E-Spirit
February 20, 2018
Bold - Passionate - Faithful
|
|
Features:
- Lent 2 devotions: "Take Up Their Cross and Follow Me"
- Resources for study, prayer, conversation and action after a community crisis
- TEEM Students Gather at PLTS
- Synod Staff Positions Posted
Events Coming up:
- Synod Assembly Information
- Organ Concert, Advent, Melbourne
- Annual Auction, Faith, Lehigh Acres
For Your Information:
|
|
Click the calendar above for more information about these events
|
Feb. 24 -
Lenten Visit, Peace, Ft. Myers
Feb. 23-25 -
Master Builders Retreat, Luther Springs
Feb. 25 -
Organ Concert, Advent, Melbourne
March 3 -
Annual Fundraiser/Auction, Faith, Lehigh Acres
March 10 -
Lenten Visit, Salem, Orlando
March 10 -
Installation, John David Bryant at Joy, Palm Bay (4:00)
March 11 -
Messiah Music Series, Messiah, Ft. Myers
March 17 -
Lenten Visit, St. Michael's, Wellington
March 24 -
Lenten Visit, Messiah, Panama City
March 27 -
Scholar in Residence, St. Armands Key, Sarasota
March 30 -
GOOD FRIDAY--OFFICE CLOSED
|
|
More information on this year's Lenten Visits, along with an opportunity to RSVP, is now available. These events are free and open to all.
|
|
Lent 2 Devotion:
“Take up their cross and follow me”
|
|
Devotions shared during Lent come from the resource "
Set Free by Truth
," created by ELCA Presiding Bishop Eaton and bishops of ecumenical partner churches.
|
|
READ:
GENESIS 17:1-7, 15-16 PSALM 22:23-31 ROMANS 4:13-25 MARK 8:31-38
REFLECT:
“Jesus called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” A big part of taking up the cross of Jesus is being willing to speak out against injustice and hatred. In Canada, hate crimes against Jews, Muslims, indigenous people, black people, as well as against others, continue to grow. The year 2017 began with a violent mass shooting that left six men dead at a Quebec City mosque.
As a church and as individuals, we need to continue to speak out against all forms of hatred and to build bridges with people of all faiths. Following Jesus requires us to speak a clear message of love, respect, tolerance and understanding.
Prayer: Jesus, in the face of hatred and intolerance, give to us the courage and commitment to speak out for peace and love and stand with our neighbours. Amen.
Devotion by:
National Bishop Susan Johnson, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
|
|
Resources for study, prayer and conversation
|
|
The ELCA provides several statements and responses for study, prayer, discussion and advocacy in light of a community tragedy. Consider these resources:
- from this statement: This statement, The Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective, sets forth affirmations and commitments to guide this church’s participation in society. It seeks to be true to this church’s mandate to confess and teach both Law and Gospel as the whole Word of the triune God.
- from this message:The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America calls on members of this church to consider how they might become more involved in countering the reality and fear of violence in their communities.
- this message from the Church Council was in response to this resolution from the 1993 Churchwide Assembly
- from this message: This message is a call for ELCA members to acknowledge the needs of those living with mental illness and for this church to claim the responsibility it has as a body of Christ.
Lutheran Counseling Services
offers
additional resources
on their web site related to responding to tragedy, mental health care, and more.
|
|
TEEM Students Gather at PLTS
|
|
Izzy Bango-Sanchez, a student in the TEEM (Theological Education for Emerging Ministries) program, shares this reflection on their recent J-term course.
|
|
Our New TEEM group is composed of 12 students from throughout the ELCA. we Began our 3 year journey last October 2017 in Berkeley California at PLTS, and gathered together again for a one-week TEEM intensive courses again at PLTS (Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary) in Berkley, CA, Jan 22 through 27, 2018 . The students are all part of the ELCA’s TEEM (Theological Education for Emerging Ministries) formation program, and are actively engaged in ministry in their home contexts. Two students from Florida are in TEEM as they work to develop Latino Ministries here in Central Florida. One of the course title was “Ministry in Context,” and we were very blessed to have our TEEM Director, Dr. Moses Penumaka and Rev. Ruben Duran (ELCA Director of New Starts), as our Instructors.
The next TEEM intensive courses week will be at Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, Minnesota, in May 2018. Please keep us all in your prayers. And thank you so much for all your love and support, from our local Churches, to our Synods, and our World Wide Church.
Shalom
Izzy Bango-Sanchez
TEEM Group President
for 2020 Graduating Class
|
|
Synod Staff Positions Posted
|
|
Two synod staff positions have been posted on the ELCA Careers page and are open to all qualified applicants. These positions are for the positions of Director of Evangelical Mission/Assistant to the Bishop for the Florida-Bahamas Synod. Since the DEM is an ELCA Churchwide position, applications will be filtered through the office in Chicago. But Bishop Suarez and his team will be reviewing and interviewing applicants.
Please feel free to share these links with those who are qualified and interested. Please submit interest and inquiries through the ELCA web site.
Notice:
Rostered ministers and lay leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America who apply for a position in the churchwide organization must have completed Rostered Minister Profile papers on file.
|
|
Synod Assembly Information
|
|
|
|
More information about this year's Synod Assembly is now available on the
web site
. Find out about the theme ("Grounded in the Gospel"), hotel (Embassy Suites, Kissimmee), the keynote speaker (Dr. David Lose), and more. Watch this page as more information gets posted in the next few weeks.
Registration for Synod Assembly opens on March 15th.
|
|
Advent, Melbourne: Organ Concert
|
|
Rising Star Concert, Monica Czausz
Sunday, Feb. 25, 3:00 p.m.
Advent Lutheran Church
7550 N. Wickham Rd
Melbourne, FL
|
|
Annual Chinese Auction and Fundraiser, Faith, Lehigh Acres
|
|
Saturday, March 3rd, 2018
The Learning Village at Faith, Lehigh Acres, is hosting their Annual Chinese Auction!
Come have dinner on us and join in on chances to win amazing trips, events and over 100 basket prizes to win from!
- Disney Tickets
- Sun Splash Tickets
- Naples Princess Sight Seeing Cruise Tickets
- Calusa Nature Center Tickets (1 Year family Membership)
- 2 Wristbands for Zoomers
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- Joes Café
- Two Shea’s Café
- Many Wine & Liquor Baskets to Choose from
- Tailgating Basket with a YETI Cooler
- Bath & Body Baskets
- There will also be a Split the Pot!
***Donations of NEW items to put in baskets are always welcomed!***
This is an annual event that helps raise money for the school, school supplies and much more!
For more information about this event, contact the church:
705 East Leeland Heights Blvd.
Lehigh Acres, Florida 33936
Telephone: 239.369.6177
|
|
Thank you to all who have submitted Rostered Minister reports, Parochial Reports and Mission Support Covenants. That information helps the Office of the Bishop better prioritize, equip, support, and encourage ministry throughout the synod. The links to these reports are:
|
|
|
|
Feb. 20-Feb.March 6, 2018
- Tampa Office
- Houston, TX (REDIL)
- Peace, Ft. Myers (Lenten Visit)
- Chicago (Conference of Bishops)
|
|
Florida-Bahamas Synod 813-876-7660
info@fbsynod.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
