Calling all congregations! Calling all lay members! We are in need of lay voting members for our synod assembly. There is still time, so click to register.
Voting Members will receive the Zoom link and voting credentials via email on May 3rd.
Sign up for the Voting Orientation on May 5th.
Visitors may watch the business day on Facebook.
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Nearly Halfway There
The 2023 Synod Assembly Offering, impacting ministries through the Evangelical Mission Endowment Fund, is off to a great start. We already have 45 individuals and 15 congregations who stepped forward with over $22,000!
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Remember, two challenge gifts inspire giving.
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The first $50,000 given through congregations will be matched, dollar for dollar. So far, over $19,000 has been received from 15 congregations/conferences!
- When 100 people give a gift of any size directly to the Southwestern Texas Synod, a special gift of $25,000 will be released. We're nearly halfway there at 45.
As we prepare for the business portion of our Assembly on May 6th, now is the time to give. You may make them online or by mailing a check to the Synod Office at 1090 Oestreich Dr., Seguin, TX 78155. Please make checks payable to Southwestern Texas Synod and write Assembly Offering on the memo line.
“The Evangelical Mission Endowment Fund gives us the opportunity to really experiment with new ways of being church together.”
– Bishop Sue Briner
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Holy Land Trip
January 14-25, 2024
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Join with Bishop Sue and others from around the synod on our Living Stones Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. We will renew our baptismal vows in the Jordan River, explore holy sites, learn from local guides and leaders, and connect with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.
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Is There Room at the Inn?
Border Servant Corps is launching our "Is There Room at the Inn?" campaign! We're hoping to connect with congregations, shelters, and community organizations all over the US to expand our network of places where our guests can land if they have nowhere to go when they reach the US. Under this campaign, we have 3 "asks" for our partners in the interior of the US. We need organizations who are willing to open their doors and hearts to either sponsor a an individual or family seeking asylum for up to a year, receive a bus of 50 asylum seekers and provide basic needs for 24-72 hours while they connect with their sponsors, or provide financial support to border shelters.
We are asking any interested parties to please fill out this Partnership Referral Form. Filling out the form doesn't mean you are committing to anything, it's just a way for us to track interest and be able to respond.
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ELCA Church Council Appoints Members to the Commission on a Renewed Lutheran Church
The council appointed members to the Commission on a Renewed Lutheran Church (CRLC), which will hold its first meeting in July. The 2022 Churchwide Assembly called for the council to establish the CRLC to reconsider statements of purpose for the church and its organizational structure. The commission will present its findings and recommendations to the 2025 Churchwide Assembly in preparation for a possible reconstituting convention.
A summary of the nomination process and the names of the appointed members is available here.
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College of Pastoral Leaders Cohort Grants
The College of Pastoral Leaders, sponsored by Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, is once again offering multi-year grants to cohorts of 4-6 pastors to create self-designed experiences of renewal and refreshment for the practice of ministry. This is a competitive grant. Staff are happy to answer questions and help interested pastors complete the application process.
The application deadline is May 12, 2023.
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Gather:Austin
Gather:Austin is a small group for young adults (folks in their 20s-30s) who gather for food, fellowship, and faith formation on the first Thursday of each month.
Gather meets at 7 pm on the big deck outside of the cafe at Central Market (4001 North Lamar). This is a group for young adults, led by young adults, and focused on creating connections with young adults throughout the Austin area. Gather is a networked community, and welcomes all people across race, faith background, gender, sexuality, and perspective.
For more information about Gather:Austin, check out our website. You can follow Gather on Instagram as well (@gather_austin) and reach a Gather leader via email at [email protected].
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Free Inclusivity Training!
May 13, 2023
9 am - 3pm
Zoom
None of us want to be oppressors, and all of us deserve the opportunity to learn how to be allies instead. In 2022, the Southwestern Texas Synod began offering our Anti-Oppression training to synod leaders. In 2023, we have decided that this is a foundational training that should be available to all members of our synod.
This training was built specifically with the Southwestern Texas Synod in mind and is offered in the hopes of aligning our synod regarding issues of oppression throughout the world and particularly in our synod territory. It centers around vocabulary, a brief look at history, and tools for allyship. This training is offered for free one-time only and will subsequently be offered with a registration cost. The facilitator for the May 13th training will be Rev. Katy Miles-Wallace, Inclusivity, Diversity, and Equity Coordinator for the synod and pastor of Technicolor Ministries. We look forward to seeing you!
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Resources, Webinars, & Calendar |
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