NEWS FROM THE NEW ENGLAND SYNOD AND ELCA:
1) Rostered Leaders ID cards included in mailing from NES Bishop’s office
Rostered Leaders, please watch your mail in the next week for an Advent letter from Bishop Margaret Payne. Your ELCA ID card will be included.
2) Reminder:
ELCA World Hunger Gifts will be matched through Dec. 31 All gifts given by individuals this month will be matched dollar for dollar thanks to a committed group of ELCA World Hunger donors. This is a wonderful opportunity to maximize this church’s work to fight hunger and poverty in the United States and provide sustainable development throughout the world. For more info, check out http://www.elca.org/Our-Faith-In-Action/Responding-to-the-World/ELCA-World-Hunger.aspx.3) Deadline Dec. 15 for NES youth ministry and congregational revitalization grants Grant application applications for the synod’s Fund for Ministry with Youth and Young Adults, and Fund for Congregational Revitalization and Leadership Support are available online at http://www.nesynod.org/documents/GrantAp_Youth_YoungAdults.pdf andhttp://www.nesynod.org/documents/GrantAp_CongRev.pdf, respectively. Applications are due Dec. 15. Grants will be approved in January 2011 by the Synod Council. Questions? Contact the Office of the Bishop at receptionist@nesynod.org or 508-791-1530.
4) Reminder: Articles for FYI should be sent to office@nesynod.org until Jan. 5 Sister Virginia E. Strahan is on a one-month sabbatical until Jan. 5, 2011. All articles for FYI New England should be sent to office@nesynod.org .
5) ELCA News: ELCA Leaders Applaud Congress' Passage of Child Nutrition Bill CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) applauded the passage in the U.S. House of Representatives of federal legislation that invests $4.5 billion in child nutrition programs. The legislation was approved Dec. 2 during the lame-duck session this week, as Congress prepares to adjourn for the holiday season. Read more at http://www.elca.org/News .
6) ELCA News: 2010 Christmas Message from ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson
Chicago (ELCA) "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation!" Isaiah 52:7 When Jesus was born, angelic messengers broke the still calm of a Judean night to sing joyously and proclaim, "This very day in David's city a Savior is born for you -- God's Promised One, your Lord." Glad tidings of great joy! Common shepherds were the first and heartiest heralds of the promised Savior's arrival then, and today the joy in Jesus' birth fills every corner of this season. Read the entire message at http://www.elca.org/News .