You Are Invited to Experience Kyrie Pub Church Ministry
“Have you ever heard the Gospel preached, or prayed the Lord’s Prayer out loud, or celebrated communion on the patio of a bar and grill? Have you heard of Kyrie Pub Church, Fort Worth? We are a ministry supported by NT-NL that is committed to bringing the church to people who don’t go to church. Trouble is, we need some church people to fill the pews, or in this case, the patio. People attract people. We meet on Sundays at 5pm at Shaw’s Bar and Grill located at 1051 W Magnolia Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104. We start with good music from local singer songwriters, then hear a Gospel message and share communion. Bonus – in the fall you can still watch the Cowboys on the patio big screen, without sound, of course. We could use your help to keep this outreach going. Hope to see you on any given Sunday at Kyrie Pub Church.” – Pr. Kristen Klade and Pr. Phil Heinze
Parish Lay Ministry Academy
The Parish Lay Ministry Academy (PLMA) of NT-NL has been training lay leaders since 2002. We were one of the first lay academies in the ELCA and are still one of the few that offer bilingual course options. The curriculum is similar to the courses you might take in seminary. Some of our graduates have subsequently pursued seminary degrees and have been ordained while others have been designated as Synodically Authorized Worship Leaders to serve in rural and urban communities. The bulk of NT-NL Certified Parish Lay Ministers have used the program to enhance their service in their home congregations or on the synod council and committees. The Fall semester begins September 18. The course offerings are Preaching, Pastoral Care, and Youth and Family Ministry. All sessions are offered on Zoom. You can find out more or sign up for the Fall 2021 semester at https://www.ntnl.org/ministries/plma/ or contact Pr. Phil Heinze at phillipheinze@gmail.com. We hope to welcome you to the Academy in September. – Dean Phil Heinze
ELCA Youth Gathering Important Dates
The dates for the 2022 Gathering are July 24-28 with pre-events, the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) and the tAble, happening July 21-24, 2022, in Minneapolis, MN. Health and safety concerns are the top priority, and they are hosting a webinar on September 8 at 7pm Central to discuss plans for next summer regarding safety in Minneapolis and COVID-19. We encourage all adult leaders to attend or to watch the recording. Register here: https://elcafoundation.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wtcTJzasQReJgJ8asiw9xg.
At this time, it is too early to know exactly what will be required to ensure all participants are safe. All measures will be communicated through Gathering channels (social media, website, gNews). Additionally, more information and FAQs around COVID-19 and the 2022 Gathering can be found here: https://elca.org/YouthGathering/COVID19.
As a pre-event to the Gathering, the tAble blesses and empowers young people who live with a wide range of physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities, so that they might grow as faithful, wise, and courageous witnesses. Join NT-NL Pastor Jamie Bruning for a webinar on September 16 at 7 p.m. Central time to learn more about the tAble, its 2022 theme, and what the team is planning for next summer. Register here: https://elcafoundation.zoom.us/webinar/register/1116287196082/WN_P83d3GaqQmumXEZFO1bIJA.
Registration opens September 22. Visit the Gathering’s website to download the registration worksheets to help get you ready to register your group. If you missed the registration webinar on August 19, be sure to watch the recording here: https://elca.org/YouthGathering/About/Webinars. Bonus: If you register during the Early Bird period, your congregation will be entered to win some exciting prizes!
Featured Resources for August
Congregational Communications Tools
The ELCA offers a place of welcome for all seeking a congregational home. Your congregations can extend an invitation to neighbors and the surrounding community through the use of these customizable communications tools. Download and use these free tools today.
Save the Date
Saturday, October 16, 11am-2pm Central
The BOLD GATHERING is a day for men to come together to learn, to network, and be equipped to BOLDY live out their faith!
Recent Blog Posts
Bishop Gronberg:
(https://www.ntnl.org/counsel-on-religious-exemptions-from-vaccines/ – published Aug. 26)
(https://www.ntnl.org/hurricane-ida-response/ – published Aug. 28)
(https://www.ntnl.org/the-feast-and-mount-olive/ – published Aug. 29)
Where in the world is?
Across a context as wide and different as NT-NL, the reality of Covid-19 is very different. As such, NT-NL synod staff are doing more in-person Sunday visits for worship and occasional meetings. However, as good stewards of time and travel dollars, we will be utilizing online meeting formats into our new hybrid future. Until we can assure everyone in attendance at a meeting are vaccinated, in order to protect those gathered, the synod staff will continue to wear masks unless preaching or presiding and sufficient social distancing can be provided.
Bishop Gronberg:
Sep. 10-11: Synod Council meetings, Online and Briarwood
Sep. 11: Re-gathering worship at Briarwood
Sep. 12: Holy Trinity, Irving
Sep. 19: Festival Worship at Santa Maria, Irving
Sep. 26: Trinity, Fort Worth, with TLU President Debbie Cottrell
Sep. 29-Oct. 2: Conference of Bishops, Chicago, IL
Pastor Totzke:
Sep. 2: Transitional pastors meeting, Zoom
Sep. 10-11: Synod Council meetings, Online and Briarwood
Sep. 11: Synod Re-gathering worship at Briarwood
Sep.12: Resurrection, Plano
Sep. 18: Faithful Innovation training, Abilene
Sep. 19: Redeemer, Greenville
Sep. 26: Holy Trinity, Irving
Sep. 27-30: Tri-synodical First Call Pastors retreat, Briarwood
Pastora Bañales:
Aug. 31: Meetings with NTNL Stewardship Team and DEM’s
Sep. 1: First Sagrada Familia, rehearsal XV, and 50th wedding anniversary
Sep. 2: “Closing Congregations” with Bishop Sue Briner
Sep. 3-4: Latina Women Retreat, Monserrat Retreat Center, and First Sagrada Familia, Garland
Sep. 7: DEM’s meeting, Online
Sep. 10-11: Synod Council meetings, Online and Briarwood
Sep. 11: Synod Worship at Briarwood
Sep. 12: Steering Committee Adviento, Arlington
Sep. 13-15: NTNL Stewardship team and Kaleidoscope Conference
Sep. 19: First Sagrada Familia, Garland
Sep. 21: DEM’s meeting, Online
Sep. 22: NTNL Mission Developer & Redevelopers Gathering, Synod office
Sep. 23: ELCA Generosity Project Spanish team
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. 31: White Supremacy & Racism: Facing Reality, Taking Responsibility – Ian F. Haney López, “White by Law,” Zoom
- Sep. 2: Transitional (Interim) Pastors monthly meeting, Zoom
- Sep. 10-11: Synod Council meetings, Online and Briarwood
- Sep. 11: MEF Board meeting, Briarwood
- Sep. 11: Public Witness Team meeting, Zoom
- Sep. 11: Gathering Together, Briarwood
- Sep. 12: “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday
- Sep. 14: White Supremacy & Racism: Facing Reality, Taking Responsibility – Karen Brodkin Sacks, “How Did Jews Become White Folks?”, Zoom
- Sep. 18: Parish Lay Ministry Academy, Fall 2021, Course 1, Zoom
- Sep. 28: White Supremacy & Racism: Facing Reality, Taking Responsibility – Susannah Heschel, “The Slippery Yet Tenacious Nature of Racism,” Zoom
- Oct. 7: Transitional (Interim) Pastors monthly meeting, Zoom
- Oct. 9: Public Witness Team meeting, Zoom
- Oct. 9: Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Training, Online
- Oct. 12: White Supremacy & Racism: Facing Reality, Taking Responsibility – Cornel West, “A Genealogy of Modern Racism,” Zoom
- Oct. 16: Parish Lay Ministry Academy, Fall 2021, Course 2, Zoom
- Oct. 16: MEF Seeds That Change, Online
- Oct. 18-20: NT-NL Leadership Convocation, Briarwood and Online
- Oct. 23: NT-NL WELCA Virtual Convention, Online
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 editions of our weekly news.