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SYNOD NEWS
Bishop Gafkjen's October I-K Lutheran Newsletter
The Indiana-Kentucky Synod Transformational Leadership Academy has launched! As the TLA grows in coming months it will offer robust theological, spiritual, and practical formation for the whole people of God across the Indiana-Kentucky mission territory and beyond.
Please click here to read the full article.
Constitutional Changes for Congregations
The 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, held last month in Milwaukee, WI, passed several amendments to the ELCA Model Constitution for Congregations. The newly amended version is now available:
https://www.elca.org/About/Churchwide/Office-of-the-Secretary/Constitutions, along with a document that highlights all of the amendments. For congregations who have revised their constitution since 2016, these amendments can be adopted at one congregational meeting with a majority vote of those present and voting, if you are in conformity with the previous 2016 model. For congregations who have not recently updated their constitution, this would be an ideal time to engage that process. You can find a resource to guide that process on our synod's website:
https://iksynod.org/document/guidelines-revising-congregational-constitutions/.
This document has been updated to reflect new language and is available for your use. Constitutions may be submitted for an advisory review before the final approval by the congregation, by emailing the draft version to
constitutions@iksynod.org. This email should also be used when submitting your updated constitution that has been approved by the congregation (see C16.01 and C16.02).
College Student Information
Please help us connect your college students with the campus ministry where they are attending college. This information is more helpful than you may know. Contact Carol Ann Webb at
cwebb@iksynod.org with student name, college they are attending, and contact information. Thank you for your time and attention in sending us this information so that it can be shared with campus ministers.
Synodical Youth Ministry
We invite you and your congregation to join us for the synodical youth ministry initiatives planned in the coming year. Don't miss out on these great opportunities:
Confirmation Retreats (grades 6 through 8 and adult mentors)
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Friday evening, October 4, through Sunday morning, October 6, 2019. Held at Lutheran Hills Camp, Morgantown, Indiana
- We will focus on the Lord's Prayer and we will help students identify their unique gifts, grow in faith, and building connections for youth across the synod. There will be experiential learning sessions, a hands-on service project, and time for recreation and fun. Worship will be held on Sunday morning.
- Cost is $75 per person which includes lodging, food, and programming at Holy Shepherd and $100 per person at Lutheran Hills.
For more information about any of these upcoming events, or to register, contact Pastor Dan Fugate, Assistant to the Bishop for Discipleship, at youth@iksynod.org or 317.253.3522. Please click here for a flyer to share with your congregation.
New Instagram Account!
The synod has embraced visual storytelling. Please find and follow us @IKSynodELCA. Please be sure and tag us in your photos!
Give with Tithe.ly
The Indiana-Kentucky Synod signed up with Tithe.ly to make giving easier than ever. Download the app and set Indiana-Kentucky Synod as a regular mission to support. You can also simply text the word GIVE to 765-347-9974, then follow the link. You may also visit our website (
www.iksynod.org), click the
Donate Button, and follow the prompts.
Treasurers: Save a stamp and send Mission Support with Tithe.ly! ACH and debit/credit cards accepted.
Please include your congregation name in the "Note/Memo" line.
Thank you for all you do to support the ministries and mission of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod!
Many have expressed interest in knowing where Bishop Bill will be preaching and presiding so that they may attend if they are nearby. Below you will find a schedule of upcoming services and events where our Bishop will be presiding, preaching, participating or leading.
Bishop Gafkjen's Calendar of Events - all times listed are local
September 26-October 1: Conference of Bishops | Chicago, IL
Bishop Gafkjen looks forward to being with you and your faith community. Please contact his administrative assistant, April Lynch,
alynch@iksynod.org to schedule a time.
Synod
Weekly News
The Indiana-Kentucky Synod welcomes stories and photographs of ministry moments to share with its mission territory. Stories and accompanying photos are accepted for the Weekly News (which is sent out each Thursday), the monthly I-K Lutheran, and the web site (www.iksynod.org). Send announcement submission to Thomas Dearchs, Director of Communications, Administration, and Worship Life tdearchs@iksynod.org by Tuesday at noon (Eastern time) to be included in the Thursday Weekly News. Please see the Publication Submission Guidelines document for complete details on submissions.
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CONGREGATION NEWS
Prayer Concerns
During the weekly I-K Lutheran Center staff devotions, we included these individuals and mission centers in our prayers:
Griffith, Griffith, IN
and Rev. Freda Scales, Interim
Hilltop Church of the Ascension, South Bend, IN
and Rev. J. Timothy Diemer, Pastor of Record
Holy Cross, Rockport, IN
and Rev. Thomas Duval, Pastor of Record
Holy Shepherd, St. John, IN
and Rev. Eric Schlichting
Holy Trinity, Harlan, IN
and Rev. David J. Williamson, Pastor of Record
Rostered Ministers Not Under Congregational Call:
Rev. Carl Satre, Retired
Rev. David Schreiber, Retired
Rev. Christine Schrey, Retired
Rev. Keith Hedrick, Hospice & Palliative Care of Louisville
Rev. Andrea Hickey, Staff Chaplain, Goshen Health - Dept. of Nursing Support, Goshen, IN
Northwestern Minnesota Synod and Bishop William Tesch
News from Bethlehem Lutheran, Indianapolis
Sunday, September 22, was an exciting day at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Indianapolis, as multiple generations worked side-by-side to assemble 48 "banana" boxes of HELPING HAMS food staples for delivery to Lutheran Child and Family Services for distribution to at-risk neighbors throughout the city. Might your congregation embrace a similar ministry? Mike Smith (dansktomte@gmail.com), coordinator of Bethlehem's HELPING HAMS and GREAT CHICKEN ROUND-UP initiatives, would love to share his 20 years of experience with these ministries.
"God's Work. Our Hands." Sunday
Christ Lutheran, Kokomo, IN held a bingo party for the residents of Howard Haven on Sunday afternoon, September 22.
St. Martha's Episcopal Church, and Word of Hope Lutheran ELCA Church in Lexington, KY have initiated a Faith based non-profit, A Caring Place, to service the Lexington area. A Caring Place is reaching out to the lonely and socially isolated and offering them a 3 tiered program: 1) A telephone comfort care program, where we may call someone daily to reach out with the hand of friendship, to see how they are doing, and listen to any concerns. 2) A daily morning refuge center (starting on 10/30 with Weds only) where anyone can come, and a person will be available to talk with them, reminisce, answer questions, help fill out application forms to community resources. 3). Support, as their comfortableness increases, in transitioning to a community program, such as the Lexington Senior Center.
We are having a Meet and Greet with many Church leaders and/or their representatives, and a few non-profits which are similar to ours on Oct 17th at 6:30 pm to 9 pm.
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CHURCH-WIDE NEWS
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Bishop Eaton's August Column for
Living Lutheran
Our common witness.
In her August column for
Living Lutheran, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reflects on the Lutheran movement. As we move forward as a church, she wonders: "What will our Lutheran identity be in the ELCA? Read her column
here.
Look up
2019 Faith Conference
Advancing Mental Health Ministry
Monday, October 7, 2019 | 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Grand Wayne Center | Fort Wayne, IN
Please click here to register.
Sponsored by the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, Hearts * Hands * Voices events are affordable, practical workshops with a focus on skill-building. Musicians, pastors, and others interested in worship and music are invited to attend a workshop titled "The Church's Song" on Saturday, October 19 at Christ Lutheran Church in Valparaiso, IN. Presenters are Lorraine Brugh, Cheryl Dieter, and Anne Krentz Organ. The cost is $45 ($20 for students) and includes lunch. For complete workshop information or to register go to
https://alcm.org/event/valparaiso-in/.
"AWAKENING THE SAGE WITHIN"
November 9th, Indianapolis/ Beech Grove - Here is a 1-day weekend retreat designed for elders and elder groups in area congregations, offered by the Benedict Inn in Indianapolis, and Sage-ing International. It's led by I-K Synod pastor and spiritual director, Al Rider, partnering with Paul Severance, retired director of United Senior Action of Indiana. Rather than "
age-ing", the theme is "
sage-ing"... Uniting spirituality with the process of growing gracefully into the final, crowning chapter of life, with a focus on gratitude, service, and leaving a legacy. Join us. For more information on this ecumenical opportunity, click
here.
Subscribe to ELCA Newsletters
Access the latest resources, stories and events from around this church through ELCA e-newsletters and subscribe to several all in one place. Keep up-to-date with the ministries that mean the most to you or share with a friend and encourage them to subscribe. Sign up for news about the global church, Lutheran Disaster Response, stewardship and ELCA World Hunger at
ELCA.org/subscribe.
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