intergenerational choir of three octaves with limited experience in a small, growing church. Position would run September to May or June, with 30-35 one-hour rehearsals at noon on Sundays (flexible), and four to five Sunday morning ringing sessions. The ideal candidate will have bell knowledge and strong directing skills. Stipend salary, $1,500 to $2,000 commensurate with experience and duration of ringing year. For more information, e-mail Office@lcor.org or call 508-543-4071.