Together with our Baton Rouge and Lafayette pastors on the ground and our disaster team, we are having daily check-in calls to assess the needs of our communities. While all three of our congregations are high and dry, each congregation has many families who have lost everything. The congregations are helping their families and also looking to their neighborhoods.  Gifts to our disaster fund will assist those directly impacted in Louisiana.  Read more .

Our congregations are feeling the urgent need to help their members and their communities. They are asking for our help. This Saturday, we will muck out homes in Baton Rouge and Lafayette. Sign up to join us. 

The LEAD Journey provides learning seminars, coaching, and resources for congregational leadership who want to develop new behaviors and tools to join in God's mission. Talk with your congregational council and see if this is the right fit for you. The deadline to register for Cohort 2 is September 30.

You are invited to a celebration of ministry at Christ in El Campo for the installation of Pastor C. Wayne Clement on Sunday, August 28 at 2:00 pm.

A time of refreshments and fellowship will follow the worship service. Rostered leaders are invited to vest (green) and process. Gather in the office wing prior to the worship service. 

Chris Michaelis is originally from Arlington, Texas. He received his Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in May. He also has a degree in International Business from Texas Tech, where he met his wife, Tiffany, a Client Director at a digital marketing firm. THey are proud to have survived four Chicago winters and are looking forward to the more moderate climate of Houston. 

Chris and Tiffany's current interests include cooking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family. Chris is passionate about the intersection of the life of faith and civic engagement. Chris will be ordained on Saturday, September 3 at 1:00 pm at Calvary in Richland Hills. He has been called as pastor to New Hope in Missouri City. 

As the synod continues its strategic planning process, we are listening to leaders' thoughts about their own congregations. Rostered leaders, council members, and other leaders are invited to participate in a congregational focus group, a chance to gather in conversation and vision with your conference. 

• Central Houston Conference - August 29 at 7:00 pm (part of thank you dinner) at Memorial Drive in Houston
• Colorado River Conference - September 18 at 4:30 pm at Swiss Alp in Schulenburg
• Brazos Valley Conference - September 19 at 7:00 pm at Salem in Brenham
• Southwest Houston Conference  - September 20  at 6:30 pm at Messiah in Cypress 
• North Houston and Bayou Conferences' dates and locations are to be determined 

The 2016 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, by a vote of 811 to 55, approved adoption of the roster of Ministry of Word and Service. Beginning January 1, 2017, associates in ministry, deaconess of the ELCA, and diaconal ministers will be a single, unified roster of Ministry of Word and Service. The accompanying constitutional amendments related to the roster were also considered and approved by the assembly. Read more.

Mosaic is holding informational sessions called "Discover the Possibilities". You are invited to come and hear about the legacy of Mosaic's social ministry with roots in the Lutheran Church, continuing over 100 years. You will also learn about current issues people with intellectual disabilities are facing. Individuals served by Mosaic will share their life stories with the group. The sessions are open to the public; lunch will be served. Please RSVP with Heidi Mahoney, 281.257,5430.

• August 26 at 12:00 pm in Alvin
• September 9 at 1:00 pm in Bryan
• September 23 at 1:00 pm at Barbara Bush Library in Spring
• October 3 at 12:00 pm in Alvin

On August 27, we will be sending volunteers to Louisiana to help muck out houses affected by the recent devastating floods. We will muck out from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Specific site locations have yet to be determined, but will be in Baton Rouge and Lafayette areas. Please register by Wednesday, August 24. 

Can't come? Donations have been slow. Perhaps you congregation could take up a special offering. Synod disaster funds will be used to buy gift cards, supplies, and potentially a shower house. Every dollar makes a difference. 

The Lutherans Restoring Creation hosts a monthly web series to talk about creation, typically held on the last Sunday of each month.

• August 28 at 6:00 pm - Reducing Toxins in the Yard/Garden - Daniel Millikan
• September 25 at 6:00 pm - Reducing Waste in the Home - Lisa Brenskelle
• October 30 at 6:00 pm - Lutherans Restoring Creation facilitates a discussion on Christian Theology of Earthkeeping
• November 20 at 6:00 pm - Lutherans Restoring Creation facilitates a discussion on Christian Theology of Earthkeeping

Lutherhill will be hosting their tenth annual S'mores and Champagne Gala on September 10 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott. The gala will feature a silent auction, live auction, raffle, wine wall, wishing wall, dinner, and dancing. Funds raised at this gala make it possible for Lutherhill to continue to provide an affordable experience for everyone who wants to attend camp. 

Sunday, September 11, is a dedicated day of service that celebrates who we are as the ELCA - one church, freed in Christ to love and serve our neighbor.  If you haven't already done so, please sign up your congregation for this day of service. 

Faith leaders play a key role in supporting communities. This " Listening to those we serve" workshop on September 15 at Interfaith Ministries Center in Houston will help participants identify red flags and help families build healthy relationships. The workshop is free. Please register online. 

Join Lutherhill for a West Texas adventure on September 22 - 25; this trip is designed for adults 18 years and older. Hiking in the Big Bend Mountains, canoeing the Rio Grande, and seeing the Marfa Lights are just the beginning of this adventure. Read more.

The First Call Theological Education will be hosting a retreat on September 26 - 28 at Lutherhill with a focus on health and wellness. Cost is $150 per person. The deadline to register in September 12. Read more. 

Your congregation is invited to challenge themselves to better care for creation during the upcoming EcoChallenge. Congregations can set up their own team or join the Lutherans Restoring Creation team. Each participant chooses one action to reduce their environmental impact and sticks with it for the two-week challenge period, October 14 - 28. There are many to choose from. Please contact Lisa Brenskelle should you have any additional questions. 

Our annual interim pastors retreat will be held on October 17 - 18 at the Zion Retreat Center in Galveston. This retreat is an opportunity for those involved in transitional ministry within our synod to share best practices, explore new trends, and learn from one another. Registration closes on October 3. Read more.

The #decolonizeLutheranism movement is hosting their first conference and public gathering, #decolonize16, of people in Chicago on October 22 from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm. The all-day meeting will be a mixture of worship, testimony, laughter, banter, fellowship, and love.

As a co-sponsor of this event, the Mission Investment Fund invites your congregation to attend and participate in this symposium, Now what?, that will explore the repurposing of church buildings as well as new approaches to outreach, stewardship, and leadership. Join on October 28 at Northway Christian in Dallas, Texas. 

On October 28 - 30, Lutherhill and the Lutherans Restoring Creation team invite you to a weekend of renewal in the beauty of God's good creation at the Zion Retreat Center in Galveston. Under the theme of environmental justice, you will explore Biblical justice and consider how it applies to the world around us. Space is limited, so register early. 

The 2017 Tri-Synodical Theological Conference will be held on January 23 -25 at the Doubletree in Austin. Keynote speakers will be Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and General Secretary of Lutheran World Federation Rev. Dr. Martin Junge. 

Observe the 500th anniversary of the Reformation as you travel with LEAD to search for the Paul of the 1st century on April 18 through May 4 in Turkey and Greece. This is open to anyone over the age of 18 who is serious about studying scripture and growing their understanding of the first century Christian movement. Preparation is required. Deposit ($400) is due by November 1.  Read more.

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

Expand the role of the church in encouraging faithful and non-partisan voter participation by providing faith based resources around voting. Provide a framework for Lutherans to understand and speak out about the intersection of voting/elections, racial/gender, and economic justice. Provide young adults the tools to understand and speak about what it means to be a young person of faith who is civically engaged. Engage with and equip ethnic communities to talk about voting rights and race and their connection with elections today. 

Sign up to receive up-to-date information on ELCAvotes. 

Every time it rains in Riverdale, the basements of homes, churches, and schools are filled with sewage, overflowing into the streets and alleys. The sewer systems on the city's north side, which haven't been replaced since before the Great Depression, don't meet the demands of the current population.

Shekinah Chapel, an ELCA congregation, helped start a community organization to hold elected officials accountable for the sewers and other quality of life issues in Riverdale. Continue reading...