• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
940.241.2099940.241.2099, Opt. 2 | office@ntnl.org

In Mission Together

  • Northern Texas - Northern Louisiana Synod, ELCANorthern Texas - Northern Louisiana Synod, ELCA

  • Close
Search
  • About
  • Ministries
  • Resources
  • Events
  • News & Blogs
    • NT-NL News (weekly)
    • Leader News (monthly)
    • Bishop Gronberg’s Blog
    • Pastor Totzke’s Blog
    • Pastora Bañales’ Blog
  • Donate
  • Contact

Who We Are

  • Who We Are
  • Synod Staff
  • Synod Council
  • Leadership
  • Worshiping Communities
  • ELCSL

Ministries

  • Coaching
  • Fund for Leaders
  • MEF
  • PLMA
  • Public Witness
  • SSTE | ESET
  • World Hunger

Resources

  • All Resources
  • Open Calls
  • Pulpit Supply
  • Prayer Partners

Events

News

  • NT-NL News (weekly)
  • Leader News (monthly)
  • Bishop Gronberg’s Blog
  • Pastor Totzke’s Blog
  • Pastora Bañales’ Blog

Donate

Contact

  • Northern Texas - Northern Louisiana Synod, ELCANorthern Texas - Northern Louisiana Synod, ELCA

  • Close
Search
  • About
  • Ministries
  • Resources
  • Events
  • News & Blogs
    • NT-NL News (weekly)
    • Leader News (monthly)
    • Bishop Gronberg’s Blog
    • Pastor Totzke’s Blog
    • Pastora Bañales’ Blog
  • Donate
  • Contact

Who We Are

  • Who We Are
  • Synod Staff
  • Synod Council
  • Leadership
  • Worshiping Communities
  • ELCSL

Ministries

  • Coaching
  • Fund for Leaders
  • MEF
  • PLMA
  • Public Witness
  • SSTE | ESET
  • World Hunger

Resources

  • All Resources
  • Open Calls
  • Pulpit Supply
  • Prayer Partners

Events

News

  • NT-NL News (weekly)
  • Leader News (monthly)
  • Bishop Gronberg’s Blog
  • Pastor Totzke’s Blog
  • Pastora Bañales’ Blog

Donate

Contact

Blog

Home | Blog

Bishop’s Message: Nov 17, 2020

November 16, 2020 | Bishop Gronberg’s Blog By The Rev. Erik K.J. Gronberg, Ph.D.

Partners in Mission:

Preparing for our national day of Thanksgiving in 2020 has a very different feel as we continue in this year like no other. As we prepare to give thanks, there are three things I would like you all to consider in your communities.

  1. You may remember in June I wrote a blog about 5 questions you should be asking. Many of you have relayed to me that you have utilized that resource. For that I am grateful. One of those questions relates to the ability of your community to withstand another significant disruption to our lives. We are living in that time, and I am grateful so many of you took seriously that possibility and invested in ways to connect your communities safely and keep our shared mission going. If you haven’t thought through these challenges, please do so. If a coach would be helpful, we can help connect you.
  2. It is clear the virus is most rapidly spreading when friends and family spend time together without masks or distancing. This makes traditional gatherings like Thanksgiving especially dangerous. Dr. Robert Smith from Briarwood has been my representative on several calls with public health officials in DFW and statewide. His notes from those calls and the considerations we should be making can be found here. For worship considerations, my counsel remains the same, that it can be done but with significant cautions. As you prepare for Advent/Christmas, do so in creative ways. It is essential we continue to care for our neighbors and put their health and safety first.
  3. Finally, in this time of national Thanksgiving, please take time to give thanks for all that God has done for and with us in 2020. While there have been griefs, God has also provided great opportunities for us to learn, grow, and adapt. This past week on calls with our conference pastors, again and again I heard from them the challenges but also the unexpected joys and the ways in which new capacities have been found. And last weekend we ordained our 6th candidate in 2020 for Word and Sacrament ministry in the church. As we remembered at our 2020 Synod Assembly and in our MEF Gather in Thankfulness worship service, “God has done great things for us and we rejoiced.”

I give thanks for you and for your participation in our mission. Just a couple weeks ago, we sent 3rd quarter financial mission support giving statements to the pastor and council president of each NT-NL congregation. Over and over as I signed those letters I was reminded of just how thankful we can and should be for your commitment and sharing in this work. Despite uncertainty you have responded, and for that I am grateful. So thank you, and I give thanks for you.

Bishop Gronberg

Previous Post
Back to Main
Next post

Stay In Touch

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Subscribe Now
Contact Us

About

  • Who We Are
  • Synod Staff
  • Synod Council
  • Leadership
  • Worshiping Communities
  • ELCSL

Ministries

  • Coaching
  • Fund for Leaders
  • MEF
  • PLMA
  • Public Witness
  • SSTE | ESET
  • World Hunger

Resources

  • All Resources
  • Open Calls
  • Pulpit Supply
  • Prayer Partners

Events

News & Blogs

  • NT-NL News (weekly)
  • Leader News (monthly)
  • Bishop Gronberg’s Blog
  • Pastor Totzke’s Blog
  • Pastora Bañales’ Blog

Contact

c/o Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
2620 W Grauwyler Rd
Irving TX, 75061
940.241.2099

Stay Connected

© Northern Texas - Northern Louisiana Synod, ELCA all rights reserved.

Powered by the Faith Growth Ministry Platform for WordPress