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Featured Blog Post

Dear NT-NL Leaders,

As we continue to lead, learn, and live into the realities of being church in the time of COVID-19, we are being asked to make decisions in rapid succession, often with partial or competing information. This creates a level of anxiety and uncertainty that is particularly taxing during what is already a busy time in the life of the church. Over the past two weeks, I have been blessed to be in conversation individually with many of you, with all six of our conferences via zoom, on a rostered/authorized leader zoom call with 75 of you, and our weekly Thursday prayer time (Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/686256906).

In these conversations, I have been continuously amazed at the way you have adapted, learned, and remained faithful in your leadership. That is to be commended, and know that as your bishop, I am personally grateful for you all. As your bishop, and as a clergy spouse, I also know how exhausting making these decisions and transitions can and have been. So as we continue this marathon, please be sure to care for yourself and your families. My prayer is that the resources and support we are able to organize and provide for you on our COVID-19 resource page (https://www.ntnl.org/resources/covid-19/) and on my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/bishopgronberg/) (reminder anyone can see a public Facebook page with or without an account) will be of use to you in this time. Also, Avery Hawley of Briarwood is doing weekly Sunday “walks through the gospel” appropriate for our young people to keep them thinking about outdoor ministry, even in this time of quarantine.

One question that has been lifted up regularly is the status of Synod Assembly. Given the constantly changing landscape, I had told the synod council we would wait until April 1 to make an announcement. Last evening (March 31), the synod council postponed synod assembly to a time to be determined. It was my hope that we could find a date on which Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie would be able to commit to being with us. However, given the continued fluidity of this crisis, we have not yet been able to confirm that. So what does this mean…

Continue reading this new (published March 31) blog post from Bishop Gronberg.

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Rostered/Authorized Minister Annual Reports Due TODAY

It is a responsibility of each Rostered/Authorized Minister to submit annually a report to the office of the bishop. To simplify reporting, NT-NL has built a web response form that is now available online: https://www.ntnl.org/annual-rostered-authorized-leader-report/. These reports are due TODAY, April 1.

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Free Stewardship Consulting for NT-NL Churches

There’s a growing anxiety within clergy and lay leaders around giving and financial issues with worship being cancelled in most settings. I am available to have conversations with pastors and lay leaders about addressing current stewardship concerns in their congregation. I’m not charging a fee for these conversations. I have the time available at the moment since I’m not doing consulting with congregations right now. Our individual and congregational giving in a time of health and economic anxiety is something which will need to be addressed. I’m glad to assist in whatever way that I can. – Pastor Don Haven, President and Lead Consultant, Abundant Congregations, LLC, Phone: 916-770-7078, Email: don@abundantc.org, Website: www.abundantcongregations.org

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Portico and COVID-19

As we feel the evolving impact of COVID-19 on our lives and communities, Portico is here to support you. The health and well-being of our members is paramount. We encourage you to use your ELCA-Primary health benefits to help you and your covered family members stay well — physically as well as emotionally. Please refer to the March 16 email to members from myPortico with links for options for care, testing costs, emotional support, and CDC guidelines. For congregations, this is the link to the ELCA Resource for guidance to our faith community: https://www.elca.org/publichealth

You can always reach out to the Portico Customer Care Center, 800.352.2876, or your Regional Representative, Deacon Terri Endres, tendres@porticobenefits.org.

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ELCA MIF and Credit Union Assistance for Customers

From Eva M. Roby, President and CEO of the Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA:

As we navigate this troubling and unprecedented time, I want you to know that the Mission Investment Fund stands with you and the congregations, ministries and members of your synod.

As the investment and lending ministry of the ELCA, the Mission Investment Fund has resources that can provide some much-needed help to congregations, ministries and members of your synod that may be experiencing financial hardship at this time. As your financial partner, the Mission Investment Fund is able to provide assistance for the congregations and ministries that have MIF loans as well as individuals and congregations that invest with us.

Here is the letter I sent to MIF’s investors and borrowers to outline our commitment to serve and assist our customers.

If you or the congregations of your synod have special needs at this time, please reach out to Amelia Dawkins, MIF’s Vice President for Lending. You may reach her by email at Amelia.Dawkins@elca.org. Please feel free to contact me directly. You can reach me at Eva.Roby@elca.org.

I also want you to be aware that our partner, the ELCA Federal Credit Union, is also prepared to offer similar assistance to its members at this time. Please advise Credit Union member pastors and congregations within your synod that may be facing hardship to contact the Credit Union by email at info@elcacu.org. You can also reach out to the Credit Union’s President and CEO, Luis Reyes, at Luis.Reyes@elcacu.org.

We are keeping you, the synod, your congregations and your members in prayer.

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The Path of Hope: A Study on Climate Action for Faith Communities

From our partners at Texas Impact:

We’re excited to announce the release of Texas Impact’s new climate change study guide for faith communities! The Path of Hope: A Study on Climate Action for Faith Communities is a small group, discussion-based series that leads even first-time climate advocates into powerful climate policy action. Special thanks to Trish Merrill and University United Methodist Church of Austin, and Mel Caraway and Grace Avenue United Methodist Church of Frisco, for piloting the study and helping us get it right.

For any Sunday school or other small group itching to “take action” on climate justice, this study is your one-stop shop!

The study includes:

· four 15-minute videos
· discussion guide and meeting template
· recommended advocacy projects and action planner
· additional video and written resources

The study is designed to be used in four 1-hour sessions, including video viewing times, but the content is highly flexible and easily customizable. Group leaders will appreciate the study’s helpful guidance on structuring discussions around tough topics, and ready-to-implement advocacy actions that include practical checklists and printable templates.

The Path of Hope is responsive to people of faith who want to move from personal environmental stewardship to climate policy advocacy. The videos clarify the often-obscure language of global climate policy, and demonstrate the critical need for strong US climate leadership—especially headed into COP26, the global climate negotiations set for November 2020 in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Path of Hope is available free of charge at thepathofhope.org. Participants must register a user account to access the study content.

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#CreationCareAmbassadors Training Invitation

The Lutheran World Federation recently shared this Lenten prayer: “Make us attentive to the wounds of the earth and willing to work for the healing of the whole creation, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.”

With a passion for the healing of the whole creation, an upcoming #CreationCareAmbassador Training hosted by ELCA Advocacy and Blessed Tomorrow is available for congregation representatives and individuals. This webinar on Saturday, April 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET can be a great time to vision and strategize about how to effectively discuss climate change, how climate change impacts the church, and how to be advocates for climate solutions both locally and nationally.

Activities of the 50th anniversary for Earth Day this April are being shifted because of globally felt impacts of the outbreak of COVID-19, but our need to raise awareness of our interconnectedness and what we can do together remains compelling. Register for the webinar here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/v5IvcOGrrjMj1X1qAYkb80RPrt8RBkkROw?fbclid=IwAR37AWdEZ1D2GnMs1hmvU1PkPLeTFLdEVTkj_KpSAT2yCMdY1SKn1j-f1U0.