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NT-NL Leader News: March 2017

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In This Issue

Deadlines for Assembly

Assembly Worship Service

Annual Reports

Church Constitution Updates

How to Earn Wellness Dollars

Resources from Tri-Synodical Theological Conference

Whose Work Is It?

Head Strong, Heart Felt

“Go Baptize, Make Disciples” Catechumenate Training Institute

Spanish Language and Hispanic Ministry Intensive

Building Congregational Capacity for Hispanic Ministry

Rostered Ministers Gathering

ELCA Youth Gathering

Job Opening (Gulf Coast Synod)

Upcoming Events

Reminders

Deadlines for Assembly

Join us for our 2017 Synod Assembly as we celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Register by March 15 to save money with our Early Registration Rates.

Hotel Reservations can be made with our host hotel, Dallas/Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center, for $109.00 (plus taxes and fees) per night, as long as the booking is made by April 12. Book online with our group rate for “NT-NL Synod Assembly” or call Marriott Reservations directly at 1-800-228-9290 and mention “NT-NL Synod Assembly” to receive our group rate.

The deadline to submit resolutions is two weeks prior to Assembly. This year, that date is April 14.

Assembly Worship Service

Please invite your congregations and friends to join us for the Assembly worship service on Saturday, April 29, at 5pm, at Preston Meadow Lutheran Church, 6801 Coit Rd, Plano TX 75024. ALL ARE WELCOME. Bishop Erik Gronberg will be preaching. (No assembly registration required, and no fee to attend.)

Annual Leader Report

Help us support you. If you have not already, you may still submit your annual Rostered / Authorized Leader Report online.

Church Constitution Updates

The NT-NL Synod Council and our Synod lawyer will be reaching out to each of our churches this year to make sure constitutions are up-to-date. This is a simple process now and vital for a number of reasons.

A current local constitution ensures that everyone in the congregation has the latest standards for consideration and discussion, eliminating surprises from working with outdated information.

Following the 2016 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the model contains all of the updated required provisions, and no changes are permitted to such provisions. Similarly, all of the optional but recommended provisions are up-to-date. Please take the appropriate steps to have your congregation’s constitution up-to-date.

Please submit your updated church constitution to the Secretary of the NT-NL Synod Council for review and approval: todd@teamcdms.com. All of this information can also be found on our website here: ntnl.org/resources/congregation-resources/.

How to Earn Wellness Dollars

If you have ELCA-Primary health coverage, follow these three steps to earn up to $400 wellness dollars by completing Portico’s Live Well Challenge.

1) Take stock of your physical and emotional health via the health assessment ($100)

2) Take stock of your retirement readiness via Portico’s Retirement Planning Tool; at the end of step 4 in the tool, you can either implement changes or save the plan for future consideration to earn your wellness dollars ($200)

3) Identify and work towards a positive lifestyle change, and report your progress on myPortico ($100)

Resources from Tri-Synodical Theological Conference

Refresh Resources from the 2017 conference are now available online, including the Facebook Live videos and professional recordings of worship, conversations, RED Talks, Fireside Chats, Psalm 99 Hymn, Glocal Music, and more: www.swtsynod.org/theological2017.

Whose Work Is It?

In her February column for Living Lutheran, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton lifts up the need for well-trained pastors and deacons. Where do we find these potential leaders? She says it’s the “work of the entire church.” You can read her column in English at http://www.livinglutheran.org/2017/02/its-not-what-we-do/ or in Spanish at http://www.livinglutheran.org/2017/02/no-es-lo-que-hacemos/.

Head Strong, Heart Felt

Invite your congregation to go deep into a biblical or theological topic during “Head Strong, Heart Felt: Welcome to a World of Learning at Perkins,” the theme of this year’s Perkins Theological School for the Laity (PTSL). The event will be Thursday, March 30 – Saturday, April 1, 2017 at Perkins School of Theology on SMU’s campus in Dallas.

Choose one or two courses from the seven that will be offered:
·           Introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls with Dr. Angela Kim Harkins
·           Spiritual Autobiography: Writing Our Faith with Dr. Rebekah Miles
·           Holy Spirit 101 with Dr. Jack Levison
·           Viewing the 2016 Presidential Election through the Bible with Dr. Sze-kar Wan
·           The Reign of Heaven … What on Earth? The Heart of the Gospel of Matthew with Dr. Wes Allen
·           Group Bible Study and Difficult Dialogue in Contentious Contexts with Dr. Susanne Johnson
·           Social Holiness: Exploring Our Wesleyan Roots with Dr. Hugo Magallanes

Click here for a brochure with full details. To view full details online and to register: smu.edu/Perkins/PublicPrograms/LaySchools/Dallas/PTSL_2017.

“Go Baptize, Make Disciples” Catechumenate Training Institute

May 4-6, 2017

Arden, NC

Now is the time to reclaim the traditional path of discipleship—through a faith formation process known as the Catechumenate. This ancient/future way of learning and creating disciples invites us to hear one another’s stories in the light of God’s story. It is a baptismal journey with Jesus that is life-giving and transforming—not only for individuals but for entire faith communities.

You are invited to experience this simple yet profound way of making disciples at a Training Institute being held May 4-6, 2017, in Arden, North Carolina. The event for pastors, seminarians, and lay leaders is co-sponsored by Journey to Baptismal Living (NAAC) and the North Carolina Synod (ELCA). Bring a team and be immersed in the movements and worship rites of the Catechumenate. Every participant receives a training manual and free copy of Go Make Disciples: An Invitation to Baptismal Living (Augsburg Fortress) that will help you introduce this discipling process to your congregation.

Full scholarships (including housing) are available for students/seminarians. Booking deadline for housing is April 4. Click here for full details and resources for your congregation.

Spanish Language and Hispanic Ministry Intensive

Spanish Language and Hispanic Ministry Intensive I

May 28 – June 2

The Summer Language and Hispanic Ministry Intensive is a resource for Lutherans and those of other denominations who recognize the growing need for competency in the Spanish language and an understanding of Hispanic culture in light of the increasing Hispanic population in this country and in the church. The course focuses on study of the Spanish language and Hispanic culture.

Building Congregational Capacity for Hispanic Ministry

Building Congregational Capacity for Hispanic Ministry (Level II Intensive)

June 11-16

This new Level II Intensive is designed for congregational leaders in those congregations where consideration is being given to starting Hispanic Ministry in their community. Teams of at least 3 people from each congregation are encouraged to attend. During this week, teams will learn:

  • To increase capacity for doing Hispanic ministry
  • To learn several models for engaging in Hispanic ministry in congregational settings
  • To improve facility in Spanish language, especially liturgical Spanish
  • To build a cohort of colleagues preparing for Hispanic ministry within their community

Rostered Ministers Gathering

August 7-10, 2017

Atlanta, GA
Sheraton Downtown

Worship. Grow. Connect. Join leaders from across this church for the first-ever Rostered Ministers Gathering of the ELCA. Learn more. EARLY REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Scholarship application deadline: March 8.

ELCA Youth Gathering

It is time to start talking about the 2018 ELCA YOUTH GATHERING!

The mission of the ELCA Youth Gathering is faith formation in high school age youth! It is being held in Houston, Texas, June 27 – July 1, 2018. The 2018 Gathering theme is “This Changes Everything,” which is based on Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”

The NT-NL Synod had 414 participants from 35 congregations in Detroit in 2015, and we expect even more for Houston! We are going to have special activities before and during the gathering for our AWESOME NT-NL YOUTH! Some of these include:

  • Pre Gathering Event
  • NT-NL Youth Meal in Houston
  • A few surprises too

Congregations need to contact Janelle Miller and let her know your Primary Leader if your group is thinking about going to The Gathering so we can start getting details directly to you!

Congregations that do not have youth to send to The Gathering are asked to identify a Houston Prayer Team Coordinator and get that information to Janelle.

Click here for a flyer with more details, important dates, etc.

Contact Information for NT-NL Youth Gathering Team:

Job Opening

The Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod of the ELCA is searching for an office manager. The office manager oversees an office with a small staff, provides administrative assistance to the bishop, and coordinates the annual assembly.

For the full job description and how to apply by March 15: gulfcoastsynod.org/congregations/jobopenings/.

Upcoming Events

Here are leadership highlights:

For a complete list of upcoming events in, and important to, our Synod, you can access our Calendar of Events online.

Reminders

Looking for information in past Leader News emails? Find our Leader News archives here!