Why We Should Care About Luther: Martin Luther on the Holy Spirit

The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) is hosting an upcoming faith-based learning series. This is a FREE spiritual enrichment opportunity you don’t want to miss!

This series is directed by esteemed Luther scholar and LSTC faculty member Dr. Candace Kohli. Together via Zoom, parishioners from Lutheran churches nationwide will deeply investigate what it means to call ourselves Lutherans and find out more about how Luther’s ideas changed the world.

This dynamic course will be held over four (4) Sundays, beginning February 26, 6:00-7:30pm CST, or you can join a facilitated session using Sunday’s recording on Wednesdays, beginning March 1 on from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm. Register here.

(While participation in these events is of no cost to participants, there is an opportunity to become a subscriber to LSTC’s Learning Communities. Click here for more information about the LSTC Learning Community, subscriptions, and their formation programs.)

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Mission Investment Fund’s Latest Term Investment Rates

From our partners at the ELCA’s Mission Investment Fund:

Competitive rates (as of February 1, 2023) are one reason to consider a new Term Investment from MIF:

Here’s another:
At the same time it’s helping you build your savings, your investment in the Mission Investment Fund will help fund loans to ELCA congregations and ministries so they can continue doing God’s work in the world. That’s two compelling reasons to connect with us.

To open a new account, visit us at mif.elca.org or call 877-886-3522.

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Kindling Faith: Our Muslim Neighbors

Almost two billion people on Earth are adherents to Islam, yet many American Christians know little or nothing about this faith.

The Rev. Dr. David D. Grafton is the Professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations on the faculty of the Duncan Black Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford International University. The Duncan Black Macdonald Center is the oldest center of its kind in the United States. Dr. Grafton holds a PhD in Islamic Studies, from the Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, University of Birmingham, England, an MDiv from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, and a BA from Capital University, Columbus, Ohio.

Dr. Grafton’s academic interests focus on the history of Christian-Muslim relationships, Lutheranism and Islam, Christian theological perspectives on Islam, the history of Christianity in the Middle East, American Christian perspectives of religion and society in the Middle East. He is the author of numerous articles, and chapters of books on Christian-Muslim relations, as well as The Christians of Lebanon: Political Rights in Islamic Law (I.B. Tauris, 2004), and Piety, Politics and Power: Lutherans Encountering Islam in the Middle East (Wipf and Stock,2009), The Contested Origins of the 1865 Arabic Bible: Contributions to the Nineteenth Century Nahda (Brill, 2015). His most recent publication is More Than a Cup of Coffee and Tea: a generation of Lutheran-Muslim Relationships (2021).

Zoom dates: March 2, 9, 23, 30 at 7:00PM EST.

Click here for a flyer with more details. | Click here for full details online and to register (for just $30).

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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:

Feb. 28-Mar. 3: Conference of Bishops
Mar. 11: Parish Lay Ministry Academy (PLMA)

Pastor Totzke:

Dec. 1-Feb. 28: On Sabbatical

Pastora Bañales:

(Awaiting calendar updates)