Synod Staff Announcement and Latino Ministry Strategy

Bishop Strickland makes synod staff announcement and commitment to building a Latino Ministry Strategy for the Southeastern Synod.

Click HERE for more details.

Emotional Spiritual Care in Disaster

Thursday, October 29, 2pm EDT / 1pm CDT

Being present and providing emotional spiritual care in a time of disaster is critical.  It’s what we are called to do as church, as children of a loving God called to bear that love out into the world for the sake of our neighbor.  
 
This 2 hour webinar focuses on how to render psychological first aid and provide emotional spiritual care in a disaster.

Click here to REGISTER and to learn more.

What Does Hope Look Like?  A Response to Hurricane Sally

What does hope look like?

Well in this case hope looks like a person, Pastor Hope Knobler. 

Following Hurricane Sally, Pastor Hope Knobler, pastor of Grace Lutheran in Gulf Shores, Alabama, has been literally living her name in the community bringing hope to her congregation, her community and to those who are the least of these in that devastated area.  

Click HERE to read the full blog post.

All Saints Liturgy - November 1, 4pm EDT / 3pm EDT - livestream

Bishop Strickland will be leading an All Saints Liturgy via livestream from Redeemer LC, Atlanta, on Nov 1, 4pm EDT / 3pm CDT.

The video will also be made available via the synod Facebook Page.

This liturgy will give us a chance to lament all we've lost during this pandemic, but also to be commissioned to share God's hope with this weary world.

Sign up to become an official member of ADLA (African Descent Lutheran Association)

The African Descent Lutheran Association develops important connections, advocates for congregations, promotes implementation of the National African Descent Strategy, and provides fellowship, learning and sharing opportunities. It also provides a forum for theological reflection for clergy and lay members through collaboration with other African descent organizations and networks.

To become a member, click HERE for the national ADLA website.

To learn more about our Southeastern Chapter, click HERE for the Southeastern Chapter ADLA Facebook page.

In Honor of Women's Ordination in Amercia

Join Us for an ONLINE worship experience, sponsored by Living Grace, Lawrenceville, GA, in honor of Women’s Ordination in America on Sunday, October 11, 2020, at 3 pm EDT / 2pm CDT.

Click HERE to learn more!

50.40.10 Bible Study "We are in this together"

Living Grace Lutheran Church invites you to this Bible Study which honors Women's Ordination and Anniversaries among American Lutherans.  A four-week Bible Study around the themes of Proclaiming, Restoring, Celebrating. 

Dates:  October 8

Time:  7 pm to 9 pm EDT

Via ZOOM

Register HERE.

Webinar Follow-Up:  Being Church in a Digital Age

Over 200 registered for this 3-part series on what it means to be the Church in a Digital Age.  This was a joint venture of the Virginia, North Carolina, and Southeastern Synods.

Click HERE to see this series' videos and resources, along with other helpful Faith Formation resources.

Join our Synod Prayer Team

Monday, October 19

9:00am EDT / 8:00am CDT

If you already registered for this in September, you will automatically receive a reminder email.

Join Bishop Strickland for a time of prayer once a month via zoom. We will pray for the needs of ourselves, our neighbors locally and globally, the needs of the church and world, and for what else might be in need that day of prayer.

Please feel free to sign up at any time.

Click HERE to join the Bishop in prayer once per month, and to learn of the dates / times.

A Time for Listening - From Racism to Racial Healing

An event for rostered ministers only...
offered two different times:

• Monday, October 12 at 1pm EDT / 12Noon CDT, or
• Monday, October 26 at 6pm EDT / 5pm CDT

The Southeastern Synod is offering a time for all of our rostered ministers to continue our work on combatting racism. We are honored to have Dr. Catherine Meeks lead us in this conversation.  

CLICK HERE to learn more and to register.
 
 

Advent Lectionary Study and Worship Planning

Via Zoom, October 14, 21, 28, and Nov. 4, 9:00-10:15am EDT / 8:00-9:15am CDT

Join Rev. Rachel Wrenn and Bishop Kevin Strickland for a four-week lectionary study on the Advent texts and opportunity to talk about worship planning.
 
Click HERE to sign up.

An Opportunity of Respite for Rostered Ministers

Jill Knueppel, a licensed massage therapist in Georgia with 22 years of experience working with Atlanta area chiropractors, is offering bodywork sessions to aid ELCA rostered persons around the Atlanta area.  These sessions are being offered at a significant discount from her usual charges and will be conducted in COVID safe conditions.

Click HERE to read more about this opportunity.

Interim Ministry Online Retreat

November 9-13, 2020

As we are all engaged in transitional ministry in this time of tremendous change, this virtual conference would be of benefit. Membership in the Interim Ministry Network or even serving as an interim pastor is not required. This conference is an opportunity to engage with practitioners of leading congregations through change.

Click HERE to learn more and to register.

Stewardship Update:  Resourceful Servants program

For rostered ministers...

Survey says…..Resourceful Servants is for you!

Recent research has shown:

• Roughly 3 out of every 4 American adults regularly worries about their financial health (National Foundation for Credit Counseling).
• Nearly 80 percent of Americans regularly live paycheck to paycheck (CareerBuilder), and
• Approximately 1/3 of Americans have no retirement savings whatsoever (Etrade)

Sound familiar? If so, Resourceful Servants is for you! Yes. Really. This is for YOU, our rostered minister! Through Resourceful Servants, the ELCA will match your dedicated emergency or retirement savings.

Click here to see this important Stewardship UPDATE!!!

Outreach Grant Applications due SOON!!!

The Mission Outreach and Renewal Committee (MORC) is preparing for the last meeting of the year. 

We invite congregations to submit grant proposals by emailing synod.office@elca-ses.org no later than noon October 13^th. 

Click HERE for more details and how to find Outreach grants on our synod website.

#GatheringTShirtDay  #ELCAYG2020 - October 6!!!

You still have time to participate TODAY, OCTOBER 6, 2020!!!

Join us TODAY in posting your selfies using #GatheringTShirtDay and #ELCAYG2022 and you'll be entered to win some prizes from Old Lutheran.

Post to your favorite social media!

FREE Youth Ministry Training for Volunteer Leaders

Thursday, October 22, 7:00-8:30pm EDT / 6:00-7:30pm CDT

Come together to learn some youth ministry basics.  Let's figure out how to combine in-person and online events. 

How is the Spirit moving us from a stance of fear into a place of hope?  Let's figure it out together.

Click HERE to register.

All TN Lutheran Youth Gathering

Saturday, November 14

Location:  ONLINE!!!

We are combining some at-home events with a time of being together.  Oh, and we will have a special musical guest with us that evening.

Check back to our All TN Youth Gathering page to REGISTER and for more details.

#SpiritDay - October 15 - Wear Purple and Spread the Word

Spirit Day is about speaking out against bullying and standing with LGBTQ youth, who disproportionately face bullying and harassment because of their identities. Pledging to “go purple" on Spirit Day is a way for everyone — companies, global leaders, celebrities, neighbors, parents, teachers, classmates, and friends — to visibly show solidarity with LGBTQ youth and to take part in the largest, most visible anti-LGBTQ bullying campaign in the world.

http://glaad.org/spiritday

Click HERE for the Social Media Kit

Click HERE for a one-page brief on Spirit Day

Breast Cancer Awareness - BLOG

"Today you do not routinely see the message of breast self-exam as part of the message of early detection of breast cancer. With current statistics showing that one in every eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime it is time that women once again empower themselves by taking proactive steps in examining themselves monthly to detect even the smallest changes in breast tissue."

Click here to read more about this blog post on this very important issue.

The Journey From Victim to Survivor

It shouldn’t have been me. I was an educated, upwardly mobile professional. How could I have ended up in a courtroom waiting to file an order of protection against my husband for domestic abuse?

Let me start from the beginning...

Click here to read this important blog post of inspiration and hope.

#ELCAVotes

We are called to conversation and prayer around our role as U.S. residents and as people of faith in ensuring our election systems promote dignity and respect for all.

We are called to act by speaking out as advocates and engaging in local efforts to guarantee the right to vote to all citizens.

To sign up for up-to-date information on ELCAvotes, visit: https://bit.ly/ELCAvotes 

Seminary Snapshot - Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary

Wednesday, October 21, 9:30am-5:00pm EDT / 8:30am-4:00pm CDT

Join us for a snapshot of seminary life! We’ll begin our day talking about discernment and God’s call to ministry. We’ll attend chapel together, and you’ll have the opportunity to sit in on a class. We promise lots of breaks and opportunities for conversation.

To learn more about this seminary experience, and to REGISTER, click here:

 https://www.lr.edu/admission/graduate/visit

Under Virtual Information Sessions, select LTSS Campus. Our LTSS Seminary Snapshot will pop up, and you can register there.

Daily Bread Matching Grants

Does your congregation participate in any type of feeding program, such as a food bank, weekend food backpacks for children, etc.?  If so, you might want to check into this information from our ELCA World Hunger ministry.  

Click HERE to read more.