E-Spirit Weekly Newsletter | June 6, 2023

See You Synod Assembly!

Synod Assembly is this week! We're looking forward to seeing you there. Following are some tips and reminders to help you prepare.

Registration desk opens at 8:00 AM on Thursday. Attendees are encouraged to check in early to receive their name badge.

Synod Assembly Website: The Nominations Book is now available. Check this site daily for voting member information and documents.

Orientation for New Voting Members is available on Thursday, June 8, from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. in the Hibiscus Room.

Voting Members: Please bring an internet accessible device (smart phone, tablet, or laptop) so that you can vote and have access to documents on the synod website.

Worship Offerings will be designated as follows:

• Opening Eucharist: Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS)
• Closing Eucharist: Global Mission Table - Companion Partners

Service Project: Don’t forget your donations for Harbor House and their ongoing needs and for the welcome baskets we will assemble.

Parking: Commuters have a daily rate of $28 to park. The parking fee is waived for those staying at the Caribe.

Walking Distances: The Caribe Royale is an expansive resort with long walking distances between the hotel rooms and the convention area. Please bring comfortable shoes. 

Food: Food options are available but limited at the Caribe Royale. Please feel free to bring food and drinks as every sleeping room contains a small fridge, microwave oven, and coffee maker.

See you at the Assembly!

Save the Date: Transition Training

Are you a First Call Pastor, interested in Interim Ministry, or are serving a congregation that is in transition of some sort? If so, you might want to make note of the following:

Transition/Interim Ministry Training

Online, 9 a.m. to noon, July 24-28, 2023

Just Love Juneteenth Observance

The Just Love Ministry of the Florida-Bahamas Synod presents a Juneteenth Freedom Day Observance, Saturday, June 17 at 3 p.m. The observance will be held at Salem Lutheran Church in Orlando (7900 S. Apopka Road) and will be livestreamed on the synod Facebook page. Additional details in the flyer below.

To find a Juneteenth worship resources from the ELCA, click here.

VIDEO: Crossing the Seminary Application Finish Line

Are you interested in starting seminary in the Fall? Take a look at this a short video recording of last week's Crossing the Application Finish Line webinar, a step-by-step guide for completing an application to Luther Seminary (skip to minute 4:00 for info-only).

Members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Hernando recently donated medical supplies to the Doctors' Free Clinic of Citrus County. Many members of Good Shepherd found that they had excess supplies left over from a hospitalization or home health care, so the Social Committee put together a drive to pull all of those medical supplies together to be shared with those who cannot afford these types of supplies. Thirteen boxes of supplies were delivered to the clinic which provides free medical care to those unable to afford it. On hand to receive the supplies were Dr. Jeffrey Wallis, President and Director of the Clinic, and Tito Rubio, Administrator of the Citrus County Department of Health and a Director of the Clinic.

(Pictured above: Linda Koch, Deacon Bob Bonomo, Jack and Maggie Bruegger stand in front of two car loads full of medical supplies for the Doctors' Free Clinic.)

To feature your church in E-Spirit, email a photo and caption to comms@fbsynod.org.

Free Choir Music from St. John, Winter Park

St. John Lutheran, Winter Park, has 15 bankers boxes full of unneeded choir music we would like to donate to any congregations that would like them. For more information, contact Dorian Coppenhaver at sjcpresident@mysj.org.

• 2023 Summer Programs at Luther Springs

• June 6: Planning for Your Future: The New Retirement Laws and Your Legacy: ELCA Foundation

• June 8-10: Synod Assembly - Caribe Royale Resort

• June 26-28: Rostered Leaders Retreat 

• July 24-28: Transition/Interim Ministry Training

• September 10: "God's work. Our hands." Sunday: 10th Anniversary!

• September 18-27: ALOA 10-Day Tour of Greece: Walk in the footsteps of Paul 

• September 23: - diakonia graduation/retreat and conversation with the Bishop, St. Armands Key Lutheran Church - Retreat 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Graduation & Worship 5 p.m.

• October 16-18: Conference on Ministry featuring keynote speaker Tod Bolsinger. Location TBD.

• November 10-12: Save the date! Florida-Bahamas Women of the ELCA Fall Gathering