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Week of March 9, 2015

| NT–NL News By

This week we pray for:

Four Mile in Mabank (Pr. Jan Castleberry)
Good Shepherd in Marshall (Lynne Winn, SAWL)
Women of the ELCA

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

Image for the 2015 NT-NL Mission Assembly: ¡SINAI! Image description: yellow background, several black silhouette figures wander around a tree; behind the tree a large red swirl represents fire/the sun. On the top of the image is the word "¡SINAI!" in green letters.2015 Assembly Early Registration ends Friday!

Have you registered yet? Do it now, before rates increase!

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!

¡SINAI! Family Retreat: Mountains & Valleys

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 the journey.

Want to find out more? Go here.

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

Truth to Power: Eradicating Racism

On March 14, 2015 at 1:00 pm, Churches Uniting in Christ Presents Truth to Power: Eradicating Racism, an event focused on:
  •  Bringing together those disaffected throughout society with our faith communities and leaders to create a new network
  •  Creating authentic relationships between churches, civic organizations, and community activists
  •  Engaging and training in civic education
  •  Dismantling systems of oppression and surviving systems of oppression.

If you are in the Dallas area, you are welcome to join the event at the Christian Chapel CME Chruch, 14120 Noel Road, Dallas TX 75254. If you are not in the Dallas area, you can participate through the webcast at www.cctof.org.

Please consider attending this important event, whether in person or online.

 

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.

NT-NL Table Talk: Reviving the Congregation with the Rev. Dr. Michael Foss

RESCHEDULED: Tuesday, April 14

Thank you for your understanding last week when we had to postpone the Table Talk with Pr. Foss. Please mark your calendars with the new date, April 14!

Please register for this event here. If you had registered for the February 24 event and still plan to attend on April 14, please complete the registration form again—we cannot assume everyone who registered in February will be able to make the rescheduled date. Thank you!

Table Talks are funded by the DiscipleLife Alive! Leadership Formation Fund.  To find out more about the 2015 Table Talk series, click here.

Read the March 2015 issue of the Journal of Lutheran Ethics here.

Wartburg Youth Leadership School & ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit: July 11-21, 2015 | Apply at wartburg.seminary.edu

Wartburg Youth Leadership School & ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit

Youth are invited to experience the ultimate faith journey as they share in adventure, service, study, leading, and worship in a combined ten days as the participate in the Wartburg Youth Leadership School on the Wartburg Seminary campus and the ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit, Michigan.

Participants consider the ULTIMATE YOU: Who claims You? Who Calls You? Who Sends You?

Through the setting of an intentional Christian community, the youth are challenged to live out the Gospel and ask themselves, “How am I being called to lead?”

Click here for a printable flyer and click here to learn more details about this ten day opportunity.

Which Three Youth Will You Nominate?

Do you have youth in your congregation that may already be leaders, or who have leadership potential? Please nominate them to participate in WYLS and the ELCA Youth Gathering. You may nominate up to three youth who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade. Click here for an online nomination form.

Lutherans Restoring Creation: A Resource for the ELCA. Caring for God's Good Creation.

Sign Up Your Congregation or Camp Now for Lutheran Energy Stewards Initiative

ELCA congregations and camps can apply now (application deadline is May 1, 2015) for Energy Stewards Initiative (ESI), a one- to two-year national program with a new cycle beginning in June, sponsored by Lutherans Restoring Creation.

The program helps congregations track and reduce energy use on an online platform, lower their carbon footprint with the help of an action plan, and free up funds for other ministries.

The program offers bi-monthly webinars featuring energy experts and making available the shared wisdom of program leaders and other participants. To cover the cost of the online tracking program, ESI requests a fee of $10.00 a month. Administrative costs are covered by grants. Learn more and apply at Energy Stewards Initiative.

Lutherans Restoring Creation is a grass roots organization devoted to promoting care for creation throughout the ELCA.

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!