Save the Date: Synod Assembly 2023

Next year's Synod Assembly will be held June 8-10, 2023 at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando. The agenda will include a bishop's election. Stay tuned to the synod website for more details.

Ordinations & Installations

The ordination of Teresa Stewart will be held on June 26, 2 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Clearwater; Bishop Pedro Suarez will preside. Teresa has accepted the call to serve as Pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Spring Hill, Florida.

FB Synod Congregations Donate 3,765 Meals!

At this year's Synod Assembly, our congregations collected more than 4,500 pounds of food to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. This amounts to the equivalent of 3,765 meals! Thank you for your incredible generosity. Click here to view a thank you letter from Second Harvest. 

Applications Now Being Taken for Education Debt Relief!

In 2016, with a generous grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc., the North Carolina Synod began the Faith+Finances+Freedom initiative to help leaders and congregations address economic challenges facing pastoral leaders. This initiative birthed The Lifeline Fund which provides grants for rostered ministers for education debt relief. The Florida-Bahamas Synod is now participating in this program which is administered by the North Carolina Synod. Any rostered minister in the Florida-Bahamas Synod who has education debt can qualify. Applications for Lifeline grants are currently being received. 

Go to www.nclutheran.org/leaders/lifeline-fund.

How does it work?

• You fill out an application.
• The NC program administrator, Rev John Mocko, will be in touch with all applicants. Information on the process which includes financial debt education, is then shared with participants.
• When the applications are complete, the FB Synod grant distribution team will review the grant requests and determine grant amounts. 
• The approved grant info is transmitted to the NC Synod who will send out the actual grant checks.

 Don’t wait. Get started today!

diakonia News: Decisions, Decisions!

I can't make up my mind! All the courses look really good. And to be honest, it's been over 10 years since my diakonia classes, and I have been thinking it would be a good idea to 'refresh' some of the traditional courses. 

Decisions, decisions! See for yourself! Which one(s) would you take first?

• Systematic Theology
• Good God Questions - 1 &
• Good God Questions - 2
• Intro to the New Testament
• Biblical Images
• Intro to the Hebrew Scriptures
• Visitation
• Communicating Gospel
• Creeds and Confessions
• By What Authority (Early church history)
• Christian Doctrine
• Liturgical Worship
• Meeting God in Prayer
• Ethics
• We Must Plant the Church (Lutherans in North America)
• Equipping Households of Faith
• Service and Learning: A Way of Life
• Connecting Sunday to Monday

Florida-Bahamas Synod's School of Lay Ministry - Go to diakoniafl.org for more info or contact Michele Hilton at micheleahilton@aol.com.

Open Position: Part-Time Music Director at St. Michael Lutheran Church (Wellington)

St. Michael Lutheran Church is seeking a part-time music director to lead, model, direct, and accompany existing music groups within the congregation, and to implement vibrant new ways to inspire the congregation in both traditional and contemporary music.

Click here for the job full description.

Tell the story in a new way | Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

500 years ago this year, Martin Luther published his first translation of the New Testament into German vernacular. Luther shared the good news with the help of Gutenberg's printing press. In this year’s Synod Assembly video, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton urges us to follow Luther's example and use modern tools to spread the gospel.

Click here to watch the video.

Give Now for Ukraine and Eastern Europe Crisis Response

Since the beginning of Russia’s war against Ukraine on Feb. 24, millions of people have fled the country and are seeking refuge in neighboring countries including Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. There are major humanitarian concerns for both internally displaced people and refugees. Many people fleeing their homes in Ukraine need shelter and basic necessities such as food, water and toiletries. Care for people also includes pastoral and psychological support to address the trauma they’ve endured.

Your gifts will support people impacted by the war. Gifts designated to "Eastern Europe Crisis" will be used in full (100%) for direct response to assist those affected.

Click here to give today!

A 60-Day Journey Toward Justice in a Culture of Gun Violence

We invite you on a journey of prayer, scripture, stories and church teachings with this resource, "A 60-Day Journey Toward Justice in a Culture of Gun Violence." Together through daily observances, it calls us to work toward the prevention of gun violence as people of God who strive for justice and peace in all the world. It may be used for individual reflection, group Bible study, adult education sessions, and congregational daily devotions. Your journey is intended to start on June 16th, but this resource can be used at any time.

Click here to download the resource.