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July 9, 2008 | Enews Archives | Contact Us |


July 8
Message from Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson

Dear Colleague in Ministry:
Recently, I joined with three leaders of Lutheran organizations in writing a letter to the two major party candidates for U.S. President, U.S. Sen. John McCain and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.  The letter, which highlights policy priorities on a number of topics, was signed by Ralston H. Deffenbaugh, Jr., president, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service; the Rev. John A. Nunes, president, Lutheran World Relief; Jill A. Schumann, president and chief executive officer, Lutheran Services in America; and me.

The text of that letter is now available for your use on the ELCA Web site at http://archive.elca.org/bishop/messages/candidatesletter.html

In addition, I recommend that you read "Called to be a Public Church: 2008 ELCA Voting and Civic Participation Guide,"  which offers a helpful examination of important matters related to the role of the church in the upcoming election.  It can be found on the Web at http://archive.elca.org/advocacy/publicchurch/publicchurch08.pdf

Blessings to you in your ministry!
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA Presiding Bishop


Draft Social Statement on Human Sexuality
We know that 50 pages of a theological document can be overwhelming for many of the people. So,one-page documents from the Draft Social Statement on Human Sexuality have been created. These documents pull quotes from the draft on topics that may be of interest.  Topics such as Justice for Women, Strong Families, Sexual Abuse, etc. are available. To access these one-pagers, please visit: www.elca.org/faithfuljourney/publicity

These can be used a fliers, posters, bulletin inserts - or any other
imaginative way. You don't have to read the entire draft to respond to the task force. This is an issue that affects us all everyday.


July 23
Bishop Dave Brauer-Rieke Leads Bible Study
“What does the Bible say about . . . :
Hope, Homosexuality and Hospitality?”
Creator , 13250 SE Sunnyside Road, Clackamas ( east of I-205)
6:00 PM Potluck
7:00 PM Bible Study
As Creator Lutheran Church in Clackamas considers becoming a “Reconciling in Christ” community, the question “What does the Bible say about homosexuality?” has come up. It’s a good question. We want a thoughtful answer. So we went straight to the Bishop and asked! Everyone is invited to come to Creator on Wednesday evening, July 23 when Bishop Dave Brauer-Rieke of the Oregon Synod will lead us in a Bible Study on just this concern.

“It’s not so much what the Bible says as what we hear.” suggests Bishop Brauer-Rieke. “The question is always one of interpretation. The Bible clearly tells us not to lend money with interest, but this is the heart of our modern day economy. The Bible never questions the institution of slavery, but we today find it repugnant. The real question is not “What does the Bible say …” but “How do we faithfully engage modern day insights, opportunities and needs with the Word of God?”

So join us for a Bible study not only on homosexuality, but on the power of the Living Word of God for everyday life. “What does the Bible say about . . . ?” You fill in the blank!

 

 

In God's Name
Who is God? What is death? What is worth dying for? How do you explain fanaticism and violence waged in the name of God? Candid responses and profound comments by the world's great spiritual leaders are accompanied by magnificent, never-before-published images of these wise men and women, as well as ordinary people engaged in religious practices around the world. Their voices span geographical and theological distances yet come together to create a spiritually satisfying and meaningful worldview.

 

In God's Name offers readers a rare opportunity to know 12 of the most holy people alive today, and their answers to eternal questions of life and death, war and peace, doubt and belief, and the nature of God. In this provocative book, we're privileged to meet Bishop Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA.

Published by National Geographic visit http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/product/4295.html to get a copy of your own.

A Change in the Process of Giving to the Allert Fund for Leaders
Your leadership matters to the ELCA and to future generations of pastors and rostered lay professionals. Through the Allert Fund for Leaders, you support new leaders and make an investment in the mission of this church so that every potential leader may have the opportunity to become an ambassador for Christ.

Gifts and checks that are received at churchwide without instructions designating the Oregon Allert Fund for leaders will be place into the general ELCA Fund for Leaders Endowment. Since we know that you desire to support the Oregonian seminarians please indicate on your gifts that funds are for the Oregon Allert Fund for Leaders and include #E270799 on your contributions.

A coupon for your use with this information can be downloaded at Oregon Synod Allert Fund page at http://www.oregonsynod.org/faithinaction/give/allert.htm or download now.

For more information on how to give to this fund contact
Director of Planned Giving of the Oregon Synod
Dr. Patricia Larsen
Regional Gift Planner of the ELCA
Blessed2Give@cs.com
503-244-4102

Position Openings/ Other Offerings
To view a complete listing of position openings around the synod visit: www.oregonsynod.org/equip_support/positions.htm.
 
 

Other Highlights
To read the complete description of events, please visit www.oregonsynod.org/equip_support/events.htm

Please note: listings will be dated upon posting and will appear a maximum of three times. After this point events will appear on the events page at www.oregonsynod.org/equip_support/events.htm.
This publication policy does not apply to synodical and churchwide postings.

 

(07.09)
July 24
Presentation by George Hunsinger, PhD, "A Battle for the Soul of Our Nation: Why Torture Matters."
Nativity Lutheran Church, 60850 Brosterhous Rd., Bend.
12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
Download registration brochure.
A catered luncheon will be held in the fellowship hall at $10/person.

 

(07.09)
August 1, 8, 15, 22
The fourth annual “Four by Four” Piano Duet Recital Series will feature the music of Franz Schubert, along with music inspired by childhood. The four Friday noontime concerts in August by four different piano ensemble teams will take place at St. James Lutheran Church on SW Jefferson in the South Park blocks across from the Portland Art Museum. Admission is free but donations at the door are needed to support the series.

 

August 1 - Josephine Pohl and Linda Rodgers will play the Schubert Ab Variations on an Original Theme, Faure’s Dolly Suite, one of the Dvorak Slavonic Dances, and the popular 5 thHungarian Dance by Brahms.

 

August 8 - Bend pianists Margaret Littlehales, Lynn Goetz, and Kathleen Gault will join together for Schubert’s Two Characteristic Marches, the Mother Goose Suite by Ravel, and Debussy’s Petite Suite.

 

August 15- Timothy and Nancy LeRoi Nickel will perform Schubert’s F minor Fantasy, selections from Bizet’s Children’s Games, Mark Thrall’s Song of New York, and a new work by local composer Joel Morris titled Northern Lights and dedicated to the LeRoi-Nickel Duo.

 

August 22nd - will feature the duo of Angela Carlson and Rebecca Jeffers from Oregon State University playing Schubert’s A major Rondo, the newly commissioned Pianoduo of Michael Ippolito, Gavotte by Nicolai von Wilm, a waltz of Ernst von Dohnanyi, and selections from a set of dances by Matyas Seiber.

For more information, please contact Nancy Nickel or the St. James Lutheran Church Office at 503/227-2439.

 

(07.09)

August 18
GIA Reading Sessions for Choral Directors
Recital Hall, Mago Hunt Center, University of Portland, 5000 N Willamette Blvd., Portland
Check in: 7:00 pm
Sessions: 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Free registration and complementary music packet included. Choral music in a wide range of styles, difficulty, and voicing. Clinician: Michael Connolly. Register free online at www.giamusic.com or call 1-800-GIA-1385. Participation is open to all choral directors and accompanist. Limit two persons per church unless there is multiple directors. Be prepared to give the name(s) of those attending, your church name, and zip code, and which session you plan to attend. These GIA Choral Reading Sessions emphasize choral anthems more than congregational music.


(07.09)

October 27-29
Advanced Volunteer Management Conference
"Climbing Higher, Diving Deeper"
Portland, Oregon

Join internationally known volunteer management experts Susan J. Ellis, Rick Lynch, Steve McCurley, Linda Graff, and Martin J. Cowling as they lead us through timely and relevant topics designed for the experienced manager of volunteers. Don't miss this opportunity to gather best practices and develop new skills from the top trainers.

Register online at www.oregonvolunteers.org by September 1st for the Early-Bird rate of $250. Capacity is limited, so register now! Registration, lodging information and conference agenda available online: http://www.oregonvolunteers.org/

Sponsored by:
Institute for Nonprofit Management at Portland State University
Mid-Valley Volunteer Managers Association – MVVMA
Northwest Oregon Volunteer Administrators Association – NOVAA
Oregon Volunteers


 


  
     
 

Last Week's News

There is ONE website for the Book of Faith initiative and Book of Faith resources!  You may reach it at any of these three URL’s…they all take you to the same place!

www.elca.org/bookoffaith or www.augsburgfortress.org/bookoffaith or www.bookoffaith.org 

For now, the design isn’t perfect.  What was on the ELCA website and what was on the Augsburg Fortress website were two different designs.  The entire thing will be redesigned into a much more attractive and user friendly, interactive format in the next month.  But, for now, based on what we have heard from you, we thought that it was better to have one place for people to find information and sign up to be Book of Faith congregations rather than two!  Stay tuned for more!

Sign Up to be a Book of Faith Congregation!
The goal is to have 75% of ELCA congregations signed up by the end of 2010. This is such an exciting, energizing, initiative of this church and the more people who are engaged, the better it will be for all of us and, ultimately, for the individuals who participate and become more fluent in the first language of our faith, scripture

 

A list of current and forthcoming Augsburg Fortress resources to support the Book of Faith initiative. 

  1. Opening the Book of Faith:  Lutheran Insights for Bible Study is available now (this is the book that was being given away by Augsburg Fortress at all of the spring 2008 synod assemblies)
2.       The free, downloadable assessments to accompany Opening the Book of Faith is available now on the AF website. 

3.       The downloadable leader guide for Opening the Book of Faith is available now on the AF website.  It is $9.95 or when a congregation or individual purchases 10 or more copies of the book, they will be able to download it for free.  This is to encourage small group use of this small, unintimidating book this summer or fall. 

4.       In August, we will publish a curriculum to accompany Opening the Book of Faith (flexible format of 3 to 7 sessions)

5.       In September, we will publish another brief curriculum, Rediscovering the Book of Faith, that will help people learn about when/where/by whom the Bible was written. 

6.       The Lutheran Study Bible will be published in February 2009.

7.       The Book of Faith 40-day Lenten Journey, will be published in February 2009.

8.       Several comprehensive adult Bible Study resources (in various formats) will be published in spring 2009.

9.       Lutheran Study Bible Field Guide ( a “travel guide” for the Bible for lay people) will be published in spring 2009. 

10.   A companion website to accompany/support the Lutheran Study Bible will be launched in the summer of 2009.

11.   While not directly a part of the Book of Faith initiative, we will also publish three new children’s Sunday School resources in spring 2009.  One will be in a fairly traditional “Bible story” format that we think will complement the Book of Faith initiative.  There will be new age-appropriate children’s Bibles as a core component of this Sunday School curriculum.  In addition, we are publishing a lectionary based Sunday School curriculum and a rotational Sunday School curriculum. 

(07.02)
July 24 – July 27
How does worship relate to my daily life? Community Through Liturgy
An experiential event for high school youth.
Bethel, 5658 N Denver Ave., Portland
Download PDF brochure and registration

This event is open to high school youth from congregations in the Oregon Synod and high school youth from their communities.

The focus is to give the youth an understanding of how Sunday Liturgy connects to their daily lives. Our objectives are for them to see themselves as:
Called Children of God, The Body of Christ, and Gifted by the Spirit.

Youth will learn and grow through experiences:
• Assisting at the Bethel Drop-In Center’s Summer Program
• Visiting organizations in the Bethel Community and Portland
• Helping out a member of the Bethel Community
• Time spent traveling, eating and Cosmic Bowling
• Creating Sunday morning worship at Bethel that reflects their gifts and experiences.

Community Through Liturgy is for High School youth including youth who will be in 9th grade this fall. Cost is $25 and is limited to 15 youth. If you have questions, please contact Tammy Gover at 503-201-8633 or by email at goverclowncar@yahoo.com.

 

(07.02)
September 13
Camp Lutherwood
Faith Builders' Challenge
A dinner and auction to support the ministry of Camp Lutherwood. This event is taking place at Our Savior's Lutheran in Lake Oswego, OR. Camp Lutherwood is asking for donated items that can be auctioned off. Visit www.lutherwood.org for more information.

 

(07.02)
September 29 – October 2
“Foundations for BeFriender Ministry” Workshop
Community Congregational United Church of Christ,
525 N.E. Campus Ave., Pullman, WA
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each of the four days

The workshop is for leaders who want to implement and maintain a listening ministry of lay pastoral care in their churches, healthcare institutions, or long-term care facilities. Community Congregational United Church of Christ is hosting the ecumenical workshop, which is being conducted by the national office of BeFriender Ministry–A Listening Presence. This national, ecumenical organization provides leadership training and program support for a listening ministry of lay pastoral care. Who should attend: A team of 2 to 5 leaders from a church or organization. The team includes clergy and/or at least one paid staff person, as well as one or more lay volunteers.

Cost: $649 for the first registrant from a church or organization; $150 less for each
additional registrant from the same church or organization. Deadline for registration and payment is September 7. To register or for more information: call toll free 1-866-468-8708 or email: info@befrienderministry.org or visit www.befrienderministry.org