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Featured Blog Post

NT-NL Leaders:

Those twelve stones, which they had taken out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal, saying to the Israelites, “When your children ask their parents in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ²² then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’

– Joshua 4:20-22

Milestones mark time and place. They remind us of what has gone before, where we have been, and ideally can help us remember God’s faithfulness in those times. Crossing over the Jordan River the Israelites erected stones to be a reminder, to let their children know, God delivered them again.

This February in NT-NL and on our territory we will experience two very recent milestones. The first is that this February will be the 24th consecutive month that our lives have been disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. For 2 full years you as leaders have had to make difficult, often controversial decisions with uneven guidance. In the United States we are approaching 900,000 lives that have been lost (almost 40,000 a month) to known cases of this virus. Beyond this loss of life we have also experienced losses of income, education, relationships, and much more. Our assumptions and our relationships have been changed.

The second is one year since the devastating winter storm of 2021. A storm that crippled infrastructure, exposing systemic weaknesses in services we take for granted, and caused significant damage to homes, churches, and our Briarwood campus. Repairs, insurance claims, and construction delays have been a part of these last 12 months. Even now they are only just being completed or yet haven’t.

Yet despite these losses our communities have endured, you as leaders have done remarkable work learning, adapting and growing. We have lived into an online world of church and now face a hybrid church future with new skills intact. We still have losses to come. Just yesterday we learned the 2022 ELCA Youth Gathering has been cancelled. But we focus on the future. At Briarwood, staff has worked hard rebuilding facilities, hosting small groups and looking forward to what could be this summer. For that to happen they are asking for information from you and your community regarding demand for camp so decisions can be made on numerical data. With the loss of the youth gathering, a synod wide or tri-synod event might be possible. We look forward to our 2022 Assembly. Gathering together again for the first time in 3 years.

Milestones are important, they mark our days. We have lived through challenging days. God’s people always have. Together we can continue to face the reality, the law, and respond in hope with the gospel promise that God who has been will continue to be faithful.

In Mission Together:

Bishop Gronberg

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Annual Rostered / Authorized Leader Report

If you are a Rostered Minister or Synodically Authorized Worship Leader, please complete this report to the bishop as soon as you are able: https://www.ntnl.org/annual-rostered-authorized-leader-report/.

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2022 Mission Support Report

Please have one leader from each congregation / worshiping community complete this report to the synod treasurer as soon as you are able: https://www.ntnl.org/mission-support/.

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2022 Synod Assembly Registration Now Open

We are live! You can begin registering for Synod Assembly (April 29-30) here: https://tithe.ly/event-registration/#/4840947. Discounted pricing for registering early is available through March 18.

This will be an in-person only event. We will be taking pandemic precautions and be following the protocols of our host, King of Glory Lutheran Church (Dallas), and Dallas County. We appreciate your grace as we all navigate changing realities up to the last minute.

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MEF Executive Director Job Posting

The Executive Director of the Mission Endowment Fund is a part-time synod staff position responsible for working with the Board of Directors in oversight of this fund. The Executive Director position is appointed by the synod council, can be lay or rostered, and is accountable to the Board of the MEF and the Bishop of the NT-NL Synod. The individual needs to be organized, fluent in financial terminology, able to travel within the synod, a good connector, and work independently with little staff support while utilizing volunteer resources.

Click here for the full job description, which includes information on how to apply.

Applications are due by March 9, 2022.

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How to Be a Digital Minister

From our friends at Faith Lead | Convergence:

Digital Ministry? Online Church? Hybrid Worship?

There is little doubt that digital ministry is not only a part of the future of church, but a key component. Churches of all sizes need to be prepared to shift in ways that are generative and productive for their congregations. In many instances, this means understanding how to engage in the digital space of ministry. But do you, or any of us, know how to be a digital minister?

Beginning on February 3, this four-week cohort will occur on Thursdays from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET

These aren’t just band aids we’ve put on over the past two years. These are new muscles that we are stretching and strengthening now and for the future.

What does it mean for you to take seriously this sacred work of digital ministry? What does it mean to be a Digital Minister?

Join Rev. Jim Keat, the Digital Minister at The Riverside Church, for this four week cohort where we will explore an introduction to digital ministry and leave you better equipped to be a Digital Minister in your context.

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Reboot: Youth Ministry Restarts Here

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Courageous Leadership Series with ELCA Coaching

Dear ELCA Leaders,

We are mixing things up in 2022 as we continue to experiment and learn. You are invited to join us WEEKLY on Wednesdays at 1pm Central to hear from various leaders across the Church. We will continue with our theme of COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP. We have invited various ministries to host these gatherings through this next year, so it will be different each week. There will usually be time for small groups 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 February 2022:
Week One (February 2) – Coaching – Choose Your Own Adventure (Topic)
Week Two (February 9) – DEM Danielle Denise – Grief / Transition / Loss / Closing Congregations
Week Three (February 16) – TBA
Week Four (February 23) – TBA

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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21st Annual Bonhoeffer Lectures in Public Ethics