Northern Texas - Northern Louisiana Synod, ELCA

Confronting Racism Webcast
2015-08-06 20:00 - 22:00 (America/Chicago) | TX
Join ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and William B. Horne II, an ELCA member from Clearwater, Fla., for a live webcast conversation on the complexity and implications of racism Aug. 6 at 8 p.m. (CDT).

Eucharist
2015-08-12 11:00 - 12:00, 2015-08-19 11:00 - 12:00, 2015-08-26 11:00 - 12:00 | Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood, 680 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
All are welcome to join the NT-NL and Briarwood staffs every Wednesday for Eucharist. Come worship with us in the new Anderson Chapel, under our beautiful stained glass window!

2015 "God's Work. Our Hands." Sunday
2015-09-13 | TX
“God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday is an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America—one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor.
You work every day to love your neighbors and make your community a better place. Let’s continuing doing this work together in 2015! Resources to guide your congregation’s planning and promotion are coming soon.
If your congregation cannot participate on Sept. 13, please consider another time for your dedicated day of service.
Already have the day planned? Register your activities here!
Download resources (including bulletin inserts, the 2015 Toolkit, worship resources, and more!) at elca.org/Resources/GWOH-Sunday.

Preaching Planning Workshop Fall 2015
2015-09-17 09:00 - 16:00 | Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood, 680 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
This event will focus on scripture study and preaching preparation for Advent and Christmas.
The time will include presentations on lectionary texts, group discussion about contextual realities and emerging themes, and individual time to reflect on preaching possibilities. It’s a great opportunity to gather and focus preaching ideas for the festival season before the fall disappears.
This event is also available via webcast. See registration form for details!
The Rev. Kendra Mohn is Teaching Pastor at Trinity Lutheran in Fort Worth. She is also a PhD candidate in New Testament at Brite Divinity School (TCU). In her academic work, she works with issues of power, gender, and the Roman Empire as the context for the New Testament. She is committed to creative conversation between the academy and the Church and interested in the ways the two contexts inform each other.
To register for this event, please visit ntnl.org/preachingworkshop.
Questions about the event? Please contact Pr. Jane Mar at jane@ntnl.org or 940-241-2099.

Fall 2015 Deans & Assistant Deans Meeting
2015-09-24 10:00 - 2015-09-25 17:00 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States

Fall 2015 Mission Council Retreat
2015-09-25 10:00 - 2015-09-26 13:00 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Mission Council meeting begins Friday at 10:00 a.m.
Executive Committee meets Friday at 9:00 a.m.
New Member Orientation is Thursday, Sep. 24 at 7:00 p.m.
The retreat will end with lunch on Saturday.

First Call Theological Education - Fall 2015
2015-09-28 13:00 - 2015-09-30 12:00 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
First Call Theological Education Fall Retreat will be held on September 28-30 at Briarwood Retreat Center.
In preparation for the retreat, please buy and read Healthy churches, Faithful Pastors by David Keck.
Registration deadline is September 14.

Congregation Name*Congregation Number*Congregation Address*

Street Address

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Treasurer / Administrator's Name*

First

Last

Treasurer / Administrator's Phone*(for if we have questions)Treasurer / Administrator's Email*

(to receive a copy of your submission and for if we have questions)Remittance for*(Month and Fiscal Year)Check NumberPlease make checks payable, and send, to: NT-NL Synod, ELCA, 2620 W Grauwyler Road, Irving, TX 75061
Total Remittance Amount*Designations

Our total remittance amount may go to Mission Support where needed most (NT-NL 52% / ELCA 48%)

We would like to designate part of our total remittance amount to particular ELCA ministries

We would like to designate part of our total remittance amount to particular NT-NL ministries
Amount to Mission Support (NT-NL 52% / ELCA 48%)ELCA DesignationsAmount to ELCA World HungerAmount to Lutheran Disaster Response - U.S. onlyAmount to Lutheran Disaster Response - InternationalAmount to Campaign for the ELCAAmount to ELCA OtherDesignation for ELCA Other*Please provide the name(s) of the additional ELCA program(s) you want to support with the amount designated above.NT-NL DesignationsAmount to Bishop's Benevolence FundAmount to Bishop Associate's Benevolence FundAmount to DEM's Benevolence FundAmount to Briarwood Lutheran MinistriesAmount to Campus Ministry FundAmount to Lutheran Sunset MinistriesAmount to NTNL Mission Endowment FundAmount to NTNL Fund for LeadersAmount to Sierra Leone - Disaster ReliefAmount to Sierra Leone - GeneralAmount to Upbring(formerly Lutheran Social Services of the South)Amount to Mission Congregation SupportDesignation for Mission Congregation Support*If you would like to designate a particular NT-NL Mission StartAmount to NT-NL OtherDesignation for NT-NL Other*Please provide the name(s) of the additional NT-NL program(s) you want to support with the amount designated above.

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Table Talk: The Use of the Means of Grace
2015-09-29 09:30 - 15:30 | TX
Last year, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton invited ELCA members into conversation about our liturgical practice and theological understanding of the sacraments. The ELCA statement The Use of the Means of Grace describes the theological principles and practical applications of the sacraments in the ELCA, but the reality is that there are a wide variety of practices across the church.
Join us for a conversation about sacramental practice and ways to provide pastoral care that is theologically grounded.
This Table Talk will be presented by the Rev. Kevin Strickland, ELCA Director for Worship, and the Rev. Martin Seltz, who served as publisher and principal editor for Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Pastor Seltz is currently the publisher for worship, music, and congregational life at Augsburg Fortress and has guided the development of the “Sundays and Seasons” resources.
All participants will receive a copy of the resource The Use of the Means of Grace and supporting resources.
The cost to attend is $12 for those who pay now with a credit card, or you can pay $15 at the door (cash or check).
Follow Pastor Kevin Strickland at @PastorKevinS.
Follow @NTNLMission and join the conversation by using hashtag #NTNLTalk!
To find out more about the 2015 Table Talk series, click here.

Request a Coach

Name*

First

Last

Congregation*Congregational Leadership Role*

Pastor

Ministry Staff

Lay Leader

Email*

Phone*Kind(s) of Coaching I am interested in:*

Leadership issue(s)

Developing Leaders

Staffing issue(s)

Congregational Vitality

Congregational (re)development

Mission Planting

Stewardship

Discipleship

Conflict

Transition(s) / Change(s)

Other
Any additional pertinent information:*Please provide any details that would be helpful in selecting a coach appropriate and best suited for you, including any preferences you may have (i.e., gender, race, etc.)

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NT-NL Synodical Women's Organization Fall Retreat
2015-10-09 - 2015-10-10 | TX

2015 MEF Seeds that Change Dinner
2015-10-17 16:00 - 19:00 | TX

LMM One Year To Love Retreat 2015
2015-10-23 17:30 - 2015-10-25 15:00 | TX
One Year To Live is NOT your typical men’s retreat!
Developed by LMM in partnership with Lyman Coleman, pioneer of small group ministry, CEO and founder of Serendipity Publishing House, the One Year to Live retreat is designed to be a life changing, lay led event. Find out more about OYTL here.
Download the event flier and registration here.
For details, please contact Dave Newman at 210-684-0614 or Dick Wentzel at 817-913-6709.

2015 Bishop's Convocation
2015-10-26 10:00 - 2015-10-28 11:30 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
View the full 2015 Bishop’s Convocation schedule here.
To register, please go to briarwoodretreat.campbrainregistration.com. You will create an account (if you do not have one already) to enter the system; once in the system, select “NT-NL Events,” then “Bishop’s Convocation” and begin your registration.
Registration costs (includes lodging, meals, and event registration):

Quail Run shared room – $245 (spouse: $180)
Oak Grove Cabin – $185
Trails End Cabin – $160
Commuter:

All three days: $150 (spouse: $140)
Per day: $55

Scholarships are available; you must attend all three days in order to qualify for a scholarship. Please contact Pr. Jane Mar at jane@ntnl.org or 940-241-2099 for scholarship information.
Registration deadline is October 20.
Questions about registration? Contact Sharon at 940-241-2099 or sharon@briarwoodretreat.org.

An Evening with the Presiding Bishop
2015-10-26 19:30 - 21:00 | Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood, 680 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
This event is FREE and open to all!
You are welcome to attend in person at the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood, or to view the live stream on our YouTube channel, DiscipleLifeMission.
Please register below. If you register to attend online, we will email you the day before and the day of with a direct link to the live stream.

Portico Pre-Retirement Seminar
2015-11-02 09:00 - 18:00 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Get Answers to your Difficult Retirement Planning Questions
Register by Oct 12
Retirement brings a variety of emotions. You may be excited about traveling to new places, spending time with family, or just a more relaxed schedule. But you may also concerned about social security, healthcare options, leaving a legacy, and how to make your income last.
How you’re feeling about retirement may have a lot to do with how you’re planning for it.
Portico Benefit Services, in collaboration with Ernst & Young, is pleased to hold a one-day pre-retirement seminar. You’ll get answers from a certified Ernst & Young on these questions and more:

How much money will I really need in retirement?
How can I create a lifetime income that I won’t outlive?
What steps can I take to ensure a smooth transition into retirement?

$35.00 per person — $70 per couple
Once we receive your registration, we’ll email you an invoice for $35 per person.
For a list of available seminars and more information, check out the Events page under the News & Events drop-down menu at myPortico.
Seminar is most relevant to ELCA Retirement Plan members retiring in the next 15 years.
If you have questions, email the Portico registrar at register@porticobenefits.org
Full web links:
Pre-retirement seminar page
Pre-retirement seminar registration

CANCELED: Early/Mid-Career Financial Wellness Seminar
2015-11-03 09:00 - 15:00 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
This event has been canceled.
Please consider attending Portico’s Pre-Retirement Seminar instead.

Learn How to Minimize Debt, Optimize Assets, and Customize a Strategy for Retirement
Balancing monthly expenses, debt repayment, and short-term savings goals, like a home repair or family vacation, can feel like a juggling act. It’s difficult to make saving for retirement and other long-range goals like your child’s college education a priority when today’s needs are pressing. But you can take small steps that will help you meet today’s needs and tomorrow’s goals.
Portico Benefit Services, in collaboration with Ernst & Young, invites you to join us for an early/mid-career financial wellness seminar in your area. Get answers to your financial planning questions and more:

How do I develop a spending plan?
How can I reduce my debt and still keep on track for my savings goals?
How much should I be saving for retirement?
How much life insurance do I need for myself and my family?

Materials and lunch provided
Register by Oct. 13, 2015
For a list of available seminars and more information, check out the Events page under the News & Events drop-down menu at myPortico. Seminar is most relevant to ELCA Retirement Plan members with more than 15 years until retirement.
If you have questions, email the Portico registrar at register@porticobenefits.org
Full web links:
Early/Mid-Career Financial Wellness seminar page
EMC Financial Wellness registration

Divergent: Junior High Gathering 2015
2015-11-13 - 2015-11-15 | TX
The world tells us who we are to be, what is important, and how we should live.
Jesus came to break that mold to refocus our eyes on God, reminding us to love God with all our hearts, minds, and souls, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
2015 Junior High Gathering Registration packet
For more information, email NTNLYouthLeaders@yahoo.com.

MEF November Board Meeting
2015-11-14 09:30 - 14:00 | Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood, 680 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States

2015 Lutheran Campus Ministry Trivia Challenge
2015-11-15 16:00 - 19:30 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Join NT-NL Lutheran Campus Minstry for a fun afternoon of Bible trivia! A fundraiser and fun-raiser benefitting the NT-NL Campus Ministry Mission Fund.
Entry fee: $150 per table.
To register, send us your name, contact information, and congregation team name!

By email: pastor@lcmdenton.org
By phone: 817-269-1229
By mail: Lutheran Campus Ministries, c/o Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, 2121 E. University Drive, Denton, TX 76209

4:00 Silent Auction
4:30 Table Set-up & Décor Competition
5:00 Meal
5:45 Trivia Challenge
7:50 Winners Announced

Region 4 Global Mission/World Hunger Leaders Consultation
2015-11-20 13:00 - 2015-11-22 12:00 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Are you passionate about the mission and ministry of ELCA Global Mission and/or ELCA World Hunger? Are you looking for ways to deepen your engagement in these ministries?
2015 Region 4 Gathering
November 20th-22nd
Briarwood Retreat Center; Argyle, Texas
You’re invited to join others from your synod and region for worship and devotional time, network specific conversation, synod specific planning, idea sharing and informal fellowship. This year we will also explore practical tools to engage new people to grow your ministry.
Please join us if you are interested or already involved in these ministries and areas of work:

ELCA Global Mission/Companion Synod ministry
ELCA World Hunger and local congregationally-based hunger and poverty ministries
ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) alumni and any interested young adults

Registration
Registration deadline is November 5, 2015.

2015 Refugee Sunday: November 22
2015-11-22 | TX
Today, for the first time since World War II, there are more than 50 million refugees in the world. Yet Lutherans are not discouraged: we continue to meet conflict, war, and persecution with God’s love.
Whether the people in your congregation are new to assisting refugees, have a history of newcomer ministry, or are newcomers themselves, you can observe Refugee Sunday and create a meaningful experience with LIRS’s Refugee Sunday worship materials, Out of the Waters Bible Study, and Rebuilding Hope newsletter.
Find out more at refugeesunday.lirs.org.

NT-NL Table Talk: Weapons in Worship?
2015-12-01 09:30 - 15:00 | Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood, 680 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Effective January 1, 2016, NEW Texas Laws will make it legal to bring openly carried and concealed firearms into faith communities.

Please join Texas Impact in person or online for a presentation on what the new laws mean for pastors and congregations in Texas.
Register here.
Schedule
10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. CST – Weapons in worship & new Texas gun laws regarding religious properties
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. CST – Lunch (provided)
1:30-3:00 p.m. CST – Advocacy: how to talk to your legislators about sensitive issues
Cost:
In-person: $12 paid in advance or $15 at the door (includes lunch)
Online: FREE (please register to receive a reminder with the live stream link)
More information from Texas Impact:
Religious organizations wishing to regulate firearms in their buildings are now required to post new signs at all public entrances to their buildings. Texas Impact has secured a bulk discount rate for signs that meet the legal specifications of the new law.
Two types of signs available – you may choose one or both:

30.07 Signs to ban Open Carry inside houses of worship
30.06 Signs to ban Concealed Carry inside houses of worship
Read more at TexasImpact.org/GunSignsInfo
Order your signs today at TexasImpact.org/GunSigns

Order now to ensure that you have your signs posted before December 31st. Signs can be customized with your logo or text.

Wrestling with the Gospel: Preparing for Lent
2016-01-14 09:00 - 16:00 | Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood, 680 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
This event will focus on scripture study and preaching preparation for Lent. Register here.
The time will include presentations on lectionary texts (Revised Common Lectionary), group discussion about contextual realities and emerging themes, and individual time to reflect on preaching possibilities.
This event will be help at the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood Retreat Center (Argyle, Texas), or you may participate online. All attendees will have access to the recorded event.
The Rev. Kendra Mohn is Teaching Pastor at Trinity Lutheran in Fort Worth. She is also a PhD candidate in New Testament at Brite Divinity School (TCU). In her academic work, she works with issues of power, gender, and the Roman Empire as the context for the New Testament. She is committed to creative conversation between the academy and the Church and interested in the ways the two contexts inform each other.

High School Service Weekend 2016
2016-01-15 19:30 - 2016-01-17 12:00 | TX
High School Service Weekend Registration Packet
For more information, contact NTNLYouthLeaders@yahoo.com.

2016 Tri-Synodical Theological Leadership Conference
2016-01-25 14:00 - 2016-01-27 12:00 | TX
See ntnl.org/3synod16 for more information.

First Call Theological Education - Winter 2016
2016-01-27 12:00 - 2016-01-28 12:00 | TX

Deans Gathering
2016-01-29 10:00 - 16:00 | Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood, 680 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States

Mission Council January meeting
2016-01-29 18:00 - 2016-01-30 14:00 | Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood, 680 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States

MEF Board Meeting
2016-02-13 09:00 - 13:00 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
