In This Edition
Message from Bishop Gronberg
Briarwood Available for NT-NL Leaders
You May Qualify for Student Loan Debt Forgiveness
Portico Updates
Safe Gatherings Resources
College of Pastoral Leaders Grants
“Getting to Know the MEF” Sunday
21st Annual Bonhoeffer Lectures in Public Ethics
35th Annual Conference of the Professions
Courageous Leadership Series
Upcoming Events
Message from Bishop Gronberg
NT-NL Leaders:
Thank you to all our leaders who made our first in-person assembly in 3 years a great success. Special thanks to King of Glory, Dallas (Pastor Kenny Dickson) and particularly staff member Phil Thomas and all their volunteers. We had spirited worship, challenging and thought provoking theological reflection, and time to be together. What a gift that was to be together again.
As we move past assembly I want to be sure you are aware of some opportunities and events going forward…
- Mission Endowment Fund Emphasis Sunday May 15th
- NT-NL Senior High Youth Gathering (July 7-10) at Briarwood – Indicate Interest Here.
- MYJ2 Multicultural Youth Gathering (July 21-23) at Briarwood – Indicate Interest Here.
- ELCA Latinx Young Adults Gathering at Briarwood (August 5-7)
- ELCA Churchwide Assembly (August 8-12) – Please pray for your voting members from NT-NL
In my assembly report I spoke about our need as people of Law and Gospel to both speak the truth which reminds us continually of our need for the gospel. The good news that despite the reality of sin and death God claims us by God’s choosing. That gives us encouragement to be bold, knowing that God has already accomplished for us all that needs to be done.
Being bold means we can also name realities in our communities honestly. It is a reality that the Christian church in America has been in decline for more than a generation. That is not just a Lutheran reality but has been shared across denominations and has been accelerated by the pandemic crisis. That can be discouraging and frustrating for us as leaders. Yet it also gives us an opportunity to be honest in our assessment and look for new ways of being. Congregations that have engaged in our LFI or LEAD programs reflect how they have felt invigorated by that intentional process. Leaders who are actively being coached report how that relationship has challenged and encouraged them. We also know that congregations and church institutions have life spans and sometimes it is good stewardship to let a ministry go. In all of these things your synod staff and I as bishop desire to walk with you and to remind you that your life, your hope, and all that you are is found in God.
Our world, constantly striving after more, needs to hear this message now more than ever. I pray that as we move forward in 2022 and beyond we will be bold to proclaim that truth. To move our communities out of our walls and into the lives of our neighbors who need to hear this message. The tomb is empty, death does not win, God is for you.
Be Bold,
Bishop Gronberg
Briarwood Available for NT-NL Leaders
Seeking a place to retreat and rest after the busyness of Lent and Easter? Briarwood Leadership Center offers space for NT-NL leaders to take sabbatical days (from one to seven). You may request this time at any point throughout the year. If there is availability, it’s yours! Contact anna@bwtx.org for more details. As we continue to ensure Briarwood is sustainable, if you are able to donate at least $100 to help us cover costs, that would be helpful and welcome. For those who are able to cover the nightly rate, that fee is now $105 per night.
You May Qualify for Student Loan Debt Forgiveness
Public Service Loan Forgiveness is a program designed to forgive remaining balance of student debt after 120 payments have been made. Rostered Ministers and employees of non-profits may qualify for this program. However, this is only available through October 31, 2022. Click here to read more about this federal program. Through its partnership with Lutheran Social Services (LSS) of Minnesota, Portico is offering Financial Counselors to assist those Portico members who qualify. These counselors are familiar with concerns unique to the church and able to help us navigate the process.Click here to read detailed information about this program from LSS of Minnesota or call 800-528-2926 to schedule an appointment with an LSS of Minnesota representative to help you.
Portico Updates
News headlines have been particularly dire this spring, and the investment markets have responded with nerve-rattling volatility. A newly-updated page on myPortico will give you context for the short- and long-term effects of market leaps and plunges. And a new blog post by Portico Chief Investment Officer David Quello addresses how Portico is responding to Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Spring allergies? Worn out by Lent? Remember: Portico members with ELCA-Primary health coverage have 24/7 access to text-based primary care from board certified physicians through the 98point6 app – at no out-of-pocket cost, thanks to recent action by Congress. You read that right: $0 copay for all ELCA-Primary members, Apr. 1-Dec. 31, 2022. Find out more on myPortico (and take care of yourself).
Safe Gatherings Resources
Our synod is committed to ensuring that we provide safe places of worship and fellowship to everyone we serve. As part of that commitment, we are providing information on Safe Gatherings as a resource for you in this important area.
Safe Gatherings is an online abuse prevention program that screens and educates staff and volunteers to help prevent abuse of children, youth, and vulnerable adults in group settings. When employees and volunteers are trained to identify potential abusers, recognize the signs of abuse, and know how to handle reporting, they are better equipped to prevent abuse.
Upon successful completion of the Safe Gatherings application, background and reference checks, and online training program, each applicant will receive documentation of approval valid for two years, and will have continued access to the online training program for one year.
The price per applicant for the individual church program available through the Safe Gatherings website is $39 for church staff and volunteers. This includes processing of two electronic references, a national and current county of residence 7-year background check, national and state of residence Sex Offender Registry check, and the 2-hour online abuse prevention and boundary awareness training. You also have the option for a driving record at an additional cost if needed.
Additional details and resources can be found here: https://www.ntnl.org/resources/safe-gatherings/
College of Pastoral Leaders Grants
From our friends at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary:
Dear colleagues,
As a Lutheran pastor serving at Austin Seminary, I’d like to draw your attention to the College of Pastoral Leaders.
The college makes two-year, $10,000 grants to small groups of pastors to pursue a self-designed program for renewal, vitality, and pastoral excellence. Over the years, many ELCA pastors have been awarded grants. The deadline for applications for the next group of cohorts is May 13, 2022.
Detailed information about the program and the process are found at: https://www.austinseminary.edu/lifelong-learning/collaborative-learning/college-of-pastoral-leaders
Yours,
Rev. Timothy D. Lincoln, PhD (he/his/him)
Director of the Mary B. and Robert J. Wright Learning and Information Center | Assistant Dean for Planning | Research Professor in Theological Education
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
“Getting to Know the MEF” Sunday
The NT-NL Mission Endowment Fund (MEF) announces its first “Getting to Know the MEF” Sunday, May 15, 2022. Materials to share with your congregation will be available soon.
21st Annual Bonhoeffer Lectures in Public Ethics
May 19-21
The 21st Annual Bonhoeffer Lectures in Public Ethics will be held at Perkins School of Theology | Southern Methodist University and the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum in Dallas, TX. The theme of the Lectures is “Everyday Ethics for Exceptional Times.” Lecturers will draw on Bonhoeffer’s doctrine of the mandates to examine politics, family, church, and culture.https://www.ntnl.org/event/21st-annual-bonhoeffer-lectures-in-public-ethics-everyday-ethics-for-exceptional-times/
Full details can be found here:35th Annual Conference of the Professions
“Mis- and Disinformation in the Professions: Vaccines, Voting and Virtue”
Friday, May 27, 9am-12noon
The Conference of the Professions brings together professionals from the fields of law, medicine, and theology in the Dallas area to discuss common challenges — ethical and otherwise — facing these professions. Join us to learn from keynote speaker Christine Emba, a contributor to The Washinton Post, and a panel of distinguished leaders and scholars from the fields of law, medicine, and theology.
This annual conference is a joint effort and collaboration between the Dallas County Medical Society, Dallas Bar Association, SMU Maguire Center for Ethics & Public Responsibility, SMU Dedman School of Law, SMU Perkins School of Theology, and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Continuing education units are awarded upon request. Contact the SMU Maguire Center for additional information.
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 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 May 2022:
Week One (May 4) – Coaching – Choose Your Own Adventure (breakout rooms by topic)
Week Two (May 11) – Jake Sorenson – Sacred Playgrounds
Week Three (May 18) – Sara Cutter – Navigating the Gottman’s Four Horsemen
Week Four (May 25) – John Martinson – Leading in a Multi-Systems World (& Staying Healthy)
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
Upcoming Events
With the ever-changing guidelines and recommendations in our world right now, as we maintain physical distance in social solidarity, please keep in mind these events may be moved online, postponed, or cancelled:
- May 5: Transitional Pastors monthly meeting, Zoom
- May 14: Parish Lay Ministry Academy, Spring 2022, Course 3, Zoom
- May 14: Public Witness Team meeting, Zoom
- May 15: “Getting to Know the MEF” Sunday
- May 19-21: 21st Annual Bonhoeffer Lectures in Public Ethics: Everyday Ethics for Exceptional Times, Various locations
- Jun. 2: Transitional Pastors monthly meeting, Zoom
- Jun. 11: Public Witness Team meeting, Zoom
For a complete list of upcoming events, you can access our Calendar of Events online.