[Gulfcoastnews] Connections August 2008
Susan Rinehart
rinehart at shawus.com
Mon Aug 18 09:54:25 EDT 2008
From: Susan Rinehart [mailto:rinehart at shawus.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 11:09 AM
To: Susan Rinehart
Subject: [Gulfcoastnews] Connections August 2008
image001Connections
08-13-08
Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Gulf Coast Synod Lutherans Loose in Peru!
Peru group with quilt reduced.jpg
By Peggy Contos Hahn
All my life I have heard the statement: "Why go to a foreign country when
there is so much to do right here?" After all, we are still recovering from
floods in our synod almost three years ago and are daily on the lookout for
hurricanes, so you might think that is enough for the moment! Even more
pointed- we are in an economic crisis ourselves, so why give money to people
in South America?
It might seem logical to "take care of our own" before opening up ourselves
to global concerns, but over the years I have learned that love is never
logical! People wrestling with God's love can't help but be extravagant
lovers towards others in the world. Love, by the way, is one of those
oxymoron's- you can't really run out! The more you love, the more love there
is.
I wish you could have been with me to see how 56 people from our synod
experienced and shared genuine care for one another-a model of love we call
"the ministry of accompaniment." (See note below) For over nine years, our
synod has had a growing partnership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Peru. In case you think that means "helping poor people," let me assure you
that what I witnessed was a mutual exchange of gifts, care and much more.
This week was more than an exotic vacation or another act of charity. It is
part of an ongoing commitment we share in each other's lives as we work out
our faith in God in the world around us.
We intentionally visited as many congregations in Peru as possible-even a
remote congregation (Galilean) that took over three hours to reach. In each
setting we met with local leaders to learn about their ministry. To our
shock, many of these congregations, with very little means, are involved in
missions themselves! While we often think, "we can't afford to do _____"
(you fill in the blank!), they do not hesitate to share what little they
have. Extravagant, illogical love!
You can't visit Peru without the faces of the children leaving a lasting
imprint. The beautiful quilt (in the photo above) developed by Amy Flannery
and other leaders at Spirit of Joy in the Woodlands, is the collective
project of the children in many of the Lutheran congregations. Their faces
linger in my prayers as I think of patient, hungry children, filled with
hope that through our partnership something good will happen in their own
lives.
This annual trip and deep partnership is available to you and your
congregation. It is our hope that every congregation in Peru has one or more
partnering congregations from the Gulf Coast Synod. Thanks to strong
leadership from Jim Young, John Warner, Tracy Mikes and many others, our
synod is being blessed by the Peruvians. Please make time to read articles
in the September LINKED and on our Global Mission website to learn more
about Lutherans in Peru.
Ministry of Accompaniment means learning through others eyes, prioritizing
on authentic relationships rather than projects.
Every Congregation is a Mission Congregation
By Bishop Mike Rinehart
I did internship at a new congregation in Arlington, Texas. My supervisor,
Bob Adix had started this congregation a few years earlier. When I asked him
if All Saints was a mission congregation he said, 'Every congregation is a
mission congregation.'
He was right, sort of. The truth is, a new congregations' mission
effectiveness drops off steeply after ten years. Think about it. A new
congregation starts, and with every fiber of its being it works to grow.
Bringing newcomers into the fold is its central purpose. There is crystal
clarity about this.
Then the church grows, hires staff, builds a building and within a short
time, the organization's energy gets focused on buildings, parking lots and
the like. Take a bird's-eye view of your congregation. To what does the
largest portion of your energy, time and financial resources go?
Worship attendance in our synod has been stair-stepping down for the last
decade. Let's call it what it is. These are not numbers, they are souls. The
ELCA is experiencing the same thing, as is most of mainline Protestantism.
Do you believe it can change? Or have we resigned ourselves to this fate?
Are we simply not going to be effective at making disciples, declining until
we finally close the doors and shut out the light? I believe we can turn
this around. With everything I have, I believe this. I'm asking you to
believe it too, and to risk whatever it takes to move into a new way of
being the church in this new world in which we live.
I know of only one way to live into this. We must be obsessive about
evangelism. We must be obsessive about making disciples. Everything we do
must be retooled to introduce people to the real Jesus of the gospels, and
to help them grow spiritually, until their lives are centered in following
Christ and serving the world in Jesus' name.
Every decision must hinge on evangelism. Not tradition (or more accurately
traditions, as there are many ways to be the church historically). Not what
makes the longest-term members happy. Our decisions must lean toward those
who are not yet part of us. Someone once said the church is the only
organization that exists for those who are not yet part of it.
I am continually astonished and excited that my visits this year, and our
synod assembly, lifted up evangelism and outreach as our highest priority:
1. Evangelism/outreach
2. Discipleship/spiritual growth
3. Worship
4. Intergenerational ministry
This is great news. Now it's time to go to school. How do we do evangelism
in this postmodern, post-Christian, self-absorbed, but spiritually hungry,
culture? We can't do church like business as usual. The 1950's approach will
not work. Every pastor will have to think like a missionary. No
cookie-cutter approach will work. Every congregation will have to be a
mission congregation, like Pastor Adix said.
Stephen Bouman, the new director of the ELCA's Division of Evangelical
Outreach and Congregational Mission said to a group of us the other day,
"The ELCA is paralyzed. We need to tear open the roof and allow our
paralysis to be lowered down into the healing presence of Jesus." So let's
do it. A renewed emphasis on evangelism will renew and heal this church. It
will empower our life and ministry with the spirit. And it will put our
disagreements in perspective.
So will you renew evangelism as the church's central mission? Pastors, will
you make evangelism your highest priority this year? Councils, will you
center all your decisions around how they will impact your congregation's
ability to bring in newcomers and make disciples of them? Evangelism
committees and teams, will you retool to get aggressive, creative, and
strategic about outreach?
Here's what we will do, we who are here to serve you:
1. I'm starting a new page on our web site devoted to thinking about
evangelism. www.gulfcoastsynod.org/evangelism.htm. It's just getting
started. On this site you will find a video of an interview I had with
Pastor Don Gebert, and a pdf of his approach to evangelism that helped grow
Lord of Life Lutheran in The Woodlands. It's an approach based on visiting
the visitors that he says can work in any congregation of any size, in any
context. This may or may not be for you, but in either case, it's worth
listening to. And he's willing to come and coach your congregation in
getting organized. Soon I'm putting up a video of Pastor Kerry Nelson's
approach, which is similar to Pastor Gebert's, but also different. Not so
visitation-based. If you have another approach that has proven to be
effective let me know.
2. We're having a leadership event this fall on October 18. This event will
have workshops on evangelism which will help your evangelism team plan for
effective outreach and help your leadership team develop a ministry plan.
3. I'm going to ask our ministeriums to become more mission-focused. I'm
going to ask them to brainstorm where we need to plant new congregations,
and how we might renew existing congregations.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, you are the light of the world. As Gary
Haugen says, "Jesus has a plan for the world, and you are it." The church is
the body of Christ in this world. God doesn't any other plan. I invite you
to dance a dance together: reaching out to those who need God, feed them
with Word and Sacrament, and invite them to love what God loves, who God
loves, and serve the world in Jesus' name.
A View From the Pew/A View From the Pulpit
Last month we started a new series of open letters between Kurt Goedecke and
Pastor Herb Palmer. There will be a number of subjects that we face within
the synod, each taken from two points of view. Kurt will be writing from the
lay persons point of view and Herb will take it from the clergy point of
view. This month Pastor Herb Palmer responds to Kurt's letter from last
month.
Dear Kurt,
We learned a lot about ourselves at the 2008 Synod Assembly. We came
together for the work of the Synod but also began the work for a common
vision. For the first year of his Call, Bishop Mike made a commitment to
visit the people of our Synod. He wanted to listen to us. He learned about
some hurts and hopes that we have in common as we serve God in our
communities.
When he visited around the synod there seemed to be common issues that
surfaced. At the Assembly we had break out groups to discuss those common
issues and from the feedback of those who attended the Assembly we began to
prioritize. In our congregations we want to grow deeper in our faith, we
want excellence in worship, we want to be intergenerational and outwardly
focused.
Kurt, you make reference to Bishop Mike's sermon at the final worship
service before we were sent. You took away from his message the question:
Now what are we going to do with what we have learned? Will we just receive
it as information and put it in the minutes of the 2008 Assembly? Will we
despair and throw up our hands as though we are doomed? Will we plan a
future together? Will we embrace what is good? Will we stop doing what is
not working for the mission of the gospel? Will we have the courage to try
to be the church we envision, even with the risk of failure?
I heard from Bishop Mike's sermon that he hopes that we have the courage to
do something with what we have learned about ourselves.
You wondered what is the source and grounding of this hope. There is a hope
God gives us that has to do with God's future. God has promised that all
things will be made right. Injustice, pain, brokenness, sin, and death will
be no more. That is the future God is confident about bringing. This hope is
certain even when we can't see evidence of it. There is another hope.
This other hope has to do with what we can see. For example, I may hope to
attend college and complete my studies for a degree. If that is my hope it
means that I don't have the degree yet but I hope that I will see it
someday. What must I do to make this hope a reality? Simply, I must have a
plan and then implement the plan, making changes along the way as necessary.
It is in this sense that we also hope. In this we see what needs to happen
and we can do something about it. When we see what the church needs to do to
respond to God's call upon us in these times and in this region, will we
respond, will we have a plan and implement that plan? The hope is, we will.
I left the Assembly with a deeper love and respect for the church. I share
the hope that our congregations can wrestle with the tough issues and come
out with a plan to serve God for these times. But we will need to have a
plan and we will need to implement the plan. The hope is that we will.
Moral Outrage
By Jim Shields, Synod World Hunger Appeal Coordinator
The terrible genocide in Darfur continues as the world remains mostly
silent. Recently, Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times wrote,
"Can't the Islamic world muster one-hundredth as much indignation for the
genocidal slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Muslims as it can for a few
Danish cartoons?"
Mr. Kristof was criticizing Muslims for their lack of compassion and for
wasting their moral outrage on Danish cartoons. But his words stung me.
Substitute "Lutheran" for "Islamic" and "ordination of gays" for "a few
Danish cartoons," and you will see what I am taking about.
When I talk to people about our World Hunger Appeal, it is easy to tell them
about the wonderful work that we Lutherans do to serve the poor and
oppressed all over the world. Working with other Lutheran church bodies
through The Lutheran World Federation and Lutheran World Relief we
accomplish much with limited resources.
But I am always aware that our moral outrage seems misplaced. I read our
church magazine, The Lutheran, from cover to cover the day I receive it in
the mail. The amount of print, especially in the letters to the editor
section, devoted to homosexuality is way beyond its importance.
When I listen to Bishop Hanson and Bishop Rinehart, I hear their moral
outrage directed at hunger and poverty, war and oppression, and degradation
of the environment. But when I attended last year's synod assembly, I heard,
from the assembly, outrage directed at the possibility of ordaining
homosexual pastors.
When Bishop Rinehart addressed the assembly this year he quoted the verse
from Ephesians that all of us have memorized - For it is by grace you have
been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God, not by works, so that no one can boast. Our bishop then quoted the
verse that follows this verse that gives us a powerful context in which to
live our lives. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do
good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
God has prepared us to do good works! We don't do good works expecting a
reward from God; we do good works because God made us that way. I submit
that moral outrage at human suffering is one way that we can use to help us
determine just what good works to do.
Regardless of how you feel about homosexuality, I think all of us can agree
that we should follow the lead of our bishops and direct our moral outrage
at hunger and poverty, injustice and war and all other forms of human
suffering. I know that when we do that, giving to our World Hunger Appeal
will increase. That is how God made us!
Jim Shields
>From War Survivor to Pastor
By Christa Kolencik, Communications Director
Living Word Lutheran Church
Pastor Emmanuel Jackson.jpgEmmanuel Jackson (pictured) is Living Word
Lutheran Church's new Associate Pastor who officially began his work on Aug.
11. Jackson is a survivor of the Liberian Civil War. His journey from
there to Katy is not a typical story.
On the surface, Jackson is just an ordinary guy who moved to Katy from
Chicago. Whether he could have envisioned it or not, he has succeeded at
pursuing the American dream. He relocated to the U.S., got an education and
now has been called as Living Word's new Associate Pastor. Sounds familiar
enough, but, that is only a part of the story.
A native of Liberia, Africa, Jackson survived the First Civil War that went
on from 1989 to 1996 and claimed the lives of over 200,000 Liberians. The
second Civil War lasted a year from 2002 to October of 2003. By that time
more than 250,000 people had been killed and nearly one million displaced.
The First Civil War began when Charles Taylor, a former member of the
government, assembled a group of rebels to invade a region in which tribal
warfare was occurring. It wasn't long before a civil war was raging on the
eastern border of Liberia. The rebels took over cities and towns, recruiting
members along the way - mostly young men as young as 12. Even at those young
ages, they were forces not to be reckoned with. As the groups neared
Jackson's home town, he along with his parents and nine siblings saw no
other option other than to leave.
"They got to us in June," Jackson said. "We fled with the clothes on our
backs. I never saw my home again."
Jackson's family moved north to Bong County where his mother worked as a
nurse's aide and his father, a Lutheran minister, worked with people in the
region building churches and serving in whatever capacity he could to help.
Jackson said the strength of the rebels came from the pure hatred towards
the Liberian government. There were also other issues.
"They hunted down rich people. This was a tribal war with elements of Muslim
and Christian conflicts as well as economic issues," Jackson said. Because
of Jackson's father's large stature, he was mistaken many times for a man of
wealth or a member of the government.
"My father was arrested a number of times. On more than three occasions,
someone from the town would step in and vouch for him as a man who helped
people. They would say he helped them build a clinic, an air strip or
church."
He would only be spared death for a while. In Nov. of 1993, his father was
arrested and questioned. After stating he was a minister of the Gospel, he
was shot. The rebels only heard the word "minister," which they believed was
a minister for the Liberian government. They had no idea what the Gospel
was.
The country was in a state of anarchy. There were constant killings,
beatings and rapes. Jackson said most of the groups of about 30 rebels were
commanded by a child of not much older than 12. By the middle of 1994, the
conditions became too unbearable for the family to take. For six months,
Jackson's family greeted each day by getting up and walking until dark.
They just kept moving, never staying in one place and avoided the dangerous
highways where rebels were known to be waiting. They ate what they found
along the way and once it was dark, they slept when they found a "safe"
spot. They eventually made it to the Ivory Coast.
"We were then considered refugees instead of displaced people," Jackson
said. "There were thousands and thousands of us. We were handed a blanket,
a few cups of rice and oil. It wasn't much but the best part was the
assurance of no sounds of bullets."
Jackson was just a young man of 15 when he and his family became refugees in
a camp in the Ivory Coast. He started a Bible study with just six others.
"We worshipped, prayed, shared stories and cried. It was a way for us to
feel God bring meaning and purpose to our lives."
The Bible study grew over the years to include 300 people. Even today,
Jackson will get phone calls from some of the same people who also
immigrated to the U.S., and have begun Bible Studies of their own.
During this same time at the refugee camp, Jackson's mother saw a posting by
several U.S. non-profits on the refugee announcement board to interview
widows who could not ever return to Liberia. She accepted the interview and
the family was accepted or "qualified" by Catholic Charities to move to the
United States. The family was to move to Nebraska on Valentine's Day, 2001.
Once in Nebraska and during the middle of winter, Jackson was assigned a job
in a meat packing plant. He not only had to acclimate to cultural
differences, but extreme differences in temperature as well. Even though
Jackson had never experienced a brutal Nebraska winter and working in a
frigid meat packing plant, he felt blessed and thankful. "I was most
grateful for the ability to maximize my potential that God had given me."
For Jackson, going to college and later on to seminary to become a pastor
like his father is a course out of indebtedness. "I feel indebted to the
people who God brought into my life. My mom would have all of us recite
passages from the Bible every morning. We, even as refugees, began to feel
that maybe what the Bible says is true, we must keep going and hope that one
day God will change our storyline." God did.
Through a scholarship through Catholic Charities, Jackson was able to
complete an undergraduate degree in International Political Economy and
Sociology from Carthage College in Kenosha, WI. Later that year, he began
his theological preparation at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago,
where he graduated on May 18, 2008. His ordination was August 3rd in
Hastings, Nebraska.
Jackson, along with his wife Annick, a former Miss Ivory Coast beauty
pageant winner, and son, Rod, age 2, have moved to Katy. His wife has
recently obtained her certification as a Certified Medical Assistant and
will begin an internship and medical training course.
His passion, Jackson says, is to small group ministries. "I am a strong
believer in reaching people where they are and empowering them to step to
the plate and become leaders. I want to help other people find their own
place in the body of Christ."
Jackson said he was moved by the work of the many ministries of Living Word.
"I believe that first one must look inward through prayer and Bible study,
but then the focus must be outward. We must look beyond our own needs, to be
a blessing and good stewards of those blessings. When I look at my own life
story and the things I've been through, I believe in looking outward. We
need to bring the Gospel, to change lives."
S'mores and Champagne Lutherhill Gala, September 6
Tickets still available for the S'mores and Champagne Lutherhill Gala which
will be held September 6th at the Hyatt in downtown Houston. The evening
begins at 6:30 p.m. with music, cocktails and a silent auction. The evening
is hosted by Meredith Stancik, the Anchor at News 3 in Bryan/College
Station. There will be live music by The Newsboyz, an Austin cover band and
easy listening trio. There will be both silent and live auctions.
Ticket Prices:
$120 per individual
$1500 per table of 10
$2500 Sponsorship
For more information please contact Lutherhill.
www.lutherhill.org
jen at lutherhill.org
Phone: 979-249-3232
Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity International
Take a trip to Biloxi MS and change lives!
It's been three years since Hurricanes Rita and Katrina ravaged the
Mississippi Gulf Coast, and thousands of families still live in unsafe
temporary housing. You can work side-by-side with other Thrivent Financial
members, Lutherans and volunteers to help a partner family in need of
simple, decent, affordable housing. On behalf of its members, Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans has committed $2.5 million to Habitat for Humanity
of the Mississippi Gulf Coast to build up to 40 homes-nearly all in one
community. Along with homes, volunteers are also building a neighborhood
pavilion and a park.
Trip costs:
. Members of Thrivent Financial: Receive a $100 discount toward trip costs
($249 plus travel). It's the power of your membership in action.
. Nonmembers: $349 (plus travel).
No previous construction experience is required!
You can join an existing team.
September 15-20
November 3-8
November 17-22
.or you can be a leader and take a team of your own at a different time.
To see a video about the Gulf Coast effort go to:
http://www.thriventbuilds.com/worldwide/gulf/index.html
Call Karen LiBassi, Lutheran Community Services Specialist at 1-866-525-7017
or karen.libassi at thrivent.com to find out more.
One week of your time in Biloxi will change a family's life.and it just may
change your own.
Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity in the Gulf Coast Synod
"Serving through Habitat turns churches inside out. In Matthew 25, Jesus
invites his followers to encounter God in the face of the hungry, wandering
and imprisoned stranger. As a Christian church, we have the opportunity,
through Thrivent Builds, to reengage in the mission of the church by coming
together to serve those in need of decent homes."
--Bishop Mike
Through an alliance with Habitat, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is
providing $179,000 to build four homes in the Greater Houston area. Four
families are building homes with Habitat alongside Thrivent members and area
Lutherans. The homes are located in Cypress, Conroe and Rosenberg.
Volunteers of all kinds are needed to make dreams come true. One of the
families, displaced by Katrina almost three years ago is reuniting for the
first time. Construction volunteers do not need to be experienced. You'll
be surprised what you can do with a little instruction!
Another way to help is by making a donation for construction materials or
sponsoring a fund raiser. Thrivent members and area Lutherans have raised
over $13,000 towards the $28,000 goal which is 10% of the total cost of all
four homes. An additional $15,000 is needed and this is another way a church
can help. A $20 donation will provide four framing studs!
Also needed are people to provide lunches, devotions, and to be a "host" at
the construction. And a very important need is prayers for the families and
the volunteers. So come spend a day walking in the shoes of the Great
Carpenter. You'll never forget it.
For more information:
NW Harris County (Cypress) call Ken Dinges, kendinges at gmail.com,
281-256-9557
Fort Bend (Rosenberg) call Jerry Lohr, j_s_lohr at hughes.net, 979-387-2329
Conroe - call Don Hynek, don_hynek at yahoo.com, 936-271-7695
Karen LiBassi, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Karen.libassi at thrivent.com
1-866-525-7017.
Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest
Talent ShowJPG
For Gift Annuities, information about Estate Planning, and to "Get Your
Ducks in a Row", contact John Hunsicker, Director of Development of the
Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest, 1-866-542-1349 or johnh at LFSW.org.
Bookkeeper Position Available with Gulf Coast Synod Office
The TX-LA Gulf Coast Synod Office is looking for a part-time (20 hours a
week) Bookkeeper/Accounting Clerk with the following qualifications:
. 3-5 years experience
. Knowledgeable in AR/AP
. Highly organized and attention to detail
. Prior experience as full charge bookkeeper
. Good written and oral communication skills
. Knowledge of Windows based PC Operating System
. Proficient in Microsoft Word & Excel
. Ability to work in a multi-task environment
Duties:
. Maintain a complete and systematic set of records of all financial
transactions of the Synod
. Record detail of Synod financial transactions in appropriate journals and
ledgers
. Summarize and balance entries recorded in individual journals and ledgers
and transfer date to general ledgers
. Prepare monthly statements of income, expense, cash balances and fund
balances
. Maintain detail transaction register of all restricted and dedicated
funds
. Prepare for and coordinate the annual audit of the financial accounts and
records of the synod
. Maintain regular communication with the Synod Treasurer
. Other duties as assigned by the Bishop of the synod and/or the
Administrative Assistant to the Bishop of the Synod
Please send your resume to Reyna Pereira, Administrative Assistant at 12707
North Freeway, Ste. 580, Houston, TX 77060 or e-mail
reyna at gulfcoastsynod.org or fax it to 281/875-4716.
Annual Global Mission Festival, Living Word, Katy
5th Annual Global Mission Festival
Sunday, October 19th, 2008 from 2:00 - 6:30pm
Living Word Lutheran Church, Katy
Global Mission Liv Word art painting resize.jpgHighlights for this year's
Festival include: Guest Speaker - Dr. Tony Campolo
Special Children's Activities with - Katy ARTreach and Young Audiences of
Houston's Dan Egger-Belandria
Join us for a Spirit-filled afternoon of multi-cultural worship, fellowship,
fair trade arts & crafts, ethnic food, great world music, mission ministry
information, games and FUN for EVERYONE! Information packets will be mailed
in August. Want to know more now? Contact Living Word at 281-392-2300 or
livingwordkaty at consolidated.net.
Great Gifts for any Lutheran!
Augsburg Fortress is proud to offer a wide assortment of Luther
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simply add to your own collection. For more information visit
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This beautiful, 4 inch gold plated Luther Rose medallion is displayed in an
elegant 8'' x 8'' walnut frame with a plush velvet background.
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Luther Rose Pectoral Cross
This solid pewter 3'' pectoral cross comes on a 30'' chain and is a
wonderful gift displaying Lutheran faith.
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Luther's Seal Key Ring
1-3/4'' Luther's Seal on pewter key ring. This is a beautiful and affordable
key ring displaying your Lutheran faith.
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Luther Rose ''In Grateful Appreciation'' Pen Stand
Bronze Luther Rose enameled medallion ''In Grateful Appreciation.'' Complete
with a quality gold plated pen on a 3'' x 6'' Carrara white marble base.
Strengthen Outreach with Your Investment Dollars
Mission Investment Fund
By Carol Spencer
Would you like to earn interest on your investments while strengthening ELCA
congregations and ministries that are growing and reaching out? Didn't know
that you could actually invest in ELCA outreach? Well, you can, through the
ELCA Mission Investment Fund.
The money you invest with the ELCA Mission Investment Fund is loaned to ELCA
mission congregations, established congregations and ministries throughout
the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands for land, new
facilities, renovations, and additions. Mission congregations depend almost
exclusively on the Mission Investment Fund for loans, as other sources
available to established ELCA congregations generally are not available to
them. So, the money you invest is a real investment in ELCA outreach.
For additional information, current interest rates, or an application, visit
the web site at www.MissionInvestmentFund.org, call the Fund toll free at
1.877.886.3522, or contact Pastor Carol E. Spencer, MIF area representative,
at 817.927.3239 or Carol.Spencer at elca.org.
ELCA logo.gif
Please do not send postings or comments to this list.
Its sole purpose is to distribute this newsletter.
TX-LA Gulf Coast Synod, ELCA
12707 North Freeway, Suite 580
Houston, TX 77060
Voice: 281-873-5665
Fax: 281-875-4716
Website: www.gulfcoastsynod.org
In this Issue:
Click on a link to go.
Bishop Rinehart; Every <> Congregation is a Mission Congregation
A View from the Pew/A View from <> the Pulpit
Moral Outrage: Synod World <> Hunger Appeal
>From War Survivor to <> Pastor
S <> 'mores and Champagne Lutherhill Gala
Thrivent Builds <> with Habitat for Humanity International
Thrivent Builds <> with Habitat for Humanity in the Gulf Coast Synod
Lutheran Foundation <> of the Southwest
Bookkeeper Position <> Available with Gulf Coast Synod Office
Annual Global Mission <> Event at Living Word
Great Gifts for any Lutheran <>
Mission Investment <> Fund: Strengthen Outreach with Your Investment
Dollars
Our Connection to Peru
Each month we will have a special feature article about our sister synod in
Lima Peru. Please visit Our Connections to
<http://www.enthuseddesigns.com/connections_peru/> Peru for our articles.
You will also find information on Future Seekers, the trip to Peru, and
Pastor Navarro's blog spot.
Mission Endowment Fund Grant Requests Due
Grant Requests are due in the synod office September 15, 2008. Grants will
be awarded at the November 15, 2008 Board of Directors meeting. Grant
request forms are available on the TX-LA Gulf Coast Synod's website. Look
under "Resources" and then "Downloads."
Grants are awarded for five objectives including seed money for New Mission
and Ministry Programs and Young Lutheran Congregations.
IRS Mileage Reimbursement Rate Goes Up to 58.5 cents per mile
Given increase in the cost of gasoline these past few months, the IRS has
instituted a provisional increase in the rate for mileage reimbursement to
58.5 cents per mile. We strongly encourage congregations to begin using this
number to fairly compensate staff for the use of their vehicles.
2008-09 Lutheran Youth Organization Dates at a Glance
October 2, 2008 Jr. High Early Bird Postmark Deadline
October 23, 2008 Jr. High Final Postmark Deadline/ Online Reg. Closes
November 21-23, 2008 LYO Jr. High Gathering at Sheraton North Houston
December 18, 2008 Sr. High Early Bird Postmark Deadline
January 22, 2009 Sr. High Final Postmark Deadline/Online Reg. Closes
February 27-March 1, 2009 LYO Sr. High Community of Service at Camp For All,
Burton, TX
ELCA National Youth Gathering, New Orleans, Louisiana
Next year 36,000 people will descend upon New Orleans once again for the
2009 ELCA Youth Gathering, but their purpose for going there will be
somewhat different than the last time the Gathering was held there. This
time around the primary purpose of this event is to serve God and grow in
our understanding of compassionate justice.
Important Info and Dates:
Registration Brochure available online NOW
Volunteer Registration available online NOW until spots filled
Youth Servant Corp Registration available online NOW until Oct 15, 2008
Registration opens for the Gathering, MYLE, and DAYLE Sept 15, 2008
Lutheran Youth Organization Convention registration opens Jan 1, 2009
Gathering, MYLE, and DAYLE registration closes Jan 15, 2009
Lutheran Youth Organization Convention registration closes Apr 15, 2009
Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) July 19-22, 2009
Definitely-Abled Youth Leadership Event (DAYLE)) July 19-22, 2009
ELCA Youth Gathering July 22-26, 2009
Triennial Convention of the LYO (Hattiesburg, MS) July 26-30, 2009
Visit www.elca.org/gathering
Connections Deadline
Connections goes out monthly the first week of the month. If you have an
article for the September issue, please submit it by August 20. Send
articles to Susan Rinehart at rinehart at shawus.com.
Links:
In order to better connect ourselves with the prayer needs of our synod, a
new <http://www.gulfcoastsynod.org/prayer_request.htm> Prayer Request site
has been created. You may enter information and read the requests of others
at this site.
Congregations <http://www.gulfcoastsynod.org/call_process.htm> in
Transition
Mission Support <http://www.gulfcoastsynod.org/mission_support.htm>
Information
Synod Web Site -
www.gulfcoastsynod.org
Youth & Family Ministry www.soggyshoes.org
Disaster Relief Web Site
www.futurewithhope.org
Churchwide Web Site
www.elca.org
ELCA Global Missions
www.elca.org/GlobalMission
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