Today was a special day at NT-NL Synod, ELCA and Briarwood Leadership Center. For the first time in almost 2 years we had almost the entire staff together for a meeting and Christmas Lunch. We celebrated with a wonderful luncheon prepared by our Chef Carlos. A traditional Puerto Rican meal featuring roasted pork, rice and beans, yucca, plantains, and two kinds of flan for dessert.
During lunch we filled out a quick Enneagram quiz to stimulate conversation. After almost 2 years of working to-gether but a-part it was fun to see how our personalities meshed (or not). Good team building time.
After lunch we were joined by leaders from the Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest who brought the annual distribution checks from funds they steward for the ministries of the synod and Briarwood. It was great to have Morgan Schmidlin from the #LFSW join us for lunch and the presentation. We are so grateful for those stewards who have given sustaining gifts that provide funds for ministry.
In particular we received a $1,000 gift from the Bishop Phil Wahlberg scholarship fund. Phil was a mentor to so many in our church and he died this year at the age of 97. I am so grateful that we will be able to gift this scholarship to a worth #NTNL candidate for ministry in his name.
As our congregational leaders head into the thick of final Advent and Christmas preparations know that your synod and Briarwood staff keep you in prayer and look forward to our work #InMissionTogether in 2022.