2. Values and Strategies

The following CORE VALUES of the Southeastern Synod are the foundation for all decisions made and actions taken in this multicultural mission field. 

• The source of all insight and knowledge, wisdom, insight, and understanding can only be based on the Word of God; the written, proclaimed, and living Word of God.

• Our Lord Jesus Christ is the crucifed, risen and living Son of God. 

  • Jesus’ teaching and living presence direct us to understand that our mission field is a multicultural mission field and that it includes the church homeless within our neighborhoods, states, country and throughout the world. Our ministry must meet the needs of all our members as well as the church homeless. To do this we must know and understand the culture, needs, and desires of these individuals and communities. 

• Ministry is the privilege and responsibility of all believers. 

  • The Great Commission instructs us regarding our ministry in this multicultural mission field. All believers, whether individual members of congregations, pastors, or synodical staff can find purpose, direction and joy in being “priests” through our baptisms into Christ. 

• Prayer is a primary gift of God for us. 

  • The Holy Spirit guides us to discern and act on God’s mission. We must be constantly praying, meditating and studying so that our hearts and minds will be open to the direction of the Holy Spirit for our ministry in this multicultural mission field. 

• The congregation is the primary expression of Christ’s ministry within our Synod. 

  • In the congregation the Word is proclaimed, the sacraments celebrated and the baptized equipped to live the Great Commission. Agencies and institutions of the synod are partners with the congregations in this multicultural mission field. 

STRATEGIES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN SYNOD

1. Cultivate and nurture faith through God’s Word, the sacraments, and living the Great Commission in planting new churches and transforming existing congregations 

2. Continually celebrate and share the stories of transformation in individuals, congregations, and synod-related agencies & institutions

3. Challenge the barriers of racism, sexism, classism, and ageism; and work to eliminate them wherever they exist. 

4. Develop and support lay and rostered leaders of all ages 

5. Network congregations both geographically and according to size, context, and ministries 

6. Establish clear and open lines of communication 

7. Provide excellent and accessible resources 

8. Listen, discern spiritual gifts & needs, and encourage grassroots Great Commission ministries throughout the synod Celebrate and share our Lutheran Christian heritage, the center of which is the crucified and living Christ 

9. Network with and learn from our overseas partner Lutheran Churches in Malaysia, Singapore, Germany, Ethiopia and Guatemala 

10. Celebrate the gifts of ourselves, our time & our possessions and take responsibility for the stewardship of all life 

3. "What is "the synod"? What does the Southeastern Synod do?"

“The synod” is not just the synod office located at 100 Edgewood Avenue in Atlanta. “The synod” is everyone in our 173 congregations in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee. It is all of our commissions, committees, task forces and ministry teams. The Southeastern Synod is all of us walking together and working to live the Great Commission in this multicultural mission field. Our synod

• provides support for congregations by

  • guiding congregations in transition as they set goals and enter the process of calling a pastor or rostered lay person

  • overseeing Candidacy: helping candidates to discern their call to rostered lay or ordained ministry; shepherding candidates through psychological evaluation and career counseling, an annual retreat, ongoing spiritual support and mentoring

  • conducting workshops (Catch the Spirit, Mid-sized Congregations, Percept Consultant Training, Academy for Transformational Leadership etc.)

  • coordinating Disaster Response efforts between local congregations and national church agencies

  • funding special congregational projects and training scholarships

  • organizing and supporting new and other mission congregations

  • providing consultants in evangelism, stewardship, ecumenical issues, planned giving, conflict management, leadership development, and other areas

  • providing Support Teams to help analyze and suggest resources for congregations in conflict

• provides support for leaders, both lay and rostered, by providing resources including: Annual Professional Leadership Conferences, First Call Theological Education, Compensation Guidelines, Leadership Sexual Abuse Prevention training and resources, and the Academy for Transformational Leadership

• promotes opportunities for youth and their leaders through synod youth events

• provides synod and churchwide communications in the form of The Transformer (an electronic publication of the ELCA-Southeastern Synod), Southeastern Synod inserts and stories for The Lutheran magazine, the Great Commission Network, a listserve of the synod, the synod web site: www.elca-ses.org and Assembly newsletters

• plans and produces special events such as the Synod Assembly

• provides opportunities for individuals, groups and congregations to give ongoing support for ministries in the Southeastern Synod by being Great Commission Partners.

Through MISSION SUPPORT (benevolence) the Southeastern Synod continues to support ELCA national and global ministries such as:

• Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) (www.ldr.org) a nationally acclaimed ministry of the ELCA and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod;

• the ELCA Global Mission Unit (www.elca.org/globalmission), the channel through which the ELCA expresses itself in mission throughout the world;

• the ELCA outreach and Congregational Mission Unit (www.elca.org/outreach), providing funds to synods for ministries that support congregations in their call to be faithful, welcoming, and generous. It assists congregations, synods, and institutions and agencies of this church to grow in evangelical outreach;

• eight theological seminaries and more than a dozen continuing education centers including “our own” SOUTHERN SEMINARY (www.ltss.edu) and LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL CENTER IN ATLANTA (ltca.ltss.edu);

• twenty-eight Lutheran colleges including “our own” NEWBERRY COLLEGE (www.newberry.edu), Newberry, SC;

• campus ministries active in universities and colleges including THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, GEORGIA TECH, GEORGIA STATE (cyberbuzz.gatech.edu/lcm) and ATLANTA UNIVERSITY CENTER (www.auclutherans.com);

• outdoor and camping ministries including “our own” LUTHERIDGE † LUTHEROCK MINISTRIES (www.llmi.net);

• Lutheran Services in America (LSA) (www.lutheranservices.org), the largest private charity in the United States and a network of institutions and agencies across the country, including our synod social ministry organizations LUTHERAN MINSITRIES OF ALABAMA, LUTHERAN SERVICES IN TENNESSEE (www.lutheransonline.com/lo/Dogwood), LUTHERAN SERVICES OF GEORGIA (www.lsga.org) and LUTHERAN-EPISCOPAL SERVICES IN MISSISSIPPI;

• Lutheran World Relief (www.lwr.org), internationally known for its global response to persons and nations who have suffered from national disasters and emergencies;

• our ecumenical ministries, including our full communion partners: The Episcopal Church USA, The Presbyterian Church USA, The Reformed Church in America, The United Church of Christ, The Moravian Church in North America, The Lutheran World Federation, The National Council of Churches in the USA, and The World Council of Churches; and

• the ELCA World Hunger Appeal (www.elca.org/hunger).

4. Conferences of the Southeastern Synod 

5. Conference Leaders

Interim Deans (non-salaried)   Conference 01 The Rev Jim Nipper (423) 282-2313 click for e-mail   Conference 02 The Rev Gerald Weeks (931) 484-7273 click for e-mail   Conference 03 The Rev Rick Roberts Office (615) 883-0818 click for e-mail   Conference 04  The Rev Scott E Peterson (256) 721-0041 click for e-mail   Conference 05 The Rev William E White (901) 754-0669 click for e-mail   Conference 06 The Rev Robert M Blanton (601) 291-0652 click for e-mail   Conference 07 The Rev Barbara J Hunter (228) 864-4248 click for e-mail   Conference 08 The Rev Randy T Jones (334) 277-4213 click for e-mail   Conference 09  The Rev William F Diamond  (229) 247-4014 click for e-mail   Conference 10  The Rev Joe Copeck (912) 754-3313  click for e-mail   Conference 11  The Rev Jason Talsness (770) 381-1293 click for e-mail   Conference 12 The Rev Katherine P Pasch  (770) 228-0662 click for e-mail   Conference 13  The Rev Frederick P Krautwurst (770) 941-9347 click for e-mail   Conference 14   The Rev David F Keener (706) 863-7189  click for e-mail

Conference Chairs (non-salaried)   Conference 01  Mr Bruce Keicher (865) 475-8691 click for e-mail   Conference 02 The Rev F Clay Seneker (423) 698-5047 click for e-mail   Conference 03  Mr Bill Dickerhoff 615-661-4983 click for e-mail       Conference 04         Conference 05         Conference 06       Conference 07 Mr Zeb Morgan (251) 342-9337  click for e-mail   Conference 08  Mr Tom Nelson (205) 298-3123 click for e-mail   Conference 09  The Rev J Lawrence Barksdale, IV (706) 561-3406  click for e-mail   Conference 10  The Rev William Roen (912) 232-4151 click for e-mail   Conference 11  The Rev Jill Henning (Interim)  (770) 972-4418 click for e-mail   Conference 12  Ms. Beverly Seeton (770) 478-3310   Conference 13  The Rev Thomas Kenny (770) 475-4250 click for e-mail   Conference 14

6. Disaster Response and Hurricane Katrina Recovery Staff

Lutheran Disaster Response in the Southeastern Synod

The Rev Beverly R Wallace, Assistant to the Bishop/Coordinator of Pastoral Care Ministry for Gulf Coast Recovery, click for e-mail (228) 282-3753

Dr Morgan Gordy, Diaconal Minister & Registered Nurse: Assistant to the Bishop/Consultant for Gulf Coast Recovery—click for e-mail (615) 483-3060

The Rev Dee Donnelly (non-salaried): Administrator for Katrina Pastoral Support Assignments, click for e-mail (770) 416-9056

Donations:

Katrina Recovery Fund

Katrina Pastors Recovery Fund

For information, please visit

www.elca-ses.org/Katrina_recovery.htm

visit www.llmi.net/new/sitemap/giving_se.htm

8. Southeastern Synod Agencies and Institutions

The Commission for Leadership

The Commission for Multicultural Ministries

The Commission for Planting Congregations

The Commission for Resources

The  Commission for Transforming Congregations

To learn more about our commissions call the synod office at 404-589-1977.

10. Synod Council

Bishop/President The Rev H. Julian Gordy

(404) 589-1977 ext 221 click for e-mail

(912) 232-4673    click for e-mail  

Treasurer Mr John Lucht 

(404) 874-6244  click for e-mail

(615) 673-6289  click for e-mail  

11. Synod Staff

Synod Office

 

ELCA - Southeastern Synod

100 Edgewood Avenue, NE
Suite 1600
Atlanta, Georgia  30303
(404) 589-1977
Fax (404) 521-1980

 

Current phone, e-mail and directions at www.elca-ses.org/Synod Office.htm

12. Resources Centers

The Resource Connection

1024 Ponce de Leon Avenue

Atlanta, GA, 30306

404-898-0711

www.theresourceconnection.org

 

The Resource Center

Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley

3603 Lorna Ridge Drive

Birmingham, AL 35216

(205) 978-0333

13. Southeastern Synod Lutheran Youth Organization

See the latest at www.elca-ses.org/youth_news.htm

14. Southeastern Women of the ELCA

Information available at www.elca-ses.org/women/index.html

---

15. Lutheran Men in Mission

www.elca.org/lmm

16. Region 9 of the ELCA

The Rev. Harvey L. Huntley Jr., Coordinator for Ministry Leadership, Region 9
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
4201 N. Main St.
Columbia, SC 29203
phone: (803) 461-3263
fax: (803) 461-3380

17. ELCA Churchwide-  www.elca.org

1. Augsburg Fortress - http://www.augsburgfortress.org/
2. Fund for Leaders in Mission -  www.elca.org/FO/fundforleaders/
3. ELCA Board of Pensions - www.elcabop.org
4. Mission Investment Fund - www.missioninvestmentfund.org/