The Weekly Five

Five Things to Know This Week in the Southwestern Texas Synod

Seeking the Welfare of the Place We Call Home

As Independence Day approaches, many of us will gather with family and friends, watch fireworks light the sky, share meals, and give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy in this nation. It is appropriate to celebrate the gifts of our country and to be grateful for those who have sacrificed to preserve its freedoms.

As Christians, however, our faith invites us to think carefully about the difference between patriotism and nationalism.

One of the most remarkable passages in Scripture comes from the prophet Jeremiah. Writing to God’s people living in exile, far from the home they loved, Jeremiah tells them: “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you… and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:7).

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Register Now: ELCA Innovation Listening Tour

Sunday, June 28, 4-6 PM         

Austin Area (St. Martin’s, Austin)

Monday, June 29, 10 AM–12 PM

Hill Country (Zion, Fredericksburg)

Monday, June 29, 2-4 PM

San Antonio Area (MacArthur Park, San Antonio)

Tuesday, June 30, 9–11 AM

Eagle Pass (Iglesia San Lucas)

Tuesday, June 30, 5–7 PM       

Rio Grande Valley (Our Savior McAllen)

Wednesday, July 1, 11 AM–1 PM         

Corpus Christi & Neighboring Congregations (St. John, Robstown)

The ELCA Innovation Lab of the Churchwide Organization is hitting the road across the Southwestern Texas Synod. And they are coming with ears open and notebooks ready! They want to hear your ideas, your hopes, and your wildest “what if” dreams for the future.

Click here for more information and registration.

Apply for a Tiemann Grant Today!

How might God be calling you to strengthen your congregation or ministry with fresh vision and creativity? A Southwestern Texas Synod Tiemann Leadership Grant can bring that calling to life.

In the past, rostered and lay leaders have used the grant to grow through life-giving experiences such as sabbaticals, retreats, coaching, and training in leadership, preaching, or spiritual care.



Grants can also spark new ministries, such as podcasts, community meals, or faith-based art, as well as mentorships and internships for young people in leadership, service and digital ministries.

If you sense a gentle nudge, don’t ignore it. A Tiemann Grant may bring that nudge to life! Apply by August 15 and see where God leads.

For more information, visit the Tiemann Endowment website, or contact Deacon Darcy Mittelstaedt.

Pride Month Devotional: QUEER(ING) SAINTS

Week 4

Throughout Pride Month, we invite you to meet surprising saints whose lives reveal God's boundless love for all people.

Drawing from scripture, history, poetry, and prayer, each reflection introduces a different saint whose life and witness challenges us to see God at work beyond the confines of our own human limitations. May their stories deepen our faith and remind us that God's welcome is larger than we could ever imagine!

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Why Pride Month?

Every June, rainbow flags appear in storefronts, on social media feeds, and in front lawns. It is a celebration of identity and belonging. But its roots run deeper, and (sadly) bloodier, than flags and parades.

Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall Uprising of June 1969, when patrons of a Greenwich Village bar — many who were transgender women of color, drag queens, and homeless queer youth — fought back against a police raid. Such raids and harassment were common. This uprising was an act of survival by people who had been told, in every register of public and private life, that they did not belong.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Ministry Partners