Northern Texas - Northern Louisiana Synod, ELCA

Parish Lay Ministry Academy, Fall 2019, Course 3
2019-11-16 09:00 - 15:30 (America/Chicago) | Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood, 680 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
If joining remotely…
Topic: PLMA, Fall 2019, Course 3
Time: Nov 16, 2019 09:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/815418629
Meeting ID: 815 418 629
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Better Conversations
2019-11-16 09:30 - 14:00 | St. Matthew’s – Fort Worth, 5709 Wedgewood Dr, Fort Worth, TX, 76133, United States
Loving your neighbor, even when you disagree about politics.
We live in a polarized society in which neither “side” listens to the other. Families are being split apart, friendships are fractured, and even our church family finds it difficult to bridge the divide. This workshop faces controversial topics head-on by teaching the skills we all need for engaging in political discourse, not just rationally, but in a way that fosters love and understanding. You will learn:

How to redefine the “win,” and why persuasion is not the point
What a “better” conversation sounds like
How to apply ground rules and conversation helpers
The role of listening and empathy in the midst of controversy

This workshop is for opinionated people from the right, left, and center of political and social positions. We encourage you to attend and participate in the biblical mandate of peacemaking.
Cost: Free (Your freewill offering is welcome.) Includes lunch.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/better-conversations-loving-your-neighbor-even-when-talking-about-politics-tickets-75607884217
Click here for a bulletin insert.

MEF Board meeting
2019-11-16 09:30 - 14:00 | Christ Lutheran Church – Dallas, 3001 Lovers Lane, Dallas, TX, 75225, United States
With catered lunch

Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders
2019-11-18 - 2019-11-22
You are invited to attend Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders, a practical workshop for clergy and other church leaders that teaches participants how to deal more effectively with interpersonal, congregational, and other forms of group conflict. This outstanding interdenominational training event will be hosted by Epworth United Methodist Church in Arlington, TX, on November 18-22, 2019.
Early-birds who register no later than October 18, 2019 can save $200! For more information, please visit https://lmpeacecenter.org/events-page/msti/. You can register either by submitting the form found on the brochure – download at https://lmpeacecenter.org/brochures/ – or by going online to https://www.brownpapertickets.com (a small service fee will be added for online registrations).
Questions? Contact the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center at 630-627-0507 or admin@LMPeaceCenter.org.

Giving Tuesday | Briarwood's Winter Carnival
2019-12-03 18:00 - 21:00 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Join Briarwood Leadership Center and Thrivent for this in-person Giving Tuesday event on December 3, 6-9pm!
Thrivent will donate $1 for every $2 raised* at this event or through online donations here: https://thrivent.cotribute.co/events/323500/detail.
*For Giving Tuesday 2019, Thrivent will donate up to $20,000 total in matching funds to organizations featured by the Thrivent Member Network – Texas Region.

Public Witness Team meeting
2019-12-14 10:00 - 12:30 | Shepherd of Life Lutheran Church, 715 E. Lamar Blvd., Arlington, TX, 76011, United States
Welcome! We are the Public Witness Team for Peace and Justice of the Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana (NT-NL) Synod of the ELCA. We meet on the second Saturday of most months. Our mission is to give public witness to issues of justice and peace in the synod and in the community, and this includes both education and advocacy. One of our goals is to assist congregations in the NT-NL Synod in their efforts to be a public church within their own communities.

For 2023 meetings, the plan is to host a hybrid meeting in-person at Shepherd of Life Lutheran Church in Arlington, TX, with Zoom connection available for those who would prefer that.
Anyone is welcome to join us!
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88956792219?pwd=[REDACTED] ID: 889 5679 2219Passcode: [REDACTED]
One tap mobile+13462487799,,88956792219#,,,,*[REDACTED]# US (Houston)+12532158782,,88956792219#,,,,*[REDACTED]# US (Tacoma)Dial by your location +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 444 9171 US +1 719 359 4580 US +1 720 707 2699 US (Denver) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 309 205 3325 US +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 360 209 5623 US +1 386 347 5053 US +1 507 473 4847 US +1 564 217 2000 US +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 646 931 3860 US +1 689 278 1000 US +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)Meeting ID: 889 5679 2219Passcode: [REDACTED]

NT-NL High School Gathering
2020-01-18 - 2020-01-19 | Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, 3100 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Dallas, TX, 75215, United States
9th-12th graders from around NT-NL will gather for a weekend of fellowship, worship, service, and a great speaker — D.J. Dent!
We will begin at 9:00am Saturday morning and end at 5:00pm Sunday afternoon.
Cost:
$70 each for quad occupancy
$95 each for your own bed
(Fees will go up after December 11)
Address:
Mount Olive Lutheran Church
3100 Martin Luther King Blvd
Dallas, TX 75215
Click here for full details and to register.

2020 Briarwood Men's Service Retreat
2020-01-18 - 2020-01-19 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
(formerly called the Lumberjack Retreat)
Join Bishop Gronberg and Dan Lund (Church of the Damascus Road) for a weekend of worship, study, and service. This is a new take on the “Lumberjack” men’s retreat and is open to men of all ages.
The theme for 2020 is “Behold the Lamb of God” based on the assigned Gospel for January 19, John 1:29-42. We will reflect on the story of John the Baptist and his call to proclaim Jesus as the light of the world. Bishop Gronberg will lead our devotions and bible study. Dan Lund, the leader of NT-NL’s prison ministry, Church of the Damascus Road, will be with us throughout the weekend to speak about this important work and how in this ministry we bring light to those incarcerated.
A service project (including some “Lumberjack” type activities to provide firewood) will be a focus of the weekend. There will be activities for all physical abilities, so please indicate your needs on the registration form.
REGISTER HERE.
Tentative Agenda:
Saturday, January 18
9:00am Welcome and Registration
9:15am Opening Devotion
9:30am Service Projects around Briarwood
11:30am Lunch and Learning with Bishop Gronberg
1pm Continue Service Projects
5pm Refreshments and Learning about Church of Damascus Road
6pm Dinner
7pm Evening Prayer
7:30pm Fellowship Time (Movie, Games, etc…)
Sunday, January 19
8am Breakfast
9am Holy Eucharist with Dan Lund preaching, Bishop Gronberg presiding
10am Continue projects as desired or head for home

Dr. Martin Luther King commemoration
2020-01-19 | St. John’s Lutheran Church – Dallas, 2939 Sunnyvale St, Dallas, TX, 75216, United States
Dinner 12:30 to 2:30 P.M.
Program 3:00 P.M.

PLMA Graduation
2020-01-25 | Advent Lutheran Church, 3232 S Cooper St., Arlington, TX, 76015, United States
Begins at 2:00pm

ESET (SSTE) Módulo 6 (Día 1 de 5)
2020-01-25 09:00 - 12:00 | Advent Lutheran Church, 3232 S Cooper St., Arlington, TX, 76015, United States
Ética en el Oficio Pastoral (Día 1 de 5)

Anti-Racism Allies: Spreading Compassion and Creating Equity
2020-01-30 - 2020-01-31 | Calvary Lutheran Church – Richland Hills, 7620 Baker Blvd, Richland Hills, TX, 76118, United States
This three-session event is part of “Weaving Community: a series of keynotes, workshops, and experiences to connect us.” Selection of which session(s) you’d like to attend is available through the ticketing link.
Thursday, 1/30 7-9 pm
Session 1 – Interactive Keynote: How white Allies Can Tap Their Special Superpower in the Anti-racism Movement. Suggested admission price $25
Friday, 1/31 9 am – 12:30 pm
Session 2: introductory Workshop: Dismantling Racism One Conversation at a Time. Suggested admission price $40
Friday, 1/3 1 1:30 pm – 4 pm
Session 3: Going Deeper (session 2 pre-requisite) – Best practices for inviting people into important conversations they tend to avoid. Suggested admission price for sessions 2 and 3 $75 (session 2 is a pre-requisite for session 3)
Discounted bundle pricing for those registering for all three sessions $90
Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/2894033057328983/
Additional organizers: Kairos Collaborative, The Dialogue Company, LLC – tapping the power of group intelligence, and White Ally Toolkit, an initiative of The Dialogue Company, LLC

Synod Council meeting, including Deans, Assistant Deans, MEF Board
2020-01-31 - 2020-02-01 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Tentative schedule:
Friday, January 31, 8:30am-8:15pm — Synod Council, Deans, and Assistant Deans
We will have Nick Kiger from ELCA Churchwide with us. His role is in the area of mission support funding, and we will continue to build on our stewardship conversations last time regarding the survey related to mission support, as well as hear some best practices from him.
Saturday, February 1, 9am-2:30pm — Synod Council and MEF Board

ESET (SSTE) Módulo 6 (Día 2 de 5)
2020-02-08 09:00 - 12:00 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Ética en el Oficio Pastoral (Día 2 de 5)

Ignite the Church Conference
2020-02-11 - 2020-02-13
Get inspired, encouraged, challenged and warmed up at the Ignite the Church Conference in Orlando, Florida, February 11-13, 2020. In addition to large group gatherings on Congregational Vitality, there will be electives on Reaching Younger Generations, Expanding Kingdom Impact, Church Renewal and Discipleship, Renewing Music, Vitality through Mission, Engaging Your Neighborhood, Evangelism, Social Justice, and Raising Up Leaders, along with a visit to Orlando’s Castle Church Brewing Community.
A $99 discounted rate, including 2 meals and snacks, is available until November 30th.
All proceeds benefit the ELCA Fund for Leaders.
For more information, go to IgniteTheChurch.net. #IgniteTheChurch

Download marketing resources here:
ITC Logo with 2020 Date (JPG)
ignite the church conference 2020 – horizontal FINAL (PNG)
ignite the church conference 2020 – horizontal FINAL (PDF)
ignite the church conference 2020 – vertical FINAL (PNG)
ignite the church conference 2020 – vertical FINAL (PDF)

ESET (SSTE) Módulo 6 (Día 3 de 5)
2020-02-15 09:00 - 12:00 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Ética en el Oficio Pastoral (Día 3 de 5)

Texas Interfaith Advocacy Days
2020-02-16 - 2020-02-18
Registration is now open for Texas Impact‘s inaugural Texas Interfaith Advocacy Days!
This 3-day civic engagement intensive will feature workshops to strengthen your advocacy skills; policy presentations on key issues; and opportunities to engage lawmakers directly, including a trip to the Texas Capitol.
Location: University Presbyterian Church, Austin, TX
Register and find out more.
An added bonus to the conference will be Texas’ only U. S. Senate candidate forum on climate change, which will be open to the public and will not require advance registration.

ESET (SSTE) Módulo 6 (Día 4 de 5)
2020-02-22 09:00 - 12:00 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Ética en el Oficio Pastoral (Día 4 de 5)

Discovering Hope: Building Vitality in Your Congregation
2020-02-22 10:00 | Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 1706 Slide Rd., Lubbock, TX, 79416, United States
A Conference to explore the best practices for Vital Ministry
Topics covered include:
Ø Stories of Hope: Finding Vitality in your Congregation
Ø Making Disciples: Learning to Live Jesus’ Way
Ø Evangelism: A Way of Life
Ø Leadership: Who’s Driving the Tractor?
Ø Discovering the Gift of Place
Ø Mission: Possible – Discovering Hope for the Future
We encourage at least 3 people from each congregation to attend.
Registration donation: $20 per congregation (payable at the door)
Includes: a copy of the book, “Discovering Hope,” and other materials.
(One book per congregation)
Light Breakfast and Lunch will be provided
Please sign up by Tuesday, February 18, 2020.
Questions? Contact: Rev. Jeff Vayda
Phone: 806-795-2283 | Email: Jeffrey.vayda@ttu.edu
Click here to download a flyer.

Engaging the Border: Theology and Practice
2020-02-22 10:00 - 12:00 | Shepherd of Life Lutheran Church, 715 E. Lamar Blvd., Arlington, TX, 76011, United States
Engaging the Border: Theology and Practice
A Morning of Education and Theological Reflection with Dr. Javier Alanis on the Situation at Our Southern Border and How We Can Make A Difference
Sponsored by the NTNL Public Witness Team
Lunch provided!
Dr. Alanis is the Director of the Lutheran Seminary Program in the Southwest (LSPS) in Austin, Tx. His academic interests include peace and justice concerns as they relate to the role of the church in society, and in particular along the U.S.-Mexican border.
If planning to attend, an RSVP would be appreciated. Please respond to Rev. Wayne Menking: wmenking@gmail.com.
Click here for a flyer.

NT-NL Peer Ministry Leadership Training
2020-02-28 - 2020-03-01
Save the Date!

The NT-NL Peer Ministry Leadership Event is open to all youth in 9th grade or older. This Leadership Event is designed to equip our young people with Christ-centered training, resources, and support to be Peer Ministers!

Click here for full details and to register.

ESET (SSTE) Módulo 6 (Día 5 de 5)
2020-02-29 09:00 - 12:00 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Ética en el Oficio Pastoral (Día 5 de 5)

Generosity Workshop
2020-03-04 13:00 - 17:00
Tithe.ly, official ELCA partner, will be hosting their first ever FREE workshop called The Generosity Workshop in Arlington, TX. During this half-day workshop, they will be sharing practical lessons they’ve learned while helping over 13,000 churches and ministries grow their giving.
Sign up soon! Only 37 tickets remaining, as of February 13.
Location: Lakeview Event Center, 1200 Viridian Park Lane, Building A, Arlington, TX 76005
More details from their event page:
Are these questions keeping you awake at night?
Am I stopping people from giving?
Why are we behind on our budget?
Will we have enough money to cover our expenses?
Can we raise the funds needed?
LET’S FACE IT. Church finances can be a regular source of stress. Many churches just get by Sunday to Sunday. Other churches can’t cover their expenses. And some churches will exceed their budgets while launching new ministry initiatives and campaigns.
At Tithe.ly, we have worked with thousands of churches around the world who have increased their giving by 165% in two years. This is true of churches of every size and location—rural, urban, suburban, big, and small.
This is why we’re launching The Generosity Workshop—to share with you the practical lessons we’ve learned while helping over 13,000 churches and ministries grow their giving. This workshop is a half-day event for church leaders from churches of all shapes and sizes.
During this workshop, you will discover:

The 4 building blocks for giving every church must have in place
2 quick (and essential) steps for turning non-givers into givers
The 4 “must-have technologies” for growing giving today
2 fast ways for leading irregular givers into regular givers

Your FREE ticket includes:

Admission
Lunch
Growth tips
Workbook
Swag
Networking

Digital Church Tools For 2020 And Beyond
2020-03-12 15:00 - 16:00
Designed To Help You Improve Your Online Presence, Increase Giving, Grow Your Congregation, and Boost Member Engagement
Has your congregation ever struggled to keep up with Church technology?
Join our upcoming webinar to learn how to build a beautiful website designed to attract new members to your congregation, and better engage your current ones, in just under an hour! Yes, it can be done.
Hosted by NT-NL Synod Communicator Jason O’Neill and Andrew Dalamba from ELCA preferred partner Tithe.ly, in this webinar you’ll learn how to:
– Launch a beautiful, professional website in hours (not months), without needing to be a tech expert or have any coding experience
– How other ELCA congregations are increasing their giving by 15% and more
– How to more effectively engage your congregation throughout each week
– Free up more time for admins
– Solve technological pain points within your congregation
Register now to save your spot. See you there!

Parish Lay Ministry Academy, Spring 2020, Course 1
2020-03-14 09:00 - 15:30 | Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood, 680 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
If joining remotely…
Topic: PLMA, Spring 2020, Course 1
Time: Mar 14, 2020 09:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/443553362
Meeting ID: 443 553 362
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Meeting ID: 443 553 362

ESET (SSTE) Módulo 7 (Día 1 de 5)
2020-04-04 09:00 - 12:00 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Entendiendo el Nuevo Testamento (Día 1 de 5)

ESET (SSTE) Módulo 7 (Día 2 de 5)
2020-04-11 09:00 - 12:00 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Entendiendo el Nuevo Testamento (Día 2 de 5)

Weekly NT-NL Leadership Prayer, Check-in
2020-04-16 10:00 - 10:30
NT-NL Synod ELCA is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Leadership prayer, check-in
Time: 10:00 AM Central Time
Every week on Thursday
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/686256906
Meeting ID: 686 256 906

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Meeting ID: 686 256 906

Parish Lay Ministry Academy, Spring 2020, Course 2
2020-04-18 09:00 - 15:30 | Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood, 680 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
If joining remotely…
Topic: PLMA, Spring 2020, Course 2
Time: Apr 18, 2020 09:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
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https://zoom.us/j/524432751
Meeting ID: 524 432 751
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Weekly Online Gathering for ELCA Leaders
2020-04-22 13:00 - 14:00
Here to Serve: Being Church in the Time of COVID-19
Weekly Online Gathering for ELCA Leaders
Wednesdays, 1:00 PM Central
You are invited to join this weekly meeting designed to provide encouragement and support for ELCA leaders in all realms. Participants will hear topical presentations related to how we are called to be Church in the time of COVID-19, as well as an opportunity to be in small group discussions with an ELCA group coach facilitating the conversation. All of this is designed to help us process our feelings in this strange and fearful time and to create a space where we can each name our next most faithful step forward in our unique context.
You are welcome to share this invitation with any other ELCA leader, rostered or lay. #ELCAChurchTogether #HereToServe
Grief and Hope: Societal Chaplaincy For and Beyond COVID-19
This session will explore the concept of “societal chaplaincy” in order to provide tools for responding to the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis. This global crisis is producing layers of grief and trauma beyond what most people are anticipating. Religiously informed leaders have particular callings to respond not just to their defined communities, but to society as a whole, helping others name their grief while pointing to paths forward. The insights of social analysis, grief coaching, and chaplaincy each have contributions to make as we move forward together. In preparation for this week’s gathering, we highly recommend you read this article in advance: https://www.ntnl.org/societal-chaplaincy-preparing-for-the-storm-to-come/.
On April 22, our guest speaker will be Robert O. Smith (Citizen, Chickasaw Nation), an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament serving as Director of Briarwood Leadership Center and Associate to the Bishop in the Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod of the ELCA. Previously, he served as Director of the Jerusalem Global Gateway of the University of Notre Dame and Area Program Director for the Middle East and North Africa in the Global Mission Unit of the ELCA. He holds a PhD in Religion, Politics & Society from Baylor University, along with an MDiv and an MA in Islamic Studies from Luther Seminary. He is the author of several academic articles on the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and several books on American Christian responses to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
ELCA Coaching is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Being Church in the Time of COVID-19 – Weekly Gathering for ELCA Leaders
Time: Apr 22, 2020 01:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/180439412?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 180 439 412
Password: [REDACTED]
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Meeting ID: 180 439 412
Password: [REDACTED]
You may have heard concerns around using Zoom as a meeting platform. Upon conferring with leadership in our office and experts in the field, it has been affirmed that we are adhering to all of the recommended protocols and guidance for “safer use of Zoom.” It is highly recommended that participants have the most current version of Zoom. If you have concerns, please email jill.beverlin@elca.org for more information.
