E-Spirit Weekly Newsletter | September 12, 2023 | |
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Hurricane Idalia Recovery
On Wednesday morning, August 30, Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region as a Category 3 storm with 125 mph winds. Idalia's storm surge was at historic levels as thousands of homes were damaged by rising flood waters. The hurricane comes a little less than a year after Hurricane Ian struck Florida's southwest coast, leaving a path of destruction across the state.
As the Florida-Bahamas Synod responds to the congregations and communities that are in recovery, you can help us share God's hope, healing and renewal.
When the water recedes and the headlines change, your generous donation will help provide ongoing assistance to those in need.
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Registration Now Open for Conference on Ministry
Early registration closes on Friday, September 15, 2023
Calling all rostered ministers of the Florida-Bahamas Synod! Join us at the 2023 Conference on Ministry, where we are thrilled to welcome an exceptional speaker: the Rev. Dr. Tod Bolsinger. As the founder of AE Sloan Leadership and the Senior Fellow and Congregational Strategist at Fuller Seminary's De Pree Center for Leadership, Dr. Bolsinger brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table.
Renowned for his expertise in leading change, Dr. Bolsinger has taught doctoral students on this very topic. His insights have been captured in his award-winning and best-selling leadership books, Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory and Tempered Resilience: How Leaders are Formed in the Crucible of Change.
At our conference, Dr. Bolsinger will guide us in exploring a different form of leadership required when venturing "off the map" into a disrupted world. As old best practices no longer suffice, we must equip ourselves with the tools and mindset to navigate uncharted territory.
Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn from a distinguished leader in ministry. Together, let's embrace the challenges of a changing world and discover new paths to effective leadership.
| Elevate your conference experience beyond the sessions and workshops – sign up now for the Golf Outing and Luther Springs field trip, where you'll strike the perfect balance between professional growth and personal rejuvenation! | |
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Installations & Ordinations
Macy Kennedy will be ordained as a Minister of Word & Service at Messiah, Cape Coral on September 24 at 3 p.m. Bishop Suarez will preside.
Rev. William Kittinger will be installed as Pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Venice on October 1 at 3 p.m.
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Weekly Prayer
O Lord God, enliven and preserve your church with your perpetual mercy. Without your help, we mortals will fail; remove far from us everything that is harmful, and lead us toward all that gives life and salvation, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
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Vision to Action Update
Some applications have already been received for the 2023 Vision to Action grant season. Remember, there is a firm deadline of September 30. No applications will be received after this date.
As stated in bold on the Eligibility page of the website, the Grant Team will be verifying that congregations applying have made a Mission Support commitment and are fulfilling it. The Team will also confirm that congregational applicants have submitted annual Trend Reports. It is the applicant's responsibility to assure that it has met these eligibility requirements.
Applications and all supporting documentation are submitted through the V2A website, www.v2agrants.org.
With applications anticipated to exceed the $600K total allotment for granting in 2023, not all proposals are likely to be funded. Further, some may receive partial funding. The Grant Team will be evaluating and making decisions on eligible applications based on
- a project's degree of innovation;
- its adherence to V2A goals; and
- its potential for forming new faith communities and growing the church
Questions can be directed through the V2A website. For those looking ahead to 2024, be sure and view the 2024 goals which are listed on the FAQ page. Thanks be to God for this opportunity to grow the church!
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Building Faith While Rebuilding a Community
Over the course of seven weeks, volunteers from Michigan, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota, Montana, Texas, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Florida worked at six homes, two churches, one community farmyard and three food banks. They painted buildings and parking lots, removed rotted floorboards, hauled out flood damaged debris, trimmed trees, weeded, raked, and hauled away tons of yard debris as well as debris from neighboring homes and businesses. They unloaded food trucks, sorted food, created food boxes for families and food backpacks for children and youth – most of whom are still struggling with food scarcity as a result of the 2022 hurricanes. They heard powerful witness from Pastor Sharon Taylor as she shared her story and the story of St. Peter Lutheran Church in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Pastor Sharon and her husband, Pastor Tim Taylor, were among those families impacted by both Hurricane Ian and Disaster Response Mission Weeks volunteers.
After a particular week of service, Pastor Tim shared some heartfelt words of thanksgiving with the team: “Pastor Sharon and I are almost beyond words to express our gratitude to you and your team from Luther Springs for the amazing work that they did here in Fort Myers. It has been nine months since Hurricane Ian destroyed much of this area, and displaced so many families, including us. We are so grateful that God continues to show up and show off. God dropped your amazing team here in Fort Myers at just the right time. From those who worked in the heat at St. Peter, to those who served one of our most vulnerable communities at Gladiolus, to the team that helped Sharon and I get our new home cleared and painted – thank you! We know that God is good all the time and we know that your team was truly a Godsend to us and this community. Blessings and peace on you all and your ministry!”
In addition to volunteer work, participants also enjoyed fun in the sun! Each week included a 3-hour boat tour to see dolphins playing in the water and to enjoy some water play themselves on a sandbar off Siesta Key. Pastor Eric Olaf Olsen from our host church, Faith Lutheran in Sarasota, led a beautiful worship service with communion on the beach at sunset each Thursday evening.
Deacon Sue Mendenhall, Luther Springs Co-Executive and Program Director, expressed her gratitude for those who helped make this program possible: “Many, many thanks to the support of the Florida-Bahamas Synod and Pastor Rob Rose, who assisted us with not only funding to make this great work happen but in making contacts with those we could help. A huge shout out to Faith Lutheran Church and Pastor Eric for hosting us during our seven weeks. And there would have been some hard floors to sleep on without the generous donations for air mattresses from St. Mark Lutheran Church in Dunedin, Florida, and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Clearwater. Thank you to everyone who made this wonderful ministry a reality. We look forward to more Disaster Response Mission week in 2024.”
Your gifts to Luther Springs and those that helped to provide supplies and materials to support volunteers during these special ministry weeks continue to impact lives beyond camp. To support programs like this and others at Luther Springs, you can send a gift via mail to NovusWay Ministries, C/O Luther Springs, PO Box 830, Arden, NC 28704 or online at www.NovusWay.org.
For more information on this program and how you can participate next year, please contact Deacon Sue at 828-209-6312 or SMendenhall@NovusWay.org.
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The F3llowship Podcast
Join an enriching and insightful journey through life and faith with "The F3llowship" podcast. Hosted by the dynamic trio of Kathryn (a member of Emmaus Lutheran Church) and her fellow teachers, Robert and Stephen, this podcast evolved from their passionate conversations into a captivating exploration of the the epic story called life, and our place and call within it. The F3llowship offers a unique and inspiring glimpse into the lives of bright young individuals navigating the complexities of the world while remaining rooted in their faith in Jesus. Tune in to discover the profound connections that bind us all and experience the power of shared faith in our daily lives. Don't miss out on this extraordinary journey – listen to The F3llowship today!
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Attention Congregation Treasurers and Bookkeepers
In the first of a series of traveling meetings, we invite congregation treasurers and bookkeepers to gather on Sunday, October 15, from 1:00-4:00 PM, at the Warren Willis Conference Center in Fruitland Park.
This will be an opportunity to learn, share, and discuss how the duties of congregation treasurer impacts their roles and the church. Some of the topics to be discussed will be:
- The burden of debt and mortgages
- The high cost of maintenance: electricity, HVAC, irrigation
- Insurance
- First Fruits Giving (What is it and how does it affect the budget/spending plan?)
- Best Practices (Learn to protect yourself from potential financial misconduct.)
- Threats to tax exemption status
There is no charge for this event. Please click here to register.
Deadline is September 22.
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Cantata and Choir Music Available from Christ, Cape Coral
The list includes three cantatas with multiple copies, several books of choir music with more than one copy and numerous single books. This music is available by making a nominal offer.
Anyone wishing more information, or a detailed list of music and number of copies can contact the Christ Lutheran Church office at 239-542-2709 or info@christlutherancapecoral.org.
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King of Kings, Port Richey Office Manager Position Available
King of Kings Lutheran Church in Port Richey, FL, is in need of a part-time office manager now. The Office Manager may work up 20 hrs. per week on a flexible schedule. The Office Manager is responsible for the following:
- Interacting with Church members, with utmost discretion, in coordination with the Pastor
- Updating Church Membership lists
- Assisting in the coordination for building maintenance with Church Council and maintenance staff
- Preparing the weekly church insert, and maintain birthday and anniversary list in the King of Kings, Pastor, and Larry "Drop Box"
- Coordinating Ushers and Readers for the Sunday Service
- Answer the phone and respond to calls or letters
- Order custodial, memorial garden plaques and worship supplies
- Maintaining the offering and new envelops for members
- Emailing completed PDF's of the bulletin and insert to congregational email list each week.
- Volunteer Coordination
Requires computer skills on Outlook, Excel, Publisher, Word and PowerPoint
Please respond by email to: king2s@live.com
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Lutheran World Federation 13th Assembly
An ELCA delegation, led by Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, will join thousands from the Lutheran global communion for the 13th assembly of the Lutheran World Federation in Krakow, Poland. Read about the assembly.
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Stories of Faith in Action
The publication Stories of Faith in Action and the resources that go along with it are designed to share how important your weekly offering in your congregation is in sustaining and growing God’s mission. The portion of your offerings that support the ELCA’s synodical and churchwide ministries is called Mission Support. The publication and resources found here help explain and answer questions about Mission Support and tell the story of those gifts in action.
Click here to read the August 2023 Mission Support Memo.
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Month of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools
Throughout September, learn about federal Indian Boarding School policies and address the ongoing trauma those policies have caused. On Sept. 30, the National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools, you are encouraged to wear orange and post a photo on social media. Read more.
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September 23: - diakonia graduation/retreat and conversation with the Bishop, Hope Lutheran Church, the Villages - Retreat 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Graduation & Worship 4 p.m.
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October 16-18: Conference on Ministry featuring keynote speaker Tod Bolsinger. Warren Willis Camp & Conference Center, Fruitland Park
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November 10-12: Save the date! Florida-Bahamas Women of the ELCA Fall Gathering
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