Message from Bishop Gronberg

Dear Partners in Mission:

Today marks the second day of the ELCA churchwide assembly. A day that will bring a great deal of conversation, plenary sessions, and voting for the next Presiding bishop of our church. I invite your continues prayers for all those who are involved in our assembly and particularly for our voting members Don, Laz, Mariana, Kathryn, Dan, Ben, and myself. It is a privilege to be a part of this assembly as we come together not to be dictated to by a hierarchical church but an assembly of members elected by their synods to do this work.

As we meet we also have exciting things happening online within our synod innovation work. NT-NL has for many years been a leader in innovation in the ELCA. Our parish lay ministry academy is a model and now enrolls students from several ELCA synods. Our congregations adapted and moved forward in the midst of the challenges and found ways to continue ministry. We made hard decisions about property and assets and now have endowments funds for our Conferencia Latina and for youth ministry. Supporting young adults going to camp, sponsoring mission trips, and youth gatherings. At our Assembly in April a resolution was passed that we should make plans to plant four new mission congregations and report back to the assembly in 2026. A bold statement that will require us to be adaptive and open.

AI (artificial intelligence) is an exploding field. There are AI bots to answer all kinds of questions, help develop teaching plans, give travel advice, health advice etc… Studies show people are willing to ask a bot questions they won’t ask a human being. But, who is deciding what is in the AI bot’s head, who decides? In response we have developed an NT-NL bot based on the historical teachings, worship resources, catechisms, statements of the ELCA, and many other resources. This bot, lovingly called the “Lutherbot” is now in a beta form and available on our website. There is a widget on our homepage at www.ntnl.org or you can go to its dedicated page at https://www.ntnl.org/lutherbot/. We invite you to try the bot out, test it, help us learn what you are interested in asking, and give feedback. This is an adaptive learning tool. It will learn from and with us if we are willing to participate. And it is a way we can share our faith and commitments as Lutheran Christians in this time.

God is always about new things. Inviting us to participate in God’s continuing creative work. I invite you to pray for your assembly as we gather. And participate in this experiment we as church are willing to try things new things to connect and grow.

In Mission Together:

Bishop Gronberg

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Featured Resources for July

NT-NL synod staff are excited to engage in-person on Sundays for worship. As good stewards of time and travel dollars, we will be utilizing online meeting formats in our new hybrid reality when possible. If you would like to schedule a meeting with the bishop or Synod staff please contact them directly.

Bishop Gronberg:

July 26-Aug 2: Churchwide Assembly, Phoenix, AZ
Aug 3- Sep 1: Sabbatical

Pastora Bañales:

July 30: Latinx Couples Retreat Planning Team
August 4-8: Vacation
August 5: Rostered Women Leaders online Course: “Stepping Up to Supervision”
August 10: Immanuel, Killeen
August 11: Spanish Leadership Missional Training Planning Team
August 12: Rostered Women Leaders online Course: “Stepping Up to Supervision”
August 14: Spanish Leadership Missional Training Planning Team
August 17: Hope, Springtown
August 18: Stewardship of Life Institute (SOLI), Zoom
August 19: Rostered Women Leaders online Course: “Stepping Up to Supervision”
August 22-24: Conferencia Latina Annual Couples Retreat, Cedar Hill
August 28: Dallas Area Interfaith Meeting
August 28: DEM Advisory Team Meeting
August 31: Emanuel, Dallas

Pastor Fitting-Snyder:

August 7: Region Four Consultation
August 10: Resurrection, Plano
August 17: Holy Trinity, Lebanon PA