Gifts Matched for International Women Leaders Initiative

Amazing things are happening through the International Women Leaders initiative because of YOU. Since the campaign launched five years ago, you have empowered more than 180 international women leaders, representing 45 countries, through programming designed specifically for them. We are very close to reaching our campaign goal for this initiative!

Due to the generosity of a friend of the International Women Leaders initiative, gifts will be matched dollar for dollar until we reach $100,000! Join us with a gift today.

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LEVN Looking for Young Adults

LEVN, the Lutheran Episcopal Volunteer Network, is looking for young adults (age 21-30) with Bachelor’s degrees for an 11-month program of non-profit volunteer service and learning about social justice. From the end of August 2019 to the end of July 2020, our corps members will be provided housing, utilities, health coverage, spiritual direction, and a $535/month living stipend. We also offer a $1000 re-entry grant at the completion of the program.

The placement sites for the upcoming program year include faith-based non-profits, secular non-profits, congregations, outdoor ministry, and our campus ministry at UC Davis. These service sites address issues of homelessness, food insecurity, unemployment, children and youth ministries, and other important social justice issues facing our communities.

The corps members live in intentional community in one of two residences: The Belfry, an apartment attached to our campus ministry center in Davis, CA, or The Priory, an apartment at All Saints Episcopal Church in Sacramento, CA. We’re an ecumenical program in the Episcopal Service Corps network; applicants needn’t be either Lutheran or Episcopal to apply—interest in Christian spirituality is the only expectation. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until July 31, 2019.

Visit levn.org or contact Program Director Casey Dunsworth at 530-756-1550 or pastor@thebelfry.org for more information!

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Change is Possible

Siebert Lutheran Foundation’s annual “Change or Die” conference provides an opportunity for Lutheran ministry leaders to learn from thoughtful speakers and each other, to network, and to be encouraged. Many presentations from the 2018 event were captured on video, including this inspiring presentation by ELCA Rev. Dr. Lisa Bates-Froiland on how hospitality helped revive Redeemer Lutheran Church in downtown Milwaukee.

The finances were a mess. The building a shambles. The staffing model was set for stagnation. The church was largely invisible to a neighborhood that had become a foreign land. Thirty people gathered for traditional Sunday morning worship that only a highly-trained Lutheran could follow. Even the newly called part-time pastor drove to church thinking, “This place should close and make way for something else.” Well, something else arrived, but the congregation did not close. Rev. Dr. Lisa Bates-Froiland shares the crucial uses of YES and NO that helped to foster a Spirit-driven triple growth at Redeemer Lutheran Church-Milwaukee.

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Recent Blog Posts

Bishop Gronberg:

Palm Sunday Across NTNL

(https://www.ntnl.org/palm-sunday-across-ntnl/ – published Apr. 17)

Pastor Totzke:

First United, Dallas

(https://www.ntnl.org/first-united-dallas/ – published Apr. 15)

Advent, Arlington

(https://www.ntnl.org/advent-arlington/ – published Apr. 17)

Adviento, Arlington

(https://www.ntnl.org/adviento-arlington/ – published Apr. 17)

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Where in the world is?

Bishop Gronberg:

• Apr. 25-26: NT-NL Synod Council meetings, Richland Hills
• Apr. 26-27: NT-NL Synod Assembly, Richland Hills
• Apr. 28-May 4: Anniversary Trip w/ Spouse

Pastor Totzke:

• Apr. 25-26: NT-NL Synod Council meetings, Richland Hills
• Apr. 26-27: NT-NL Synod Assembly, Richland Hills

Pastora Bañales:

• Apr. 25-26: NT-NL Synod Council meetings, Richland Hills
• Apr. 26-27: NT-NL Synod Assembly, Richland Hills