June 22, 2021

E-Spirit Weekly

Newsletter

News, Stories, and More

from the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the ELCA

A Letter from Synod Secretary

Pr. Ken Blyth

The Florida-Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American will meet September 17-19, 2021 at the Embassy Suites in Kissimmee, FL.

The theme for assembly is "United Spirit, Diverse Body."

The Synod Assembly will be in person with guidelines to keep us safe, but also unrestricted in our meeting and conducting of business.

Online registration opens Tuesday, June 22, 2021.

The deadline for registration is Friday, August 27, 2021.

To read the entire letter, click here.

A Letter from Our Nominations & Elections Chair

Tracy Moffatt

The Nominating Committee of the Florida-Bahamas Synod is preparing the slate of elections for the 2021 Synod Assembly, and needs your help in identifying nominees for the positions. They are also looking for Voting Members for the 2022 Churchwide Assembly that will be held in Columbus, Ohio.



Nominations should be submitted before Synod Assembly as to put names and descriptions in the Nomination Packet given to Voting Members.

There are 34 open positions, the letter includes descriptions of all positions.

The deadline for nomination forms is August 1, 2021.

To read the entire letter, click here.

To fill out a nomination form, click here.

Employment Opportunity - Holden Village

Holden Village - Lutheran Retreat Center in the North Cascade Mountains of Washington State is looking for employees and volunteers to help run their 2021 season. The center is looking for seasonal volunteers, long-term volunteers (1 year), and employees ahead of their summer season.

Positions available are the Accountant lead, Utilities lead, Mechanic lead, Business Manager, Staffing Coordinator, and Youth Program seasonal Leadership roles.

More information can be found at their website.

Transition Ministry Training Online Webinar

July 26-30, 2021

Transitions - There are many factors that come into play when a congregation is in transition. Whether that congregation has just received an interim pastor, or has just received a newly called pastor, or is seeking new direction into God's future, it is a time of transition from something that was, to something that is yet to be. 

The Transition Training Event will help attendees to focus on what it is that properly motivates ministry so that the "yet to be" is fully in the hands of God, and God's people are themselves renewed and ready for that ministry.



WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Interim Pastors, First Call and New Call Pastors, Pastors in congregations needing new direction.

COST:

Interim Pastors 5 days - $160

First Call and/or New Call Pastors & Others (M-W) - $130



The first three days of presentations focus on elements that are common to all transitional situations, lifting up the differences for new call situations and interim situations. The final two days are specific to interim ministry and will review the specifics of the Florida-Bahamas Synod Transition Manual and processes. 

The Continuing Education Credit for the Rostered Leaders Annual Report to the Bishop is 9 hours for 3-day attendees, or 15 hours for 5-day attendees.

Click here to register.

Taize Prayer at St. Mark Lutheran Church

Hybrid Ministry in A Post-Pandemic Church Webcast

Join St. Mark Lutheran Church in Dunedin, Florida for a Taize Prayer night. This is an hour of sung prayer, scripture, intercessory prayer, and silence.

The Taize prayer night is Thursday, June 24 at 7pm.

St. Mark Lutheran Church is located at

1120 Curlew Road, Dunedin, FL 34698.

Masks and social distancing will be observed.

Please enter the sanctuary through the main entrance on the west side of the building.

Ryan Panzer is taking his lecture Hybrid Ministry for a Post-Pandemic Church to the Luther Seminary's Faith & Lead Platform, for a webinar that reflect the writings of his book Grace and Gigabytes.

Panzer has spoken to the Florida-Bahamas Synod a couple times, but this webinar allows people the opportunity to hear him talk alongside other rostered leaders across the country.

To sign up and find more information on this event, click here.

Words from Presiding Bishop Eaton

ELCA presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton has written another column for the June/July issue of Living Lutheran.

In her June/July column for Living Lutheran, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reflects on what we’ve learned from the Apostle Paul about the deeply spiritual act of stewardship. 

Read her column in English at https://bit.ly/3gBIYFR and in Spanish at https://bit.ly/3xqt8ER.

Care-Filled Worship in a Lingering Pandemic

Since the early days of the pandemic, the ELCA has been a partner in the Ecumenical Consultation on Protocols for Worship, Fellowship, and Sacraments. The collaboration has published general and seasonal guidance for safe worship practice during the pandemic.

The Consultation has met again to approve an update to the guidance originally published in the summer of 2020. The new update "Care-Filled Worship and Sacramental Life in a Lingering Pandemic" includes the latest combination of CDC and consultation guidance.

"Care-Filled Worship and Sacramental Life in a Lingering Pandemic" can be found here.