Message from Bishop Gronberg
Dear Partners in Mission:
On October 9, 1989 the weekly Monday prayer meeting at the St. Nicholas church in Leipzig had grown from a handful of participants to over 70,000 people. They gathered to pray for peace and protest the human rights abuses of the communist East German government. As the thousands marched in the street many feared the police would react with violence as had occurred in Tiananmen Square just months before. But then a miracle happened. The soldiers watched but didn’t shoot. The protest continued and the peaceful revolution of “candles and prayer” spread throughout East Germany. By the end of 1989 change had come, the Berlin Wall had fallen, a nation was being reformed.
The fall of the Berlin Wall is often discussed in terms of political, economic, and military pressure. However, the lesser known story of the Leipzig prayer meetings, meeting in a Lutheran church, is one of faithful witness. A weekly gathering for prayer, dedicated to non-violence, had become a reformation movement that ultimately helped change the world. The state police were ready for everything they said, “except candles and prayer.”
Too often our Lutheran reformation heritage focus solely on the events 500 years ago in Wittenberg. Yet throughout this time our Lutheran heritage of faith has led many to bold acts of witness. May 27-June 6, 2024 my spouse, the Rev. Dr. Kendra Mohn (Trinity-Fort Worth), and I will be leading a group to explore that heritage of witness. In so doing inviting ourselves to consider where we are called to be witnesses to the world of our faith in Jesus Christ. We will travel to the historic sites of Martin and Katie, but also to places of witness by people like Bach, Bonhoeffer, Melanchthon, and the Leipzig peace Christians. We also will take time to never forget and witness sites of human cruelty and violence, including the Buchenwald Concentration Camp. Ultimately engaging these places as they are today and meeting the people, hearing from them about their stories, and enjoying German hospitality.
This will be a unique opportunity to engage in the work of Witnessing Heritage. Information can be found at this link TLL24 NTNL Trinity Germany Trip 2024 The trip is intended for lay and rostered leaders. I would encourage congregations to consider supporting their rostered or authorized leaders in participating in this trip as continuing education. Some scholarship funds will be made available for rostered or authorized leaders who have not had the opportunity to visit Germany and the Lutheran heritage sites before. Please contact me at BpGronberg@ntnl.org for that information.
#InMissionTogether:
Bishop Gronberg
Young Adults in Global Mission Applications
Young adults aged 21-35 are invited to apply by January 15th for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 Young Adults in Global Mission program. Young adults will serve alongside Lutheran companion church bodies and organizations in one of six country programs around the world, being shaped by the witness of our global neighbors in a cross-cultural journey of faith.
Areas of service include, but are not limited to, health and human rights, congregational ministry, education, environmental justice, and professional support and communications. All site placements provide opportunities for young adults to confront issues of wealth and poverty, racial privilege, gender privilege, economic disparity and globalization, all through the lens of faith.
Country programs available for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 program cycles are; Argentina and Uruguay, Central Europe, Jerusalem/West Bank, Mexico, Senegal and the United Kingdom.
Those who apply by January 15th will have their placements considered first. Applications place on February 1st of the prospective year. Click here to apply for Young Adults in Global Mission or find our more information.
Featured Resources for August
The ELCA offers a place of welcome for all seeking a congregational home. Your congregation can extend an invitation to neighbors and the surrounding community through the use of these FREE and customizable communications tools. Download and use these free tools today:
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. Given the rise of breakthrough infections and in order to protect those gathered, the synod staff will choose to wear masks as is deemed appropriate unless preaching or presiding and sufficient social distancing can be provided.
Bishop Gronberg:
Aug 20th: Christ-Dallas
Aug 26th: Central-Dallas
Sep 8-9th: Synod Council, Synod Office
Sep 10th: Bethel-Avoca Confirmation
Sep 17th: Redeemer-Greenville Fellowship Hall Dedication
Sep 25th: King of Glory-Dallas 65th Anniversary
Sep 26-30th: Conference of Bishops
Pastor Totzke:
Aug. 19-26: Vacation
Aug 27: Covenant, Temple
Sep 7: Transitional/Interim Pastors, Zoom
Sep 8-9th: Synod Council, Synod Office
Sep 9: PLMA
Sep 10: Messiah, Weatherford – 20th Anniversary
Sep 17: New Hope, Keller
Sep 23: COW Conference Gathering
Sep 24: Grace, Slaton 100th Anniversary
Sep 25-27: Tri-Synodical First Call Pastors Retreat, Gonzales, TX
Pastora Bañales:
Jun. 1-Aug. 31: On Sabbatical
Sep 8-9th: Synod Council, Synod Office
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 12: Public Witness Team, Shepherd of Life, Arlington & Zoom
- Aug 22: First Call Pastors Check-in, Zoom
- Aug 24: Cultivating Compassion Session 8: See No Stranger, Online
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.