September 6, 2023

2023 Sacred Springs Powwow

IDE Coordinator, Rev. Katy Miles-Wallace, invites you to attend the Sacred Springs Powwow October 7-8 in San Marcos, Texas. This is an indigenous event that honors the sacred nature of the San Marcos springs for the Coahuiltecan peoples and gathers indigenous people from all over to sing, dance, drum, learn, and pray. Non-Indigenous people are welcome and encouraged to attend, to support the many indigenous vendors, and to learn more about indigenous cultural history and present of central Texas. For more information click here.

Urgent Need: Help Christian Assistance Ministry (CAM)

Christian Assistance Ministry (CAM) which is housed at Grace San Antonio was hit with an arson attack and lost many of their items that are distributed to those experiencing houseleness. 

They are in urgent need of several items:

• Coats (winter for men, women and children), hoodies, light jackets, sweaters). 
• Diapers (sizes 5, 6, and 7)
• Underwear for men (regular underwear small, medium and large), underwear for women (a variety of sizes 5-10), and children’s underwear all sizes for boys and girls
• Men’s Jeans
• Visit their website for a list of items, an Amazon wish list, and a link to Sign Up Genius that will be very informative if you wish to donate gently used items that are similar to what is on the wishlists.

Please contact Judy Werner for questions or to make transport arrangements: Awerner2@comcast.net or 281-460-6772.

Mientras Tanto Story

Grace: The Heart of San Antonio

Grace, one of the oldest congregations in San Antonio, built the city’s first tuberculosis hospital in 1913. Now in 2023, their former fellowship hall hosts a homeless day center with free services for neighbors in need and Texas’ only legal needle exchange program.

The downtown church shares its campus, an entire city block, with two nonprofits that serve those with few places to go. Grace Lutheran Church is a beacon of action and welcoming. They embrace their downtown geography, where San Antonio’s homelessness epidemic is most acute. And the congregants embrace their Christian faith, trying to live the Bible’s message that what anyone does for the hungry or thirsty they do for Jesus.

Click here to continue reading.

Recap of Truth in August Discussion

On August 26, I led a second book discussion as part of the ELCA Truth and Healing Movement. We discussed Calling for a Blanket Dance by Oscar Hokeah, a phenomenal novel that uses the voices of many to tell the life of one person of American Indian (Kiowa and Cherokee) and Mexican heritage. There were just five of us present, but the conversation was energizing and rich! Below are comments from participant evaluations:

• Great discussion questions and the ability to also share from our lives and general feelings about the book
• mutuality of conversation depth of understanding of participants
• Everyone had a chance to share their thoughts

If you have not read it, I encourage you to purchase or borrow the book and use the discussion guide I prepared to have a conversation with others.

While there are no more “Read the Truth” events planned, there are many ways to stay engaged. On Sept. 18, 6-7pm there will be an online conversation with survivors of Indian Boarding Schools. On Sept. 30, the ELCA will be participating in the National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools by wearing orange shirts! You can order a shirt TODAY from the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS).

I encourage you to look at the calendar for the Truth and Healing Movement for the full list of events! I will keep you posted on any events being offered at the synod level.

--Hilda Santiago, Community Engagement and Program Coordinator

Image credit: Belindo, Barry. Gourd dance rattle with a feather top and beaded handle. 84.3001. 20th century. Tulsa: Gilcrease Museum: https://collections.gilcrease.org/object/843001 (01/23/2019)

Living Stones: Holy Land Pilgrimage



Dec. 28, 2024-Jan. 6, 2025

We are grateful to partner with Elias Tours for our pilgrimage to the Holy Land at the end of 2024. The pilgrimage will take us to holy sites (the stones of our history), and also to conversations with holy people (the living stones of our faith). The trip cost ($4190) includes airfare and ground transportation, lodging, breakfast and dinner daily, and entrance fees. Scholarships and other financial support are available. Click here for more information and registration. If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Jessica Cain at pastorjessicacain@gmail.com.

ELCA Task Force on Education Debt (for Rostered Ministers) Needs Your Feedback!

Educational debt continues to be a pervasive issue among leaders in the ELCA. At its Spring 2022 meeting, the Executive Committee of the ELCA Church Council approved the formation of a task force to study the issue of educational debt and its impact on leaders.

Through studying and determining ways to address educational debt, the task force intends to bring help and hope to as many ELCA rostered ministers as possible, so they can best live out God’s calling for their lives.

To make our research on the topic more comprehensive, we want to hear stories from rostered ministers about the burden of educational debt, and the impact this debt has had on them, their families, their call process, and their ministry.

If you would be willing to share your story as part of a small group conversation of 3-4 people (rostered ministers, candidates, and task force members), or for more information, please contact Deacon John Dellis, task force member, or Adam DeHoek, who convenes the Educational Debt Task Force within the next month or two.

The conversation will last around an hour, covering these questions. We will record the conversations and share them only with members of the task force.

Sharing your story will help the task force members see the issue from a more personal perspective. It will also help us determine the questions we should explore more broadly.

We know that telling this story can be challenging, and we deeply appreciate your willingness to consider doing so.

Deadline for Grant Applications Extended

The application deadline for Transformational Ministry and Tiemann Leadership grants has been extended until October 15th. These grants provide seed funding for innovative projects and leadership development for congregations and leaders.

Click here to learn more and apply.

Report Portal Reopened

Any congregations who have not yet completed their forms A & C need to do so before December.

Click here to complete the forms.

Candles Available



The synod has received thirty candles from the closure of Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Wimberly. Candles are 51% Beeswax, White, 1-1/16” X 16-3/4” with self-fitting ends. If your congregation can use these please contact Pastor Judi Miller at 830-730-3315.

WorkSpace Cohorts

Forum dates: Thursdays,

September 14 - October 19

Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm CT via Zoom

Facilitators: Michelle Jolley and

Erin McCracken

Suggested Program Fee: $100

Are you looking to deepen your anti-racism practice? Color of Grace invites you to participate in the upcoming cohort of WorkSpace: Racism and US. 'WorkSpace' is a six-week anti-racism forum centering on self-awareness through a participant-driven, project-based, diverse cohort experience. Participants sign a Safe Space Covenant in which participants agree to preserve the conversational safe space for vulnerable sharing. Respecting such private, privileged and confidential sharing is an integral component of the WorkSpace. Prior to each session, a brief homework assignment is given which is designed to facilitate personal reflection and threads for session discussions. 

Register your interest here.

Color of Grace LLC (COG) is a collaborative ministry created to step into the challenge of dismantling racism. COG was founded and is led by individual members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America—rostered and lay leaders from diverse backgrounds—spanning four synods touching Austin, Houston, and Waco, TX and Baltimore, Maryland. For more information visit: www.colorofgrace.org or email us at: cogteam@colorofgrace.org.

Cultivating Generous Congregations Fall Cohorts

Fall 2023

5-6:30 p.m. Central time

Late September–October

How do we, as communities of faith, change our thinking on stewardship and generosity to meet the challenges of the moment? In partnership with the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, the ELCA is offering congregations the opportunity to reexamine their stewardship thinking and imagine ways to act on their findings in their communities. The six-week webinar “Cultivating Generous Congregations” will offer virtual cohort sessions where congregational leaders can discuss, dissect and collaborate on how generosity might work in their contexts. The webinar costs $550 per congregation, plus workbooks ($40 each).

For a deeper look at what the webinar entails, watch this brief Cultivating Generous Congregations video.

Please contact the Rev. Larry Strenge and the Rev. Tim Brown if you’re interested in participating! They will work with your synod to get you registered for the fall cohort.

Valley Metanoia Network Needs Your Help

Valley Metanoia Network submitted a collaboration proposal with Misión Luterana San Pablo in Weslaco, Texas. The proposal consisted of the use of part of the church facilities as the Valley Metanoia Ministerial Center for training.

Two very important ministerial areas will be developed there:

1. Missional Leaders Training Program
2. The development of a Cultural and Community Immersion Program.

The building that Valley Metanoid Network will be using is in need of some repair and equipment.

One of the big challenges is to repair part of the building floor that is extremely damaged. The estimates cost for repairing the floor and buying some equipment (water heater, fire detectors, stove...) is around $10,000 dollars.

We want to invite you to collaborate with us in our goal to raise the funds we need to complete this project that will help to fulfill the purposes and ministries of Valley Metanoia Network.

Learn more here.

You may give online or mail a check to the Synod Office at 1090 Oestreich Dr., Seguin, TX 78155. Please make checks payable to Southwestern Texas Synod and write VMN Center on the memo line. 

Job Opportunities

• Spirit of Joy Lutheran church is hiring a part-time Church Social Media and Communications Administrator. Contact info@spiritofjoylc.com.

• Zion Lutheran Church in San Antonio is hiring a Facilities Manager. Contact Chris at Facilities@ZionSA.org or 210-688-3090.

• Christ the King, Universal City is hiring a Musician-Pianist/Accompanist. Contact katharine.kriegel@gmail.com.

• Trinity Lutheran, Victoria is hiring a Faith Formation Minister. Contact stevezimmerman@trinityvictoria.net

• Triumphant Love, Austin hiring a Children's Ministry Coordinator. Contact tllcjobs@tllc.org.

• Good Shepherd in Bastrop hiring an Office Manager with bookkeeping experience. Contact council@goodshepherdbastrop.org.

Women of the ELCA Southwestern Texas Synod 

36th Annual Convention

October 21, 2023   

9:00 – 4:00 pm 

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church

Cuero, Texas

Click here for the registration form or register online here.

Save the Date for the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering

July 16-20, 2024

Registration opens September 15! Click here to learn more.

Lutheran Men in Mission Gathering

September 30, 2023

Zion Lutheran Church, Helotes, TX

The Lutheran Men in Mission of the Southwestern Texas Synod will be holding a Men's Gathering. For more information, contact Dennis Hickey by email or phone at (210) 347-6338.

Wartburg Theological Seminary October Intensive

October 5 from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

October 6 from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

October 7 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

The Rev. Dr. Ruben Duran, Senior Advisor for New Ministry Development in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, leads three sessions on Latine Ministry Competency

This 9-hour workshop will explore basic principles, various ministry models and best practices in the development of ministry among the diversity of Latine audiences: new immigrants, established people, and new emerging generations. Click here to learn more.

Piano, A Little Bit of Faith, and a Whole Lot of Singing Concert

Sunday, October 15, 2023

4 p.m.

Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church

416 Dolle Ave., Seguin, TX

You are invited to a “casual concert” celebrating the gift of music featuring in collaboration Leah Matocha and Pastor Kara Hairell-Speed (and Guest Musicians).

Register Now: Total Solar Eclipse Retreat 2024

April 5-9, 2024

Camp Chrysalis and Ebert Ranch

Come experience the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024 with Cross Trails Ministry! Both Camp Chrysalis and Ebert Ranch will be in complete darkness for over 4 minutes!  



This once in a lifetime event will be paired with Cross Trails hospitality and activities to make an unforgettable long weekend. Participate in eclipse learning sessions and camp activities, and then join us for daily devotions and worships. Choose to do as much or as little as you would like and enjoy some great family time!

Learn more and register here.