2024 Synod Assembly: Who Comes Up in Your Dreams?

Planning is underway for your 2024 Synod Assembly workshops. What are your thoughts on topics or potential speakers? Do you have a passion that you would like to share? Space will be limited but we are hoping for as many ideas as possible to provide the best experience possible. Deadline to submit ideas is January 24.

Please respond with your Ideas to Bill Rosche at billr@fbsynod.org to let us know. Stay tuned for additional details on 2024 Synod Assembly.

Installations and Ordinations

Rev. Donna Batchelor will be installed as pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Nokomis on February 4 at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Khader El-Yateem officiating.

Coming Soon: JUST Love Ministry Presents Harmonies of Heritage: Music's Journey through Black Church History

To honor Black History Month in the ELCA Florida-Bahamas Synod, the JUST Love Team presents “Harmonies of Heritage: Music’s Journey Through Black Church History.” We present four genres of music that impacted the heart and soul of America.

• African Drumming/Call Response
• Negro Spirituals
• Gospel/Civil Rights
• Contemporary

We ask each congregation to present the Harmonies of Heritage: Music’s Journey Through Black Church History summary each week in February. It can be done during announcements, a bulletin insert, or wherever fits best into the service. Each week we offer songs and prayers for use during the service.

This resource will be available for download in E-Spirit starting January 30.

It's Time to Submit Your Annual Reports

These reports are another point of connection between your congregation and the Bishop's Office. They help us track categories like attendance, baptisms, expenses, mission support, and more. They also help us plan programs and events to best support the ministries of the congregations throughout our synod.

Annual Parochial Reports (January-December 2023)

• Deadline to file online with the ELCA’s Office of the Secretary by March 1, 2024.
• If you cannot file online, a paper copy can be completed and mailed to the Synod House by February 15, 2023.
• The online system will open on Tuesday, January 23.

Annual Rostered Leader’s Report to the Bishop

• To be submitted by March 1, 2024. All ordained ministers rostered in the Florida-Bahamas Synod under call, on leave from call, on disability, or retired, must file a report.
• Go to https://fbsynod.com/forms-2/ and click on the “Annual Rostered Leader Report” link. Select and download the report that corresponds to your roster status and save it to your computer. Upon completion of report, save again, and attach to an email message to ileanas@fbsynod.org. 

Mission Support (current year)

• The synod’s fiscal year extends through January 31, 2023.
• Please ask your congregational treasurer to forward any outstanding 2023 mission support balances to the Synod House by January 31, 2023. Mission support received after January 31, per auditor requirements, is applied to the congregation’s covenant for 2024.

Mission Support Covenants 2024

• Covenants may be filed after the annual congregation meeting, or by January 31, 2024.
• You may file your covenant online at https://fbsynod.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2023-MS-Form-website.pdf, or by retuning the card via US mail.
• Please prayerfully consider an increase in your mission support to grow the work that we do together as synod and churchwide expressions.
• This year, the Florida-Bahamas Synod will forward 46% of our mission support dollars to the ELCA Churchwide ministries.

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:

·    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.

Narrative Lectionary Social Media Resources

There’s *finally* biblical literacy focused, inclusive language, and instantly downloadable social media content made for the Narrative Lectionary.

Mother Hen Media Ministry’s new “In Case You Missed It” Mark series has reviews what happned on Sunday, reviews what happens in between Sundays, and teases the coming week too. In the each graphic pack, you get a month's worth of content. Instantly download them to be able to share on your congregation’s Facebook, Instagram, or weekly emails. You also get captions that are ready to copy and paste. 

Mother Hen also offers content for the Revised Content Lectionary as well as seasonal graphic packs. (Lent drops on February 1!)

And a bonus: Your purchase helps support another ministry! Mother Hen is an outreach ministry of All Places Together, a Virginia Synod Mission Development.

Mother Hen's Online Store 

Atonement, Sebring Offers Healing and Wholeness Service

Are you in need of healing prayer, or wondering if there is something blocking your healing? Do you need some time to "be soaking," in prayer and God's healing presence? Learn to give and receive Blessing Prayers, and experience the healing power of both forgiveness and of joy.

Our Speaker

For over 30 years the Rev. John Rice, a retired pastor, has taught and preached on Jesus' healing prayer ministry in churches, OSL groups throughout the United States, and northeast area of India. In 2012, John left parish ministry in response to God's call to focus more of his time and energy on healing prayer ministry. His new job description, received during a time of prayer, is "to encourage, equip, and empower God's people for Jesus' healing ministry."

All Saints, Lutz and St. Paul, Tampa Invite You to Join them for Bay Area Pride Events

The advocacy teams at All Saints and St. Paul's are combining to attend both Pasco Pride (on February 24, from noon - 6 p.m. at Heritage Park in Land O'Lakes - 5401 Land O'Lakes Blvd) and Tampa Pride (on March 23, beginning at 10:45 am, in Ybor City).  

You are welcome to join our booths. Our goal is to support all people and let everyone know that they are welcome at our churches. Contacts are Marcia Greensfelder at All Saints (mgreens@tampabay.rr.com) and Brian Scott at St. Paul (bscott9744@aol.com). Hope to see you there!

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran in Clermont Job Opening: Part-Time Office Administrator

Desired qualifications include excellent people skills, ability to keep confidences, well organized and experienced in Microsoft Office applications (PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Publisher). Duties include receptionist, church communications, newsletters, bulletins, ELCA required church recordkeeping as well as other duties as they arise.

For more information call Dennis Wick at (352) 408-3220 or submit resume to:

ChurchOffice@shephillsclermont.org

Shepherd of the Hills - Church Office

13600 Caspian Lane

Clermont, FL 34711

King of Kings, Port Richey Seeks Music Director

King of Kings, a vibrant and growing ELCA church in Port Richey, is seeking a talented and energetic musical director. Candidates should be able to play a variety of worship music for a blended service and direct volunteer choir members in producing pleasing choral performances for Sunday service. Candidates with strong ties to the local musical community are a plus, but not required. This is a part-time position, with flexible hours that will include Sunday morning 10 a.m. worship services. The music director must be able to work in concert with the pastor, assist in developing new talent, and help grow the choir and music program through an energetic and professional demeanor.

Email resume to: king2s@live.com

Reconsiderations Task Force for Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust

You are invited to be part of shaping the ELCA’s social teaching. The 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly authorized two reconsiderations of the social statement Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust. In response to these actions, a task force will begin working in 2024 to lead this five-year process of discernment. Information about the reconsiderations, expectations for the task force, and instructions to apply or nominate someone else are available at ELCA.org/reconsiderations. The application will be open until Jan. 31. Learn more.

• January 28-30: Florida Faith Advocacy Days, Tallahassee, FL - Florida Council of Churches

• January 31: FREE Mental Health First Aid Training - Gateway Trinity Lutheran Church

• February 23-25: Master Builders - Luther Springs

• March 4-8: Quilting Retreat - Luther Springs

• April 19-20: Synod Parish Deacon Retreat, Lakeland, FL

• May 31 - June 2: Synod Assembly, Embassy Suites, Orlando Lake Buena Vista South

• April 19-21: God Spa - Luther Springs

• June 18-29: Joint Synod Pilgrimage to Greece

• September 9-18: Experience the Holy Land hosted by ALOA - Adult Lutherans Organized for Action

• September 16-18: Conference on Ministry, Mission Inn, Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.

• September 21: School of Lay Ministry Annual Retreat and Graduation Worship, Mandarin Lutheran Church, Jacksonville

• October 4-7: Marty's Autumn Motorcycle Retreat at Lutheridge Camp & Conference Center