Each week, Bishop Gohl will be writing for our synod blog. We'll share a teaser and a link to the blog in the E-Letter. This week on the blog: Practicing silence.

"I would like to leverage a gift of myself – to listen better to those that I love, those I deeply respect and admire, those whom God has given me the privilege of sharing time, table and ministry."

You can read the rest here.

The Rev. Lynell Aljoe-Thurman will be installed as the Pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church (4403 Pimlico Road, Baltimore, MD 21215) on Sunday, February 23 at 3 p.m. Pastors, Deacons, and members of the Order of St. Stephen are invited to vest and process, ready by 2:45 p.m. The color of the day is white.

Talking through the tough issues brings us understanding and helps us to work together, so CLAIM is bringing back the Connecting Faith & Justice: Critical Conversations series this spring. The first conversation will take place at St. John Lutheran Church (8808 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21234) on Tuesday, February 26 at 7 p.m., with a Shrove Tuesday pancake dinner beforehand at 6 p.m. The topic for this forum is Housing & Community Transformation. For more information, you can view the Facebook event.

Consider sharing and using this Lenten devotion, "Walking with Jesus ~ A Journey to the Cross," with your congregation. It has a focus on giving and generosity and was created by our very own Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Bel Air, Maryland. It follows the narrative lectionary but can be used by anyone! You can download it here.

Registration is now open for Transformers, our middle school leadership retreat, and Retreat 345, our new retreat for students in grades 3-5! Transformers will be held March 20-22, and Retreat 345 will be held March 21-22 - both at Mar-Lu-Ridge. Each congregation may send four youth and one adult advisor to Transformers. Retreat 345 participants do not need to attend with a congregational group, and families are welcome. You can click the name of each retreat above to learn more and register.

Registration is now open for Transformers, our middle school leadership retreat, and Retreat 345, our new retreat for students in grades 3-5! Transformers will be held March 20-22, and Retreat 345 will be held March 21-22 - both at Mar-Lu-Ridge. Each congregation may send four youth and one adult advisor to Transformers. Retreat 345 participants do not need to attend with a congregational group, and families are welcome. You can click the name of each retreat above to learn more and register.

Health and Wellness Project Grants
The Lutheran Home and Hospital Foundation provides grants to support ministries and projects that address or support health and wellness, involve Lutherans, and are based in the greater Baltimore region. Over the last five years, the Lutheran Home and Hospital Foundation has distributed more than $1.5 million in grants. The spring 2020 deadline for grants is March 1. Because of several major commitments, for this round of grants, there will be a limited number of micro-grants (those under $2,500). For an application, please contact LHHF Executive Director, the Rev. Michael Dubsky, by email or at 410-258-0398.

New Healthy Rostered Pastor and Rostered Deacon Renewal and Sabbatical Grants
The Lutheran Home and Hospital Foundation is launching a new grant program to support Rostered Pastors and Deacons in Maryland and Delaware with their health and wellness by offering grants to support renewal programs and sabbaticals. Grants will be given to congregations to support their Rostered Pastors and Deacons. Grants may be used for sabbatical activities and/or replacement coverage (grant maximum of $7,500). In the past year, five sabbaticals were funded. For those who are unable to take a formal sabbatical, grants may be offered to participate in LHHF approved renewal programs like the Leading Well retreats. If you are interested in the retreats, please contact Pastor Dubsky in September. Last year, LHHF was able to fund five people who attended Leading Well. For information, please contact LHHF Executive Director, the Rev. Michael Dubsky, by email. 

The Celebration of Lay Ministry is a celebratory dinner event, featuring a keynote speaker, to recognize and award those people who participate in lay ministry across the Delaware-Maryland Synod. The 2020 Celebration of Lay Ministry will be held on Sunday, May 3 from 4-7 p.m. at Carroll Lutheran Village in Westminster, Maryland.

Each conference and social ministry organization is encouraged to nominate one lay person deserving of recognition. You can download the nomination form in PDF and Word formats, as well as the Save the Date. Registration for the dinner will be shared in the coming weeks. You can stay up to date on our website.

Each week, we'll share some of the planned congregational visits and travels of members of our synod staff. If you would like to schedule a member of the staff to visit your congregation, please contact them directly.

The Rev. Amsalu Geleta, Executive Assistant to the Bishop and Director for Evangelical Mission

• February 18-21 - ELCA Congregational Vitality Training
• March 1 - St. Mark's, Baltimore

• Sunday, February 23 AM - St. Paul's, Walkersville
• Sunday, February 23 PM - installation at St. John's, Pimlico
• Sunday, March 1 - call vote for St. Luke's, Cumberland (as a new shared ministry with Trinity, Keyser)
• Sunday, March 8 - call vote for St. Paul's, Cumberland

• Saturday, February 22 - Leading a Culture of Year-Round Generosity training, St. John, Linthicum
• February 23-March 21 - away from the office
• Saturday, March 21 - Connectedness Team Meeting, First, Ellicott City
• Sunday, March 22 - Generosity Project workshop, Reformation, Milford
• Tuesday, March 24 - Generosity Team retreat
• Thursday, March 26 - Lutheran Alliance Meeting, United Lutheran Seminary, Gettysburg
• Saturday, March 28  - Leading a Culture of Year-Round Generosity training, St. John, Linthicum
• March 29-April 1 - ELCA Domestic Mission Unit meeting, Chicago