Congregational Resources During Public Health Concerns
The ELCA churchwide office staff and partners are paying close attention to all the information regarding the Coronavirus (Covid-19) and assessing the impact on congregational life. Below are a variety of links to inform your congregation's care and response to current concerns:
This information and additional resources as they're available will be posted on the
Disaster Response
page of the synod web site.
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Nominations Being Accepted for ELCA Social Statement Task Force
The ELCA is developing a social statement on government, civic engagement, the relationship of church and state and related matters, as called for by the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
Social statements are the ELCA’s primary documents to address significant social issues. They are intended to aid reflection and shape conscience and to set forth the ELCA’s teaching and policy on the major social issues and questions of contemporary life.
An ELCA task force provides primary leadership for the statement’s development over a five-year period, using an established process of study and widespread participation in theological and moral deliberation. This task force will begin meeting in the fall 2020.
Applications/nominations to serve on the task force are being accepted through March 13. The task force will be composed of ELCA members who bring a range and diversity of knowledge, insight, background, political perspective, and competence related to civic life in contemporary church and society.
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Young Adult Intentional Living/Service Corps Opportunity from the Episcopal Church
LEVN, the Lutheran Episcopal Volunteer Network, is looking for young adults (age 21-30) for an 11-month program of non-profit volunteer service and learning about social justice. From the end of August 2020 to the end of July 2021, our corps members will be provided housing, utilities, health coverage, spiritual direction, and a $535/month living stipend. We also offer a $1000 re-entry grant at the completion of the program.
The placement sites for the upcoming program year include faith-based non-profits, secular non-profits, congregations, outdoor ministry, and our campus ministry at UC Davis. These service sites address issues of homelessness, food insecurity, unemployment, children and youth ministries, and other important social justice issues facing our communities.
We gather each week for evening prayer, dinner, and formation. The corps members live in intentional community in an apartment attached to our campus ministry center in Davis, CA. We're an ecumenical program in the Episcopal Service Corps network; applicants needn't be either Lutheran or Episcopal to apply—interest in Christian spirituality is the only expectation. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until July 31, 2020.
Visit levn.org or contact Program Director Casey Dunsworth at 530-756-1550 or pastor@thebelfry.org for more information!
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Click on the calendar to go to the synod calendar to learn more about these events
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Bishop's School 2020 Information Posted
Information about the 2020 Bishop's School has been updated on the
synod web site
. Please share this information with youth (completing grades 10, 11, 12) who may be interested in this event. This year's Bishop's School will take place June 14-19, 2020 at the University of West Alabama in Livingston, AL. Nomination deadline is April 15.
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Chrism Mass and Bishop's Visits
For this year, we will be hosting ONE CHRISM MASS worship service at St. John Lutheran Church, Winter Park, on
April 7 from 11-2 pm
. This is the Tuesday of Holy Week, which is the traditional day for the Chrism Mass. This event will include a time of learning over lunch, followed by a Chrism Mass service.
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Experience the best of Italy and the Oberammergau Passion Play
submitted by George Algozzina
In 2020, the small Bavarian village of Oberammergau will host the 42nd Oberammergau Passion Play. Oberammergau sprawls along the pretty Ammer River valley in the alpine region of Upper Bavaria, 90 minutes southwest of Munich. The Ammergau mountains look down on the village has grown steadily since its inhabitants first performed their now-world-renowned Passion Play in 1634. ALOA…Adult Lutherans Organized for Action…is pleased to announce an 11-Day Italian tour (Sept. 22-Oct. 2, 2020) including Rome, Florence, Venice and featuring the 2020 Oberammergau Passion Play!
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Soli Deo Gloria: To God Alone Be the Glory
Saturday, March 28th 7:00 PM
Grace Lutheran Church
3714 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, FL 33618
813-961-8747
The Chancel Choir at Grace Lutheran Church presents a program of organ and choral music by J.S. Bach that reflects the season of Lent; a time of self-examination and calling on God for guidance, mercy and redemption.
There is no admission fee; the cost of the program is underwritten by the our Betty Burton Endowment Fund. A freewill offering will be received on behalf of the ongoing Music Ministry at Grace. A reception will be held in Connections following the program.
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The diakonia Steering Committee
of the Florida-Bahamas Synod, ELCA,
cordially invites you
to the Graduation Eucharist for the
Graduation Class of 2020.
Bishop Pedro M. Suarez will preside.
Saturday,
the sixteenth day of May,
two thousand twenty,
at twelve thirty in the afternoon.
St. John Lutheran Church
1600 Orlando Avenue
Winter Park, Florida. 32789
Reception immediately following
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March 14 -
Vitality Process event, Panhandle Conference (Messiah, Panama City. 9 am-noon CST)
March 15 -
Rick Jaeggi Organ Concert, Peace, Ft. Myers (3pm)
March 21 -
Vitality Process event, First Coast Conference (Mandarin, Jacksonville. 9 am-noon)
March 28 -
Soli Deo Gloria Concert, Grace, Carrollwood (7:00 pm)
March 28 -
Vitality Process event, Pinelands Conference
April 4 -
Vitality Process event, Space Coast Conference (St. Paul's, Melbourne. 9 am-2pm)
April 7 -
Chrism Mass, St. John's Lutheran, Winter Park (11:00-2:00)
April 18 -
Vitality Event, Sun Coast Conference
April 21-23 -
Respite in the Wilderness Retreat (for rostered leaders and church professionals) at Luther Springs
April 25 -
Vitality Event, Flagler-Volusia Conference (All Saints, Port Orange, 9 am-noon)
May 2 -
Vitality Process Event, Heart of Florida Conference
May 9
- Bishop's Visit, University Lutheran Church, Gainesville
May 15-16
- diakonia Retreat/Graduation, St. John, Winter Park
May 16 -
Vitality Process Event, Gulf Coast Conference
June 28-July 1
- Grands and Family Camp, Luther Springs
September 26
- Bishop's Visit, Lord of Life, Miami
October 10
- Bishop's Visit, Advent, Melbourne
*Rostered ministers are invited to vest and process at installation and ordination services. Red is worn for ordination, color of the day is worn for installations.
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Check out the
Synod Assembly 2020
page of the web site for information about this year's Synod Assembly. We will be in a new location and intentionally finding ways to include children and youth throughout the assembly. This page will be updated over the next several weeks as information is finalized.
Registration for synod assembly opens March 15th
. Hotel reservations can already be made (link available on the Assembly 2020 web page).
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Supporting the Southeastern Synod Tornado Response
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Nashville Tornadoes - How Can I Help?
We are holding all who are affected in our prayers, and will share more concrete ways to support and respond when we are aware of them. For now, those who wish to support this disaster can do so through
Lutheran Disaster Response or directly through the
Southeastern Synod's web site.
Below is a word from Bishop Kevin Strickland about the impact this storm has made on this area.
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Invitation to Host a Camp Sunday
Camp Sunday is an easy and powerful way for your congregation to pass on the love of camp! Hosting a Camp Sunday helps encourage your members to register for youth, adult and family camp programs while giving them an opportunity to financially support this ministry we all love and share.
We invite you to designate one Sunday each year as Camp Sunday.
We will send you colorful bulletin inserts, copy and paste ready bulletin and newsletter announcements, social media images and offering envelopes. We work to make it easy for you to share the love of camp!
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- Tampa Office
- Atlanta (Region 9)
- King of Kings, New Port Richey (50th anniversary)
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