E-Spirit
March 20, 2018
Bold - Passionate - Faithful
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Features:
- God's Faithfulness on the Journey: Reflections of Rostered Women of Color
- MissionPartners100 Testimony: Rock of Ages, Wildwood
- Where Hope Finds Help: Thrivent Action Teams and Synod Assembly Service Project
Events Coming up:
- Stewardship for All Seasons Information Meeting
- Easter Sunday Family Funday, Faith, Lehigh Acres
- Respite Retreat, Luther Springs (April 10-12)
For Your Information:
- Boundaries Workshop
- Holy Week with Children
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Click the calendar above for more information about these events
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March 21 -
Stewardship for All Seasons Information Conference Call
March 24 -
Lenten Visit, Messiah, Panama City
March 27 -
Scholar in Residence, St. Armands Key, Sarasota
March 30 -
GOOD FRIDAY--OFFICE CLOSED
April 1 -
Easter Sunday Family Fun Day, Faith, Lehigh Acres
April 10-12 -
Respite Retreat, Luther Springs
April 18-20 -
"True to Myself" Retreat by Portico (at Lutheranch)
April 21 -
BIC Training, All Saints, Lutz
April 24 -
Boundaries Workshop, Emmanuel, Naples
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More information on this year's Lenten Visits, along with an opportunity to RSVP, is now available. These events are free and open to all.
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Thank you to Pr. Derek Hoven (pastor and Conference Dean) and the community of Salem Lutheran Church, Orlando, for hosting the March 10 Lenten Visit.
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Thank you to Pr. Sally Cook (pastor), Pr. Bill Knott (Conference Dean) and the community of St. Michael Lutheran, Wellington, for hosting the March 17 Lenten Visit.
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"God's Faithfulness on the Journey"
Reflections of Rostered Women of Color
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As part of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, the ELCA produced the resource "God's Faithfulness on the Journey," a collection of reflections from 38 rostered women of color. Pr. Vicki Hamilton, St. John's Lutheran, Jacksonville, is one of the contributors.
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From the introduction:
For many years, women of color in the ELCA felt silenced and searched for opportunities to speak for themselves. In 1992, when there was an initial gathering of ELCA women of color, the possibility of this resource began to be realized. The vision of women of color voices being heard was caught by several people who organized a second gathering, “At the Sound of Our Name,” in April 2009. The 500th anniversary of the Reformation is an excellent time to join the chorus of voices commemorating the Reformation call for liberty among God’s people and to help ensure
that rostered women of color never be seen as the silent “ELCA-subaltern” again.
The stories in this resource are written for generations now and to come. They are written for this church and the whole body of Christ. They are written so that the world may know God has called and continues to call women of color as leaders for God’s work. We invite you to enjoy these stories and use them as an incentive to engage the fullness of God’s story by sharing your own stories in small groups, Christian education settings, family gatherings, open forums and times of celebration. Thank you for your interest, your time and for hearing what the hearts of rostered women of color in the ELCA have to share with you!
>>>To read this resource, click
here
<<<
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Mission Partner 100 Testimony:
Rock of Ages Lutheran Church, Wildwood
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Mission Partners 100 (MP100) is a grant ministry of the Florida-Bahamas Synod that provides funding to ministries for building and property-related renovations that will support and enhance ministry. MP100 funds are available as congregations throughout the synod contribute, and are then given to congregations throughout the synod. In this way, MP100 is a way to 'be church together' as congregations contribute to and are benefitted by collaboration and partnership. The article below is one of several MP100 stories that will be shared over the next few weeks. To learn more about MP100, contact the synod office (813-876-7660).
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submitted by Pr. Don Erickson
Rock of Ages Lutheran Church was started in 2004 with a small handful of people who were bold enough to worship in the chapel of a local funeral home. The congregation grew slowly until the founding pastor, Rev. Zack Harris, struck up a friendship with Rev. Dan Clow, the pastor of First Presbyterian Church just a couple of blocks away in downtown Wildwood. First Presbyterian began worship in 1885. Their original church building was vacated when they built a new building on the same property. The original building was relegated to storage and fell into disrepair. Rev. Clow and Rev. Harris conceived a plan to renovate the building in partnership to be rented by Rock of Ages. Rock of Ages began worshipping in the renovated building in 2006.
In January of 2013 Rock of Ages was officially organized as a congregation of the Florida-Bahamas Synod with about 100 charter members. In January of 2014 Rev. Harris left and an interim pastor was assigned. Pastor Don Erickson began serving in February of that year and a search for another permanent pastor was begun. It was hoped that that search would only take a few months. Ultimately, two candidates declined the call to Rock of Ages. Morale sank and many wondered if Rock of Ages was meant to be. Pastor Erickson agreed to stay until a full call process could be completed, however long that would take. As the Holy Spirit would have it the call committee asked Pastor Erickson to come out of retirement, the Bishop agreed, as did Pastor Erickson. Pastor Erickson was installed in December 2015.
With a permanent pastor growth began in earnest. Effort was soon undertaken to pay off the mortgage on the 8-acre site that would become the new home of Rock of Ages. The payoff was accomplished in short order and plans began for a capital campaign as well as planning for the new building. With the help of the Mission Investment Fund (MIF) Capital Campaign Services, MIF building consultant and MIF Financing firm plans were in place. How would this small congregation (by now at 130 members) be able to bear the considerable cost? One Saturday Pastor Erickson received a phone call from Pastor Jim Graeser, Director of Evangelical Mission for the Florida-Bahamas Synod informing Pastor Erickson that a grant of $28,000 from the Mission Partners 100 fund was available. Needless to say this unexpected gift from the participating congregations of the Synod was seen as an affirming signal from the Holy Spirit that the mission of Rock of Ages was, indeed, meant to be.
It is expected, once all of the permitting is completed, that groundbreaking will occur soon with occupancy expected by early next year. The excitement in the congregation is at an all-time high. Planning for expanded mission in the community and beyond has begun. The ROA Council and congregation offer a big THANK YOU! to the MP100 participating churches for demonstrating that we are church together!
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Where Hope Finds Help--
Partner up with Harbor House and Thrivent Action Teams
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Harbor House provides emergency shelter, a 24-hour crisis hotline, counseling and emotional support and legal advocacy for survivors of domestic abuse and their children. Harbor House will be the recipient of this year's Synod Assembly Service Project. For more information about the Synod Assembly Service Project, click
HERE.
Thrivent Financial representative, Kathy Emanuelson, invites Thrivent Action Teams as a way of engaging in this service project. Kathy writes:
"It starts with an idea powered by your passion. Bring a volunteer team together to make an immediate impact on a cause you care about. We'll help get you started. It's easy! Thrivent members can partner a Thrivent Action Team with your collection of items to the Florida Bahamas Synod. Thrivent Financial Representatives can offer helpful hints for applying for your funds (when applying, Harbor House of Central Florida is the recipient organization. P.O. Box 680748 Orlando FL 23868). If you have a question regarding Action Teams, please call Kathy Emanuelson at 727-733-3991."
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Stewardship for All Seasons Information Meeting
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Grow your stewardship response by 10-25% next year.
The Synod Council is partnering to bring stewardship resources to your congregation. The
attached flyer
provides some information, but a
webinar is planned on Wednesday, March 21 at 2 PM
. You can join the online webinar with the link below.
The program is Stewardship for All Seasons and is currently being conducted in South Carolina, North Carolina, SE Minnesota, South Dakota, Southeast Michigan, Rocky Mountain Synod, and other synods.
Most congregations participating increase giving by 10%-25% in the first year in the program.
We are looking for
nine
congregations in Florida to join this “pilot” program here this year and we are looking for a diverse range of congregations for this program, as the program works for small, large, medium, rural, suburban, urban and other types of congregations. Mike Ward, Partner with GSB and the leader of Stewardship for All Seasons will lead our webinar.
Please let Pr. John Mocko (Interim DEM/A2B for south) know that you will be joining the virtual meeting on March 21 at 2 PM. You can email Pr. Mocko at john.w.mocko@gmail.com
Meeting Information:
Topic: Florida Stewardship for All Seasons
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (786) 535-3211
Access Code: 786-381-525
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Easter Sunday Family Fun Day
Faith, Lehigh Acres
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This isn’t just an April Fool’s joke!
Join us for FREE food and games at our Family Fun Day celebrating the Resurrected Christ.
(We will be grilling hot dogs & hamburgers! We will have drinks and sides as well. Games and Prizes for the kids along with an Easter Egg Hunt!)
Faith Lutheran Church
705 Leeland Heights Blvd E
Lehigh Acres, FL 33936
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Respite Retreat for Rostered Leaders
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Calling all rostered leaders and church professionals! You are invited to join us for
RESPITE IN THE WILDERNESS
, April 10-12, 2018 (Tuesday-Thursday). A retreat of rest and renewal through prayer and study as we close out the busy season of Lent and celebrate the beginning of the season Easter. Guests are only charged for the cost of food.
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These days, it is more important than ever for leaders to ensure they are maintaining good emotional, physical, and social boundaries. For rostered ministers who are invited into the vulnerability and pain of others, tending to boundaries is especially vital.
The words said to newly ordained and consecrated pastors and deacons contain a charge to be trustworthy in shaping preaching and teaching around the Good News of the God who is for us, for the church and for this world in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus. Closely related is the charge that all of our life and ministry embody that Good News so that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, when people see us, they see something of the God who is for us in Christ Jesus.
The Boundaries Workshop is an opportunity for rostered ministers (and other congregational leaders) of the Florida-Bahamas Synod to participate in a one-day workshop led by Barbara Keller, ELCA Consultant for Prevention of Sexual Misconduct, and Pastor Ken Blyth on the difficult but critically important conversations about power, vulnerability, dating, friendships and social media, receiving and giving gifts, pulpit boundaries, and touch/hugging/sexual intimacy.
A suggested donation of $25 will help cover the cost of the facilitator, lunch, and resources, and will be collected at the event.
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
9:30-3:30
Emmanuel Lutheran, Naples
777 Mooring Line Dr
Naples, FL 3412
An additional workshop will be offered on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018 at Cross+Road Lutheran Church in Fleming Island, FL. Registration will be available soon.
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Worshiping With Children
Lent is impossibly long for children - almost six weeks and no real story to go with it.That is forever!But, Holy Week lasts only eight days and is filled with action stories.Children are ready to focus for that time on the key stories of the...
Read more
worshipingwithchildren.blog...
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March 20-April 3, 2018
- Tampa Office
- Tallahassee
- Messiah, Panama City (Lenten Visit)
- Rock of Ages, Wildwood
- Dallas (Ecumenical Stewardship event)
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Florida-Bahamas Synod 813-876-7660
info@fbsynod.org
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