Churchwide Assembly Reflection 4 of 6
From Shirley Wilson-Sigler (St. Luke’s, Richardson), Lay Female Voting Member:
My summary is very personal. Of all the Assemblies I have attended, both Synod and Churchwide, this was the first one that I felt truly valued as a member of African Descent. I rejoiced at the acknowledgement of the following:
The proposed social statement Faith, Sexism, and Justice: A Lutheran Call to Action as a social statement of the ELCA in accordance with the “Policies and Procedures of the ELCA for Addressing Social Concerns.”
The ELCA “Declaration to People of African Descent” naming the role of the Lutheran church’s historical complicity in slavery and its enduring legacy of racism in the United States and globally.
And finally, the celebration of 50 years of Lutheran women being ordained in the US, 40 years of women of color being ordained, and 10 years of LGBTQIA+ individuals being able to freely serve.
My only regret was not seeing all of the Resolutions worked on by the Resolutions and Counsel committee coming to the floor for discussion and votes.
MEF Grants Update
The Mission Endowment Fund of NT-NL granted $80,000 in 2019 to underfunded or start up ministries in our Synod. The Board is now receiving applications for 2020. Do you have a service, educational or outreach ministry in mind that is not currently funded? If so, you are invited to review the guidelines and complete the application found at https://www.ntnl.org/ministries/mef/. Grants will be awarded in February 2020. Contact Linda Ness, mef@ntnl.org with questions. Grant requests for 2020 must be received by October 31.
This is the story of one of the ministries funded in 2019:
2019 MEF Grant Recipient – Emmanuel, Granbury Storytime
Would you like to see a gathering of young children eager to participate in a Storytime hour offered by your church to the community? That’s exactly what Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Granbury has accomplished. This ministry, with the support of the Mission Endowment Fund, reinforces three of Emmanuel’s stated congregational values: community, service, and education. It also centers on Emmanuel’s four focus areas: volunteerism, young families, music, and infrastructure. But there have been some additional surprising developments. Continue reading.
Free ALOA Webinars
ALOA (Adult Lutherans Organized for Action) has much to offer Lutheran congregations in the area of Older Adult Ministry. In addition to the resources on their website, ALOA offers regular Webinars on key topics for Older Adult Ministry that are practical and free of charge. Find complete information and register at aloaserves.org/events/webinars/.
ALOA – Supporting Aging Seniors
Thursday, October 17, 2019, Noon Eastern Time
Chris Carson provides an overview of a program that looks ahead to a time in which a loved one may no longer be able to safely live in complete independence. We’ll discuss aging’s challenges: physical, emotional, financial, legal, and spiritual, as well as suggested resources
ALOA – Aging Parents and Adult Children with Disabilities
Thursday, October 31, 2019, Noon Eastern Time
An interview with Mona Fuerstenau, Director of Ministry Partnerships at Bethesda Lutheran Communities, Watertown, WI. We’ll explore the challenges and possibilities aging parents face as they make plans for the future of their adult children with disabilities.
ALOA’s webinars are free of charge, 60 minutes max. Register in advance at aloaserves.org/events/webinars/. Once you register, you’ll receive a confirmation email with information on how to access the webinar.
Featured Resources for October
The ELCA offers a number of resources for Congregational Based Organizing — items such as “Building Bridges, Building Power,” “Good for Soul, Good for Whole,” “Hope at Work,” and more!
Save the Date
Thrivent’s Cooking for Christ fundraiser
Saturday, November 9
Benefiting Briarwood Leadership Center
Recent Blog Posts
Bishop Gronberg:
Breaking down Walls: Preparing for the Commemoration of the Fall of the Berlin Wall
(https://www.ntnl.org/breaking-down-walls-preparing-for-the-commemoration-of-the-fall-of-the-berlin-wall/ – published Oct. 8)
Witness on the Border: Asylum Seekers Need Our Attention and Advocacy
(https://www.ntnl.org/witness-on-the-border-asylum-seekers-need-our-attention-and-advocacy/ – published Oct. 11)
Pastor Totzke:
(https://www.ntnl.org/welcome-pr-kelsey-fitting-snyder/ – published Oct. 7)
Where in the world is?
Bishop Gronberg:
- Oct 14-16: SW Penn Synod Convocation (Lead Presenter)
- Oct. 19: MEF “Seeds That Change” FUNdraiser and Celebration, Arlington
- Oct 20: Joy, Rockwall
Pastor Totzke:
- Oct. 18-19: Leadership for Faithful Innovation training, Paul Quinn College, Dallas
- Oct. 20: Oslo, Gruver
Pastora Bañales:
- Oct. 19: Teaching at PLMA (Fall 2019, Course 2), Briarwood
- Oct. 19: MEF “Seeds That Change” FUNdraiser and Celebration, Arlington
Upcoming Events
- Oct. 19: PLMA, Fall 2019, Course 2, Argyle, TX
- Oct. 19: MEF “Seeds That Change” FUNdraiser and Celebration, Arlington, TX
- Oct. 26: Introducing LEAD Journey, Argyle, TX
- Oct. 28: Upbring Golf benefiting Foster in Texas, Irving, TX
- Oct. 28-30: Region 4 Deacon Gathering, New Braunfels, TX
- Oct. 31: Deadline for MEF Grant Application
- Nov. 7-10: Via de Cristo weekend, Argyle, TX
- Nov. 8-10: “Lutheran Young Adults” / “Lutheran Single Adults” Reunion Retreat, La Grange, TX
- Nov. 9: Public Witness Team meeting, Arlington, TX
- Nov. 9: Thrivent’s Cooking for Christ fundraiser, Frisco, TX
- Nov. 10: Lutheran Campus Ministry Trivia Challenge, Argyle, TX
- Nov. 11-12: SMU | Perkins School of Theology Fall Convocation (with Rick Steves), Dallas, TX
- Nov. 12-14: Young at Heart Retreat, Argyle, TX
- Nov. 15-17: NT-NL Junior High Gathering, Carrollton, TX
- Nov. 16: PLMA, Fall 2019, Course 3, Argyle, TX
- Nov. 16: MEF Board meeting, Dallas, TX
- Nov. 16: Better Conversations, Fort Worth, TX
- Nov. 18-22: Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders, Arlington, 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.