NT-NL Golf Opportunities Beyond Playing Golf
Golf has always been something I have enjoyed playing poorly. With the call as bishop and demands of parenting, I now joke that I play golf, poorly, twice a year. This year, both those opportunities are coming in the same week. September 13th is our annual golf outing to support Briarwood at Bridlewood Golf course (https://one.bidpal.net/briarwoodgolf/welcome), and on September 9th is the outing at Fossil Creek Golf Course to support our prison ministry, Church of the Damascus Road (https://www.ntnl.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Golf-invite-DR19.pdf).
These are a great opportunity to have fun with some friends and make new ones as we support ministries of NT-NL. But you don’t have to golf to make a difference. For the last several years, I have also sponsored a hole at the outing. This is a relatively inexpensive way for an individual, congregation, or institution to both get name recognition as a sponsor of the outing as well as directly help fund these ministries. These outings are only a couple weeks away. Please consider sponsoring a hole or supporting these ministries this fall.
Bishop Gronberg
“God’s work. Our hands.” Update
A hymn titled “God’s Work, Our Hands,” written by Wayne Wold, was selected as the winning entry in the ELCA’s “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday hymn contest. People submitted original compositions to be considered as a hymn for the ELCA’s annual day of service. Wold is a professor and chair of the music department at Hood College in Frederick, MD, where he also serves as concert manager and college organist. Wold is also the director of music ministry at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ellicott City, MD. The selected hymn represents the official tagline of the ELCA and expresses how the people of this church live in service for the life of the world. The hymn is available as a year-round worship resource. Download the winning hymn resources.
Our common witness | Nuestro testimonio común
In her August column for Living Lutheran, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reflects on the Lutheran movement. As we move forward as a church, she wonders: “What will our Lutheran identity be in the ELCA?” Read her column in English: Our common witness o lee su columna en español: Nuestro testimonio común.
Featured Resource for August
Hear My Voice: A Prison Prayer Book
From Bishop Gronberg:
The reality is that it is not always easy to get published materials into the hands of those who are incarcerated….
This is a much-needed prayer resource authored by a number of writers with diverse connections to the criminal justice system including writers who are currently incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, or working in prison ministry or re-entry. In NT-NL, the Church of the Damascus Road is our Synodically Authorized Worshipping Community in two of our state jails. However, it is likely our congregations and pastors have needs to connect with and provide resources for those in prison. This resource is a wonderful tool for helping those in our criminal justice system stay connected to their faith and community. I recommend it to you all.
Read more in Bishop Gronberg’s recent blog: Prayer book for Prison Ministry.
Save the Date
Bishop Gronberg:
(https://www.ntnl.org/august-18th-emanuel-dallas/ – published Aug. 18)
(https://www.ntnl.org/400th-anniversary-of-north-american-african-slavery/ – published Aug. 20)
Where in the world is?
Bishop Gronberg:
- Aug. 29-31: Courts & Ports Advocacy Intensive, McAllen, TX
Pastor Totzke:
- Aug. 29-31: Courts & Ports Advocacy Intensive, McAllen, TX
- Sep. 1: Christ, Dallas
Pastora Bañales:
- Aug. 27: Nuestro Redentor, Grand Prairie, Ministry Review
- Aug. 29-31: Courts & Ports Advocacy Intensive, McAllen, TX
- Aug. 31: ELCA Generosity Project workshop, New Hope, Keller
Upcoming Events
- Aug. 31: ELCA Generosity Project workshop, Keller, TX
- Sep. 7: Discovering Hope: Building Vitality in Your Congregation, Abilene, TX
- Sep. 8: “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday
- Sep. 9: Boundary Training: Healthy Relationships in Ministry, Fort Worth, TX
- Sep. 9: The Church of the Damascus Road Golf Outing, Fort Worth, TX
- Sep. 13: Briarwood Golf Outing, Flower Mound, TX
- Sep. 14: PLMA, Fall 2019, Course 1, Argyle, TX
- Sep. 14: Public Witness Team monthly meeting, Arlington, TX
- Sep. 19-21: 2019 Synod Council and Conference Deans Retreat, Argyle, TX
- Sep. 20-21: The Art of Resilience: Latinx Public Witness for Troubled Times, Dallas, TX
- Sep. 20-22: Middle School Retreat, Argyle, TX
- Sep. 20-22: 2019 Addiction and Faith Conference, Bloomington, MN
- Sep. 27: 2019 Symposium: Suicide Prevention in Faith Communities, Dallas, TX
- Sep. 28: Panhandle Conference: Mental Health and Faith, Lubbock, TX
Access our full online Calendar here. Updates made regularly.
Do you have news or announcements to share? Please submit to Jason (jason@ntnl.org) for consideration for upcoming NT-NL News.