Bulletin Inserts in Honor of Hispanic Heritage Month

The En Cojunto Latinx Ministry Task Force created downloadable and printable bulletin inserts for Hispanic Heritage Month (9/15-10/15).  These inserts are to be used on Sundays, 9/19/2021 through 10/10/2021.

Learn more at the En Cojunto website.

Learn Spanish for Ministry

Have you ever wanted to understand when someone speaks to you in Spanish or wished you could respond to someone in Spanish? Well, if so, then you’re in good company. This is why Southeastern Synod’s En Conjunto Latinx Ministry is developing a Spanish language course for rostered and congregational leaders who want to learn Spanish for ministry. If you’re interested, please let us know by reading this article, and completing the following form.  We will contact you soon!  Thank you!

2022 Border Immersion Experience

March 12-19, 2022

The Southeastern Synod will be sponsoring a Border Immersion Experience through Cristo Rey Lutheran Church in El Paso, Texas.

Cristo Rey Border Immersion Program seeks to educate participants about border issues through shared learning, experience, work and prayer.

Guatemala: Empowering young women with education and life skills

In an article published by the Lutheran World Federation, ILAG President Karen Castillo stands out as a great advocate for empowering young women with education and life skills, and with awareness about their rights.

Welcome Rev. Derrick Rice - New Director of the Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta (LTCA)

The Christian Community and Leadership Home Area of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America welcomes Rev. Derrick Rice as the new director of the Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta (LTCA). Rev. Rice will be part of the CCL Education for Leadership team and will begin in his role on September 13, 2021.

 

Rostered Ministers:  Select a time for "Cafe with PJ"

Assistant to the Bishop Jonathan Hemphill invites all rostered ministers of the Southeastern Synod to setup a time to meet with him, via his online calendar.

"I would love to meet and visit with each of you. I am still learning about how the geography of our territory works. Because of Covid, it makes it impossible to have a traditional meet and greet event. I am inviting you all to sign up for, Café with PJ. It is an opportunity for us to share together in conversation and get to know one another."

ELCA World Hunger - Online Benefit - "A People of Hope: Until All Are Fed"

Thursday, October 14

8:30pm ET / 7:30pm CT

You’re invited to join Bishop Eaton and Rick Steves, guidebook author and travel TV host, as we celebrate World Food Day!

This online benefit for ELCA World Hunger will feature interviews hosted by Rick with people on the ground who are doing the dynamic work of fighting hunger around the world. 

November Lectionary Study with Shauna Hannan

Monday, October 18

1-4pm ET / 12noon-3pm CT

Take part in a study of the Gospel texts for the for All Saints Sunday through Christ the King Sunday, Year B, in the Revised Common Lectionary with Shauna Hannan, Professor of Homiletics at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (of California Lutheran University) and Core Doctoral Faculty of the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkeley, CA. 

ALL ARE WELCOME - lay and rostered ministers alike!

Calling All Coaches!

Tuesday, October 18, 2021

7-8pm ET / 6-7pm CT

Calling all Coach Leaders

• Have you received ELCA Coaching Certification and/or ICF (International Coaching Federation) accredited training? 

• Are you passionate about empowering leaders of the church to connect their dreams to concrete actions to bring about change in individual lives, congregations, and communities? 

If you answer yes and YES, REGISTER TODAY!!!

Women in Ministry Get-Together!!!

Thursday, October 28

5:30pm ET / 4:30pm CT

To all Women in Ministry (rostered ministers):

Let's get together for a happy hour for conversation, catching up, and good times.

Register to get the ingredients for our first ever SES signature mocktail or if you would rather, cocktail. Blood Orange and Grapefruit Mule!

Advent Lectionary Study with Troy Troftgruben

Tuesday, November 9

1-4pm ET / 12noon-3pm CT

Take part in a study of the Gospel texts for the Sundays in Advent, Year C, in the Revised Common Lectionary with Shauna Hannan, Professor of Homiletics at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (of California Lutheran University) and Core Doctoral Faculty of the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkeley, CA. 

ALL ARE WELCOME - lay and rostered ministers alike!

Synod Trip to Germany

June 28 - July 10, 2022

Our synod has a partner synod in Germany!   It is known as the Lutheran Church in Augsburg and Swabia.   Their bishop - Bishop Axle Piper - and one of his synod colleagues - Pr. Christoph Burger - were present for Bishop Strickland's installation in October 2019.

Our partnership has continued during this pandemic, and the Germany Companion Synod team is excited to announce our upcoming trip over to Germany next June/July!!!

If you are interested in learning about our partnership and possibly attending, please contact the leader of our Germany Companion Synod Committee, Ms. Debra Lundell (debrallundell@comcast.net).

Holy Land Trip Announced

January 2023

Join Bishop Kevin Strickland and Pastor Jill Henning for an opportunity of a lifetime as we walk through the land, we call Holy. Join us on this trip to the Holy Land January of 2023. This will give you an opportunity to touch and meet the living stones and see our own connectivity to the stories of our faith.

PODCAST:  Being Here (by Portico)

Brought to you by Portico Benefit Services, Being Here is a podcast that explores real world issues and topics important to professionals in the faith community. Hosted by the Rev. Melissa Pohlman, Being Here welcomes guests to share their experiences and points of view on current issues impacting the faith community – and invites us to learn together, listen to each other, grow together, and move forward together — stronger, more resilient as a unique community.

Congregation Disaster Plan

Are you ready to enter your Congregation Disaster Plan into the synod database?   Wish to start your plan?  Not sure where to start?  Check out this helpful resource on disaster planning today!

Weekly Sermons From your Synod Staff

The Bishop and Assistants are filming sermons for Sunday's surrounding the pandemic of COVID-19; we will post them here and host on our synod YouTube channel.

We are also excited to share that we are partnering with the Virginia and North Carolina Synods, so that we can share in this ministry opportunity together. 

Our synod is providing sermons in October; the Virginia Synod is providing sermons in November; North Carolina is providing sermons in December.

Southeastern Synod Swag is Now Available!!!

If you would like Southeastern Synod Swag, polo shirts, jackets, pretty much anything you can put the logo on you can now order direct from Land’s End Business.  You can get items embroidered in the multi-colored logo or in a single color.  Items are directly shipped to you. We look forward to seeing #sesswag pictures soon!

When you click on an item, once you select your size, it will allow you to select the logo and whether or not you would like the logo full color or a single color logo.
 

Mercy Community Church - an Atlanta-based Ministry Seeking Assistance

HOW YOU CAN HELP!

Much of Mercy’s ministry is hosted and housed by St. John’s Lutheran Church Rev. Nancy Christensen serves as Pastor. During these most difficult and challenging times, our Sisters and Brother in Christ - the good folks of the Mercy Community - have some specific needs. We are reaching out to you to see if you can help out with these “humanitarian” efforts of the Mercy Community.
 

Southeastern Synod Advocacy SURVEY

What is Advocacy? In our baptismal  and affirmation of baptism vows we all promise “to proclaim Christ through word and deed, care for others and the world God made, and work for justice and peace.”  Our Synod Advocacy Policy Committee works to provide education, resources, and connections for congregation members and ministries, and rostered leaders, to live out those vows through being aware of opportunities to speak on behalf of issues such as caring for creation, racial equity, hunger, affordable housing, immigration, and many other issues that affect vulnerable people. If you can take about five minutes to complete this survey, it will help our Advocacy Policy Committee connect our Synod advocates for the most effective efforts and outcomes. Please help!
 

God's Work.  Our Hands. ~ First, Nashville, TN

Habitat for Humanity 

Members of First Lutheran, Nashville, spent God's Work, Our Hands Sunday, September 12, helping to build a townhouse as part of the Habitat for Humanity Unity Build in Nashville. Teaming up with two other faith communities, their efforts helped a deserving family take a giant step forward toward a better life through home ownership.

God's Work.  Our Hands. ~ Shades Valley, Birmingham, AL

3 Options for ALL to help...

Shades Valley Lutheran Church had 3 options for our church members to do for God's Work, Our Hands that were cross-generational - help with school kit preparations, go to Shades Creek (across from church) and clean up trash and other debris, and prepare casserole meals for the Fishes & Loaves Ministry. 

God's Work.  Our Hands. ~ Good Shepherd, Garden City, GA

CANNED FOOD DRIVE

Members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Garden City, GA, collected canned food items to donate to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Chatham County, GA for God's Work, Our Hands Sunday, September 12, 2021.  We collected 216 pounds of canned food to be distributed to folks less fortunate and in need of food.

Boundaries Workshop - Racial Justice Education

• Saturday, October 9
• Tuesday, November 16

Boundaries and Inclusion Education in the synods of Region 9 “expands the boundaries conversation to include racial and gender justice” (per the ELCA Region 9 Bishops’ Relational Agreement). This expansion of boundaries education is necessary...and equips our rostered ministers to live fully into inclusive relationships with God and each other, embracing the unique cultures, personalities, and diversities of all created in the image of God.

ONLINE CONVOCATION OPTION - from the NT-NL Synod

October 18-20, 2021 - ONLINE

Theme:  "From Reaction to Response:  Changed for Good"

In light of the fact that we canceled our in-person Convocation, our friends from the Northern Texas - Northern Louisiana Synod are holding their convocation in-person AND online.  

Please CLICK HERE to learn more and to sign up.  REGISTER BY SEPT. 15 for half-price of $25.  After Sept. 15, cost is $50.

Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders
 - Five Sessions
Scheduled for 2022

Does your congregation suffer from internal conflicts? Be proactive, not reactive! Join us for MSTI and acquire skills that will help you deal more effectively with interpersonal and group conflict. Sessions available: March 14-18, May 9-13, June 13-17, August 1-5, or November 14-18, 2022. There is also still time to register for the last session of MSTI this year on Nov. 15-19.

Presiding Bishop Eaton urges humane treatment of Haitian and other migrants

“When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien” (Leviticus 19:33).
 
In a matter of weeks, the number of migrants arriving at the Del Rio, Texas, sector of the U.S.-Mexico border has reached unforeseen levels. The majority are Haitians seeking a better life after having fled multiple crises in their native land. There are also Cuban, Venezuelan and Nicaraguan nationals. U.S. treatment of these Black migrants and others at Del Rio has been deeply problematic. As a matter of humane treatment, I urge that the administration vigorously pursue actions to grant them protection and ensure that responsible actors are held accountable through a serious investigation into allegations of abuse.
 

Prompts for Prayers of Intercession

These brief posts will suggest national and world events and concerns that prayer writers might consider as they prepare for worship. These prompts will be posted on the ELCA Worship Blog on Wednesdays in preparation for the upcoming Sunday.
 

ELCA Youth Gathering Registration IS OPEN!!!

ELCA Youth Gathering registration opened on Wednesday, September 22!!!  Please head on over to the ELCA Youth Gathering web page to register your youth, check out the latest webinars, and find all the information you need to make plans to head to Minneapolis in June/July 2022!

Also, CHECK OUT THE NEW COVID UPDATES - requiring attendees to have a COVID vaccine or negative COVID test.

JOIN THE ELCA YOUTH GATHERING LEADERSHIP FOR A WEBINAR ON SAFETY AND SECURITY on Thursday, October 7, 8pm ET / 7pm CT

Donor-Advised Funds: A Charitable Giving Option

Often referred to as “charitable checkbooks,” donor-advised funds are charitable accounts established by donors with current gifts to provide future support to ministries. These accounts are opened and funded by a donor who then advises distributions to charity over time.

Learn more about the ELCA Foundation's socially responsible donor-advised fund option — designed specifically for ELCA members — or contact Rev. Ana Lugo to discover how a donor-advised fund may help you achieve your charitable-giving goals.

Subscribe to "Administration Matters" Newsletter TODAY!

How have Christians responded to this multiplicity? Some have viewed this multiplicity to be tragic – a denominational splintering of the singular vision for the visible Church inaugurated by Jesus.

Others have viewed this “manyness” to be a gift; believing that each Christian tradition can contribute to a full-orbed understanding of what it means to “follow Jesus.”

This project creates a venue for Christians who embrace these two differing views to present the reasons for their views, seeking to uncover some common ground as to what it means to “follow Jesus.” This quest will require “respectful conversations” about disagreements, which is a rare thing these days.

Newberry College Launches Capital Improvements

NEWBERRY, S.C. (Sept. 21, 2021) — The Newberry College skyline will look much different over the next year. That’s what President Maurice Scherrens told students, faculty and staff Monday in a special announcement on Yost Portico at Holland Hall.

 Over the weekend, the college’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved construction on two new campus facilities: the Nursing and Health Science Center and the second phase of athletic stadium renovations. The decision is the culmination of years of planning and generous giving, and the timing could not be better.