Traveling This Summer?
Find an ELCA congregation along your summer vacation route and experience worship in a different church. Lutherans are ready to welcome you all over the U.S. and Caribbean. Search by location at ELCA.org/FindACongregation.
Traveling Without a Map
Rev. Kate Warn, Rwanda Country Coordinator, Young Adults in Global Mission, asked us to share her Closing Thoughts from Rwanda as she prepares to return to the United States this month.
Record Number Accept Call to ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission
Ninety-six young adult volunteers have accepted the call to serve with the ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission during the 2017-2018 program year. This is a record number of volunteers for the year-long program that started in 1999 with eight young adults who volunteered to serve in the United Kingdom. The Young Adults in Global Mission volunteers are ages 21-29 and spend a year in service, living and working with ELCA companion churches and partner organizations around the world. This year’s volunteers will begin service August 23. Read more about these young adults. Thanks to all who have offered their support of this program!
Featured Resource for July
Reformation Anniversary planning and promotional tools are available on ELCA500.org. These include:
- Anniversary logo for use in official congregation and synod Reformation anniversary activities
- Anniversary ideas for developing activities
- Ideas for promotion, including samples from congregations
- Promotional PDF posters to fill in and communicate activities
- Promotional postcard for communicating the website and social media
Connect with ELCA 500 on Facebook and Twitter.
Save the Date
Focus: Coaching for Ministry Effectiveness and Leadership
Key Goals: To provide a time away for our rostered leaders and SAWLS of worship, fellowship, and learning. The learning will be focused on informing and equipping leaders to understand the concepts of ministry coaching. Particularly the basics of how to ask good questions, reflectively listen, set goals, and achieve accountability in relationship with trusted coaches. Two morning sessions will provide this introduction and development with those interested in follow-up invited back for a session in January 2018.
Schedule: Please note the timing changes. Convocation will begin on Sunday evening and officially end at 12noon on Tuesday. However, there will be opportunity for groups to meet by conference, interest group, or to meet with staff regarding any issues you wish to discuss. Bishop and staff will remain through dinner on Tuesday evening. Lodging is available also on Tuesday night if you prefer to return home on Wednesday morning. A tentative schedule can be found here.
These changes have been made to facilitate a maximum of learning hours while also time for fellowship, worship, retreat, and learning. The cost of the convocation has been held steady this year due to these changes. Registration will open in August.
Recent Blog Posts
Bishop Gronberg:
(https://ntnl.org/climb-zip-give-generously/ – published Jun 1)
(https://ntnl.org/panhandle-adventure/ – published Jul 5)
(https://ntnl.org/dallas-one-year-later/ – published Jul 7)
Pr. Totzke:
(https://ntnl.org/joy-abounds/ – published Jun 8)
(https://ntnl.org/the-gift-of-leaving/ – published Jun 25)
(https://ntnl.org/small-but-mighty/ – published Jun 27)
Pra. Bañales:
(https://ntnl.org/first-communion-confirmation/ – published Jun 21)
(https://ntnl.org/oromo-celebration/ – published Jun 24)
(https://ntnl.org/community/ – published Jun 28)
Where in the world is?
Bishop Gronberg:
- Jul 15-16 – Midland, Midland, and Christ’s, Odessa
Pr. Totzke:
- Jul 16 – Worshiping in home congregation, Bethany, Dallas
Pra. Bañales:
- Jul 10 – Christ the King, Fort Worth
- Jul 10-11 – Gloria Dei, Lubbock
- Jul 13 – Panhandle Conference, Amarillo
- Jul 16 – Community of Hope, Fort Worth
Upcoming Events
- Jul. 13-16: “all anew” Women of the ELCA Tenth Triennial Gathering
- Jul. 21-23: The Bold Gathering (Lutheran Men in Mission)
- Aug. 5: NT-NL SWO Summer Retreat
- Aug. 5: Briarwood Clean-Up Day
- Aug. 7-10: ELCA Rostered Ministers Gathering
- Aug. 12: Public Witness Team monthly meeting
- Aug. 12: NT-NL SWO Women’s Retreat
- Aug. 19: MEF Board meeting
- Aug. 26: NT-NL SWO Board Meeting
- Sep. 9: Public Witness Team monthly meeting
- Sep. 10: “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday (ELCA Day of Service)
- Sep. 16: PLMA, Fall 2017, Course 1
- Sep. 21-23: Synod Council meeting
- Sep. 23: Briarwood Climbing Wall Dedication
- Sep. 25: “Revisiting the 95 Thesis” (Luther Center of North Texas)
- Sep. 29-Oct. 1: Junior High Retreat
Access our full online Calendar here. Updates made regularly.
Do you have news or announcements to share? Please submit to the Synod office (MissionOffice@ntnl.org) for consideration for our next NT-NL News.
Looking for information in past NT-NL News? Find NT-NL News archives here!