2020 Synod Assembly Preacher
We are honored to have African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie as our preacher for this year’s Assembly! Bishop McKenzie is the presiding Bishop of the 10th Episcopal District AME church and serves as the 117th elected and consecrated bishop of the AME Church. Her election in 2000 was historic as she became the first woman, in the more than 200-year history of the church, to be elected to that office. Watch this local news interview with her: First Woman Bishop Talks Life Lessons for All Faiths.
Backpacks to the Border: Learning about AMMPARO
From The Rev. Violeta Siguenza-Del Aguila (Walnut Hill, Farmers Branch): “This initiative started before I went into Sabbatical, I have a good relationship with some of the members at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church, they are receiving families from the border and providing shelter, hygiene supplies, clothing and bus passes, Walnut Hill was going to partner with them. But, when I came back from sabbatical and one Anglo member approached me about a article she read about this Lutheran Church on Eagle Pass, San Lucas Lutheran, they were receiving migrant families and were in need of donations. We also are making blankets and collecting stuff animals for kids victims of family violence so during one of our “making blankets session” we decided to organize and collect 50 back packs for the migrant families of San Lucas Lutheran. Our members were very generous. Then I went to the Latino Conference and San Gabriel and Sagrada Familia brought some donations. Santa Maria really got fired up and helped us with 25 back packs! The original plan was for Gus, Frank and Carlos (my husband) to deliver the backpacks but at the end Frank Salvador was the only one able to make the trip. The Pastor down there was very grateful and the day Frank got there San Lucas received 25 migrant families and they got their backpacks. The Spirit is moving in our midst. Walnut Hill already sent the application to become an AMMPARO congregation. To God all the glory!”
MEF 2019 Grant Recipient
The Mission Endowment Fund of NT-NL granted $80,000 in 2019 to underfunded or start up ministries in our Synod. New grants will be awarded in February 2020. Contact Linda Ness, mef@ntnl.org, with questions.
This is the story of one of the ministries funded in 2019:
2019 MEF Grant Recipient – Four Mile, Mabank
What if you live in a small Texas city and feel your congregation cannot make an impact in your community? If you are thinking that, you should ask the members of Four Mile Lutheran Church in Mabank. It takes the idea of only one person who enlists the help of others to put a successful outreach ministry in place. Continue reading.
Featured Resources for December
Human Sexuality: Gift and Trustexpresses ELCA teaching on human sexuality. The statement is grounded in the biblical witness to the relationship God establishes with creation as a model for relationships between human beings. God is absolutely trustworthy and faithful, and, therefore, with regard to sexuality, both human behavior and social structures are considered in relation to how they foster trust, commitment and protection for the flourishing and well-being of all people. In light of human sexuality as a gift and a trust, the statement considers the ways social structures and institutions shelter, sustain and protect personal, family and social relationships of love and trustworthiness.
With that as our context, we want to make you aware of these helpful resources from our full communion partners with the United Church of Christ (UCC):
Our Whole Lives, together with Sexuality and Our Faith, helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their relationships, health and behavior in the context of their faith. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. It provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills and understand the social, emotional and spiritual aspects of sexuality.
Our Whole Lives is a series of sexuality education programs for six age groups: grades K-1, grades 4-6, grades 7-9, grades 10-12, Young Adults and Adults. The resources are written by professional sexuality educators and provide accurate information for parents, teachers and pastors to be used in the affirming and supportive setting of our churches.
Sexuality and our Faith is written by United Church of Christ and Unitarian Universalist Association members and is the accompanying resource used for each of the grade groups: grades K-1, grades 4-6, grades 7-9 and grades 10-12, Young Adults and Adults in the church setting.
Save the Date
Pastor Smith:
(https://www.ntnl.org/christ-the-king-sunday/ – published Nov. 26)
Where in the world is?
Bishop Gronberg:
- Dec. 2: UpBring Annual Judicatory Leader Gathering
- Dec. 3-5: Region 4 Bishops Gathering, Houston, TX
- Dec. 6-7: Candidacy Retreat, Briarwood
Pastor Totzke:
- Dec. 5: Interim Pastors meeting, Briarwood & Zoom
- Dec. 6-7: Candidacy Retreat, Briarwood
Pastora Bañales:
- Dec. 3: Conversation with four East Dallas churches
- Dec. 4: First Sagrada Familia, Garland
- Dec. 5: Meeting with Stewardship Chairperson, Sandra Gass
- Dec. 7: Generosity Project Workshop with Candidacy Committee
- Dec. 8: Umoja, Fort Worth
Upcoming Events
- Dec. 3: Giving Tuesday | Briarwood’s Winter Carnival, Argyle, TX
- Dec. 14: Public Witness Team meeting, Arlington, TX
- Jan. 11: Public Witness Team meeting, Arlington, TX
- Jan. 17-19: NT-NL High School Gathering, TBA
- Jan. 25: ESET (SSTE) Módulo 6 (Día 1 de 5), Argyle, TX
- Jan. 25: PLMA Graduation, Arlington, TX
- Jan. 31-Feb. 1: Synod Council meeting, Argyle, TX
- Feb. 8: ESET (SSTE) Módulo 6 (Día 2 de 5), Argyle, TX
- Feb. 8: Public Witness Team meeting, Arlington, TX
- Feb. 11-13: Ignite the Church Conference, Orlando, FL
- Feb. 15: ESET (SSTE) Módulo 6 (Día 3 de 5), Argyle, TX
- Feb. 16-18: Texas Interfaith Advocacy Days, Austin, TX
- Feb. 22: ESET (SSTE) Módulo 6 (Día 4 de 5), Argyle, TX
- Feb. 22: Discovering Hope: Building Vitality in Your Congregation, Lubbock, TX
- Feb. 28-Mar. 1: NT-NL Peer Ministry Leadership Training, TBA
- Feb. 29: ESET (SSTE) Módulo 6 (Día 5 de 5), Argyle, 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.