The office is closed to the public due to COVID-19. Our staff is continuing to work, mostly from home. We are available by phone and email.
Lincolnton Little Library
Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Salem, Lincolnton, came together to do “God’s Work” with “Our Hands.” Members of Emmanuel, Lincolnton, also joined in the project since the two congregations began worshipping together in the arbor at Salem earlier this summer. (more…)
Joyfully Gathering to Serve
The people of the NC Synod could easily have opted for the comfortable (even understandable) choice of curling up on our sofas with Netflix instead of participating in God’s Work. Our Hands. this year. But I celebrate that instead, Lutherans across the state chose to act with holy defiance by serving in our communities during the strange era of COVID-19, boldly living out our faith and proclaiming the radical message of God’s abundant love in a hurting world.
The congregation of Morning Star Lutheran Church in Matthews safely and carefully shared two days of inspiring servant experiences; however, our activities certainly looked different from a typical God’s Work. Our Hands. weekend. (more…)
Life Together, Reimagined
“Life is a gift and we are called to life together,” says Pastor Amanda Highben of Duke Lutherans, quoting the words of Bonhoeffer that her campus ministry holds as central to its mission. “What we’ve been lifting up in this time of COVID is that we are still called, that has not changed. But the means through which we share life together have had to change for the safety and wellbeing of our students.”
Indeed, nearly all aspects of life have been changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and among the many places where community life has been upended are college campuses.
Ministry in a Time of COVID-19
Visit this new page to find information you need to figure out ministry in a time of COVID-19 including guidance for re-gathering. Summer worship information is detailed along with links and call-in information. Links to online worship from many of the synod’s congregations are listed as well as links to NC Department of Health COVID-19 Resources and much more. Additionally, curated lists of resources are noted in the categories of: Online Worship, Online Meetings, Online Giving, Pastoral Care, Faith Formation, and more.
Go to the Ministry in a Time of COVID-19 page.
Collage images include (clockwise from top): Holy Trinity, Hickory, holds drive-in worship; Prince of Peace, Greensboro, Justin Willoughby leads during parking lot worship; Deacon Wendy Roberts and her daughter, Lauren, offer video devotions for Morning Star, Matthews; Two women of Good Shepherd, Goldsboro, serve at local nonprofit, Laundry Love; Members of Epiphany, Winston-Salem, gather for coffee hour fellowship; title image by Vektor Kunst from Pixabay
Church & State 101
A month from now, the 2020 election will be over. As with every election before and yet to come, some will be satisfied, and some will be disappointed. Truthfully, with the extreme polarization that marks our day, some will be ecstatic, and some will be devastated. So it goes in the democratic election process. (more…)
Faithful Adaptation
In 586-87 BCE King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon, after a long siege, laid waste the holy city of Jerusalem, destroyed the supposed indestructible temple home of Yahweh and the ark of the covenant, deposed the Davidic dynasty, and took away all of the Jewish leaders to exile in Babylon. “Devastated” would be an understatement for ancient Israel, as their foundational and presumed eternal covenantal identities were ripped away: land, descendants, perpetual Davidic rule, and blessings evaporated. (more…)