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Message from Bishop Gronberg

Dear NT-NL Leaders:

Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. -Luke 12:32

When reading this text in my mind I immediately hear the tune of ELW 764 (Have No Fear, Little Flock). A tune that brings for me warm feelings of singing it as a child. Nostalgic feelings that leads largely to positive memories, feelings of safety and the security that comes with knowing how that story already ends. A nostalgic mythology that somehow those times were simpler, or easier, the “good old days.”

As Bishop Mike Girlinghouse reminded us at our 2021 Synod Assembly nostalgia can be a powerful force. It can be a foundation that encourages us, or it can also be an anchor that keeps us static or drags us down. That anchoring often happens in communities, particularly when they are in grief. We long for an idealized past. But at its best, when we are honest that the past wasn’t so ideal, nostalgia can give us strength. It can remind us that we have been through difficult times and that in the midst of those times God has been present, God has been faithful, God has provided.

As we move fully into the second half of 2022 we know that things have dramatically shifted in our lives.  Our institutions, congregations, and our own lives have changed too much. Patterns of behavior, our habits (including church attendance), have changed and we are not going back to an idealized 2019. We have lost dear colleagues and friends, most recently our beloved sister the Rev. Doris Harris. We must do the work of grief for the things that we have lost. But in that grief we can be comforted that God has yet been faithful. And that in letting go we can see God is about doing new things as well.

In 2019 our church voted to change the entrance rite for Deacons from commissioning to ordination. And this August 13th we will, for the first time in NT-NL, ordain a Deacon, jj Godwyn, to the office of Word and Service. August 18-22 we will welcome Bishop Moses Kobba Momoh from the ELCSL to our territory for the first time in his tenure as bishop. A wonderful opportunity to build our partnership and learn what the ELCSL is doing to build up people in their midst.

New things are happening across our synod. Pastors are being installed to new ministries. In July we hosted the first ever Multicultural Youth gathering in NT-NL. August 6-8 Latinx young adults from across the country will be gathering at Briarwood thanks to the leadership of DEM Irma Bañales. And as we move into the fall other new opportunities will arise to connect and share this good news of our God who walks with us always.

Jesus’ words “Do not be afraid” is both a comfort and a challenge. A comfort to know God is for you, a challenge to receive that word in faith and by the power of the Holy Spirit move boldly into God’s future. As you lead, know I am praying for you in this work and that we are…

#InMissionTogether,

Bishop Gronberg

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ELCA Latinx Young Adults Gathering

ELCA Latinx Young Adults Gathering

August 5-7

Briarwood Leadership Center, Argyle, TX

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Bishop Momoh (ELCSL) Visiting Texas

Bishop Moses Kobba Momoh of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sierra Leone (ELCSL) to Visit Texas

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Full Interview with Rev. Doris Harris

In celebrating the life and faith of Rev. Doris Harris, we want to share again this full interview with her from October 2019:

“For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.” Hebrews 13:14

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Making the Visitor-to-Member Transition with Vanco

Free resource from our partners at Vanco:

Every ELCA synod leader knows the challenge: As seasons change, there is often an influx of visitors attending services. Sometimes once. Sometimes a few weeks in a row. But how do you convert these visitors into members?

Vanco, one of the experts in online church giving and an ELCA Preferred Vendor, has done some of the work for you. We put together a complete package of welcome materials to assist you in turning visitors into members. We’re making this kit available to all NT-NL congregations for free. This welcome package will help your congregation make a strong connection with prospective members and reveal to them why they should join as members. When you have prospective members, congregations must be prepared to share why your congregation is special, welcoming, and does great work.

Download our free NT-NL welcome kit to receive:

• • • • 8 congregation connection card templates.
      • Bible verse & quote cards for your welcome packets.
      • 40 amazing welcome quotes to use in your printed material.
      • Free welcome message templates for visitors.
      • 7 free letter templates to welcome new members.

You can copy and paste these materials as is, or edit them to your liking, as you reach out to potential members.

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Courageous Leadership Series

Dear Faith Leaders,

ELCA Coaching is mixing things up in 2022 as we continue to experiment and learn. You are invited to join us WEEKLY on Wednesdays at 1pm Central. We will continue with our theme of COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP.  For the month of August, we will be spending most of our time in breakout rooms so that leaders across the church can continue to learn from each other and leave each gathering with at least one action step.

For August 2022:
Week One (August 3) – Choose Your Own Adventure (breakout rooms by topic)
Week Two (August 10) – Coaching Real and Current Topics for Attendees
Week Three (August 17) – Coaching Real and Current Topics for Attendees
Week Four (August 24) – Coaching Real and Current Topics for Attendees
Week Five (August 31) – Coaching Real and Current Topics for Attendees

We are inviting you to bring a spirit of curiosity to these gatherings and to all aspects your life. What are you noticing? Where is Spirit moving? How might you be a part?

The login information can be found on the ELCA Coaching website: https://www.elcacoaching.org/events/courageous-leadership
Recordings from prior gatherings can be found here: https://www.elcacoaching.org/podcasts/media/series/courageous-leadership

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Lombard Mennonite Peace Center Trainings

From our friends at Lombard Mennonite Peace Center:

You are invited to attend Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders, a 5-day event that helps participants deal more effectively with interpersonal, congregational, and other forms of group conflict. The next in-person session is on November 14-18, 2022, at the beautiful Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, AZ. The next online session will be March 13-17, 2023. Registration is now underway at https://lmpeacecenter.org/all-events/.

We would also like to introduce our new one-day event called Restorative Conversations. Devon Miller, LMPC Associate Director and the author and facilitator of this course, describes it this way: Restorative conversations are useful when working through difficult or polarizing topics, processing shared painful experiences, building community, and dealing with certain levels of conflict in the church setting. The workshop will benefit all levels of leadership including pastors, lay leaders, youth leaders, and Sunday school teachers. Three sessions of this workshop have been scheduled for next year: February 23, May 23, and November 2, 2023.

Please contact the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center (630-627-0507 or Admin@LMPeaceCenter.org) with questions. Thank you for your commitment to peace and wholeness within the body of Christ!

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FREE Baby Grand Piano

Baby Grand available from Trinity, Fort Worth. Available for free but you must make arrangements for it to be moved. Contact Wally Diehl: wallydiehl@sbcglobal.net or 817-233-5783.