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A
Network of Christ-Centered, Outwardly-Focused, Faith-Growing
Communities for the Sake of the World
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Meet
Pastor José Luis Escalera, Bishop’s Associate for Mission
by Bishop Michael Rinehart
Pastor José moved to Texas and began his work with us in
the Gulf Coast Synod in November. This week I sat down with him to
hear about his journey in ministry.
José was born in Ponce, a town in the south of the
Island of Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico (“Rich Port”) is an
island in the North Caribbean Sea, about a thousand miles from
Miami and 2,000 miles from Houston. Puerto Ricans are U.S.
citizens, but Puerto Rico is considered a U.S. territory, not a
state. As such, residents of Puerto Rico do not pay income taxes
and do not vote in U.S. elections. Puerto Rico has a non-voting
representative in Congress.
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands make up the ELCA’s Caribbean
Synod, one of 65 synods in our church. On the island of Puerto
Rico, there are nearly 30 ELCA congregations The Caribbean Synod
includes Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The oldest Lutheran
congregation in North America is on the island of St. Thomas:
Frederick Lutheran in Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands, was
established in 1666.
José’s father worked for Texaco. José and his younger brother were
born in Ponce, but shortly after that, his father was transferred
to the metropolitan area of San Juan, Puerto Rico’s largest city,
about two hours away on the north side of the island.
Read more...
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Annual
Gulf Coast Synod Candidacy Retreat
by Tracey Breashears Schultz, Bishop’s
Associate for Leadership
Candidates are those preparing for rostered ministry, or for
service as pastors and deacons. In our synod, 21 candidates are in
some stage of the approximately four-year process. Although the
steps can take many forms, from on-line learning to in-person residency
to some combination of these two, we accompany our candidates each
step of the way.
I am joined in this work by our synod’s candidacy committee, made
up of pastors, deacons, and lay persons representative of our synod
and its ministries. The committee is chaired by Deacon Beth
Hartfiel and checks in with seminarians at key points along their
journey: Entrance (their first interview), Endorsement (before
internship), and Approval (after internship and before their first
call). Each candidate is assigned a relator, a member of the
candidacy committee who will check in with and support them along
the way.
Read more...
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Lisa’s
Pieces: Creation Care Tips from the Synod Lutherans Restoring
Creation Team
by Lisa Brenskelle
The mission of Lutherans Restoring Creation is to
promote incorporation of care for creation into the full life and
mission of the church, working in five areas: worship, education,
discipleship, building & grounds, and public ministry/advocacy.
Read more...
January
and Early February Creation Care Events
- Faith Perspectives Panel: Faithful
Conversations on Environmental Concerns –
Sunday, January 14, 3:00 p.m., online
- Climate Solutions 101 –
Mondays, January 15-February 19, 6 p.m., online
- Cool Congregations Cohort –
3rd Mondays throughout 2024, starting January 15, 7 p.m.,
online
- Living the Change Weekly Discussion
Group – Tuesdays, January 16-April 2, 6 p.m.,
online
- The Path of Hope: A Study on Climate
Action for Faith Communities – Wednesdays, January
17-February 7, 6 p.m., online
- Environmental Exposures in Pregnancy:
Implications for the Placenta & Fetus – Sunday,
January 28, 6 p.m., online
- Reducing Plastic Waste: The Role of
Faith Communities – Sunday, February 4, 2 p.m.,
online
Contact gcs.lrc@gmail.com for details on
any of these events.
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