January 31, 2019
Dear Pastor/Youth Director,
For more than 25 years Region 9 of the ELCA has offered Bishops’ School, an opportunity for serious theological study, for outstanding high school students. The purpose of Bishops’ School is to provide an in-depth exposure to solid theological thinking and inquiry. This experience will bring together about 30 youth who will spend five days with faculty from ELCA colleges and Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary and one Region 9 Bishop. The enclosed information sheet will give you more details on the upcoming school which will be held at Lenoir Rhyne University in Hickory, NC, June 25-29, 2019.
Please prayerfully consider the 10th, 11th and 12th grade youth in your congregation and nominate any whom you consider a solid candidate for the 2019 Bishop’s School. Once you have identified a youth and he or she has expressed an interest in attending, please request that they write a brief reflection in response to the following question: As someone who follows Jesus, how do you experience God? Also, how do you understand your call to live a Christian Life? The student should submit this to you in electronic form and you are free to discuss this question/response with him or her.
Once you have received the reflection, please follow this link:
https://lutheranyouth.org/event/bishops-school-2019 to complete the online nomination form. This form includes information about the nominee and the nominator. There will also be a place for you to state why you are nominating this person and a place for you to copy and paste the nominee’s written response to the above question.
Candidates to consider are those who ask hard questions, stand out in confirmation classes, and exhibit a yearning to deepen their faith and explore their relationship with God. Please give this request prayerful consideration and submit your nomination(s) no later than Wednesday, March 15, 2019.
There is a non-refundable fee of $450 per person to attend Bishops’ School. It is requested that payment of this fee be divided equally into three installments of $150 paid by the synod, congregation and individual. This fee covers all housing and meals during the event. Transportation costs are not included. For those that are chosen to attend, the first installment will be due at the time of acceptance.
If you desire additional information about the 2019 Bishops’ School, please contact Sue Mendenhall, ELCA Deacon and Director for Youth, Young Adult and Outdoor Ministry, Florida Bahamas Synod at
suem@fbsynod.org or 727-415-9887.
I look forward to receiving your nominations.
Peace be with you,
