NT-NL 2019 Young Adults in Global Mission
Another year has come, and another group of Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) volunteers have accepted the call into service, beginning last month. The YAGM program has seen significant growth since it began in 1999. In the past five years, the average number of volunteers sent into service each year was 30 more than in the years prior to the Always Being Made New: The Campaign for the ELCA. This growth has only been made possible through generous individuals, congregations, and synods who support this program and the faithful young adults who answer God’s call to service. And with approximately 35% of YAGM alumni entering seminary, it’s also a strategic and timely investment.
Among the 69 newly called YAGM volunteers, these two named a faith home within our synod:
Joe Kiel from Emmanuel, Granbury
Sarah Weaver from Faith, Flower Mound (and former Briarwood staff)
Young adults serve in a variety of areas, including congregational ministry, human rights work, development projects, health care, education, and youth work. A year of service through the YAGM program helps young adults think more critically about their identity, God’s work in the world, and their place within it all.
We invite your prayers as they begin their journeys and as they continue to discern God’s call in their lives. Each YAGM volunteer commits to raising $5,000 for their year of service, and additional contributors to the ELCA help support the additional $10,000 per young adult in program costs. If you feel called to support either or both of these NT-NL young adults, and/or any other YAGM volunteers, you may do so here.
Free ALOA Webinar
Adult Lutherans Organized for Action (ALOA) has much to offer Lutheran congregations in the area of Older Adult Ministry, like regular Webinars on key topics that are practical and free of charge. Find complete information and register at aloaserves.org/events/webinars/.
Caring for Mind, Body and Spirit in Thanks to God
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Noon Eastern TimeAn interview with NJ District Parish Nurse Colleen Botcher, who will present an overview of Parish nursing and congregational health ministries centered on Christ’s healing love. Discussion will include congregational stewardship of health and community outreach with special emphasis on older adult ministry.
ALOA’s webinars are free of charge, 60 minutes max. Once you register, you’ll receive a confirmation email with information on how to access the webinar.
Information Session
Briarwood Leadership Center is pleased to announce that its inaugural Leadership Journey will take place next year, February 3-17, as The Rev. Kendra Mohn, PhD, and Bishop Erik Gronberg, PhD, host a tour through Turkey and Greece. Titled “Paul and Beyond: Early Church Leadership in Turkey and Greece,” the trip will focus on the earliest years of the Christian movement.
Leadership Journeys are an exciting new element of Briarwood programming. Envisioned to include domestic as well as international travel opportunities, the Journeys will focus on leadership themes from community transformation to movement building. Learn more here.
Information Session: Thursday, September 19, 7:00-8:30pm
Join us in person at the chapel at Briarwood or online via Zoom for an information session on this exciting trip with Group Travel’s Kate Peer. She will be available to answer questions and interact with Bishop Gronberg and Dr. Mohn about this exciting travel and learning experience. There are only 10 spaces left for the trip, so please join us if you are interested.
To join via Zoom:
Topic: Briarwood Leadership Journeys Information Session
Time: Sep 19, 2019 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/745260548
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Meeting ID: 745 260 548
Featured Resources for September
And many more!
The ELCA offers a place of welcome for all seeking a congregational home. Your congregation can extend an invitation to neighbors and the surrounding community through the use of these customizable communications tools for Christmas in English and Spanish. Download and use these free tools today.
Save the Date
NTNL Women of the ELCA 2019 Retreat
October 11-13
Butman Methodist Camp, Merkel, TX
Theme: “God’s Undivided Neighborhood”
“Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36-37 NRSV
Recent Blog Posts
Bishop Gronberg:
(https://www.ntnl.org/prayers-for-the-permian-basin/ – published Sep. 2)
(https://www.ntnl.org/2019-leadership-convocation-registration-open-now/ – published Sep. 5)
Pastor Totzke:
(https://www.ntnl.org/courts-ports-the-stories/ – published Sep. 4)
(https://www.ntnl.org/a-day-in-garland/ – published Sep. 8)
Where in the world is?
Bishop Gronberg:
- Sep. 9: The Church of the Damascus Road Golf Outing, Fort Worth
- Sep. 13: Briarwood Golf Outing, Flower Mound
- Sep. 15: 50th anniversary celebration, Our Saviour, Mesquite
Pastor Totzke:
- Sep. 14: Meetings with Bosque County congregations, Cranfills Gap, and Council of Our Savior’s, Clifton
- Sep. 15: Immanuel, Killeen (Polka Service)
Pastora Bañales:
- Sep. 10: NTNL Stewardship team meeting with ELCA Stewardship Director Keith Mundy, Synod office
- Sep. 14: Teaching for PLMA, Fall 2019, Course 1, Argyle
- Sep. 15: Community of Hope, and Umoja, Forth Worth
Upcoming Events
- Sep. 9: Boundary Training: Healthy Relationships in Ministry, Fort Worth, TX
- Sep. 9: The Church of the Damascus Road Golf Outing, Fort Worth, TX
- Sep. 13: Briarwood Golf Outing, Flower Mound, TX
- Sep. 14: PLMA, Fall 2019, Course 1, Argyle, TX
- Sep. 14: Public Witness Team monthly meeting, Arlington, TX
- Sep. 20-21: 2019 Synod Council and Conference Deans Retreat and MEF Board meeting, Argyle, TX
- Sep. 20-21: The Art of Resilience: Latinx Public Witness for Troubled Times, Dallas, TX
- Sep. 20-22: Middle School Retreat, Argyle, TX
- Sep. 20-22: 2019 Addiction and Faith Conference, Bloomington, MN
- Sep. 27: 2019 Symposium: Suicide Prevention in Faith Communities, Dallas, TX
- Sep. 28: Panhandle Conference: Mental Health and Faith, Lubbock, TX
- Sep. 30-Oct. 2: 2019 Stewardship Kaleidoscope, San Diego, CA
- Oct. 3: The Ninth Annual Herbener Lecture: Reading Romans in the Face of Economic Injustice, Dallas, TX
- Oct. 7-9: Engaging Anti-Racism for the Wholeness of the Church: 2019 NT-NL Leadership Convocation, Argyle, TX
- Oct. 11-13: 2019 W-ELCA NT-NL SWO Retreat, Merkel, TX
- Oct. 12: Public Witness Team monthly meeting, Arlington, TX
- Oct. 13: Festival of Church Music, Dallas, TX
- Oct. 13-16: National Council of Churches Christian Unity Gathering, Hampton, VA
- Oct. 13-18: Ministerial Flourishing: Exploring the Meaning, Means and Practices, Possum Kingdom Lake, TX
- Oct. 19: PLMA, Fall 2019, Course 2, Argyle, TX
- Oct. 19: MEF “Seeds That Change” FUNdraiser and Celebration, Arlington, TX
- Oct. 28: Upbring Golf benefiting Foster in Texas, Irving, TX
- Oct. 28-30: Region 4 Deacon Gathering, New Braunfels, 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.