In This Issue
Letter from the Bishop
Health Justice Sabbath
New Qualifications for Exempt Employees
Syrian Crisis / Texas Refugees
Just because you can preach…
FREE Resource
Tri-Synodical Theological Conference
Upcoming Events
Reminders
Letter from the Bishop
Dear NT-NL Leaders,
On November 8, 2016, Donald Trump was elected to serve as the 45th President of the United States. For many in our pews, this result was in part the outcome of their vote (Dallas County and Caddo Parish were the only county or parish in NT-NL not to have a majority of votes cast for President-Elect Trump). For others, we also know this election brings great disappointment, frustration, and fear. Regardless of your own personal opinion or that of your congregation members, I encourage you to pray for our President-Elect and the leadership of our cities, counties, states, and nation.
In addition to encouraging your prayers, I write to you today because I share the concerns of many that the polarized rhetoric of this campaign and the demographic divisions revealed in this election have emboldened and potentially normalized misogynistic, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ, and racist speech. In this past week, there have been many incidents in which churches, schools, and other public venues have been defaced with statements and signs seeking to intimidate women, minorities, immigrants, and the LGBTQ community through violent speech and the threat of potential actions.
The people being threatened and intimidated are members of our congregations and are our neighbors. Friends who are fearful to go to work and uncertain about their safety in public venues, parents of children who are afraid of or already experiencing harassment in school. Social media, always a potential outlet for bullying, is also a less safe place today and a venue for even more harassment and hateful rhetoric.
As leaders in our communities, we are called to denounce this behavior, speak out when we witness acts of hatred, and encourage and equip our congregations to do the same. As the ELCA, we have committed ourselves to working to be anti-racist, to welcome the vulnerable and excluded in our midst, and work for justice and peace in all the earth. This is challenging work, but it is the work our church has committed itself to undertaking.
Please know that you and your congregational leadership are in my daily prayers. Thank you for your leadership and working for the sake of the Gospel. Know that I and my staff are here to support you as we live into being a church committed to justice, hope, and peace for the sake of the entire world.
In Mission Together,
Bishop Erik K.J. Gronberg
Health Justice Sabbath
Health Justice Sabbath
Your Health Justice Sabbath event could be as simple as including a special prayer for health and healing in worship, or it might be a bigger project, like a forum or health fair your whole community can attend. Or maybe a few congregation members could volunteer at a local low-income clinic. If you can’t hold your Health Justice Sabbath observance Nov. 18-20, feel free to choose a time that works better for your congregation. Register your congregation to participate: abovepoliticstx.org.
Interfaith Sign-on Letter
Texas Impact is providing an opportunity for Texans of faith to add their name to a statement urging the Texas Legislature to support a solution to the looming health care crisis. The statement is attached in a form that may be passed around in person or online at: https://texasimpact.org/
Faith-Based Resources
Visit http://www.
New Qualifications for Exempt Employees
After more than two years of deliberation, on May 18, 2016, the United States Department of Labor announced a new standard for determining who qualifies as an exempt employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The new ruling states that if an employee earns less than $47,476 per year ($913 per week), then in most cases the employee needs to be classified as non-exempt. The current minimum salary threshold is $23,660 per year ($455 per week), which was established in 1975. The current threshold is now below the poverty line. This change will take effect next month on December 1, 2016.
The ELCA recorded the webinar from last week that discusses the new FLSA laws. If you would like access to this resource, please contact jason@ntnl.org for the link and password.
We consulted our synod lawyer, who put together this memorandum and flow chart to help explain these changes and how they might affect our congregations and ministries.
It’s important to do your due diligence, possibly even consult a lawyer, and follow your state and local laws as well.
Syrian Crisis / Texas Refugees
First Presbyterian, Fort Worth, hosted Dr. Mary Mikhael, the first female seminary president in the Middle East, on Saturday, October 1, 2016, for an ecumenical conversation on the Syrian Crisis. Trinity Lutheran, Fort Worth, co-sponsored this event. Here is a link to a video presented during that talk: http://fpcfw.org/news/syrian-crisis/.
Dr. Mikhael, also a Presbyterian elder with the National Evangelical Synod of Syria & Lebanon (NESSL), does much of her refugee work in both countries. Her group provides supplies in Syria and educates children in Lebanon’s refugee camps. Her interview with KERA aired on October 7. You can listen to that here: After Texas Withdraws From Refugee Program, Syrian Elder Says Children Are Most Affected
Just because you can preach…
…doesn’t mean you’re a communicator. For an organization in which the word is central, the church does a poor job of communicating, says an SMU professor and consultant. She has some advice on how church leaders can do it better. Click here to read this relevant Faith & Leadership article.
FREE Resource
Pr. Allen Johannes has a set of Interpreters Bible and Dictionary he is offering to the first person interested and able to pick up in Clifton, TX. You may contact him here: allenbettyjohannes@gmail.com.
Tri-Synodical Theological Conference
As we commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, Refresh ‘17 aims to help leaders appropriate the gifts of that historic event for church vitality and mission today. ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Lutheran World Federation General Secretary Martin Junge, and local colleagues will challenge and inspire us with their stories and insights. The main goals of Refresh ’17 are to lift up the ongoing processes of reformation in the church while equipping leaders to further the Spirit-led work in church and society for life-giving change. Worship will be led by the ELCA’s Glocal Musicians, who will share models of worship pertinent to Lutherans all over the world and applicable in our own settings.
Hotel: Book your room by January 1 for the “Theological” rate of only $129/night (plus taxes & fees). Call 512-454-3737.
Early registration special pricing ends December 14!
For full details and to register: swtsynod.org/theological2017
Upcoming Events
Here are leadership highlights:
- Nov. 15-17: Simply Wright: N. T. Wright @ Perkins/SMU
- Nov. 18-20: Region 4 Global Mission / World Hunger Synod Leaders Consultation (ELCA)
- Nov. 19: Parish Lay Mission Academy
- Dec. 16-17: NT-NL Candidacy Committee Meeting & Retreat
- Jan. 23-25: Tri-Synodical Theological Conference
- Feb. 10-11: Mission / Synod Council Meeting
- Feb. 10-11: Tri-Synodical Lutheran Men in Mission Gathering
- Feb. 12-14: 2017 Lutheran Legislative Event
- Feb. 19-21: LSTC Seminary Sampler
- Feb. 25: Creation Care and Climate Change (PWT)
- Apr. 1: Dallas Area Metro North SWO Retreat
- Apr. 27-28: Mission / Synod Council Meeting
- Apr. 28-30: 2017 Mission / Synod Assembly
For a complete list of upcoming events in, and important to, our Synod, you can access our Calendar of Events online.
Reminders
- The 2016 Prayer Partners list is available at ntnl.org/2016prayerpartners (recently updated to correct December’s dates).
Looking for information in past Leader News emails? Find our Leader News archives here!