Parochial Reports Due by Saturday, February 15

Bishop Gronberg set as a goal that every congregation in NT-NL would submit its annual parochial report. Last year, only one congregation did not accomplish this task. As of February 7, we have 84 congregations that have not yet submitted their reports. With the season of annual meetings and reporting coming to an end in many of our congregations, please submit that report as soon as possible. If you have questions or need assistance, our synod statistician, the Rev. Charles Meyer, would be happy to assist you: cwem@aol.com.

---

We are broken | Estamos quebrantados

In the February issue of Living Lutheran, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reminds us of our uniquely Lutheran understanding of the gospel and renews her call for studying Martin Luther’s Small Catechism. “Luther said he needed to study it every day—and he wrote it! Let’s do the same.” Read her column in English: We are broken o lee su columna en español: Estamos quebrantados.

---

Stewardship as an Act of Worship

Bishop Kevin Strickland of the Southeastern Synod discusses the changing nature of the offering in worship in this new stewardship video from the South Carolina Synod:

International Women’s Day, observed on March 8, 2020, is powered by the collective efforts of all. Collective action and shared ownership for driving gender parity is what makes International Women’s Day successful. Gloria Steinem, world-renowned feminist, journalist, and activist, once explained “The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.” So make International Women’s Day your day and do what you can to truly make a positive difference for women.

An equal world is an enabled world. How will you help forge a gender equal world?
Celebrate women’s achievement. Raise awareness against bias. Take action for equality.

#IWD2020 #EachforEqual

Bishop Gronberg:

Synod Council, Deans, and MEF meet re: Stewardship

(https://www.ntnl.org/synod-council-deans-and-mef-meet-re-stewardship/ – published Feb. 7)

Pastor Totzke:

Ericksdahl Smorgasbord

(https://www.ntnl.org/ericksdahl-smorgasbord/ – published Feb. 8)

Grace, Abilene

(https://www.ntnl.org/grace-abilene/ – published Feb. 9)

---

Where in the world is?

Bishop Gronberg:

• Feb. 3-17: Briarwood Leadership Journey to Turkey/Greece: Paul and Beyond, Early Church Leadership

Pastor Totzke:

• Feb. 15: Candidacy Committee meeting, Briarwood
• Feb. 16: St. Matthew Council retreat, Waco

Pastora Bañales:

• Feb. 2-10: Inter-American and Caribbean Conference, Bogota, Colombia
• Feb. 12: First Sagrada Familia, Garland
• Feb. 13: Meeting with African American congregations, Community of Hope, Fort Worth
• Feb. 14-21: ELCA Congregational Vitality Training, San Diego, CA