Around the Synod

Wed Feb 25 12:41:27 EST 2009

Around the Synod Logo 1.jpg

February 25, 2009

PRAYERS

-          Middle East

-          Congregations, Members & Leaders

-          Persons who have been unemployed/lay off

-          All leaders planning the LYO Sr. High Community of Service at
Camp For All in Burton, TX the weekend of Feb 27-Mar 1.

-          Students and adults coming to the LYO Sr. High Community of
Service at Camp For All in Burton, TX.

-          The ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans this July 22-26, 2009

1.       for the city as it prepares to receive 36,000 students and adults, 

2.       the participants as they prepare to enter into New Orleans,

3.        the planning teams working hard to meet deadlines as their
workload increases, 

4.       the ELCA staff as they shepherd participants and planning teams in
this final stretch of planning.

LATE BREAKING NEWS

Gifted to Lead An Interactive Forum for Women and with the gift of
leadership featuring Nancy Beach and Nancy Ortberg For details on the
schedule and speaker information or to register, please visit
www.willowcreek.com/women.  Register Early for best pricing!

Thursday, February 26, 2009 Lobbying Day - Houston Coalition for Immigration
Reform

Peggy Hahn invites you to join her in lobbying for immigration reform on
Thursday, February 26, 2009, as the Houston Coalition for Immigration Reform
travels to Austin.  The Coalition hopes to rent a bus so that the
communities of faith can travel together and enlarge the circle of
participation in the work of the coalition. We will gather at The Victual
Restaurant  (3814 Lyons Ave, Houston 77020) at 5:30 am for a 6:00 am
departure to Austin, returning at 6:00 pm.  For more information, contact
Peggy (832.594.5016 -cell) or Joel Gaza (at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church -
713.224.0052).  If you are coming, please let Peggy know as soon as possible
so that we can save you a seat on the bus!

Thursday, March 5, 2009 Youth and Family Ministry Network welcomes a Skype
Conference on Thursday, March 5th with Andrea Fieldhouse, Director of Family
at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Excelsior, MN.  Andrea has worked the
last five years to develop a ministry called Building Bridges that is
focused on the PRACTICING of faith at church that we can INTENTIONALLY live
it at HOME and use it in our everyday lives!  The Network meets at Advent
Lutheran Church beginning with devotions at 10:30am.  You are welcome to
bring lunch with you or money to order food from Jason's Deli.

TOOL TIME - This is a NEW time of sharing that we generally do at the end of
our time together at 1:15pm.  Bring samples of GREAT curriculum you have
used or are using with children and/or adults that has been effective in
your setting.  We want to help each other in ministry by sharing the
resources that work!

Gathering Getting Ready Meetings: Part 2

The Gathering is now less than 6 months away!  There is LOTS to do to get
all the adult leaders from the synod ready for this experience together in
New Orleans.  All primary leaders are invited to bring themselves AND their
adult leaders with them to one of the Getting Ready Meetings: Part 2 being
held in March.  If you have any questions, contact your Synod Coordinator
for the ELCA Youth Gathering - Jessica Noonan at
<mailto:jessica at gulfcoastsynod.org> jessica at gulfcoastsynod.org 

MEETINGS:

Saturday, March 7 from 3-5pm                                  Covenant
Lutheran Church in Houston, TX

Sunday, March 15 from 2-4pm                                   Grace Lutheran
Church in New Orleans, LA

Sunday, March 22 from 2-4pm                                   St. John
Retreat Center located at 4740 Hwy 36 in Bellville, TX

Sunday, March 29 from 3-5pm                                   New Hope
Lutheran Church in Missouri City, TX

Please RSVP to Jessica Noonan at  <mailto:jessica at gulfcoastsynod.org>
jessica at gulfcoastsynod.org at least 5 days prior to the meeting you plan to
attend to help us plan accordingly.  Thanks!

Wednesday, March 18 Deadline to apply for Disaster Recovery Grant
Opportunity - 

Our synod has received financial support from all over the country following
Hurricane Gustav and Ike.  Our priorities have been to support our pastors
and congregations as they serve their neighborhoods.  In the last 5 months
we have responded to needs as they have come our way.  At this point there
is $50,000 remaining in our disaster fund which we want to make available to
congregations with hurricane-related needs, through a granting process.

Grants will range from $1,000 to $3,000 per congregation and are designed to
address unfunded repairs that are vital to the ministry of the congregation
OR to reimburse congregations where repairs have already been made, but
insurance did not provide adequate coverage or deductibles were very high.
Apply by completing the one-page Disaster Grant Request Form (click here
<http://www.gulfcoastsynod.org/downloads.htm> ) and returning it to our
office by Wednesday, March 18, 2009.  Requests will be reviewed and
disbursements will be made by the end of March.

Friday, March 20, 2009 Deadline to apply for Assistant to the Bishop for
Disaster Preparation & Recovery

Thanks to our partnership with Lutheran Disaster Response, our synod will be
staffing a full-time position for 2 years specifically for Disaster
preparation and recovery.  The person will be officed in Houston and
function as an Assistant to the Bishop.  A description of the work and
expectations is available on the synod website on the front page.  To apply,
send your resume (and/or mobility papers, if you are rostered) to the TX-LA
Gulf Coast Synod, to the attention of Peggy Hahn on or before March 20,
2009.

Sunday, April 26 to 29, 2009 Join Bishop Hanson Sojourners, and others at
The Mobilization to End Poverty a historic gathering of thousands of
anti-poverty advocates in Washington, D.C. Together, we will call on
President Obama and the new Congress to make overcoming poverty a national
priority.  We've already invited President-elect Barack Obama to address The
Mobilization and we are working to secure his participation.  Early Bird
Registration (through February 23, 2009) is $249 (Regular) and $140
(Students) with discounts for groups and volunteers.  After February 23,
Registration is $299 (Regular) and $169 (Students). For more information, a
complete program, and to register, visit www.sojo.net/mobilization, or
http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=events.m2ep
<http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=events.m2ep&item=m2ep-home>
&item=m2ep-home

Sunday, August 2-5, 2009 Pastors and Musicians The Association of Lutheran
Church Musicians biennial conference this year (August 2-5 in Milwaukee)
will address the separate but related vocations of pastors and musicians
working together in parishes. Musicians and pastors serving together in
congregations are encouraged to attend. www.alcm2009.com.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Synod Assembly Registration is NOW OPEN Log on to the synod webpage
(www.gulfcoastsynod.org)

Saturday, February 28, 2009 EXTENDED Deadline for submitting the 2009
Rostered Leader's Report to the Bishop Forms to the synod office. To
download a copy, please click
<http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organizatio
n/Office-of-the-Secretary/Congregation-Administration/Rostered-Leader-Report
s-to-the-Synod-Bishop.aspx>  here.  As of today, we have received only 60
out of 180 rostered leaders, please help us this year achieve a goal of 100%
participation! Please e-mail the forms to Reyna at gulfcoastsynod.org  Please
don't hesitate to call Reyna or Lucia if you have any questions or need any
help in downloading the forms.

Saturday, February 28, 2009 EXTENDED Deadline for submitting the 2009 Annual
Congregational report electronically.  To file electronically please click
<http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organizatio
n/Office-of-the-Secretary/Congregation-Administration/Report-Congregational-
Statistics-Online.aspx>  here These forms are password protected, if you
need a password for your congregation, please call the synod office at
281/873-5665, we are here to help.  As of today, we have only received 63
out of 126 churches. Let's achieve 100% participation!

Saturday, March 7, 2009 the Greater Houston Long Term Recovery Committee
(GHLTRC) is launching our Volunteer First program-on the first Saturday of
each month we will host a repair/rebuild workday blitz.  The Greater Houston
area still has extensive damage caused by Hurricane Ike and repair work is
expected to be ongoing for at least the next year.  The HGLTRC is looking
for volunteers to help repair Ike-damaged homes for low-income families,
seniors and disabled people. To volunteer, go to www.volunteerhouston.org
<http://www.volunteerhouston.org/>  and fill in the online Volunteer
In-Take/Skill Sheet.  Detailed information on the March 7, Volunteer First
event day will be posted on our website soon.  If you have any questions,
please call the Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) at 713-964-0299 or email
ikevolunteer at volunteerhouston.org.

Saturday, March 7 & March 8th, 2009 Promise U - A Musical Production
Featuring God's Precious Promises to Certain of His Famous Followers over
the pastor 2000 years.  Faith Street Theatre is a faith-based acting
ensemble sponsored by Faith Lutheran Church and comprised of child actors
ages 5-15, their parents and other supporting adults. Performances are full
musical presentations inclusive of singing, dancing, signing, costumes and
spoken lines all performed to a recorded orchestration under theater
lighting.  Faith Lutheran Church located at 4600 Bellaire Blvd (Avenue B &
inside Loop 610), Bellaire, TX.  If you have any questions, please contact
Susan Ashley at 832/689-7251 or susan at ashleyhall.com

Sunday, March 15, 2009  Deadline to submit Nominations Forms for Positions
to Synod Council, Committee on Discipline and Consultation Committee due to
Pr. Mike Aus (mikeaus at livingwordkaty.org).  To obtain a copy of the form,
log on to our website and click on 2009 Synod Assembly.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009 Resolutions due to bishop's office (to be mailed in
voting member packets); email resolutions to mandy at gulfcoastsynod.org 

Saturday, April 25 (Covenant/Houston) or Sunday April 26, 2009 (St.
Paul/Baton Rouge, LA) Mutual Ministry Seminar The concept of Mutual Ministry
in the Evangelical Lutheran Church has gone through dramatic changes since
the inception of the idea in the 1980s.  First called a "Pastor Support
Committee" or "Staff Support Committee" it was eventually named "Mutual
Ministry Committee" but by that point there was a great lack of clarity
about the committee's role and purpose in a congregation.  Saturday, April
25, 2009, 9:30 am-3:00 pm at Covenant Lutheran Church, 3785 Barker Cypress
Rd, Houston, TX 77084, 281-578-8799. Sunday, April 26, 2008, 2:00 pm-7:30 pm
at St Paul Lutheran Church, 2021 Tara Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70806,
225-923-3133. The cost of the event is $20 for the first person, $15 for the
next two with a $50 congregational cap. Each person registering will receive
a copy of Pastor and People.  A free will offering will be taken for the
meal. For a copy of the brochure click here www.gulfcoastsynod.org or
contact: Pastor Liz Stein at lizzardstein at gmail.com or 713-249-8471.

Saturday, April 25 & 26, 2009 ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson to visit
St. Martin's Evang Lutheran Church in Austin at 2:00 p.m.  Bishop Hanson
will visit St. Martin's as our congregation celebrates its 125th
anniversary: Saturday, April 25th An Open Forum and Reception with Bishop
Mark S. Hanson. Please RSVP to (512)476-6757 or email
yalvarez at saintmartins.org  Sunday April 26 at 8:45 and 11 a.m.  Bishop
Hanson will deliver the day's sermon during our worship services. Please
help St. Martin's welcome Bishop Hanson by making plans to join us. If you
have questions or need further information about this special weekend,
please call 476-6757 or visit St. Martin's website at 

www.saintmartins.org 

Friday, Mary 1, 2009  Written scholarship requests due

Wednesday, May 6, 2009  Deadline to reserve hotel rooms at discounted rates

Tuesday, May 12, 2009  Cancellation deadline (with written notice) for full
refund

Friday, May 15, 2009  Display Registration Forms due

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 Online registration closes

Thursday, May 28-30, 2009 Synod Assembly at the Sugar Land Marriott Town
Square! 

August 17 - 23, 2009 Churchwide Assembly at Minneapolis, MN  For additional
information click
<http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organizatio
n/Office-of-the-Secretary/ELCA-Governance/Churchwide-Assembly.aspx>  here

Sunday, October 4, 2009 -- 6th Annual Global Mission Festival from 2:00 -
6:30pm at Living Word Lutheran Church, Katy. Join us for a Spirit-filled
afternoon of multi-cultural worship with special guest speaker Leonard
Sweet, a noted author, preacher, and professor of evangelism, 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
<mailto:livingwordkaty at consolidated.net> livingwordkaty at consolidated.net

Texas Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod

12707 I-45 North Freeway, Suite 580                                        

Houston, TX  77060-1239

281/873-5665 Voice                        

281/875-4716 fax                             

www.gulfcoastsynod.org

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: winmail.dat
Type: application/ms-tnef
Size: 96202 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.faithgroups.net/pipermail/gulfcoastsynod/attachments/20090225/d459be24/attachment-0001.bin 