Message from Bishop Gronberg

Partners in Mission:

The war between the state of Israel and Hamas has dominated our news lately. This conflict sits in the context of complex historical realities. In the midst of this conflict our Lutheran Palestinian partners continue to do ministry and struggle for justice and opportunity. This Wednesday you have the opportunity to join in and learn in a Zoom webinar hosted by Dr. Robert Smith, an NT-NL pastor and professor at UNT, and a scholar in the area of Christian relations in the Middle East. This webinar will feature Bishop Munib Younan (former bishop of the ELCJHL and past president of the Lutheran World Federation) and the Rev. Carmen Lansdowne from the United Church in Canada.

This learning opportunity is important for us as Lutheran Christians in the United as we seek to understand the conflicts in the Holy Land, the reality of the Palestinian people, and the need for security for the state of Israel. Please join us in this time. You can find more information and register here.

Bishop Gronberg

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MEF Grants Closing on October 31

The NTNL’s Mission Endowment Fund began accepting applications on October 1, 2023 for its grant award program.

Since 1996, this annual program funds mission projects solely in the North Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod of the ELCA. During the last 27 years, MEF has awarded more than $1 million to ministries that might otherwise not receive funding or that reap outsized benefits from a modest investment from MEF, one that enables them to sustain their ongoing work. The many ministries receiving financial support from the Mission Endowment Fund include food pantries, creative children and youth  programs, prison ministries, music programs, community outreach, online worship programming and retreats that strengthen our diverse congregations.

The application is online at: https://www.ntnl.org/ministries/mef/

The deadline is October 31, 2023, at which time the MEF grant committee will begin evaluating the applications. Awards will be announced in early 2024.

Please direct any questions to Executive Director, Jennifer Hachmeister, at mef@ntnl.org. Note that the MEF grant committee is especially attentive to emails during grant application season.

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St. Matthew’s, Fort Worth 70th Anniversary Choir

St. Matthew’s, Fort Worth will be celebrating 70 years of ministry on All Saints Sunday, the 5th of November. To celebrate this milestone their director of music, Adam Frame, is putting together a synod-wide choir. On Saturday, November 4th they will be performing John Rutter’s Requiem. Rehearsal will start at 9am and call time for the performance is at 3pm. Singers are invited to stay through Sunday to perform a movement of the piece for the anthem at their 70th anniversary service. St. Matthew’s choir loft can fit 60 singers, if you are interested in singing please sign up here.

The Requiem presentation will be at 4pm for those interested in attending in the pews.

If you have any questions please reach out to Adam Frame directly by email or phone (469) 328-1650.

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:

Oct 27-28: Bishop Eaton’s Advisory Council, St. Paul, MN
Oct 29: Midland Lutheran, Midland
Nov 12: Trinity, Sherman
Nov 19: Immanuel, Killeen

Pastor Totzke:

Oct 29: Trinity, Sherman
Nov 2: Interim/Transitional Pastors Meeting and MSP Training, Zoom
Nov 11: PLMA
Nov 18: Candidacy Committee, Synod Office
Nov 26: Grace, Carrollton
Nov 28: First Call Pastors Check-in, Zoom
Dec 3: Abiding Grace, Southlake

Pastora Bañales:

Oct 26-Nov 3: Immersion Trip, Chiapas, Mexico