Message from Pastora Bañales
National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Women (MMIW) is May 5, 2026.
Kids Summer Camp and VBS at King of Glory, Dallas
Looking for a fun, engaging, and meaningful summer experience for your kids? Join us at King of Glory Lutheran Church in North Dallas for Vacation Bible School: Snowball Mountain Challenge and Triumph Sports Camp!
VBS: Snowball Mountain Challenge
June 22–26 | 
9:00 AM – Noon
Ages 2 (by 9/1/25) through 5th Grade
Registration Link: https://churchteams.com/m/
Kids become “Challengers” as they take on frosty games, snowy surprises, and hands-on lessons about resilience and faith—learning to be brave, give their all, pray, and hope with God’s strength.
Triumph Sports Camp (Optional Add-On)
Noon–4:00 PM (Mon–Thurs)
Held on-site after VBS with separate registration and payment.
Both camps offer a safe, welcoming environment where kids can build confidence, make friends, and grow in faith.
Each child must be registered separately.
Register today—spaces are limited!
Questions? Email rsmith@kingofglory.com
“Holding Space” Podcast
Our NT-NL Synod Coaching Coordinator, Pastor Nathan Swenson-Reinhold, has launched a new leadership and coaching podcast called “Holding Space.” Watch the third edition featuring Bp. Erik Gronberg discussing coaching and leadership in the NT-NL Synod here.
Featured Resources for April
The ELCA Church Council adopted a social message about climate care entitled “Earth’s Climate Crisis.” on April 20, 2023. You can access the official message here. Drawing from existing social teaching, social messages provide theological rationale and social analysis to foster discernment and engagement on a relatively narrow social issue. This project was authorized in light of the grim contemporary situation affecting our global home and the need for fresh action on the part of this church. It draws its framing themes from several social statements, particularly Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice.
The ELCA has collaborated with ecoAmerica’s Blessed Tomorrow program, a faith community initiative that empowers climate action and advocacy. This is a program by people of faith, for people of faith, offering ideas, tools, and language that are familiar, compelling and effective in addressing climate change. It provides resources that put us on a path to a positive future while maintaining the distinct voice of the ELCA.
Blessed Tomorrow offers a campaign to help you answer the call to strengthen your congregation and care for creation in ways that are inspiring, fulfilling, and accessible. Join One Home One Future, a multi-faith campaign to strengthen vitality, relevance, and community connection across generations in local congregations nationwide. Be part of a visible effort to invite creation care and climate action, no matter if you are just getting started or already engaging.
Where in the world is?
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:
April 28-30: Field Day PTA Captain, Westcliftt Elementary, Fort Worth
May 4: First, Longview Meeting, Synod Office, Irving
May 8: Journal of Lutheran Ethics Advisory Council
May 9: Parish Lay Ministry Academy
May 16-19: Wartburg Seminary Board of Directors
May 23: First Communions/Confirmations, First Sagrada Familia, Garland
Mary 24: Affirmation of Baptism, Trinity, Fort Worth
May 30: First Communions/Confirmations, San Gabriel, Alvarado
Pastora Bañales:
April 28: Latinx Pastors Meeting
Pastor Fitting-Snyder:
April 26-May 1: Vacation
May 3: Covenant, Temple
May 7: Region 4 Assignment Meeting
May 17: Good Shepherd, Irving
May 24: Covenant, Temple
Upcoming Events
With the ever-changing guidelines and recommendations in our world right now, as we maintain physical distance in social solidarity, please keep in mind these events may be moved online, postponed, or cancelled:
- May 9: Parish Lay Ministry Academy, Spring 2026, English and Spanish
- May 9: Public Witness Team Meeting
- May 15: NT-NL Youth Leader Lunch, Rejoice, Coppell
Access our full online Calendar here. Updates made regularly.
Do you have news or announcements to share? Please submit to office@ntnl.org for consideration for upcoming editions of our weekly news.