View this email as a webpage

March 14th Storm Recovery in Ohio

~From our friends in the Southern Ohio Synod~

Thank you Northeastern Ohio Synod, for your care, support, and prayers since the March 14th storms and our recovery efforts over the past week.

The storm damage around the Indian Lake communities is still extensive and work crews are continuing to work to clear debris from roadways. The main roads to the area continue to be blocked or closed to non-essential personnel.

We are coordinating our recovery efforts with Lutheran Disaster Response and are grateful for their partnership and accompaniment to meet the most immediate needs in the community.

Photo of Storm Damage, courtesy of Southern Ohio Synod.

Bishop Dillahunt (5th from Right) with volunteers and Pastor Karen Torrez of Galilee Lutheran Church in Russells Point, Ohio. Galilee Lutheran continues to serve as one of the main distribution centers in the community.

We have received numerous phone calls, texts, and emails from individuals and congregations within your Synod asking for how to best help. When the communities are able to support additional relief workers, we will put out an announcement. Until then, if you or your congregation/ministry would like to donate to the relief efforts across our Synod, you may:

• Mail a check to the Southern Ohio Synod's P.O. Box: Southern Ohio Synod L-4394 Columbus, OH 43260-4394

• Donate online through Southern Ohio Synod designating it for "SOS - Disaster Relief"

Next Tuesday, March 26th, rostered ministers from across Northeastern Ohio Synod will gather at Trinity Lutheran in Kent for a worship service including of the Renewal of Ordination Vows. Please hold your leaders in prayer as they once again proclaim, "I will, and I ask God to help me."

At this same worship there will be a Blessing of Oil. In the Hebrew scriptures, we read about the anointing of objects and people with oil as they are set apart in service to God. In the New Testament, Jesus is the anointed one into whom we are baptized, and many churches use oil in baptism to make that connection. The disciples of Jesus were also instructed to anoint the sick with oil, and prayers of blessing over oils to be used in church practice go back at least as far as the third century.

Let us pray for all who preparing to lead your church in worship this Holy Week. Be with pastors, deacons, assisting ministers, musicians, church staff, readers, ushers, greeters, A/V assistants, and all who give their time and talents. Where hearts are anxious, grant peace and reassurance. Fill us with your Spirit as we prepare to boldly proclaim the death and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This month our ELCA Mission Support Memo for March 2024 explores how the Central States Synod is equipping leaders through their Ministry Lab ~ an active place to ask questions, learn new ideas, work with different “tools” or resources, and experiment to see what works. They welcome anyone from anywhere to engage in the lab. Also learn about how congregations can join in a Cultivating Generous Congregations Cohort starting in April. We also share our gratitude for congregations submitting Annual Congregational Reports. Read the memo here! 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is committed to the common good – not for the good of Christians first – and to working with and learning from others. An overview of Christian nationalism from a Lutheran perspective is presented in a new resource with foundations for the assertion “We Are Christians Against Christian Nationalism.” Background and discussion starters can seed conversations as we face this distortion of our faith and divisive force in our country.

Embracing Change: Navigating Transitions in Life and Congregational Ministry

As I celebrate my 30th birthday tomorrow, I find myself reflecting on the journey that has led me to this milestone. Turning 30 marks a significant transition—a time of looking back on the past and looking forward to the future. It's an opportunity to acknowledge the changes that have shaped me and to embrace the new possibilities ahead.

In many ways, navigating change and transition is not unlike the experience of a congregation facing shifts in its life and ministry. Just as individuals undergo periods of loss, grief, and nostalgia, so, too, do congregations encounter seasons of upheaval and transformation. Embracing God's Future Without Forgetting the Past: A Conversation about Loss, Grief, and Nostalgia in Congregational Life by Michael K. Girlinghouse offers a roadmap for communities grappling with change, drawing on principles of pastoral care, organizational psychology, and theological reflection.

At its core, Girlinghouse's book encourages congregations to honor the past while embracing the future—a message that resonates deeply with me as I step into this new decade of life. Just as I cherish the memories and lessons of my twenties, congregations must cherish their history and heritage, even as they adapt to new realities and opportunities.

Recognizing that transitions involve loss and grief, Girlinghouse emphasizes that acknowledging and processing these feelings can lead to healing and renewal. Embracing God's Future Without Forgetting the Past emphasizes fostering constructive conversations within congregations, encouraging open, honest dialogue about hopes, fears, and visions for the future. By embracing change with courage, faith, and compassion, both individuals and congregations can build a future that honors the past while embracing the possibilities of tomorrow.

Project Isaiah 43: Save the Dates

“I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you see it?”

God spoke these words to the people of Israel in exile in Babylon – but there is no reason to believe God isn’t saying the same thing to the church today!

Do you wonder what the Lutheran Church of the 21st century will look like?

Are you concerned about the future of your congregation – or neighboring congregations?



This Spring, Bishop Barbins and the Northeastern Ohio Synod Staff is inviting every congregation to send four people to a Project Isaiah 43 event in your conference! Each Project Isaiah 43 event will include a brief presentation time, but will be heavily focused on conversations as we think together about the future of Lutheran Christianity. All events will be about two hours. Refreshments provided.

Southwest Conference: Sunday, April 14

2:00pm at Grace, Wadsworth

Northeast Conference: Sunday, April 21

2:00pm at Lord of Life, Chagrin Falls

South Central Conference: Sat., May 4

10:00am at Zion, North Canton

Southeast Conference: Saturday, May 4 3:00pm at Bethel, Boardman

Northwest Conference: Sunday, May 5

2:00pm at Bethesda on the Bay, Bay Village

Please note that advance registration is required to attend. The Zoom link will be sent to those who have registered.

Prayer concerns will be removed after four weeks unless otherwise requested.

Consent is required for all submissions. Thank you.

These pages are updated every week with new trainings, events,

opportunities, and more! Be sure to check them out.