Host a Briarwood Sunday at Your Congregation
Avery Hawley, Briarwood‘s Community Engagement Manager, is available to come to your congregation to share information about Briarwood’s summer camp and retreat options. She can lead a children’s sermon, do a short talk, or simply be present with information and brochures about the many opportunities for youth and young adults at Briarwood. She is also available to come if you have Wednesday night activities as well. Her available weekends are filling up, so if you are interested in scheduling her, please email avery@bwtx.org soon.
Featured MEF Grant Recipient in 2019
The Mission Endowment Fund of NT-NL granted $80,000 in 2019 to underfunded or start up ministries in our Synod. New grants in the amount of $82,000 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 – St. John, Wilson
Are you thinking your congregation is too small to make an impact in your community and give public witness to your Christian faith? It can happen! And this is the story as told by SAWL Tonda Freitag about how St. John Lutheran Church in Wilson became involved with the South Plains Mobile Food Bank. Continue reading.
Via de Cristo Clergy Experience
Clergy Experience applications are being accepted through February 3 for a Christian renewal week and to experience a catalyst to raise up leaders in churches. The NT-NL Mission Endowment Fund (MEF) awarded a $700 grant for this endeavor because 5 Rostered Leaders and 11 Parish Lay Ministers (PLMs) have been grown from the Lutheran Via de Cristo of North Texas. This special Via de Cristo event is being held during the week so that you don’t have to find a supply pastor.
The mission of Via de Cristo is: By grace, with the Holy Spirit, we challenge leaders to discover and achieve their personal calling, assisting them to influence their environments with the Gospel.
Dates/times: Feb. 10 starts at 6pm through Feb. 13 at 5:30pm
Location: Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center, 5602 Hwy 317 N, Temple, TX 76502
Cost: $225/person (spouses are invited too)
Due Date: February 3, 2020 for application & payment
Info: http://www.tgcvdc.org/clergy-experience-2020.html to register and pay online
Featured Resources for January
We’re excited to share that ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving will continue in 2020. Together, we’ll experience how the grace of Christ moves us to engage in transformative works of love around the world through ELCA World Hunger as God calls us into the ministry of hope, liberation, and restoration. This year, ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving will focus on hope. Even in challenging times, we believe in God, and we hope in the work God is doing in the world.
We invite you to study, pray, and give with us during ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving — for the good of our families, our neighbors, and communities around the world.
Lent is a time of reflection and repentance, of sacrifice and self-examination. But Lent is also a season of hope — hope in the work God is doing in the world, even in the most challenging times.
Safety and stability for refugees and migrants. The renewal of the earth. Sufficient livelihood for all. These are just a few of the things of which we dream, fueled by the Holy Spirit. This Lent, you’re invited to join together with fellow supporters to study, pray, and give during ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving. Accompany us as we journey with our neighbors in hope for a just world where all are fed.
Save the Date
Engaging the Border: Theology and Practice
A Morning of Education and Theological Reflection with Dr. Javier Alanis on the Situation at Our Southern Border and How We Can Make A Difference
Sponsored by the Public Witness Team
Shepherd of Life, Arlington
February 22
Lunch provided!
Dr. Alanis is the Director of the Lutheran Seminary Program in the Southwest (LSPS) in Austin, Tx. His academic interests include peace and justice concerns as they relate to the role of the church in society, and in particular along the U.S.-Mexican border.
If planning to attend, an RSVP would be appreciated. Please respond to Rev. Wayne Menking: wmenking@gmail.com.
Recent Blog Posts
Bishop Gronberg:
(https://www.ntnl.org/have-a-briarwood-sunday-at-your-congregation/ – published Jan. 12)
Letter to Governor Abbott regarding Refugee Resettlement in Texas
(https://www.ntnl.org/letter-to-governor-abbott-regarding-refugee-resettlement-in-texas/ – published Jan. 13)
(https://www.ntnl.org/peer-ministry-training-spring-2020/ – published Jan. 16)
(https://www.ntnl.org/elca-youth-gathering-staff-at-briarwood/ – published Jan. 16)
Where in the world is?
Bishop Gronberg:
- Jan. 22-23: Bible App Development Seminar, Churchwide Offices
- Jan. 25: Parish Lay Ministry Academy (PLMA) Graduation, Advent, Arlington
- Jan. 26: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Service at Holy Trinity Catholic Church
Pastor Totzke:
- (No visits planned this week)
Pastora Bañales:
- Jan. 21: Meeting with Latinx Conference, Emanuel, Dallas
- Jan. 23: Meeting with Church of the Damascus Road, New Hope, Keller
- Jan. 25: PLMA Graduation, Advent, Arlington
Upcoming Events
- Jan. 25: ESET (SSTE) Módulo 6 (Día 1 de 5), Argyle, TX
- Jan. 25: PLMA Graduation, Arlington, TX
- Jan. 30-31: Anti-Racism Allies: Spreading Compassion and Creating Equity, Richland Hills, TX
- Jan. 31-Feb. 1: Synod Council meeting, including Deans, Assistant Deans, MEF Board, Argyle, TX
- Feb. 8: ESET (SSTE) Módulo 6 (Día 2 de 5), Argyle, 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. 22: Engaging the Border: Theology and Practice, Arlington, TX
- Feb. 28-Mar. 1: NT-NL Peer Ministry Leadership Training, TBA
- Feb. 29: ESET (SSTE) Módulo 6 (Día 5 de 5), Argyle, TX
- Mar. 14: Public Witness Team meeting, Arlington, TX
- Mar. 14: PLMA, Spring 2020, Course 1, Argyle, TX
- Mar. 21: Briarwood Gala, Argyle, TX
- Mar. 22: ConFest 2020: Confirmands’ Afternoon with the Bishop, Dallas, 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.