Crossing Borders
THIS Friday, May 24, 8am-12noon, join SMU | Perkins School of Theology at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas for their 33rd Annual Conference of the Professions for Law, Medicine, and Clergy: “Crossing Borders.” Only $35 for Clergy.
Providing medical care, legal representation, and a spiritual home for documented and undocumented immigrants alike — many seeking asylum from intolerable conditions in their home countries — presents unique challenges and rewards. What are the ethical obligations of lawyers, physicians, and clergy to those who have come here from other countries? How are our professional organizations, firms, and practices responding to the needs of the immigrant community?
This year’s conference will feature a keynote presentation by Liz Cedillo-Pereira, Esq. and a panel discussion including Roberto De La Cruz, M.D., Isabel Docampo, D. Min., Bill Holston, J.D. with the Honorable Judge Clay Jenkins, J.D. acting as moderator.
Summer Meals for Kids
An appeal from our NT-NL Hunger Team:
May 26 – August 11
Here are clickable links from this graphic:
http://squaremeals.org/programs/summerfeedingprograms/outreachtools.aspx
ELCA Disability Ministries Seeking Volunteers
ELCA Disability Ministries seeks to develop a task group to help make the church more accessible to the Blind and Deaf communities and to partner with the expansion teams. If you want to share your gifts and utilize your talents in such a project, please email Carol Josefowski at Disability.Ministry@elca.org.
Featured Resources for May
Mental Health Awareness Month
Each year, millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. During May, NAMI and the rest of the country are raising awareness of mental health.
The WhyCare? campaign is an opportunity to share the importance of care in our relationships to others, in mental health treatment and services, and in support and education to millions of people, families, caregivers, and loved ones affected by mental illness. Share information, images, and graphics to tell others what #WhyCare means to you.
When mental illness is present, the potential for crisis is never far from mind. Crisis episodes related to mental illness can feel incredibly overwhelming. There’s the initial shock, followed by a flood of questions—the most prominent of which is: “What can we do?”
People experiencing mental illness—and the people who care for them—need information. However, that information is not always readily available and the search for answers may require more energy and persistence than possible in times of crisis.
“Navigating a Mental Health Crisis: A NAMI Resource Guide for Those Experiencing a Mental Health Emergency” (Crisis Guide) provides important, potentially life-saving information for people experiencing mental health crises and their loved ones. This guide outlines what can contribute to a crisis, warning signs that a crisis is emerging, strategies to help de-escalate a crisis, available resources and so much more.
Additional Resources
Mental Health America (MHA) has a full toolkit you can download.
MHA also has Mental Health Screening Tools. Taking a mental health screening is one of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. Mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, are real, common and treatable. And recovery is possible.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) has a #BreakTheStigma campaign.
Save the Date
“Transforming Discipleship: Faith, Love and Hope after Empire”
Sunday, June 9, 3PM – 5PM
Fifteenth Joe A. and Nancy Vaughn Stalcup Lecture on Christian Unity
Location: East Dallas Christian Church
Free and open to the public
Jooseop Keum is Distinguished Professor of World Christianity at the Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary (PUTS) in Seoul, South Korea. Rev. Dr. Keum served the World Council of Churches (WCC) based in Geneva, Switzerland for ten years as Director of the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME) and as editor of International Review of Mission, which is the missiological journal incepted by the World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh 1910. He taught history and issues of ecumenical missiology as research professor at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Dr. Keum received a PhD at New College, University of Edinburgh, and served the Council for World Mission in London as the executive secretary of Mission Programme. Prof. Keum’s main focus of research is ecumenical understanding and practice of mission in the context of world Christianity. His current project is a forthcoming book on A Missiology of Life. He is the main editor of the new WCC mission statement, Together towards Life: Mission and Evangelism in Changing Landscapes. He organised the 14th World Mission Conference in 2018 with a great success in Arusha, Tanzania. Debracen Reformed Theological University awarded him an honorary doctorate in reformed theology. He is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK).
Click here for a flyer with full details.
Recent Blog Posts
Bishop Gronberg:
(https://www.ntnl.org/st-stephen-shreveport-and-sawl-harold-christensen/ – published May 8)
(https://www.ntnl.org/emanuel-dallas-featured-in-elca-world-hunger-publications/ – published May 13)
(https://www.ntnl.org/briarwood-gala-celebration/ – published May 15)
Synod Assembly 2019: What happens in Church doesn’t stay in Church
(https://www.ntnl.org/synod-assembly-2019-what-happens-in-church-doesnt-stay-in-church/ – published May 19)
Pastora Bañales:
Celebrating Mother’s Day at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Marshall TX
(https://www.ntnl.org/celebrating-mothers-day-at-good-shepherd-lutheran-church-marshall-tx/ – published May 12)
Where in the world is?
Bishop Gronberg:
- May 26: Christ the King, Haltom City
Pastor Totzke:
- May 20: Interim Pastors meeting
- May 20: St. Matthew, Ft. Worth
- May 21-22: LSPS Graduation services, Austin
- May 22: St. John, Bartlett
- May 26: Installation service for Pr. R. Don Wright, Trinity, Clifton
Pastora Bañales:
- May 20: Congregational Vitality Renewal Team, St John’s, Dallas
- May 21: Meeting with Mission Developer in Irving
- May 23: Ministry Review with Nuestro Redentor, Irving
Upcoming Events
- May 24: Crossing Borders, Dallas, TX
- Jun. 8: Public Witness Team monthly meeting, Arlington, TX
- Jun. 8: MEF Board meeting, Arlington, TX
- Jun. 8: Discovering Hope: Building Vitality in Your Congregation, Arlington, TX
- Jun. 8: East Texas – North Louisiana WELCA “The Gathering”, Mabank, TX
- Jun. 9: “Transforming Discipleship: Faith, Love and Hope after Empire”, Dallas, TX
- Jul. 13: Public Witness Team monthly meeting, Arlington, TX
- Jun. 14-15: “All Times and All Places Praise the Lord” Workshop & Hymn Festival, Fort Worth, TX
- Aug. 5-10: ELCA Churchwide Assembly, Milwaukee, WI
- Aug. 10: Public Witness Team monthly meeting, Arlington, TX
- Aug. 17: WELCA Annual Women’s/Girl’s Retreat, Grand Prairie, TX
- Aug. 31: ELCA Generosity Project workshop, Keller, TX
Access our full online Calendar here. Updates made regularly.
Do you have news or announcements to share? Please submit to the Synod office (office@ntnl.org) for consideration for upcoming NT-NL News.