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September 11th Service of Remembrance September 11, 2020 at 10:00am on Zoom   Join Bishop Pedro Suárez, Assistant to the Bishop Pastor Khader El-Yateem, and Pastor Joe Conner for a service of remembrance and prayer on the 19th anniversary of September 11th, 2001. This brief service will include prayers of lamentation and special live music. Reflections will be shared by Pr. Joe Conner, who served as Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church on Staten Island during 9/11/01, and now serves as Pastor of Lamb of God in Haines City. No registration is necessary. Simply click here to access the meeting.    

Let’s Talk! Rostered Ministers Gathering on Holy Communion Join Bishop Suárez and Dr. Timothy Wengert for our next Rostered Ministers Virtual Gathering! Together, we will explore Holy Communion during COVID-19. Click here to register! Our special guest, Timothy J. Wengert, is the Ministerium of Pennsylvania emeritus professor of Reformation History and the Lutheran Confessions at the United Lutheran Seminary (Philadelphia). A parish pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in Minnesota and Wisconsin, he received his doctorate from Duke University in 1984. Besides his published dissertation on Philip Melanchthon’s interpretation of John’s Gospel, Wengert co-edited with Robert Kolb the 2000 English edition of The Book of Concord. His translation into English of Luther’s Small Catechism is widely used throughout the ELCA. He has received honorary doctorates from Carthage College and Wartburg Theological Seminary, and in 2011 he was visiting guest professor at the University of Aarhus, Denmark. In 2019 he published Word of Life: Introducing Lutheran Hermeneutics, and in 2020 he edited a new edition of Doberstein’s Minister’s Prayer Book and The Augsburg Confession: Renewing Lutheran Faith and Practice.

Calling all pastors, teachers, principals, administrators, and staff of our congregational schools! The start of the 2020-2021 school year has brought lots of anxiety to our nation. Many are wondering how to safely reopen our schools while protecting the health and safety of our students. Join Cory Newman, Executive Director of the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association (ELEA), and Bishop Pedro Suárez for a discussion on best practices for reopening schools during COVID-19. This event is open for everyone! Education professionals and Rostered Ministers serving a congregation with a school are especially encouraged to attend. Click here to register!

Join the Synodwide Thanksgiving Worship by clicking here!

Calling all youth members and friends! You are invited to join Bishop Suárez for our next Youth Check-In on December 6th at 4:00pm. This check-in will be centered around sharing our stories, exploring our faith, and seeing God working in our lives! In addition to hearing a message from Bishop Suárez, we'll have time for youth to share their stories, musical gifts, and lead us in prayer. Would you like to share your story or offer a musical/artistic gift? Let us know when you register. PLUS, when you register, you will be automatically entered into our drawing to win a surprise gift! Join us and invite a friend! Click here to register! Rostered Ministers and Youth Leaders: Please use the above article and link to invite your young people! If you are holding a confirmation class, Bible study, or other youth event at the same time, consider trying something new and inviting your youth to join this event instead!

Click here to view the brochure! VIDEO  OF  TOURING  GREECE:  https://youtu.be/ul-o6E47MMw VIDEO  OF  TOURING  ISRAEL:  https://youtu.be/TQgvSMYNFnA VIDEO  OF  TOURING  JERUSALEM:   https://youtu.be/ao04682PQv   Tour Title: 11-Day “3 Continents” Tour of Greece, Egypt, Israel, and Turkey (including 7-night cruise) Departure Date: Thursday, November 18th, 2021 Departure City: Tampa, FL (TPA) Base Cost: $3990 Taxes: $378 Land Tips: $70 Cruise Tips: $70 Port charges: $289 Per Person:  $4872 TOTAL 7-Night Greek Isles cruise based on cabin category XB outside cabin For additional information about the cruise line, please visit: https://www.celestyalcruises.com/en/cruise-ship-celesty   ITINERARY: Day 1 – Thursday, November 18: Depart for Athens Embark upon your journey with an overnight flight to Athens. Prepare yourself for a life-changing experience and get some rest on the flight. Tomorrow you will be walking where the apostle Paul walked!   Day 2 – Friday, November 19: Arrive in Athens We arrive in Athens and are met by our representative and tour guide. We enjoy our panoramic bus tour of Athens on the way to our hotel for dinner and overnight.   Day 3 – Saturday, November 20: Athens, Mars Hill, Acropolis, Plaka, Board 7-Night Cruise After breakfast, we begin our sightseeing as we admire the architectural wonders of ancient Athens. We follow our […]

A Wellness Retreat for Rostered Leaders During a Pandemic Facilitated by the Rev. Sharon Taylor And all who thirst will thirst no more And all who search will find what their souls long for The world will try, but it can never fill Leave it all behind, and come to the well. Casting Crowns Let’s be Honest. Being a rostered leader is challenging in good times. During a pandemic, pastoring can be unbearable at times! Through a generous grant from Lutheran Disaster Relief-USA, the Florida-Bahamas Synod is sponsoring this two-night retreat as a crisis response and an opportunity to decompress and reconnect to our spiritual selves. “Come to the Well” retreat will provide opportunities for rest, renewal, and play. Using spiritual practices, we will reconnect with God, with ourselves, and with one another. Overnight accommodations at the Residence Inn Fort Myers Sanibel. Please click here for information and registration.

Online Transition Training July 18-22, 2022 Monday – Friday, 9am-12noon Each session will be recorded and made available for review. Presentation PowerPoints will be shared in advance for note taking during the presentation Click here to register and to view the schedule.

In lieu of the ELCA Youth Gathering, Luther Springs has planned a week where youth will share God’s immeasurable love by serving others, enjoying new friends and old, and having limitless fun! The curriculum is based on the ELCA Youth Gathering curriculum. Ephesians 3:18-19 (CEV): I pray that you and all of God's people will understand what is called wide or long or high or deep. I want you to know all about Christ's love, although it is too wonderful to be measured. Then your lives will be filled with all that God is. Click here to see what our week will look like and for registration information.