Message from Bishop Gronberg
Dear Partners in Mission:
September is upon us. A month of new things in many of our congregations. Back to school has been in place for weeks. Now it is time for fall programming, sunday school reboots, changes in liturgy, and all sort of other opportunities.
While the temperatures in our communities don’t reflect it, fall is coming. Football has started in most of our communities (although in my house its fall baseball). For those with kids we are back in the rhythm of school lunch packing and pick ups and drop offs.
If you don’t have that reality in your life no doubt fall brings other changes. We pray it might bring some rain after a brutal August of dry and hot across most of our territory. Probably too late to make a difference in harvest but still we pray that God will continue to water the earth and remind us of our baptism.
As your congregation moves into this new season know that we are with you in the synod office. We have resources for fall stewardship programming. Our Parish Lay Ministry Academy begins again with now two cohorts of leaders. I am excited again to teach my “How to Read the Bible” course. In this work we have our students engage our AI Assistant “Lutherbot,” www.ntnl.org/lutherbot/ to help them research and develop programming.
In addition to the Lutherbot work we also hosted a webinar this past month about AI and what it is and isn’t and how we as people of faith can engage it. Those resources are available on our website at https://www.ntnl.org/resources/learn-ai-webinar/
Why are we doing this? Well the reality is change is constant. AI is a part of that change and NT-NL is being a leader in engaging that. Bringing a Governed AI Assistant to help our communities if they desire. Governed AI means we control what is in the Assistants database of information. It isn’t randomly searching the web to get answers but has Lutheran Confessional and historical documents to guide it. We also are working on how to engage WhatsApp as a tool for our Conterencia Latina communities to access this resource.
Already we have seen how this can be helpful to congregations. People are willing to ask a computer a question they won’t ask a person. A governed AI assistant can help our leaders, Rostered and Authorized, to create resources for their communities. I encourage you to engage this, your synod council will be discussing this in September along with our new starts resolution.
In all of this we are doing what we know we must as Lutherans in NT-NL. We need to be connecting and engaging our communities. Telling our story and doing this work together.
#Juntosenmision
Bishop Gronberg
Updated Synod Office Mailing Address
The NT-NL Synod Office has a new mailing address. Please send all physical mail to our P.O. Box.
NT-NL Synod of the ELCA
PO Box 170030
Irving, TX 75017
If visiting our office in-person we are still located at
NT-NL Synod Offices at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
2620 W Grauwyler Road
Irving, TX 75061
Please note that the zip code on our mailing address is different than our physical address.
Son Jarocho Workshop
Featured Resources for September
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month —a time to raise awareness of this stigmatized, and often taboo, topic. September is used to shift public perception, spread hope and share vital information to people affected by suicide. The goal of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and other advocacy groups is to ensure that individuals, friends and families have access to the resources they need to discuss suicide prevention and to seek help.
For more information and resources for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month go to the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ website.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988, go to 988lifeline.org/chat or text NAMI to 741-741
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:
September 11-12: Synod Council, Synod Offices, Good Shepherd, Irving
September 13: Installation of Rev Justin Grimm as Bishop, St. Paul Area Synod
September 19-20: Trinity, Miles
September 22-26: Conference of Bishops, Chicago
September 27: Redeemer, Greenville
October 3: MEF Seeds that Change Banquet
October 4: Central, Dallas
October 8-10: Wartburg Seminary Board, Dubuque, IA
Pastora Bañales:
September 1-5: AMEXTRA Service Trip, Mexico
September 8-11: Stewardship of Life Institute Board, Gettysburg ULS Campus, PA
September 12: Synod Council, Synod Offices, Good Shepherd, Irving
September 13: Installation of Rev. Rebecca Chase, Emmanuel, Granbury
September 14-19: Vacation
September 22: Planning Team: Conferencia Latina Couples Retreat
September24: New Starts Training SAWL and SAWC
September 30: DEM Advisory Team Meeting
September 30: Santa Maria, Irving
Pastor Fitting-Snyder:
September 1-5: AMEXTRA Service Trip, Mexico
September 6: St. Peter, Malone
September 11-12: Synod Council, Synod Offices, Good Shepherd, Irving
September 14-16: Houses of Hope Facilitator Training, Austin Seminary
September 20: Immanuel, Killeen
September 27: St. John, Bartlett
September 28-30: First Call Retreat, Episcopal Center, Mustang Island
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:
- September 11-12: Synod Council Meeting, Good Shepherd, Irving
- September 12: Parish Lay Ministry Academy
- September 12: Public Witness Team Meeting
- September 17: 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.