Churchwide Assembly Voting Members
We will be electing voting members to the 2025 Churchwide Assembly, to be held in Phoenix, AZ July 28-Aug 2, 2025 during Synod Assembly.
We have been allocated the following voting members:
Rostered Minister of Word and Sacrament – Female
Rostered Minister of Word and Sacrament – Male
Lay Female (preferably 35 or younger)
Lay Female (36 or older)
Lay Male (preferably 35 or younger).
If you know someone who should be nominated speak with them. They call fill out the vita form to be added to the ballot. The vita form can be found here. Nominations will close at 11:30am on Friday, April 12th.
Updates from Laura Slezak
Laura Slezak is the current ELCA missionary to Japan, in partnership with the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church. Laura regularly sends us updates on her adventures in Japan. Here is her update from March.
Featured Resources for April
The ELCA Church Council adopted a social message about climate care entitled “Earth’s Climate Crisis.” on April 20, 2023. You can access the official message here in English and aqui en Español. Drawing from existing social teaching, social messages provide theological rationale and social analysis to foster discernment and engagement on a relatively narrow social issue. This project was authorized in light of the grim contemporary situation affecting our global home and the need for fresh action on the part of this church. It draws its framing themes from several social statements, particularly Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice.
The ELCA has collaborated with ecoAmerica’s Blessed Tomorrow program, a faith community initiative that empowers climate action and advocacy. This is a program by people of faith, for people of faith, offering ideas, tools, and language that are familiar, compelling and effective in addressing climate change. It provides resources that put us on a path to a positive future while maintaining the distinct voice of the ELCA.
Blessed Tomorrow offers a campaign to help you answer the call to strengthen your congregation and care for creation in ways that are inspiring, fulfilling, and accessible. Join One Home One Future, a multi-faith campaign to strengthen vitality, relevance, and community connection across generations in local congregations nationwide. Be part of a visible effort to invite creation care and climate action, no matter if you are just getting started or already engaging.
Where in the world is?
NT-NL synod staff are excited to engage in-person on Sundays for worship. As good stewards of time and travel dollars, we will be utilizing online meeting formats in our new hybrid reality when possible. If you would like to schedule a meeting with the bishop or Synod staff please contact them directly.
Bishop Gronberg:
Apr 13: Parish Lay Ministry Academy, Zoom
Apr 14: Zion, McGregor
Apr 19-20: Synod Assembly, Santa Maria, Irving
Apr 21: First, Waco
May 5: Grace, Slayton
Pastor Totzke:
Apr 14: Advent, Arlington
Apr 19: Candidacy Retreat
Apr 19-20: Synod Assembly, Santa Maria, Irving
Apr 23: First Call Pastors Check-In, Zoom
Pastora Bañales:
Apr 9: Director of Evangelical Mission Advisory Team Meeting
Apr 13: Spanish Parish Lay Ministry Academy
Apr 15: Advent/ Adviento, Arlington
Apr 16-18: SOLI Board Meeting, Chicago
Apr 19-20: Synod Assembly, Santa Maria, Irving
Apr 27: St. Matthew, Fort Worth
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:
- Apr 13: Parish Lay Ministry Academy, Zoom
- Apr 13: Public Witness Team Meeting, Zoom
- Apr 19-20: Synod Assembly, Santa Maria, Irving
- Apr 22: Wartburg Choir Performance, Calvary, Richland Hills
- Apr 23: First Call Pastor Check-In, Zoom
- May 2: Transitional Pastors Check-In, Zoom
Access our full online Calendar here. Updates made regularly.
Do you have news or announcements to share? Please submit to office@ntnl.org for consideration for upcoming editions of our weekly news.