Bishop's Message for Christ the King Sunday 2020 with Rev. Khader El-Yateem |
This past Sunday was Christ the King Sunday! Bishop Suárez invited Pr. Khader El-Yateem, Assistant to the Bishop and Director of Evangelical Mission in the South, to share this special message.
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Save the date for #GivingTuesday |
On Dec. 1, 2020, people all around the world are coming together to tap into the power of human connection, strengthen communities and change our world through ELCA Good Gifts. Here is how you can help:
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Give. On Dec. 1, go to ELCA.org/goodgifts to make your donation.
- Spread the word. Share what gift(s) you gave and what our churchwide ministries mean to you – then invite your friends, family, and members to join you!
God is calling us into the world – together. And with generous, loving hands, we can make a difference. Thank you for your leadership and support!
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Our neighbors in Central America are facing a nightmare...
Hurricane Season 2020 was unusually active, and brought many strong storms to our area. But our Central American partners were devastated by multiple hurricanes in quick succession, leading to widespread destruction, flooding, and death.
Congregations and communities alike are desperately in need of relief. That's why the Florida-Bahamas Synod has created the Central American Hurricane Relief fund.
Please help us provide relief to our family in Christ in Central America.
Rostered Ministers, please encourage your congregation members to make a gift. You are asked to share the above article or one of our social media posts onto your congregational social media pages.
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The United As One COVID-19 Special Appeal continues to provide support to congregations during this pandemic.
The United As One grant has recently helped congregations improve livestream worship services, provide necessary resources for mercy ministries, and meet needs created by COVID-19.
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Faith Lutheran in Lehigh Acres is one congregation to receive a grant to assist with their mercy ministries. They can now offer an evening drive-thru pantry for members of their community who have been unable to come during the early afternoon, particularly working families, as well as a monthly senior food distribution day, where individuals over 65 can receive specially designed food pantry items in smaller portions.
During the month of November, Faith has also been able to use the grant money to purchase full Thanksgiving meals for families in need. They estimate being able to provide between 25-30 full Thanksgiving meals to families before the holiday.
Join the Florida-Bahamas Synod and lift up your neighboring congregations!
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Calling all youth members and friends! You are invited to join Bishop Suárez for our next Youth Check-In on December 6th at 4:00pm.
This check-in will be centered around sharing our stories, exploring our faith, and seeing God working in our lives! In addition to hearing a message from Bishop Suárez, we'll have time for youth to share their stories, musical gifts, and lead us in prayer. Would you like to share your story or offer a musical/artistic gift? Let us know when you register. PLUS, when you register, you will be automatically entered into our drawing to win a surprise gift!
Rostered Ministers and Youth Leaders: Please use the above article and link to invite your young people! If you are holding a confirmation class, Bible study, or other youth event at the same time, consider trying something new and inviting your youth to join this event instead!
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The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has affirmed the proposed Future Church design that is focused on a renewed purpose to activate the entire church so that more people may know the way of Jesus and discover community, justice and love. The council, which serves as the ELCA's board of directors and legislative authority for the church between churchwide assemblies, held its electronic meeting November 12-14.
Future Church is based in the belief that members, congregations, synods and the churchwide organization must work together to share the powerful witness of the gospel in the world and to invite more new, young and diverse people to experience God's grace in action. The new design identifies three priority areas: a welcoming church that engages new, young and diverse people; a thriving church rooted in tradition and radically relevant; and a connected, sustainable church that shares in a common purpose and direction.
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Parish Paper issues for November and December are now available! |
New issues of the Parish Paper are now available!
In November, the Parish Paper explores how to build relationships through livestream worship. Click here to download!
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Pastor Dale Young at the Miami Book Fair |
You can follow Pastor Dale Young at www.soulrefresh.org. Support other South Florida writers! Go to MiamiBookFairOnline.com
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Prayer of the Week from our Racial Justice Think Tank
Gracious God, I am guilty. I don’t like to admit it or to have to admit it. But, I am guilty. I am guilty of blindness and I’m guilty of not knowing how intentional I am with my lack of sight, vision, or interest. I am guilty of my intentionality as well. I have not been who it is You have created me to be, but that will change… now.
The happenings of these past many months have opened my eyes more than before. I have taken time to listen, to self-reflect, and set in motion my intentions and abilities to act for what it right, honorable, and just; not only for You, but also for the cleansing and reforming of my soul so that I can be the one who You have created me to be, setting aside my False Self, which is only attuned to itself and not to how and who I have been created to be. I am an image of who You are and with this incarnated presence, I will step forth in and for righteousness, truth, and to bear Your grace.
My brothers and sisters in the Living Christ have been harmed by my passivity. And though, I would have never considered myself to be as such, it is my passivity, lack of awareness, and my seemed lack of concern or caring that makes me necessarily troubled and penitent.
I have contributed to the heartache, pain, and grief of those who are not who I am. I didn’t always know it, but I should have because it was easier to be more absorbed in myself. I guess that I was afraid and it was easier to be preoccupied with distractions while by siblings were hurting. I guess that I didn’t want to have their hurt become my own. I was wrong. Never again. Never again. It is my solemn word to You, my God.
Please be with me as I step more profoundly into the gift of knowing more deeply, of loving more actively, of affirming more vocally, and for standing more directly with my fellow human beings of other races, creeds, and self-expressions. After all, we are not soulfully or inherently different at all. We all identify in the Christ. We are all empowered and emboldened by the essence of Whose we are – Yours. And we all have the creative energy and joyous juices from Your empowering Spirit to be wholesome, healthy, and holy; reflecting You, Lord God, to and for each other. Make is so, Lord God, so that we are the image we are created to be. And, may we be so in the awareness of Great Thanksgiving and Soulful Peace.
Sear our souls Lord God so that we burn with passion and so that our fears motivate us to life and living as prescribed and described by You rather than giving in to what can be emotional incapacitations. By nature, we are bold! We are alive! We are reflections of your agape-love and we are proud to be so. It is our time to be bold to be so. We can and we will.
Amen!
This prayer was submitted on behalf of the Racial Justice Think Tank by
Pastor Rob Carlson, Assistant to the Bishop and Director of Evangelical Mission in the North.
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Rostered Ministers - Please Complete the Camp and Church Leadership Project Survey |
An important survey of rostered ministers in the ELCA is now underway. It is part of the Camp and Church Leadership Project, which seeks to assess the role of camp and other key ministry spaces on call and faith formation among rostered ministers.
The survey is directed by Dr. Jacob Sorenson and Dr. Rollie Martinson, funded by a Youth and Young Adult Ministry grant from the ELCA Campaign. This was first distributed through the churchwide office, so you should have received it already. If you have not yet responded, please take the time to do so.
Our synod’s ministries will directly benefit by your participation, as the three synods with the highest response rate will get individualized data reports. Individual participants will also be entered into a drawing to win Amazon gift cards. Data from this survey will be valuable for individual synods, camps, campus ministries, and a host of other ministries we hold dear.
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Stars and Promises Christmas Concert with Peter Mayer |
In the first-ever ELCA event of its kind, ELCA World Hunger presents an online Christmas benefit concert featuring Peter Mayer, a longtime Lutheran and the lead guitarist for singer Jimmy Buffett. The concert will premiere on the ELCA Facebook page on December 9th at 7:00pm Central time.
The concert is a gift to you this Advent season, a way for us to thank you and provide a place for you to gather online with the church community as we prepare for the birth of our Savior. Donations to ELCA World Hunger are encouraged and will support our church’s work to respond to hunger and poverty in more than 60 countries. Register now to receive a free Peter Mayer Christmas album download, created just for this event!
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Prepare for Year-End with a Tax Deductible Gift |
This year has been a challenging one for our ministries, especially those that work year-round on the front lines to serve our neighbors in need. As our church has stepped up to respond to rising rates of hunger, illness and unemployment, you responded with faithfulness and generosity. On behalf of the greater church, thank you.
We know that many of you will carefully consider your charitable giving plans as we near the end of the calendar year. This is also an important time to meaningfully support congregations and ministries to equip them for future ministry. As you plan ways to give, we encourage you to consider opportunities that can help you make the most of new policies and your assets.
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Qualified charitable distributions - The SECURE Act of 2019 changed the age for required minimum distributions from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA), and the CARES Act of 2020 suspended them altogether. Making a gift from your IRA directly to any ELCA ministry may still be beneficial even if such a distribution is not required. Qualified charitable distributions remain a viable possibility for making a meaningful gift while limiting taxable income from your IRA.
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Gifts of appreciated assets - Gifting an appreciated security directly to a nonprofit organization may allow you to maximize your gift while avoiding capital gains taxes and reducing your taxable income. You can make these gifts to any ELCA-related congregation or organization through the ELCA Foundation, even if it is unable to receive gifts of stocks or marketable securities directly.
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Life-income gifts - These gifts can provide meaningful tax deductions for donors who face increased tax burdens due to income changes or other liquidity events. A life-income gift, like a charitable gift annuity, provides a tax deduction in the year it is established, partially tax-free future income and a gift to the ministries that matter the most to you.
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Endow your giving - The CARES Act introduced a unique provision in 2020 allowing an individual to deduct up to 100% of their adjusted gross income (AGI) for the tax year. Did you know that a named endowment fund with the ELCA Foundation can be started for as little as $25,000 in either an outright gift or a multiyear pledge? These funds can provide support for up to 10 ELCA-related and non-ELCA-related ministries that are close to your heart. This may be a great opportunity for some donors to exercise the increased deduction limits while providing sustainable support to the ministries they value most.
To plan a gift or for more information, please contact Rev. Ana L. Lugo, Regional Gift Planner for the Florida-Bahamas and Southeastern Synods, at 904-219-2769 or by visiting fbsynod.com/elca-foundation/.
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Updated COVID-19 resources are available on our synod website!
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