E-Spirit
May 1, 2018
Bold - Passionate - Faithful
|
|
Features:
- "The Day I Lost My Identity"
- Synod Assembly: Networking Groups
- FBSynod Group Travels to Guyana and Suriname
Events Coming up:
- diakonia Graduation Eucharist
- International AIDS Candlelight Memorial
- Ministry Spouses Gathering at Assembly
- Conference Spring Gathering Dates
For Your Information:
- Spanish Translation of Draft Social Statement on Women and Justice Now Available
- Parish Paper: Hospitality and Congregational Security
- ELCA Draft Policy Statement: Inter-Religious Commitment
|
TODAY is the last day to register for Assembly online. After today, registration will have to take place on site on June 1.
|
|
Click the calendar above for more information about these events
|
May 5 -
Heart of Florida Conference Spring Gathering
May 10 -
Caloosa Conference Spring Gathering
May 19 -
Caloosa Conference Golf Outing
May 19 -
Tampa Conference Spring Gathering
May 19 -
Pinelands Conference Spring Gathering
May 27 -
Relay for Life Benefit Music Festival, All Saints, Port Orange
May 30-June 1 -
Caribbean Consultation
June 1-3 - Synod Assembly
June 18-21 -
Interim Ministry Network event (St. Louis, MO)
|
Conference Spring Gatherings
|
Pinelands Conference
--May 19 (location: St. Matthew, Ocala)
Heart of Florida Conference
--May 5 (People of Faith, Orlando)
Corrected location
Tampa Conference
--May 19 (St. Paul, Tampa)
Caloosa Conference
--May 10
|
|
The Day I Lost My Identity
|
|
Ashley Fyle is a Young Adult in Global Mission (YAGM) volunteer spending the year in Australia. Ashley is being supported by the Florida-Bahamas Synod Global Mission Committee. Read her most recent blog post below. Find out more about Ashley and YAGM
HERE
.
|
|
A few weeks ago, I was on holidays. As a YAGM, we are allotted two weeks of holidays, so I took two weeks off during Easter because this is when the schools in Queensland have time off. My boyfriend came to visit during these two weeks. One day during the first week, we decided to go to the beach. We went to the main beach in Coolum. We both brought backpacks along. The first thing we did was set those down and went for a swim. The water was really nice that day and the waves weren’t too big. We ended up swimming for 30-40 minutes. Then, we got out of the water and went over to our stuff to grab our towels. When we got there, my backpack was gone.
My first thoughts were that I was being pranked. It was the backpack I always used at work, so I thought, surely, someone from Luther Heights is at the beach and is playing a practical joke on me. But then, we waited there for a while, and none of my coworkers came out from the bushes yelling “SURPRISE”.
|
|
Synod Assembly:
Networking Groups
|
|
On Saturday at Assembly, after the 2 sessions of workshops, there will be a 'networking time.' This is a time for people to gather in interest groups for informal discussion and relationship building. Networking groups will have a facilitator, but attendees are welcome to come and go as you want (you don't have to stay for the whole time). You don't have to register to attend a networking group. Information will be provided at the Assembly about where networking groups will be meeting.
So far, the networking groups include (list might change):
- Thrivent: learn more about how action teams can enhance your congregation's ministry
- Public Church Mobilization: gather with others to discuss public church engagement
- AMPARRO: learn more about this initiative of the ELCA supporting migrant youth
- New to the Synod: rostered leaders new to the FBSynod are invited to gather together
- Women and Justice Social Statement: if you weren't able to make it to the workshop, gather during the network time for conversation and information
- Ministry Spouses: spouses of rostered ministers and church staff are invited to gather to discuss strengthening relationship and connection
- Musicians: church musicians interested in sharing ideas, best practices, and questions related to worship/music are invited to gather
- Council members: gather for conversation with others serving on congregational councils to share ideas, learnings, and desire for ongoing resources/support
|
|
FBSynod Group to Travel to Guyana and Suriname
|
|
Pastor Kit Robison, chair of the Guyana-Suriname Mission Team will be leading a small group to Guyana and Suriname from May 5 – 12, 2018. The group – including Chris Klafs, Marcee Wilkes, and PJ May - will be attending the Annual Convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana (ELCG) as they observe the 275th Anniversary of the Lutheran Church in Guyana. They will then spend time with the other part of a trilateral Companion Church relationship and travel to Suriname to visit congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Suriname(ELKS).
Please keep this group in your prayers during this trip:
Draw your church together, O God, into one great company of disciples, together following our teacher Jesus Christ into every walk of life, together serving in Christ's mission to the world, and together witnessing to your love wherever you will send us; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
(ELW)
|
|
diakonia Graduation Eucharist
|
The Diakonia Steering Committee of the Florida-Bahamas Synod, ELCA, cordially invites you to the Graduation Eucharist for the Graduating Class of 2018. Bishop Pedro M. Suarez will preside.
Saturday, the ninth day of June, two thousand eighteen, at twelve thirty in the afternoon.
Hope Lutheran Church 250 Avenida Los Angelos The Villages, FL, 32162
Reception immediately following.
|
|
International AIDS Candlelight Memorial
|
|
Sunday, May 20 is Pentecost. It marks the New Testament giving of the Holy Spirit. This year it is also an opportunity for people of faith to remember those who have died of HIV/AIDS, show support for those who are presently infected, and demonstrate their faith that God is helping us work to conquer the disease.
The 37
th
International AIDS Candlelight Memorial is focused on the entire Tampa Bay area. Groups such as Church Women United, the Diocese of St. Petersburg, the Tampa Bay Presbytery etc. are helping publicize the event.
The Memorial will be held at First Presbyterian of Dunedin at 6 p.m.
Previous sites have included St. Paul’s Lutheran, and St. John’s Episcopal, both in Clearwater, and King of Peace M. C. C., St. Petersburg. Participating clergy represent many of the faiths in our communities.
The Memorial is sponsored for the 17th year by AIDS Partnership, an outreach of St. Paul’s Lutheran, Clearwater. Partnership officers are Ellen Bauer, Our Lady of Lourdes, Dunedin, and Carol M. Dunn, St. Paul’s.
The Memorial will include prayer, song, the Tampa Bay Voices, a keynote address by Fr. Rand Frew, an Episcopal priest, and the AIDS Memorial Bells.
|
|
Ministry Spouses Gathering at Assembly
|
|
Calling All Spouses! Are you the spouse of a pastor, retired pastor, deacon, youth director, etc.? This year at Synod Assembly there will be two opportunities for spouses to meet up. We’d love to have you join us! Watch for specific information in guidebook and in the announcements at Assembly about the details.
If you are not attending Synod Assembly, that’s okay – Stay Connected to learn about other meet ups and opportunities to support each other. Send your contact info to Jaclyn Mitchell at
Jaclyn.Mitchell@me.com
.
|
|
Spanish Translation now Available
|
|
Parish Paper:
"How to Balance Hospitality and Church Security"
|
|
The Florida-Bahama’s purchase of a subscription to The Parish Paper INCLUDES
- Permission to provide copies to our staff and to the congregations within The Florida-Bahamas Synod in any of the following ways: E-mail, Postal, newspaper, newsletter, meetings, training events, and our Web site.
- Permission for each congregation within the Florida-Bahamas Synod to (a) photocopy or electronically distribute for local use as many copies as it needs, (b) post them on its Web site, and (c) quote sentences and paragraphs.
Congregations within the Florida-Bahamas Synod do NOT have permission (a) to delete the copyright notice, (b) to re-write, paraphrase, or change the wording of sentences and paragraphs, or (c) to give ANY THIRD PARTY—other than staff and constituents—permission to photocopy or reprint (in any quantity, no matter how small, whether for free distribution or for sale).
|
|
The following is an excerpt from the May, 2018 Parish Paper:
"Churches live on the frontier of hospitality. They see their building and spaces as safe places to worship, grow in faith, and serve others. Churches wish to offer comfort and support to those who come in for any number of reasons... Nevertheless, some persons may pose a threat because they are desperate or have mental health issues that distort their view of the church, its staff, and its members. And unfortunately, sometimes people precipitate an emergency (illness, violence) in the church because they abuse the mission of hospitality. Even with this knowledge, leaders do not make emergency plans, believing “it couldn’t happen here.” But preparation not only enhances hospitality by constructing a safe environment, it can also help avoid crisis situations."
|
|
ELCA Draft Policy Statement: Inter-Religious Commitment
|
|
There will be an opportunity to gather for discussion and reflection on this document at the Synod Assembly. Watch the agenda and announcements for more details.
|
|
You are invited to participate in responding to the Draft ELCA policy statement, “
A Declaration of Our Inter-Religious Commitment
.” The six-month comment period on the Draft is open from Friday, January 12, 2018 through Saturday, June 30, 2018.
To participate, please download the draft document
here
, and respond to the online survey
here
. You are welcome to participate as individuals or groups.
|
|
Florida-Bahamas Synod 813-876-7660
info@fbsynod.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
