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Leadership Net

April 2024

Inspiring creative ways for lay and rostered leaders to carry God's love into the world

Please share this newsletter with congregational council members and key lay leaders of your congregation. The meditation can be used in small groups or as an individual

Prayers Before our Synod Assembly

Synod Assembly will be May 3rd through the 5th in Corpus Christi. Leaders are busy preparing the agenda and reports, all important for a healthy organization.

Joining together in prayer is also vital to the health of the church. Through prayer, God's voice speaks louder than ours, encouraging us to be carriers of God's love with each other and in the world. Prayer moves us past our absolutes and egocentric tendencies, paving the way for God's vision to emerge.

As a spiritual practice, I have been praying the following prayer by Mirrabi Starr every day for two weeks to prepare for the synod assembly. I invite you to pray with me, watch, and wait for God's Spirit to intercede.

Holy One of all people,

ease the lines we have drawn to separate us,

nation from nation,

tribe against tribe,

(congregation against congregation)

Melt our frozen hearts,

so that we can love again.

Filled with the Holy Spirit

who flows in your wake,

how can we possibly make war against our brothers and sisters?

Safe in your embrace,

how could we hold onto any concept of "other"?

Blessed One,

we join our voice with yours,

that your message of peace and justice

may penetrate the troubled minds of all leaders.

May your love be our guide

as new life springs from our doors, flung open to all the world.

Damascus: Lifelong Learning

The Soutwestern Texas Synod is offering two opportunities for two FREE pilot courses with cohort groups that begin April 8th and 10th and run through May (Yes the deadline has passed but you may still join us!) The courses are for Lay or Rostered leaders.

Crash Course: Bible will be offered with Deacon Darcy Mittelstaedt as the cohort facilitator. (Participants will meet weekly for 6 weeks)
Embodying Thoughts and Prayers: Providing Spiritual Care and Comfort will be offered with Amy Buechler Steubing and Rebecca Guengerich as cohort faciliators. (Participants will alternate between one week completeing the assignments and one week in community with the cohort group for four weeks.)

We are also offering a FREE individualized online class without a Cohort group:

Exploring Your Gifts and Talent

For more information visit www.swtsynod.org/learning or contact Deacon Darcy Mittelstaedt or Rebecca Guengerich

Click here to register.

Boundary Training and Background Checks: Healthy Congregations Prioritize this 'To Do' Item

Boundary training and background checks are ongoing and should be at the top of every leader's list for the sake of healthy congregations.

Boundary Training

· Boundary training is offered every year. Reminders will be sent to register for the training when registration is open. Tune in when you see the notices to register. However, Clergy Ethics is a MUST for Rostered Leaders. The link is on the synod's website under leaders and on the Clergy Ethics Page.

Background Checks (please get in touch with Deacon Darcy for more info or needing the link to be background checked)

· To prevent misconduct, Synod background checks will be required for individuals in congregations who serve in leadership positions (council presidents, supply preaching, lay leaders, etc.).

· Individuals or congregations will pay the nominal fee of $12 for the background check.

· The information will stay on file at the synod office.

Please continue to complete the background checks for your congregational leaders.