Bilingual VBS at Home
Per Bishop Gronberg’s blog on July 28: “…our Conferencia Latina will be hosting a Bilingual VBS@home the second and third weeks of August. I believe this is the first such VBS of its kind ever in the ELCA. So grateful for how our leaders in the Conferencia Latina have come together to adapt and learn and provide resources for our communities. This is work #EnMisionJuntos #InMissionTogether.”
You must register in advance by TOMORROW, August 5, via 817-713-4515 or sangabriel.lupita@att.net.
Five Hundred Years of “The Freedom of a Christian”
You are invited to study and reflect on Martin Luther’s treatise “The Freedom of a Christian” in 2020, its 500th anniversary. The treatise invites us to hear, share and experience the Lutheran witness of the Christian faith as it relates to God’s narrative of freedom in Christ. This initiative extends our engagement in the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Learn more at ELCA500.org.
Luther’s “Freedom of a Christian” is relevant to conversations today. In early June, Pastor Robert Smith, Director of Briarwood Leadership Center, published a blog entry on how our country’s present struggles with Systemic Racism and Covid-19: Religious Freedom, Part III: Freely Serving the Neighbor.
Seasons of Creation 2020
Bishop Eaton has joined heads of churches from the United States and Canada to author “Seasons of Creation 2020,” an ecumenical series of weekly devotions for Sept. 1 through Oct. 4, the first date of which is World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. |SINGLE-PAGE | BOOKLET
Featured Resources for August
Being Church
Weekly Online Gatherings for ELCA Leaders
Wednesdays, 1PM Central
Join us TOMORROW, August 5, for Naming our Laments and Recognizing our Resiliency with Rev. Robin McCullough-Bade (Executive Director of the Interfaith Federation of Greater Baton Rouge) and Rev. Brenda K. Smith (Program Director for Faith Practices and Book of Faith for the ELCA).
You are invited to join this weekly online gathering designed to provide encouragement and support for ELCA leaders across the church. Participants will hear topical presentations related to how we are called to be Church, as well as have an opportunity to be in small group discussions with an ELCA group coach facilitating the conversation. This is where the magic happens. All of this is designed to help us process our emotions and thus create a space where we can each name our next most faithful step forward in our unique context. You are welcome to share this invitation with any other ELCA leader, rostered or lay. #ELCAChurchTogether
We understand a number of folks are unable to make this day and time each week. We record the main session and the wrap-up time. We share each recording with supporting documents here by the following week: https://www.
You can find the login information and a list of upcoming topics and presenters on the home page of the ELCA Coaching website: https://www.
Save the Date
Conversations at Briarwood resume in August on Thursdays at 7pm. See the synod calendar for the login details each week.
The Conversations provide a “deep dive” opportunity to engage topics of importance to both church and society. This second series will feature prominent Latina/o/x church leaders and scholars.
August 6 – Jennifer De Leon on “Building Movements, Mistakes & All”
August 13 – Rubén Rosario Rodríguez on “Liberation Theology for Today”
August 20 – Cláudio Carvalhaes on “Liturgy and the Care of Creation”
August 27 – Jacqueline Hidalgo on “Monuments, Memory, and Inclusive Justice”
More information about our featured guests will be shared in individual Briarwood Leadership Center Facebook events promoting each Conversation.
Recent Blog Posts
Bishop Gronberg:
(https://www.ntnl.org/guidance-on-remote-meetings-english-y-espanol/ – published Jul. 29)
Where in the world is?
The bishop and staff have resumed limited in-person travel for special events or to tape or live-stream worship. The staff will wear masks for all services and anytime they are near people, either inside or outside a facility. All synod business will continue to be conducted by Zoom, including our synod council meetings and online assembly on September 26.
Bishop Gronberg:
- Aug. 2: Live Stream, King of Glory, Dallas
- Aug. 9: Outdoor worship and ordination of Adam Stockton, Rejoice, Frisco
Pastor Totzke:
- Aug. 9: Outdoor worship and ordination of Adam Stockton, Rejoice, Frisco
Pastora Bañales:
- (No travel planned)
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:
- Aug. 5: Weekly Online Gathering for ELCA Leaders – Naming our Laments and Recognizing our Resiliency [Rev. Robin McCullough-Bade (Executive Director of the Interfaith Federation of Greater Baton Rouge) and Rev. Brenda K. Smith (Program Director for Faith Practices and Book of Faith for the ELCA)], Zoom
- Aug. 6: Weekly NT-NL Leadership Prayer, Check-in, Zoom
- Aug. 6: Conversations at Briarwood – Building Movements, Mistakes & All (Jennifer DeLeon), Zoom
- Aug. 8: ESET (SSTE) Módulo 8 (Día 2 de 5), Zoom
- Aug. 8: Public Witness Team meeting, Zoom
- Aug. 12: Weekly Online Gathering for ELCA Leaders (Pastor Mary Martha Kannass with young adults of Hephatha Lutheran, Milwaukee), Zoom
- Aug. 13: Weekly NT-NL Leadership Prayer, Check-in, Zoom
- Aug. 13: Interim Pastors monthly meeting, Zoom
- Aug. 13: Conversations at Briarwood – Liberation Theology for Today (Rubén Rosario Rodríguez, PhD), Zoom
- Aug. 15: ESET (SSTE) Módulo 8 (Día 3 de 5), Zoom
- Aug. 19: Weekly Online Gathering for ELCA Leaders, Zoom
- Aug. 20: Weekly NT-NL Leadership Prayer, Check-in, Zoom
- Aug. 20: Conversations at Briarwood – Liturgy and the Care of Creation (Cláudio Carvalhaes, PhD), Zoom
- Aug. 22: ESET (SSTE) Módulo 8 (Día 4 de 5), Zoom
- Aug. 22: Living Connected: The Spiritual Discipline of Creation Care (The Gift of Water), Zoom
- Aug. 25: Living Connected: The Spiritual Discipline of Creation Care (The Gift of Water), Zoom
- Aug. 26: Weekly Online Gathering for ELCA Leaders, Zoom
- Aug. 27: Weekly NT-NL Leadership Prayer, Check-in, Zoom
- Aug. 27: Conversations at Briarwood (Jacqueline Hidalgo, PhD), Zoom
- Aug. 29: ESET (SSTE) Módulo 8 (Día 5 de 5), Zoom
- Sep. 2: Weekly Online Gathering for ELCA Leaders – Expressing and Mourning our Grief, Zoom
- Sep. 3: Weekly NT-NL Leadership Prayer, Check-in, Zoom
- Sep. 3: Interim Pastors monthly meeting, Zoom
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.