ELCA Sanctuary Declaration
Please read Bishop Gronberg’s blog regarding the vote last week during Churchwide Assembly, ELCA Churchwide 2019: Sanctuary Declaration.
Yesterday, Wednesday August 7th the ELCA Churchwide Assembly took up a memorial from multiple synods relating to our nation’s welcome to migrants including refugees and asylum seekers. The memorial was brought to the floor and in the course of the floor discussion an amendment was added stating that the ELCA would be a sanctuary church. There was much debate on that amendment relating to what that means for us as a church community and how that statement would be interpreted and utilized in congregational life. When the question was called on the amendment it was passed and added to the memorial that then was almost unanimously passed. In so doing the ELCA became the first major protestant denomination in the United States to make such a statement about being a sanctuary body…. Continue reading.
Briarwood Leadership Journeys
Briarwood Leadership Center is pleased to announce that its inaugural Leadership Journey will take place next year, February 3-17, as The Rev. Kendra Mohn, PhD, and Bishop Erik Gronberg, PhD, host a tour through Turkey and Greece. Titled “Paul and Beyond: Early Church Leadership in Turkey and Greece,” the trip will focus on the earliest years of the Christian movement.
Leadership Journeys are an exciting new element of Briarwood programming. Envisioned to include domestic as well as international travel opportunities, the Journeys will focus on leadership themes from community transformation to movement building. Learn more here.
Communications Coordinator position
Rejoice, Frisco, is looking for a part-time Communications Coordinator. You can find the job description and how to apply here. You may also contact Pastor Neil White: pastor@rejoicefrisco.com or (972)569-8185.
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
The Art of Resilience: Latinx Public Witness for Troubled Times
September 20-21
SMU | Perkins School of Theology, Dallas, TX
FREE and open to the public! Advanced registration requested.
Recent Blog Posts
Bishop Gronberg:
(https://www.ntnl.org/conference-of-bishops-at-elca-cwa2019/ – published Aug. 4)
(https://www.ntnl.org/elca-cwa-2019-churchwide-assembly-day-1/ – published Aug. 5)
(https://www.ntnl.org/elca-churchwide-day-1-continued/ – published Aug. 6)
(https://www.ntnl.org/presiding-bishop-eaton-re-elected/ – published Aug. 6)
(https://www.ntnl.org/elca-federal-chaplains-honored/ – published Aug. 7)
(https://www.ntnl.org/elca-cwa-2019-honoring-secretary-chris-boerger/ – published Aug. 7)
(https://www.ntnl.org/elca-cwa-2019-wednesday-work/ – published Aug. 8)
Where in the world is?
Bishop Gronberg:
- Aug. 16: Ordination of Sarah Derrick (called to Faith, Flower Mound) in Lexington, SC
- Aug. 17: Candidacy Committee meeting, Briarwood
- Aug. 18: Emanuel, Dallas
Pastor Totzke:
- Aug. 4-12: Vacation
- Aug. 13: Candidacy endorsement panels via Zoom
- Aug. 17: Candidacy Committee meeting, Briarwood
- Aug. 18: Lutheran Campus Ministry Board cookout, Denton
Pastora Bañales:
- Aug. 13: Stewardship Team meeting
- Aug. 14: First Sagrada Familia, Garland
- Aug. 15-23: Behavioral Interview training, DEM’s gathering, and Congregational Vitality training, Baltimore MD
Upcoming Events
- Aug. 17: WELCA Annual Women’s/Girl’s Retreat, Grand Prairie, TX
- Aug. 17: TUNE UP Worship Band Gathering, Sugar Land, TX
- Aug. 31: ELCA Generosity Project workshop, Keller, 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: Synod Council 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. 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.