In This Issue
Tri-Synodical Theological Conference
Website Soft Launch
Updated Blog Links
Fraud Alert
ELCA Resourceful Servants Initiative
Portico Benefits for 2018
Portico Webinar
Portico Wellness Dollars
Briarwood Climbing Wall & Zip Line Dedication
Volunteers Needed
Bishop’s Convocation Registration
Brite Reformation Chapel Service
Upcoming Events
Tri-Synodical Theological Conference
Dear Texas and Louisiana Lutheran Leaders,
We Texas/Louisiana bishops met last month with some staff members to talk about the Tri-Synodical Theological Conference. This event used to gather over 400 rostered leaders. Now, even with the inclusion of non-rostered staff, it averages around 285 participants. As the numbers have gone down, the price point has gone up.
There are also a number of competing events that did not used to exist, such as the Festival of Homiletics and the Rostered Ministers Gathering. We wonder if our Tri-Synodical Theological Conference has come full circle. At the time of the merger in 1988, Texas and Louisiana formed one synod in the ALC and LCA. The gathering of the three synods provided well-acquainted colleagues an opportunity to hang out. Is the need for this still there?
We would like to hear from you. We are going to take a year off from the Theological Conference in 2018 and use this time to prayerfully discern whether to continue this event, discontinue it, or have it once every other year or every three years.
Here is a survey link with a number of questions about the Tri-Synodical Theological Conference: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5B2WWJR. We truly value your input. Please take a moment and put down your honest reflections. We will share a summary of the data and responses we receive.
For the time being, you can remove our usual time this coming January of 2018 off your calendar. The funds you would normally spend can be saved or used for other things. Once we have time to reflect on your responses, we will let you know about 2019.
Thank you for your willingness to help us discern this and for your ongoing ministry.
Yours in Christ,
Michael Rinehart, Gulf Coast Synod
Ray Tiemann, Southwestern Texas Synod
Erik Gronberg, Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod
Website Soft Launch
Some of you have already noticed. We went live with our new and improved website at the beginning of last month. It’s been built with a responsive design! For those of us less technically-inclined, we can just call that mobile-friendly. Please keep in mind we are still working out some bugs and making edits. We are planning to make the official announcement next month in our weekly news.
Please review your People profile and any associated Worshiping Community profile(s). If we need to make any updates, please email those to Jeanne@ntnl.org. If you would like your personal email address and/or cell number available publicly as well, just let us know.
Updated Blog Links
With the website updates, our leadership blogs have new web addresses. You can now find those directly on the home page. You can also find them here:
Blog of Pastor Totzke (Bishop’s Associate for Leadership Formation and Congregational Care)
Blog of Pastora Bañales (ELCA Director for Evangelical Mission)
Fraud Alert
The South Central Synod of Wisconsin has reported that scammers are finding the names of treasurers on congregational websites, discovering their emails, and emailing them a message from the “pastor” requesting a wire transfer of funds to an independent account, e.g. a Wells Fargo account. They initiate contact with the treasurer, pretending to be the pastor. If the treasurer engages, after a little chit chat, the request for a fund transfer is made. One of their congregations has already been defrauded of $19,900, and a local bank has questioned and stopped two other such requests.
ELCA Resourceful Servants Initiative
We often speak of the many dimensions of wellness in our lives – spiritual, intellectual, emotional, social and physical, for instance. Financial well-being is another vital component in our endeavor to live well. The ELCA will focus on this concept in the months and years ahead as we take the next steps to assist rostered leaders and congregations in enhancing their financial acumen and preparedness.
Recent national surveys have pointed to the lack of financial preparedness by all age groups in all walks of life:
- In a well-publicized Federal Reserve study, nearly half of the respondents reported that they would have a difficult time paying for a $400 emergency expense.
- From the same study, nearly one-third of working-age respondents reported having no retirement savings.
The issue may be magnified for rostered ministers. You have given graciously of your time and talent, yet financial treasure has not always been returned to you. You are well-versed in Scripture, although perhaps less conversant in financial matters.
Together, we hope to change that. The ELCA is embarking on “Resourceful Servants,” an initiative to encourage habits that strengthen and sustain individual and congregational financial wellness and growth. We will be introducing an array of financial resources for your use. We will offer special pilot programs on saving for emergency situations as well as saving for retirement, and our programs promise to kick-start your savings efforts. We will also introduce personal financial counseling and congregational training.
Supporting us financially in these efforts are our church partners, the Mission Investment Fund and the employees and trustees of Portico Benefit Services. The ELCA Federal Credit Union and Lutheran Social Service Financial Counseling are implementation partners. A generous grant from the Lilly Endowment also makes this initiative possible.
I invite you to make full use of these new financial tools and programs:
- Your first stop can be to our website, resourcefulservants.org, where you can complete your personal financial wellness assessment.
- From there, you may learn more about and enroll in our two new savings programs designed for rostered ministers.
It is our hope that enhanced financial well-being will indeed contribute to living well.
The Rev. Elizabeth Eaton
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Portico Benefits for 2018
Last month, Portico’s trustees voted to approve our health plan recommendations for 2018. Thanks in part to anticipated savings from the personalized support we added this year for ELCA-Primary members, Portico is able to limit increases to 2018 health benefit costs.
- Baseline health contribution rates will increase by 5%, the same percentage as last year
- For plan members, cost increases will be limited to brand-name prescription drugs
- Deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, and wellness dollars will remain the same
Of course, personalized support does more than save money — it creates healthier outcomes. We’re grateful so many of you have already said yes to Care Coordinators and the Livongo for Diabetes Program. We look forward to exploring additional ways to support your well-being in 2018.
Peace,
Stacy A. Kruse
Chief Operating and Financial Officer
Portico Benefit Services
Have any questions?
Contact the Portico Customer Care Center
800.352.2876
mail@PorticoBenefits.org
Portico Webinar
It’s that time again to select your Portico options. There will be a webinar on September 19 to go through this year’s options.
Want to know more about the trends driving 2018 rates? Wondering why some members’ prescription drug costs will change, and by how much? This webinar is designed for both sponsoring employers and members with ELCA-Primary health benefits (that is, not eligible for Medicare) who are interested in a deeper understanding of recent changes announced for 2018.
Click here to register for the webinar.
Portico Wellness Dollars
ELCA-Primary members and spouses, complete Portico’s 2017 Live Well Challenge to earn up to $400 wellness dollars!
How to Complete This Year’s Challenge:
1. Register & Complete Your Health Assessment by Sept. 30: Earn $100
2. Save or Implement a Retirement Plan With Your Spouse by Nov. 30: Earn $200 Each
3. Report Your Healthy Change by Nov. 30: Earn $100
For more information, log in at https://myportico.porticobenefits.org/.
Briarwood Climbing Wall & Zip Line Dedication
Honoring Mamma Jean Oswald and Pastor Eric Schulze
From Briarwood:
This summer, we have added a tower that measures 30 feet tall, and on this tower are a climbing wall, vertical playpen, and “Jacob’s Ladder.” Off of this tower is a 450-foot zip line that climbers get to ride after they’ve made it to the top! This addition has proven to not only be a highlight for summer campers but an attraction as we now offer BASE Camp (Briarwood’s Awesome Summer Experience) to the surrounding Community.
This new addition was made possible because of gifts given in Memory of Mamma Jean and Pastor Eric, a gift from Pastor Eric’s Estate, a major gift from Grace Lutheran Church, Fort Worth, a grant from the NT-NL Mission Endowment Fund along with gifts from Ron and Becky Brakke and Calvary Lutheran, Richland Hills.
We not only give thanks for these gifts to Briarwood but also for the opportunity to honor two pillars of Briarwood’s ministry! Everyone is invited to join us at Briarwood for a cook-out lunch on Saturday, September 23, at 12:30 pm. A dedication will follow the lunch, and everyone is invited to spend the afternoon at Briarwood to enjoy outdoor activities, along with the opportunity to climb the wall and ride the zip line!
Please RSVP to bw@briarwoodretreat.org by Friday, September 15.
Volunteers Needed
MDHA YOUTH COMMITTEE
COUNT ME IN DALLAS 2018
WHO: As members of a Street Outreach Team, YOU will help gather statistics on the LGBTQ vulnerable population.
WHAT: We will be following a method developed by Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS), in congruence with Housing & Urban Development (HUD) requirements; this method
proved successful in Austin.
WHEN: There will be two weekends, in conjunction with the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance (MDHA) Point in Time (PIT) count
(1) Thursday, January 18 – Saturday, January 20
(2) Thursday, January 25 – Saturday, January 27
WHERE: Dallas County (e.g. Entertainment districts; strategic radiuses based off DISD’s homeless youth; DART stations)
WHY: This information will help formulate a strategic plan to connect our youth with better services and support.
HOW: To be a volunteer, e-mail countmeindallas@gmail.com for more information. Training begins in October!
Bishop’s Convocation Registration
Sunday, October 15 – Tuesday, October 17
Christ Evangelical Lutheran Mission Center at Briarwood
Focus: Coaching for Ministry Effectiveness and Leadership
Click here for more details, including our tentative schedule.
Brite Reformation Chapel Service
Please join us on October 31 at 11:00 a.m. in the Robert Carr Chapel at Brite Divinity School for the Reformation chapel service, Bishop Erik Gronberg presiding. The service will be followed by a community meal and conversation in the Bass Conference Center in the Harrison Building.
Upcoming Events
Here are leadership highlights:
Sep. 9: Public Witness Team monthly meeting
Sep. 10: “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday (ELCA Day of Service)
Sep. 12-13: Unauthorized: Nevertheless, She Preached
Sep. 16: PLMA, Fall 2017, Course 1
Sep. 21-23: Synod Council meeting
Sep. 25: Revisiting Luther’s 95 Theses (Luther Center of North Texas)
Oct. 7: Celebración de la Reforma
Oct. 13-15: NT-NL SWO Fall Retreat
Oct. 14: Public Witness Team monthly meeting
Oct. 15-17: Bishop’s Convocation
Oct. 21: PLMA, Fall 2017, Course 2
Oct. 21: MEF “Seeds That Change” Dinner / Fundraiser
Oct. 31: Brite Divinity School chapel service: Reformation with Bishop Gronberg
Oct. 31: Looking Back & Called Forward: ELCA 500
For a complete list of upcoming events in, and important to, our Synod, you can access our Calendar of Events online.