Northern Texas - Northern Louisiana Synod, ELCA

2019 Addiction and Faith Conference
2019-09-20 - 2019-09-22
Educating Clergy, Faith Communities, and Caregivers about Addiction
Doubletree by Hilton, Bloomington, MN
Addiction in every form, including opioid addiction, is ravaging our world. The conference seeks to help answer the question, “How can we as people of faith respond to this crisis?” We believe faith communities can play a vital role — to better recognize and respond to addiction in all its forms and could do much to help save lives. The conference is open to anyone interested in exploring the devastation of addiction and the remarkable role of faith in the healing process. It is designed for congregational and community leaders, clergy, parish nurses, youth workers, synod staff, church staff, lay leaders, parents and caregivers, and not just for people in recovery. Together we will enhance our knowledge about addiction recovery, share stories that provide hope, learn life-changing tools and best practices, all while celebrating our faith in God’s abiding grace.
The Addiction and Faith Conference is co-hosted by the Fellowship of Recovering Lutheran Clergy (FRLC) and the Recovery Ministries of the Episcopal Church (RMEC). Pastor Ed Treat of Transfiguration Lutheran Church in Bloomington, MN, is the organizer of the conference and also leads FRLC.

Featuring:

Internationally-known keynote speakers
Breakout sessions and spiritual practices

​General CEU’s available, up to 9 hours.​
Click here for a flyer with full details.
REGISTER HERE.
How Your Congregation Can Help Fight Addiction

Middle School Retreat
2019-09-20 - 2019-09-22 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Join us for our Fall Middle School Retreat, September 20-22! We will learn how we can transform our community by being God’s agents of C.H.A.N.G.E.. In a world that pulls us towards things that are easy but not always good we are called by God to stand for what is right even if it is hard. We will learn about ourselves and each other as we create a community and discuss what it means to set an example for others no matter our age.
Our Theme Verse: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12
Activities include the Climbing Wall, Night Games, Team Building, a bonfire and Crafts!

2019 Symposium: Suicide Prevention in Faith Communities
2019-09-27 08:30 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
VA North Texas Health Care System, in partnership with the VA Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiative and the Columbia Lighthouse Project, will highlight the role faith communities play in suicide prevention and equip you with the tools and resources you need to identify and help those who may be struggling with suicidal thoughts.
VA is working hard to prevent suicide among Veterans, but they can’t do it alone.
This event is for the leadership, staff, and partners of faith-based organizations.
Location:
Goodwill Industries of Dallas, Inc.
3020 North Westmoreland Road
Jim Collins Family Center
Dallas, TX 75212
Need more information? Email ntxmhsuicideprevention@va.gov or call (214) 857-3086.
Click here for a flyer* with full details.
*Link on flyer is incorrect. Here’s the correct link for registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/va-north-texas-health-care-system-suicide-prevention-in-faith-communities-symposium-tickets-64384454637

Panhandle Conference Fall 2019
2019-09-28 09:30 - 15:00 | Shepherd King Lutheran Church, 2122 18th St, Lubbock, TX, 79401, United States
Mental Health and Faith
Sessions by NAMI Texas, which is dedicated to improving the quality of life of all individuals living with mental illness and their families.
Schedule:
9:30am – Registration / Arrival
10am – Opening Worship
11am – Break
11:15am – Session: NAMI
11:50am – Lunch
12:50pm – Panhandle Conference Business Meeting
1:30pm – Session: Suicide
2:00pm – Break
2:15pm – Session: Depression
2:45pm – Wrapping up
3:00pm – On our way rejoicing

2019 Stewardship Kaleidoscope
2019-09-30 - 2019-10-02
Stewardship Kaleidoscope is an annual conference offering excellent plenary speakers, informative workshop leaders, provocative worship experiences, and incredible networking opportunities for all who are passionate about stewardship and generosity. Drawing leaders from across the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and beyond, Stewardship Kaleidoscope is designed to help participants explore stewardship in its many colorful dimensions! Join us in San Diego, CA, September 30 – October 2, for Stewardship Kaleidoscope. Click here for a flyer with full details.

The Ninth Annual Herbener Lecture: Reading Romans in the Face of Economic Injustice
2019-10-03 11:00 - 13:30 | Northway Christian Church, 7202 W Northwest Hwy, Dallas, TX, 75225, United States
Lutherans have traditionally read Paul’s Letters (Romans and Galatians) as theological treatises on human justification by grace alone. We are made right with God by grace, apart from works. This theological outlook, however, has material consequences for how we formulate justice-oriented economic systems. How does the idea of works vs. grace play into our contemporary notions of wealth as blessing? What systemic and structural injustices might this theological formulation hide from our view? Through a new reading of Romans in conversation with Lutheran biblical interpretive traditions, this lecture will engage new possibilities for theologies that address economic injustice in local, regional, and global systems.

Guest Lecturer: Dr. Katherine A. Shaner
Throughout her teaching, her ministry, and her scholarship she examines the intersections of race, class, and gender as well as the ethics of contemporary interpretation. She is also an ELCA pastor, having served congregations in Detroit, Boston, and New York City in addition to old-fashioned circuit-riding in New England and North Carolina. Shaner is the author of Enslaved Leadership in Early Christianity (Oxford University Press, 2018), as well as several articles on Paul’s letters. She also writes for Working Preacher. Originally from Nebraska, she still misses the horizon for the trees.
FREE ADMISSION: Free-will donation will cover lunch
Please register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reading-romans-in-the-face-of-economic-injustice-registration-64978935746?ref=ebtn

Engaging Anti-Racism for the Wholeness of the Church: 2019 NT-NL Leadership Convocation
2019-10-07 - 2019-10-09 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
REGISTER HERE.
Summary
Racism (conscious and unconscious, explicit and implied) is a deep problem in American society. We are called to stand against racism. But how? This three-day workshop will help you and your congregations build stronger coalitions for affecting change in your communities and more effectively sharing the Good News of God’s love for the entire world.
Sessions
Day 1
Our first day together lays the groundwork for our time together. We will begin by introducing foundational terms and concepts. Together, we will determine a baseline for conversation while developing relationships of trust. We will look at imbalances of power and privilege so we can better comprehend how implicit bias shapes our interactions with others.
Day 2
We will use several tools that help facilitate our self-awareness so we can better participate in coalitional justice work. By knowing ourselves and how we are implicated in systems of race, racism, classism, gender discrimination, sexuality discrimination, etc., we can better partner with others. The day will end with a recommitment to forming community for the sake of justice.
Day 3
Our final session will focus on equipping all training participants with tangible tools to carry on with this work in their own communities. Each of the resources utilized throughout the training will be shared, with further instruction on how they can be introduced and implemented. The work does not end with the end of this training; it continues in your congregations and communities.

Our speaker will be Taurean Webb!

Taurean J. Webb self-identifies as an activist-scholar, teacher and former youth pastor, specializing in “coalition training” for and within faith-based communities. Since 2012, Webb has trained congregations, activist groups, community centers (such as YWCAs) and high schools, domestically and globally, on how to organize and build sustainable relationships, across various categories of difference. Specifically, in his coalition training work, Webb offers short-term (1-day, 3-day, weeklong), longer-term (1-2 month) and custom workshops around issues such as interracial and interfaith coalition-building, diversity and inclusion, implicit bias, white privilege and others subject areas. Though not all of his work is faith-based, to Webb, organizing for social change—and expanding the ways that communities are able to think about God—are paramount to the Christian faith commission. In other words, he has an affinity for engaging the work of justice and social change within communities of faith, in particular.
Webb is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA), having also completed masters degrees at Columbia University (NY) and Northwestern University (IL), respectively. He is currently completing a certificate in Philanthropy and Non-Profit Management at Northwestern University and concluding his PhD dissertation at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (Evanston, IL) in the field of Theology and Ethics.
Webb serves as the Director of the Center for the Church and the Black Experience and Instructor of Religion & Race at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. He lives in Chicago, Il with his wife and daughter.

Tentative schedule:
Monday
Morning Registration
Noon Lunch
1:00pm Opening Devotion
1:30pm Bishop Erik Greeting/Overview
1:45pm 1st Session (3 hrs)
4:45pm Break
5:00pm Dinner
6:00pm 2nd Session (1.5 hrs)
7:30pm Worship
8:15pm Nightcap with refreshments and snacks
Tuesday
8:00am Breakfast
9:00am Devotion
9:15am 3rd Session (2.5 hrs)
11:45am Lunch
2:00pm 4th Session (2.75 hrs)
4:45pm Break
5:00pm Worship (outside if weather permits)
6:00pm Dinner (outside – BBQ/cookout)
7:00pm 5th Session (1 hr)
8:15pm Nightcap with refreshments and snacks
Wednesday
8:00am Breakfast
8:45am Devotion
9:15am 6th Session (2.25 hrs)
11:30am Closing Prayer
Noon Dismissal (no lunch provided)
Thirteen (13) Continuing Education Contact Hours

Pricing
This is the third year in a row we’ve been able to keep our pricing the same, even though the value for this training is significantly more than the cost paid by each participant.
If staying overnight at Briarwood for the full experience:
Quail Run ($245 per person, double occupancy)
Oak Grove ($185 per person, 8-12 person cabin)
Trails End ($160 per person, 18-person cabin)
If bringing your spouse to stay with you:
Quail Run ($180)
Oak Grove ($100)
Trails End ($100)
If commuting:
3 Days ($150)
Spouse ($140)
REGISTER HERE.

Best Practices for Faithful 21st Century Worship and Music Leaders
2019-10-10 - 2019-10-11
October 10-11, 2019, at St Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Dallas
Sponsored by the Church Music Institute (CMI) of Dallas with the generous support of the Lilly Endowment Inc, this conference brings clergy, musicians, and laity to engage in a thoughtful discussion of the most important task of the church, the worship of God. Keynote speaker is Rev. Peter W. Marty, editor of The Christian Century, a journal devoted to shaping America’s conversation about religion and faith in public life. A frequent preacher and speaker at churches and conferences across the country, Marty has written numerous articles related to culture, character, and faith issues in our day. He will explore how to deepen the outward perspective and inward self-understanding of pastors and musicians, and address the growing secularity of culture with a people who, in their willingness to worship almost anything, are busy making God into their own image.
Additional speakers include Ellen Johnston and William Roberts, who will lead workshop on clergy/musician dynamics; Rev. Dr. George Mason and Doug Haney, the pastor/musician duo at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas. The 2018-19 LillyCMI Scholars, clergy/musician teams who with congregational representatives have engaged in theological and practical conversations with one another and their congregations, will share new findings from their worship and liturgy projects. Registration is $50, or $35 for members of CMI, AGO, or ACDA. A discount of 15% is available for two or more from the same church. Visit www.churchmusicinstitute.org and click “events” for more information and to register.

2019 W-ELCA NT-NL SWO Retreat
2019-10-11 - 2019-10-13
Women of the ELCA / NT-NL Synodical Women’s Organization Retreat
Theme: “God’s Undivided Neighborhood”
“Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36-37 NRSV
Butman Methodist Camp in Merkel, TX
Full details can be found here.

Secondary School of Theological Education (SSTE) | Escuela Secundaria de Educación Teológica (ESET)
2019-10-12 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
SSTE | ESET Session

National Council of Churches Christian Unity Gathering
2019-10-13 - 2019-10-16
This year, the National Council of Churches will be marking 400 years since the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in America. At the Christian Unity Gathering, we will join together in a public witness at Point Comfort, Virginia, where it is recorded that the suffering of millions began in a legacy that lives on today through systemic racism that ravages our churches, communities, and lives.
This year’s theme: Confronting the Hierarchy of Human Value: Revisiting Our Past and Naming God’s Preferred Future
The Christian Unity Gathering is the signature, annual event of the National Council of Churches. All members of NCC governance structures, convening tables, and all ecumenical officers and regional, state, and local ecumenical executives are urged to attend.
Register here.
About the National Council of Churches:
Serving as a leading voice of witness to the living Christ in the public square since 1950, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) brings together 38 member communions and more than 35 million Christians in a common expression of God’s love and promise of unity.

Ministerial Flourishing: Exploring the Meaning, Means and Practices
2019-10-13 - 2019-10-18
Feeling tired and disconnected from what called you to ministry? Are you struggling to improve the quality of your daily life? Or are you seeking a time for personal reflection on what comes next?
Brite Divinity School is pleased to offer Ministerial Flourishing: Exploring the Meaning, Means and Practices
This week-long, residential workshop in a retreat setting employs a values assessment tool and a close reading of our life stories to lay a foundation for understanding the connection between our values, our stories, and the ways they support/inhibit our flourishing. We will learn practices of flourishing, including re-storying, practicing love, self-compassion, and honoring the body as steps toward creating a sustaining story of life and ministry that moves us toward flourishing. The workshop begins Sunday evening with dinner and ends mid-afternoon on Friday. Sessions consisting of instruction, small-group work, journaling, and personal reflections will be interspersed with open time for relaxation.
Dr. Barbara McClure (“Bar”) is Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Practice at Brite Divinity School.
Dr. Karen Scheib is Professor of Pastoral Care and Pastoral Theology at Candler School of Theology at Emory University.
Two opportunities –
Fall – October 13-18, 2019 at The Cliffs Resort on Possum Kingdom Lake, TX
Spring – April 19-24, 2020 at Camp Allen Conference and Retreat Center, Navasota, TX
Who should apply – clergy serving in congregations and other settings of ministry.
Cost – includes single occupancy lodging, meals, workshop, assessment tool, a copy of Attend to Stories: How to Flourish in Ministry, and up to 2 hours consultation with Dr. McClure.
Cost is based on a sliding scale related to the size of the congregation’s or agency’s budget.

Church budget > 400,000

$225

Church budget 200,000 to 400,000

$150

Church budget < 200,000

$75

For more information and to apply – www.brite.edu/flourishing or email h.neal@tcu.edu or call 817-257-7582. Space is limited and the workshops are expected to fill quickly.
Application deadlines are:
October Workshop – September 6, 2019
April Workshop – March 13, 2020
Click here for a brochure with full details.

Festival of Church Music
2019-10-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
The Church Music Institute presents a Festival of Church Music on Sunday, October 13, 2019, at 7:00 p.m., at the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas. Held every three years, the Festival features prominent national and international conductors. This year, Eric Nelson, artistic director of the Atlanta Master Chorale, will conduct the 400-voice choir comprised of singers representing dozens of churches throughout North and East Texas. Cynthia Nott, artistic director and conductor of the Children’s Chorus of Greater Dallas, will lead a children’s choir prepared specifically for this festival. Bradley Hunter Welch, Organist for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, will accompany the choir and the gathered assembly in singing the inspiring and timeless music of the Church.
Click here for a flyer/poster to help promote this event.
Designed to highlight sacred music representing many eras and styles, the Festival will feature music from chant to gospel to classic hymns, as well as a new setting of Psalm 150 composed by Eric Nelson, all led by brass, organ, and choir. A conference entitled “Best Practices for Faithful Twenty-First Century Worship and Music Leaders,” featuring nationally-recognized clergy and church musicians, including Rev. Dr. Peter Marty, editor of The Christian Century, will precede the Festival on October 10 and 11 at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church. Contact Benjamin Kolodziej, Director of Programs and Communications, (bkolodziej@churchmusicinstitute.org), visit www.churchmusicinstitute.org or call 214-751-7669 for information about the conference or Festival.
The Church Music Institute (CMI) is dedicated to the advancement and stewardship of the best sacred music for the use of Christian congregations. Using proven practices, CMI trains new generations of clergy, musicians and laypersons for leading worship through workshops, courses and conferences across the country. CMI also houses the most extensive online library of choral and organ music anywhere.

Parish Lay Ministry Academy, Fall 2019, Course 2
2019-10-19 09:00 - 15:30 | Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood, 680 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States

MEF "Seeds That Change" FUNdraiser and Celebration
2019-10-19 17:00 - 19:30 | Advent Lutheran Church, 3232 S Cooper St., Arlington, TX, 76015, United States
You are cordially invited to the 2019 NT-NL Mission Endowment Fund’s “Seeds That Change” FUNdraiser and Celebration!
The theme is “Share the Harvest.”
➢ You’re guaranteed a fun evening, complete with a meal of heavy hors d’oeuvres and beverages of your choice, including beer, wine, and soft drinks.
➢ Meet grant recipients and see the good the MEF does!
➢ Participate in live and silent auctions!
➢ Win drawings, gift cards, and prizes throughout the night!
➢ Be entertained by the exciting ethnic dance company Mexico Lindo!

All this for a single admission of $35, or a table for 8 for only $250! For tickets or to donate: https://www.ntnl.org/ministries/mef/seeds-fundraiser/.
Download a Save the Date bulletin insert.
Download a Save the Date flyer.

Introducing LEAD Journey
2019-10-26 09:00 - 15:30 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Check out the LEAD (Living Every Day as Disciples) Journey
This seminar is for leaders who are tired of the status quo and want to see their congregation grow deeper in faith. To get the most out of this six-hour commitment, bring your council, staff, and key leaders. We are growing leaders with a deep, bold, consequential faith—join us!
$50 per Individual
$100 per Congregation (4 or more)
Click here for a flyer with full details.
REGISTER NOW! (Deadline: October 21)

Region 4 Deacon Gathering
2019-10-28 - 2019-10-30
Location: T Bar M, 2549 TX-46, New Braunfels, TX
Cost: Early Bird $125 (June 15-July 31)
Regular $150 (Aug. 1-Sept. 15)
Late Reg. $175 (Sept. 16-Oct. 15)
Cost includes Lodging, food & program. Transportation is on your own.
Many Regions in the ELCA have been gathering their Deacons to have conversation around the changes in the Deacon Roster and for people to get to know other Deacons in the Region and to see what the Holy Spirit is up to. We hope you will take some time away to gather with other Deacons across our region. All Deacons (active on the roster, retired, on leave from call, on disability, or in candidacy) and Deaconesses are invited to come. For more information or questions, contact Deacon Darcy Mittelstaedt (dmittelstaedt@swtsynod.org) or (830) 379-9900 ext. 18
REGISTER HERE.
Click here for a flyer with full details.

Upbring Golf benefiting Foster in Texas
2019-10-28
On Monday, October 28, 2019, Upbring invites you to join them at their annual golf tournament.
The 18-hole, four-person scramble benefits children they serve in their Foster In Texas program.
Monday, Oct. 28, 2019
Hackberry Creek Country Club
1901 W. Royal Ln. | Irving, TX 75063
8 a.m. Registration | 9 a.m. Start
You can also promote your business or organization at the tournament. Please contact Christie Gaderson at events@upbring.org or 512-706-7568 to discuss opportunities available.

Via de Cristo weekend
2019-11-07 - 2019-11-10 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Registration Deadline: Monday, October 28
Register here: https://www.vdcnorthtexas.org/sponsor-info

"Lutheran Young Adults" / "Lutheran Single Adults" Reunion Retreat
2019-11-08 - 2019-11-10
A Reunion Retreat of the former “Lutheran Young Adults” (LYA), later known as “Lutheran Single Adults” (LSA), is being held November 8-10, 2019, at Camp Lone Star in La Grange, TX. Spouses and friends are welcome! There will be speakers, Bible study, singing, a service project, a dance, and plenty of fellowship and renewing friendships from years past!
The event is a Reunion Retreat of Lutheran Adults who were former members of a singles group called Lutheran Young Adults (LYA), which began back in the 1960’s. We were from all over Texas and met for retreats at the various Lutheran Camps twice a year. The name of the group changed to LSA (Lutheran Single Adults) in the 90’s when “Young” didn’t exactly fit us anymore. Now we have gone our separate ways, and many of us have married. However, some singles and married couples from the group have stayed connected through a group called Austin Area Lutheran Friends, based out of Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Austin.
The registration fee includes 4 meals, lodging, program, and recreational activities. Participants may choose to stay in the Retreat Center for $153 or in a cabin for $100 per person. Retreat Center space is limited, so register early to secure a space there. Registration is open through October 15.
Come join us in celebrating our faith in Jesus and reconnecting friendships! Hope to see you there!
For more information about the retreat and registration contact:
Lori Bachmann at l_bachmann@bellsouth.net
OR Martha (Nemky) Steele at marthansteele18@gmail.com

Thrivent's Cooking for Christ fundraiser
2019-11-09 10:30 - 13:30
This event has moved to the Dr. Pepper Arena parking lot in Frisco but Briarwood is still involved and will benefit from this event!

Lutheran Campus Ministry Trivia Challenge
2019-11-10 | Briarwood Leadership Center, 670 Copper Canyon Rd., Argyle, TX, 76226, United States
Looking for a fun evening out? Like to laugh? Want a great meal? Enjoy testing your knowledge? Care about young adults? Enjoy a silent auction? These all come together in the Lutheran Campus Ministry Trivia Challenge, November 10, at 4 p.m. at Briarwood Leadership Center. All funds generated go to the NT-NL Campus Ministry Mission Fund, benefiting Lutheran Campus Ministry in the NT-NL Synod.
Form your team of 8, design table décor that reflects a ministry of your congregation or some aspect of campus ministry, or simply go for creativity. Then register for lots of fun. Our meal is being catered by Chef Carlos Carrasquillo. For more information and to register, contact Pastor Jim Rowe (845.750.4606 or pastor@lcmdenton.org).
Registration deadline is November 3.

SMU | Perkins School of Theology Fall Convocation
2019-11-11 - 2019-11-12 | SMU | Perkins School of Theology, PO Box 750133, Dallas, TX, 75275, United States
Mission Quest: Finding Your Place in God’s World
Together we’ll be exploring how travel can shape our faith and help us discern our own mission—whether it calls us far away or close to home.

NT-NL Junior High Gathering
2019-11-15 - 2019-11-17 | Grace Lutheran Church – Carrollton, 1200 East Hebron Pkwy, Carrollton, TX, 75010, United States
The NT-NL Jr High Youth Gathering is welcome to all youth in 6th – 8th grades and their friends!
Where two or more gather in my name, I am there also. Matthew 18:20
7:00pm Friday, November 15 – 12noon Sunday, November 17
Cost includes programs, hotel, meals, and Group Dynamix. The NTNL Jr. High Gathering is for ANY Jr. High / Middle School student (for most churches this event is for your Confirmation Group). The event includes Small Group Activities, Songs, Games, Worship!
Cost:
Registration fee $100 until October 20 but will jump to $125 on October 21, so sign up today while there is still room available!
(There is a $3.50 fee per credit card charge.)
Click here for a PDF version of the registration packet with full details.

Parish Lay Ministry Academy, Fall 2019, Course 3
2019-11-16 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, 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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Meeting ID: 815 418 629

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]
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