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Week of March 23, 2015

| NT–NL News By

This week we pray for:

Community of Hope in Fort Worth (Pr. Yvonne Kiebler)
Trinity in Pottsville (Pr. Don Kingman)
La Transfiguración in Mesquite (Pr. Pedro Portillo)

The 2015 NT-NL Prayer Partners can be found at ntnl.org/2015PrayerPartners or you can download the PDF here.

A Special Message from Bp. Kevin Kanouse:

At our Assembly Planning Team Meeting last week, Pr. Phil Geleske and I both accepted the challenge!

We will color our hair purple at the Assembly, following the Dedication, during the dinner hour, out at Briarwood and we will keep it that way for at least Sunday at the Assembly IF, and ONLY IF:

people of NT-NL step up and put us over the $3 million DLA! goal either in pledges or actual donations.

We will accept donations and pledges right up until 6:30 p.m., the beginning of the dinner hour…

So the challenge is on!Bishop Kevin Kanouse's headshot, edited to look like his hair has been dyed purple

The DLA! Initiative stands at $2,737,626 as of 01/31/2015. That means we need just $262,374. I know of an additional $ 9,000 commitment that has come in since that time, so our total needed in pledges and gifts is no more than: $253,374.

But, folks, that’s not all!

For the same low price, you get not only a purple-haired Bishop and Executive Director, but you will also receive free an additional purple haired:

Mission Council Vice-President, Stephanie Varnum!
Assistant to the Bishop Jane Mar!
Mission Area Administrator, Tyna Oslie!
Communications Manager, Criss Forshay!
Plus Mission Council members, Deans, and Assistant Deans: Myrna Biggers, Pr. Kathryn Cox, Pr, Diane Eggemeyer, Pr. Stephen Friedrich, Pr, Eril Gronberg, Steve Hogan, Angie Krug, Linda Ness, Pr. Vicki Taylor, and more! Names are still coming in…

Is are your Dean and Assistant Dean on the list? Get them to take the Purple Hair Challenge!

Are you ready to take the Purple Hair Challenge and make a donation to help us meet (and exceed!) the $3 million goal for the DiscipleLife Alive! campaign?

A Special Invitation to All Choir Members in the NT-NL Mission Area

Would you like to be a part of the Dedication Celebration at Briarwood on April 25? We want you to help us make a joyful noise!

You are invited to sing in the special dedication celebration choir. If you are in the DFW area, there will be a rehearsal on Sunday, April 19 from 2:00-5:00 at three different locations: Faith (Flower Mound), Resurrection (Plano), and Trinity (Fort Worth). If you are not in DFW, please contact Kitty Barnard, Minister of Worship Arts at Faith (Flower Mound) at 469-702-0207.

The final rehearsal will be Saturday, April 25 at 10:00 a.m. at Faith (Flower Mound).

For more information, please see the full invitation here.

¡SINAI! Family Retreat: Mountains / Valleys, April 24-26, 2015

Families with children of all ages are invited to Briarwood for the ¡SINAI! Family Retreat: Mountains & Valleys.

This retreat will take place the same weekend as the Mission Assembly, April 24-26; while assembly participants will hear the theory and philosophy of Rich Melheim’s Faith5 (Faith Action In The Home) practice, families at Briarwood will put it all to practice, exploring together how they can support each other in their faith formation and stick together through life’s mountains and valleys.

Want to find out more? Go here.

Want to register? Go here! (Need help with Briarwood’s new registration website? Read this!)

Image of a street paved in stones, lined with old stone buildings. Text over the image reads: ¡SINAI!2015 Mission Assembly

Registration  |  Hotel & Lodging Information

Did you know you do not have to be a voting member to come to the assembly? Visitors are welcome! Join us to hear our amazing keynote speakers, the Rev. Dr. Rich Melheim and the Rev. Dr. David Lose, and to find out more about what is happening across the mission area.

Download the ELCA Organizations and Events Guidebook app!

This year we will once again use an electronic guide app for the Assembly. To download the ELCA Organizations and Events app, click here. If you already have the app, search for 2015 Assembly of the NT-NL Mission Area, ELCA to find our guide.

View the assembly schedule, read about our keynote speakers, access the Book of Reports and more!

Looking for the mail-in registration form? Download it form here!

Do you sew? Then we need you! We are looking for a few crafty hands to help with a sowing project for the 2015 Mission Assembly. Contact Anna Geleske at ageleske@tspadallas.com for details.

Contact the mission office or Anna Geleske at ageleske@tspadallas.com.

Texas Impact logoThe NT-NL Public Witness Team presents

Texas Impact Legislative Briefing

April 11, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Shepherd of Life Lutheran Church
715 East Lamar Boulevard, Arlington

Contact: Pastor Franz Schemmel (franzschemmel@gmail.com or 817-613-7906) or Pastor Chuck Hubbard (214-395-6978)

Click here to register.

Do you wonder if our Texas legislators are aware of the issues important to Lutherans? Would you like to help them out? Here is your opportunity learn how to have an impact on the legislative process!

Texas Impact will present a briefing event at Shepherd of Life Lutheran Church in Arlington on April 11. The briefing will begin at 10:00 a.m. Cost for the event is $10; lunch will be provided.

Since the 2015 session is underway, we will start with an update on the nature and progress of bills currently under consideration. Director Bee Moorhead and the Texas Impact staff will focus on five key areas: immigration, education, criminal justice, medical care, and water management.

Participants will learn how they can make an impact during this legislative session and what should be done to prepare for the 2017 session. It is important to be thinking about 2017 now, so we hope to see you on April 11.

Texas Impact is a statewide religious grassroots network whose members include church bodies, congregations and individuals of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths. The NT-NL Mission Area has a longstanding membership in the organization. For more about Texas Impact, see their website: texasimpact.org.

Peace Not Walls: Stand for Justice in the Holy LandThe NT-NL Public Witness Team presents Daoud Nasser

April 19, 6:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fort Worth
April 21, 7:00 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church in Dallas

Palestinian Lutheran Daoud Nasser will share the message of Tent of Nations at two events:

  • April 19, at 6:30 p.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church (3621 Tulsa Way, Fort Worth) Contact Ann Hafften at 817-613-7906 or Laura Hunt at 817-705-6282
  • April 21, at 7:00 p.m., at Bethany Lutheran Church (10101 Walnut Hill, Dallas) Contact Terry Guy at 214-348-9690 or churchoffice@bethany.net

Mr. Nasser is from Bethlehem and a member of Christmas Lutheran Church there. He is a leader in the Tent of Nations organization.

Tent of Nations seeks to prepare young people in Palestine to make positive contributions to their society through the values of understanding and peaceful coexistence. The organic farm where the education and work camps take place is under threat of confiscation by the Israeli military. It is about 33 miles southwest of Bethlehem.

In May 2014, the Israeli military bulldozed 1,500 productive fruit trees growing on the Nasser farm. Daoud Nasser will explain the challenges facing his family’s farming efforts from the military and surrounding Israeli settlements. Read more here.

Daoud Nasser’s presentation is part of NT-NL’s participation in the ELCA strategy Peace Not Walls: Stand for Justice in the Holy Land.

2015 Briarwood Gala: Run for the Roses logo

Saturday, May 2 • 5:30 p.m.
Mission Center at Briarwood

Come enjoy an elegant evening at Briarwood (valet parking will be provided) and celebrate with us the growing ministries and bright future of Briarwood!

Reservations can be made online at www.bidpal.net/briarwoodgala2015.

If you would like to donate an item for our auction please contact Jean at 940.241.2099 or jean@briarwoodretreat.org.

Inside the March issue of Go and Do News you’ll find…

  • Letter from Allison’s Desk: Healthy Women, Healthy Society
  • The Lutheran Malaria Program in Uganda
  • Coming soon to a mailbox near you: March & April publications from ELCA World Hunger
  • Fiscal Year 2014 Giving Report
  • World Water Day: Sunday, March 22nd
  • The ELCA Young Adult Cohort at the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women
  • Apply for an ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grant
  • By the Numbers: The Campaign for the ELCA

 If you have any questions or would like more information about any of the topics covered in this month’s Go and Do News, please write to hunger@elca.org or call at 773-380-2616.

Thank you for all you do to support the work of ELCA World Hunger. And remember–we love hearing about it!

Logo: Luther Reading Challenge

The Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg, a close affiliate of the Lutheran World Federation, has just launched the Luther Reading Challenge.

It’s an online community for reading and discussion Luther’s theological writings as a preparation for the Reformation anniversary. From now until October 2017, a wide range of Luther’s works will be made available online. Anyone can sign up for a free account to join the conversation!

Freed & Renewed in Christ: 500 Years of God's Grace in Action

It’s been almost 500 years since Martin Luther posted his “Ninety-Five Theses” or “Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences” in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517 (where does the time go? Doesn’t it seem like it was only yesterday?)

Churchwide has created some resources to help congregations, ELCA seminaries, colleges and universities, and other agencies pool ideas and resources to enrich anniversary observances throughout the ELCA and beyond.

Platforms available for you to use include:

  • An ELCA Reformation Observance website which will host an event calendar and resource repository of those items that have been shared with us. This is in addition to the ELCA.org/500 landing page on the ELCA website.
  • A Facebook group called ELCA Reformation 500.  This group is designed for the use of observance planners and the synod network. While we will be facilitating and sharing within the group, we look forward to your participation to make it a success.
  • A Facebook page also called ELCA Reformation 500 where we can share public facing information to anyone interested in finding out about how the ELCA is observing the Reformation.

Senior Citizens’ Retreat:
What a Wonderful World

April 7-9
Briarwood Retreat Center

At this retreat we will be studying the beauty of nature and music as well as examining how to see our world in a wonderful light no matter what our age or circumstance.

Our traditional Bible studies will be led by Bishop Kevin Kanouse. The retreat will also include bird watching and nature walks, as well as some exciting new fellowship activities and entertainment acts in the works!

Find more information here.  |  Click here to register.

North Texas Senior Fest 2015

Adult Lutherans Organized for Action’s Eighth Annual Senior Fest has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 9. See more details here.

Please note the mission office’s new address:

680 Copper Canyon Rd.
Argyle, TX 76226

Phone: 940-241-2099

Please note we will be discontinuing the use of the P.O. Box; all mail will need to come directly to the above address.

There are still giving opportunities available! Please visit NTNL.org/donate-now for more information on the new special gifting and naming opportunities for the Mission Center at Briarwood.

Upcoming Events in the NT-NL Mission Area and Beyond:

Do you have news or announcements to share? Please submit them to Criss Forshay (criss@ntnl.org) for consideration for our next Briefings. Don’t forget to include a picture or logo!