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News from the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, ELCA |
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When they say to you, "Consult the mediums and the spiritists," should not a people consult their God? Isaiah 8:19
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I-K Synod Bishop William Gafkjen
Where has Bishop Bill traveled throughout our mission territory during these past few weeks?
Attended a meeting of the ELCA Word and Service Roster Task Force
Presided over the Lenten (Chrism) Liturgy for East Kentucky Conference Ministerium at Faith Lutheran, Lexington
Preached for the funeral of Pastor Gary Anderson at Prince of Peace Lutheran, Dublin, OH
Presided over the Lenten (Chrism) Liturgy for North Central Conference
Attended the ministerium at Augustana Lutheran, Elkhart, IN
Conducted the Bishop's Transition Visit with St. Peter's Lutheran, Millersburg, IN and St. John's, Fish Lake
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Receive the I-KSynod Podcasts by email!
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Share the names of your college students
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Greetings to you as we approach Palm Sunday and Holy Week,
Our series of audio recordings for Lent has just about come to an end. Assistant to the Bishop Pr. Rudy Mueller posted his meditation for the sixth Sunday in Lent on Psalm 31:15: "My times are in your hand." I hope that you listened to the recording, but if you have not, you can listen to it here.
Stay tuned for Bishop Bill Gafkjen's Easter meditation that will arrive in your email box as both an audio recording and a printable message.
Okay, here I go...nag, nag, nag: are you eligible to take the Mayo Clinic Health Assessment? Have you taken it? April is almost here and you only have until April 30 to earn the 2% discount on your employer's 2013 health contributions. I checked the I-K Synod's progress on the Portico website and only 70 people have taken it, with 86 more to go, so let's get going!
Remember that you will earn a $150 credit in your personal wellness account when you take the assessment and if you complete follow-up activities like 30-A-Day, you can earn another $350 credit. Personal wellness account credits can help you pay for eligible medical expenses:
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Drug copayments
- Glasses or contacts
- Certain over-the-counter supplies
- Certain over-the counter drugs with a doctor's prescription
So why not just take it? It's easy, confidential, and does not take a long time. You might even learn something really interesting about yourself in the process!
A few other items:
- The spring issue of Northwex is online. Read about the northwest cluster of the I-K Synodical Women's Organization's Spring Gathering.
- The I-K Lutheran Center will be closed on March 29 for Good Friday and on April 1 for Easter Monday.
- It is also the first day of spring!
- Don't miss the Art of the Passion, an exhibit of 15 artists' interpretations of the Stations of the Cross at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Frankfort, IN Holy Week! Learn more.
Peace,
Danielle
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Prayer Concerns
We rejoice with Pr. Phyllis Smoot (Mount Pleasant, Kendallville, IN and St. Mark, Albion, IN) and husband Justin, who welcomed daughter Genevieve into the world on March 17. Both mother and daughter are doing well. Thanks be to God for this gift of new life!
As we approach the events of Holy Week, we remember Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and his haunting question, "Could you not stay awake with me one hour?" In our staff devotions this morning, we gave thanks for the mission and ministries of the congregations named Gethsemane. We lifted up and gave thanks for the ministries of a Deaconess who is an Associate in Ministry (AIM), a synod in Region 4, and three retired rostered leaders.
Gethsemane Lutheran Church
Corydon, IN
Pr. Robyn Kistemaker
Gethsemane Lutheran Church
Fort Wayne, IN
Pr. Debra Meuter
Gethsemane Lutheran Church
Indianapolis, IN
Pr. Barbara Dahl
Pr. James Bischoff
Gethsemane Lutheran Church
Lexington, KY
Pr. Laura Altman
Deaconess Diane Marten, AIM
Lutheran Deaconess Association
Valparaiso, IN
Central States Synod
Kansas City, KS
Bishop Gerald Mansholt
Pr. Donald Bravin, Retired
Munster, IN
Sister Sally Burk, Retired
Columbus, OH
Pr. Jerry Castleman, Retired
Columbus, IN
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 Valpo cheerleader and senior nursing student Megan Radloff, right, (daughter of Pr. and Mrs. Mark Radloff) joins fellow cheerleaders in celebration of Valpo's victory over Wright State, earning the team's Horizon League championship. The Valparaiso University men's basketball team is going to the NCAA Tournament after completing a 62-54 victory over Wright State to earn the Horizon League tournament championship. The team set a new program record for victories in a single season with their 26th win of the 2012-2013 campaign. You can watch the Crusaders take on Michigan State Thursday morning at 11:15 a.m., live on CBS. If you live close to Indianapolis, come and cheer on the Valpo basketball team with other fans! Join the Valpo Club of Indianapolis for a Men's Basketball Viewing Party, Thursday, March 21, 11:45 ET, Scotty's Brewhouse Downtown, 1 Virginia Ave #100, Indianapolis, IN 46204. Respond to this invitation at alumni@valpo.edu. Fill out a NCAA Tournament Bracket and at the same time, provide mosquito nets for people threatened by this deadly yet preventable disease. See below for more information about this opportunity! |
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Don't miss this opportunity to stamp out malaria!
Fill out a NCAA Tournament Bracket and at the same time, provide mosquito nets for people threatened by this deadly yet preventable disease.
Here is what you do:
1. Go to ESPN.com to the Fantasy and Games Tournament Challenge page and register. You will have to set up a user name and password - it's free.
2. BEFORE NOON on Thursday, March 21, submit your selections for the tournament. This can be done on the ESPN website using the username and password you registered.
3. Once you have made selections you have the option of entering those picks into a "group". Go to the "My Groups" tab on the tournament challenge page and search for "inkyncaa" - that's our group name: inkyncaa. This will be an open group without a password.
4. Make a $10 donation to the Malaria Campaign for each bracket selection you complete. You can give online indicating the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, or make your gift through your congregation to the IN-KY Synod Malaria Campaign. You can enter multiple times. Each entry equals one mosquito net!
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26th Indiana-Kentucky Synod Assembly, ELCA
June 7-9, 2013
From the I-K Synod Assembly calendar:
April 15 is an important date! Check the assembly calendar to see what is due and to whom you should send information. Thinking about hosting a table at the MissionFest? Read about reserving your table and contact Pr. Heather Apel at hapel@iksynod.org.
Also, don't forget that the early bird registration discount ends on April 1!
Online registration for the 2013 Indiana-Kentucky Synod Assembly is open!
Read all about the 2013 I-K Synod Assembly!
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50 Years of Ministry at Grace Village
Grace Village, the Episcopal-Lutheran Campus Ministry at Ball State University, formerly known as The Lutheran Center is celebrating 50 years in ministry!
Please join us in celebrating on Saturday, April 6, 2013.
Open House
3-5 p.m. at Grace Village
626 N Martin St, Muncie
Celebratory Dinner
5:30 p.m. at Lutheran Church of the Cross, 4401 N Wheeling Ave, Muncie
Reply by March 30 at 765-282-1249 or gracevillagebsu@gmail.com
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Easter Message from ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Easter. It is about more than an open tomb. It is the good news of the risen Christ who opens lives.
Think about Jesus' friends after his death. Their lives were closed down by fear, disappointment and confusion.
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Nelson W. Trout Lectures
The Message is in the Story
April 18-19, 2013
Trinity Lutheran Seminary Gloria Dei Worship Center
Columbus, OH This year's Nelson W. Trout Lecture Series features Bishop Walter S. Thomas, Sr. Bishop Thomas is Pastor of New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland.
Bishop Walter Scott Thomas Sr. has served as the pastor of New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore since 1975. Under his leadership, the church has grown from 200 to more than 7,000 members and moved into a new, 4,000-seat facility. He has developed programs on evangelism, mission, and education, providing daily Christian education classes and worship services on Wednesday and Sunday. The church also has a national television broadcast, "Empowering Disciples," airing on the Word Network and WJZ TV in Baltimore.
These endowed lectures are free and open to the public. Registration is not necessary.
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Gift enables first phase of new vision for JKM Library at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
Mark and Kathy Helge have made a gift to the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago that will allow the renewal and renovation of two levels of the JKM Library. Since 2010, the library staff, reference and periodical collections, and study space have been temporarily located in the east wing of the LSTC building. Over the last two and half years, the JKM Library staff have been culling the collection and evaluating library use to get a more accurate assessment of the library's space needs. Work on reuniting the staff with the collection will begin as early as next month. With the improvements made possible with the Helges' gift, all library operations will be consolidated in the west wing of the building by August 2013.
Mark Helge earned a master of divinity degree from LSTC in 1978. In 2011, the Helges made a two-year matching gift of up to $1 million for new, renewed and increased gifts to the LSTC Annual Fund. In May 2012, the Helges received LSTC's Distinguished Service Award to recognize their commitment and service to the seminary.
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April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
April has been observed nationally as Child Abuse Prevention Month since 1983.
Kentucky's state-wide organization devoted to child abuse prevention has developed a brief and helpful resource for churches about ways to observe April as a time "devoted to celebrating everything we can do to transform our community into a place that cares about - and actively supports - families and children. The goal of this month is to raise awareness of the issue of child abuse and neglect as well as celebrate families.
Contact Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky, the only statewide child abuse prevention organization, at 859-225-8879 or www.pcaky.org for additional information."
Host an awareness event
Establish policies
Train leaders
Start a support group
Provide mentoring
Respond to a family crisis
May God richly bless your efforts to lift up families. Kentucky government officials have recently established a method for investigating the deaths of children from abuse or neglect. The sacred duty falls to us all to eliminate the need for such investigations.
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The Living Compass - Heart, Soul, Strength and Mind
The Living Compass by The Rev. Dr. Scott Stoner covers issues related to our whole person - heart, soul, strength and mind. Through various media, writing and training methods, he offers a "whole new direction for personal, family and congregational wellness." On his website, you can take a self assessment to find out if your life is heading in the direction you desire. To discover more, go to www.livingcompass.org.
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ELCA Interim Ministry Association
As an organization, the Interim Ministry Association seeks to improve all types of interim ministry within the ELCA, by promoting best practices and providing education and training for intentional interim pastors. Learn
The 2013 annual conference is June 6-8, 2013 at the Sheraton City Center in Indianapollis, IN. Topic: Revisiting Preaching's Churchly Context.
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Religious Communicators Council Convention 2013:
Communicating at the Speed of Life
Topics include:
- Faith-based Peacebuilding in the Social Media Age
- Communicating Faith in a Social Media Age
- Fundraising: New Revenue for Religious Publishers
- Real-Time Coverage on Social Media
- Grants 101: Finding Them, Getting Them, and Keeping Them Coming
Registration, $395 until March 27, is available on line at www.religioncommunicators.org/convention See a brochure with information about speakers, tours, workshops and other activities. |
 Mission Statements Wanted! During the past few months, I-K Synod congregations have been sending in their mission statements to the synod office, and we thank you for doing so. We wish to include them in our celebratory events in the upcoming I-K Synod Assembly in Fort Wayne.
Does your congregation have a mission statement? Please check with your pastor or lay leader, or church council and find out whether or not it has been emailed to us.
May God's Spirit open our hearts, our eyes, and our ears to see and hear clearly what God is doing in our world and strengthen our hands and our feet to follow!
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Discovering Hope: Building Vitality in Your Congregation 2013
A Conference for Small Churches
Sponsored by the Renewing Mission Table of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod
Sat., April 13, 10:00-3:00
Grace and Peace Lutheran Church
Evansville, IN
Registration Deadline: April 5
- Prayer: Letting Go and Letting God
- Worship: Building Community and Hope
- Making Disciples: Learning to Live Jesus' Way
- Evangelism: A Way of Life
- Caring Ministries: Serving as Jesus Served
- Leadership: Who's Driving the Tractor?
- Discovering the Gift of Place
- Mission: Possible - Discovering Hope for the Future
Registration fee: $30/team of three
$5 extra for lunch per additional team member
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 2013
March 2013
Discovering Hope: Building Vitality in Your Congregation Workshop
March 2, 2013
New Hope Lutheran Church
Monticello, IN
Contact Carol Webb at cwebb@iksynod.org
I-K Synod Renewing Mission Table Meeting
March 4, 2013
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
I-K Lutheran Center Chapel
Contact Carol Webb at cwebb@iksynod.org
I-K Synod Worship Committee
March 19, 2013
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
I-K Lutheran Center Downstairs Conference Room
Contact April Lynch at alynch@iksynod.org
I-K Synod Mission Support Table Meeting-CANCELLED
March 23, 2013
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
I-K Lutheran Center Chapel
Contact Carol Webb at cwebb@iksynod.org
The Indiana-Kentucky Lutheran Center will be closed March 29, 2013, for Good Friday
April 2013
I-K Synod Campus Ministry Meeting
April 5-6, 2013
Ball State University
Contact Carolyn Lesmeister at clesmeister@iksynod.org
I-K Synod Congregational Council Workshop
April 6, 2013
Ascension Lutheran Church, Louisville, KY
Contact Rudy Mueller at rmueller@iksynod.org
Discovering Hope: Building Vitality in Your Congregation Workshop
April 13, 2013
Grace and Peace Lutheran Church
Evansville, IN
Contact Carol Webb at cwebb@iksynod.org
I-K Synod Council Meeting
April 19-20, 2013
7:00 p.m. on April 19, concluding at 3:00 p.m. on April 20
I-K Lutheran Center Downstairs Conference Room
Contact April Lynch at alynch@iksynod.org
Region 6 First Call Retreat
April 21-23, 2013
Pokagon State Park, IN
Contact Rudy Mueller at rmueller@iksynod.org
I-K Synod Christian Education Team Meeting
April 22, 2013
9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Zion's Lutheran Church, Pershing, IN
Contact Ed Seykowski at edseykow@juno.com
I-K Synod Community Organizing Team
April 25, 2013
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
I-K Lutheran Center Chapel
Contact Cindy Geisen at matterofcat@hotmail.com
I-K Synod Candidacy Retreat
April 26-27, 2013
Contact Heather Apel at hapel@iksynod.org
I-K Synod Congregational Council Workshop
April 27, 2013
St. Paul Lutheran Church, Milan, IN
Contact Rudy Mueller at rmueller@iksynod.org
I-K Synod Churchwide Voting Member Meeting
April 27, 2013
Contact April Lynch at alynch@iksynod.org
The Indiana-Kentucky Lutheran Center will be closed April 1, 2013, for Easter Monday
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