E-Spirit Weekly Newsletter | October 31, 2023 | |
Future Church: God’s Love Made Real
The ELCA Wants to Hear Your Opinion!
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Throughout the next couple of months, the ELCA is asking for your help. We are looking for your thoughts and ideas on how we are called to be a church in today’s world.
Click the image above to watch a video from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton that explains more and visit the website – https://lovemadereal.elca.org – to complete a survey to share your views of the church and the world today. In the coming weeks we will offer listening sessions where you can participate in online opportunities to provide your thoughts on God’s call for the church.
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Installations & Ordinations
The installation of Deacon Tara Lentz-Friederichs as Director of Faith Formation at Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Temple Terrace will be held on Sunday, November 5, at 9:30 a.m. Rev. Rob Rose will officiate.
The ordination of Donna C. Batchelor will be held on November 12 at 3 p.m. at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Venice. She will be ordained to Word & Sacrament ministry and has accepted the call to serve as Pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Nokomis.
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Weekly Prayer Focus | | O Lord God, you are the holy lawgiver, you are the salvation of your people. By your Spirit renew us in your covenant of love, and train us to care tenderly for all our neighbors, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
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The Verdict is In: Coaching is Critical!
At the Conference on Ministry, keynote speaker Tod Bolsinger said he couldn’t conceive of leading in today’s uncharted territory without a coach. Imagine having someone walk alongside you, whose sole purpose is to help you be the best leader you can be. Tod stressed that it’s critical to have a coach when the landscape is unfamiliar, and the way forward is uncertain.
The Florida-Bahamas Synod has a trained, seasoned group of coaches that are ready to help you navigate ministry in the 21st century with a sense of future and hope. Through listening and asking powerful questions, they help you establish your priorities, set a course of action, and develop a roadmap that meets your needs.
Coaching: it’s a gift to your church, and a gift to your ministry. Email Rev. Dr. Johan Bergh, Synod Coaching Coordinator, at johan@beinganddoingmatters.com today. For more info see fbsynod.com/coaching or elcacoaching.org.
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Upcoming Events at Luther Springs!
November 10-12: Trailblazers - 1st - 5th Grade
Theme: Bible Exploration
How do we read the Bible? How do we look up a Bible verse? Why is there an Old Testament and a New Testament? During this fun, faith-filled weekend we will explore our Bibles, play games, canoe, do archery, swim (weather permitting), make crafts and enjoy campfires! $180 per youth | $105 per adult
November 10-12: Advent-ure Retreat
Middle and high school youth will enjoy a weekend of camp fun, adventure, activities, and exploring the season of Advent. Each year features a different adventure activity off-site. Our 2023 activity: kayaking off-site on a spring-fed lake. $254 per youth | $105 per adult
Learn more at luthersprings.org.
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The JUST Love Ministry Presents: An Advent Journey with Mary
The Just Love team is preparing “An Advent Journey with Mary,” four resources that congregations can use for worship or Bible study during the season of Advent. Each week’s resources will focus on the experiences of Latin Americans in the Florida-Bahamas Synod, and will include recorded conversations, scripture readings, music suggestions from Lutheran hymnals and other resources, a few paragraphs of instructional material, and discussion questions. Click Here to receive these resources.
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12 Day Pilgrimage to Greece & Greek Islands
Join Bishop Pedro Suárez and Bishop Yehiel Curry in a 12-day joint synod pilgrimage to Greece and the Greek Islands, June 18-29, 2024. Explore New Testament lands and walk in the footsteps of Paul.
Pilgrimage highlights include:
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Athens city tour (the world-famous Acropolis, Pan-Athenian Stadium & more!)
- 3-night cruise to the Greek Islands and Turkey
- The ruins of Ephesus where Paul spent three years during his ministry
- the island of Patmos
- Santorini, Thessalonica, Philippi, Corinth
- And much more!
Click here for more details and to register.
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| Photos of the Week: Trinity, St Petersburg | | |
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Trinity, St Petersburg, is now the proud caretaker of this beautiful work of art, painted as part of the city’s annual SHINE Mural Arts Festival. Chicago artist Max Sansing arrived in St. Pete with no preconceived notion of what he wanted to create. He used information from the congregation’s website and what he witnessed in their ministries as inspiration. His image of a woman sharing gifts of fruit can be seen as the church sharing the gifts of God’s abundance. He even included a stylized version of the church’s red doors flanked by silhouettes of the church and the city. The entire mural was created with spray paint! Read more here.
To share a photo of your ministry in action, email comms@fbsynod.org.
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Free Organ from Our Savior Lutheran, Nokomis
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Nokomis Florida (just south of Sarasota) has a Lowery Royale Organ in perfect working order that we would like to donate to any congregation that would like it. For more information, contact John Cline at oslnokomis@gmail.com.
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Garments Available from St. Mark by the Sea
St. Mark by the Sea Lutheran Church in Palm Coast would like to gift the following garments to a church in need: five black albs, ten women’s vestments in various colors and 20 white children’s choir robes, all in various sizes. Please contact Debby Winans, Church Administrator at (386) 445-3420 or winansdebby@stmarkbythesea.org, so arrangements can be made for pick-up or delivery.
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Ascension, Boynton Beach Choir Robes
Ascension Lutheran Church in Boynton Beach is offering 11 choir robes to a church in need. The available sizes include 48 Regular (2), 44 Short, 45 Short, 47 Regular, 49 Regular, 50 Regular, 51 Regular, 52 Regular, 52 Long, and 60 Long. If your church is interested in these choir robes, please come and pick them up at Ascension Lutheran Church in Boynton Beach. For additional information, feel free to reach out to Mary Ann Henline at (561) 732-2929 or via email at ascluth2929@yahoo.com.
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A Statement from Bishop Eaton on the Conflict in the Holy Land
Dear church,
The ELCA’s commitments call on us to denounce unequivocally any attacks — past, present or future — by any party that lead to civilians becoming victims. Our hearts are with all those who have been killed or injured, and with their families and friends.
With an anticipated ground invasion, the most urgent need is for an immediate cease-fire to allow humanitarian aid to reach Gazans. Our advocacy as a church continues, guided by our long accompaniment of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and our commitments as a church to peace, justice, and ecumenical and interreligious dialogue and collaboration.
In these days of continued grief and distress over the horrific attack by Hamas on Israelis and the largely indiscriminate Israeli military response affecting civilians in Gaza, we lament with all who mourn and live in fear.
We believe that God is the one who makes “wars to cease to the end of the earth” (Psalm 46:9).
In Christ,
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Here are worship resources and ways that you can be involved in advocacy.
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Registration is now open for the ELCA Youth Gathering
Priority registration is now open for the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering, the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE), the tAble and the Young Adult Gathering! You can save money by registering the majority of your group by Nov. 1. Remember that the earlier you register your group, the better your chances are of having your preferences honored. Register at ELCA.org/gathering.
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November 10-12: Save the date! Florida-Bahamas Women of the ELCA Fall Gathering
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