The Weekly Five

Five Things to Know This Week in the Southwestern Texas Synod

Becoming… Week 4

Learning to Notice Together


(see below for Spanish version)


Discernment begins with learning to notice—asking better questions, telling more truthful stories, learning to see through the eyes of Jesus. But there is something else we need to remember: no one notices everything.


That may seem obvious, but it matters more than we sometimes realize. Every person enters a congregation or community from a different place. A pastor sees some things. A council member sees others. A lifelong member notices things a newcomer never would. A child may know immediately whether a place feels welcoming. A neighbor may see something about our congregation that those of us inside it have stopped noticing altogether.


That is one reason discernment cannot be a solo activity.


Click here to keep reading.


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En proceso… La semana 4

Aprender a notar juntos


El discernimiento comienza cuando aprendemos a prestar atención: haciendo mejores preguntas, contando historias más verdaderas y aprendiendo a mirar con los ojos de Jesús. Pero hay algo más que debemos recordar: nadie lo ve todo.


Puede parecer obvio, pero importa más de lo que a veces nos damos cuenta. Cada persona llega a una congregación o comunidad desde un lugar diferente. Un pastor o una pastora ve unas cosas. Un miembro del consejo ve otras. Alguien que ha pertenecido a la congregación toda su vida nota cosas que una persona recién llegada nunca vería. Un niño o una niña puede saber de inmediato si un lugar se siente acogedor. Un vecino puede ver algo acerca de nuestra congregación que quienes estamos dentro hemos dejado de notar.


Esa es una de las razones por las que el discernimiento no puede ser una actividad solitaria.


Haz clic aquí para seguir leyendo.

Fresh Stewardship Resources for Fall 2026


Part of following Jesus is encouraging people to follow Jesus with us. To do that, ministry leaders share spiritual care, their stories, and resources. We want to share a few ideas to consider with a small team of people from your church to help your ministry grow. These ideas come from churches like yours: Salem, Spirit of Joy, Shepherd of the Hills, Our Savior’s, and New Life.


Click here to view or download the resources.

New Christian Communities Leadership Incubator


Faith+Lead's New Christian Communities Leadership Incubator is now open for applications (deadline is Oct 31). This online cohort is an accessible way to train and coach leaders who are starting or called to start new mixed ecology ministries. It is led by Sean Steele, an Episcopal priest and certified coach who has started numerous fresh expressions and effectively helped others do the same. Thanks to donor funding, the cohort is subsidized and only costs $249 for the year.


Click here to learn more.

Listening, Learning, and Imagining What’s Next


This summer, ELCA Innovation leaders Tyra Dennis and Sarah Weaver spent three days traveling across the Southwestern Texas Synod, listening and learning from synod congregations and leaders. Their engagement included stops in Austin, the Hill Country, San Antonio, Eagle Pass, the Rio Grande Valley, and Corpus Christi.


What emerged was a picture of a synod facing real challenges as well as real opportunities for mission.


Click here to keep reading.

9/11 Worship Resources


This week marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. As our nation pauses to remember those who lost their lives and the people impacted, ELCA Worship offers a collection of resources to help congregations remember this day each year.


Click here to download the resources.

UPCOMING EVENTS

September 10
5 pm

Portico Updates Webinar

Register here

September 14

Webinar: Interrupting Harmful Patterns, Part 1

September 21

Webinar: Interrupting Harmful Patterns, Part 2

November 12

Gender Justice Training

April 30-May 1, 2027

Synod Assembly

Triumphant, Garden Ridge

Ministry Partners