Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources

Letters from the Bishop July 8, 2020

In light of both Texas and Louisiana Governor’s statements regarding the spike in COVID-19 cases, and for the safety of the community, I strongly urge you not to move to reopen in-person worship at this time.

The most recent interview with Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director for the Center of Infectious Disease Research and Policy and Professor at the University of Minnesota, suggests we will still be dealing with this virus next year at this time. As Jeremiah said to his people in Babylon, we’re going to be here for a while. Live into it. We know we can’t stop living. We need groceries. We need school. We need worship; on the other hand, we can’t overwhelm our hospitals. So, we will be doing a careful
dance for a while.

The ELCA Considerations for Returning to In-person Worship in English and Spanish. These guidelines recommend waiting until Phase 2 (as determined by White House guidelines or state and local before inviting people back into your building. This is prudent council.
Guidelines for Coming Back Together as a Congregation English or Español.
Coming Back Together for Worship Resources that can be found here.
The letter from May 6, 2020 includes some updated recommendations for returning to in-person worship.

Louisiana Governor Edwards entered Phase 2. Information regarding Outdoor Religious Services Guidelines and what type of businesses can be open has been provided. For more information from the State of Louisiana click here. Additional resources are available here or by clicking Local, US, and World Updates from the menu below.

Texas Governor Abbott has launched Open Texas – where you can find the Open Texas Checklists and schedules for opening that are regularly updated. Texas has entered Phase 3. The May 7, 2020 the executive order establishes the Minimum Standard Health Protocols for COVID-19. This section is a specific Updated – Checklist for Churches/Places of Worship. For more information from the State of Texas click here. Additional resources are available here or by clicking Local, US, and World Updates from the menu below.

Sermons by the Presiding Bishop for June 7, 2020 and the Bishop and Bishop’s Associates are available here. Please feel free to borrow from these sermons or use the videos, dropping them into your livestream.

Synod Assembly Reports. More information on SA 2020

If you are a pastor or deacon and test positive for coronavirus, please notify the synod office as soon as possible. We need to know, and we may be able to help you get pastoral coverage.

Think about finances with your leaders. Promote online giving (for example, check out Tithely) or sending tithes and offerings in by mail. Have a frank conversation about finances with your members. Churches have salaries, mortgages, utilities and ministries to maintain. Think about best financial practices, including who will process checks that arrive by mail, always in groups of two or more. We recommend that you have an offering time in your online services us the time to share impact stories of your congregation’s essential ministries.

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As it is, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you.”

~ 1 Corinthians 12:20-22a

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Chris is passionate about networking and identifying new ways to support individuals and congregations as they grow a deeper, bolder, more consequential faith. Chris maintains the LEAD website, supports LEAD’s signature coaching, and collaborates on the 10 Minute Toolbox.

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Peggy Hahn serves as the Executive Director for LEAD, aligning passionate leaders, resources, and practices to grow Christian leaders who grow faith communities in our world. Peggy is a frequent speaker and author who is never without a pile of books to read and seeks coaches and mentors for herself in an ongoing quest to learn and grow. Peggy is committed to listening to pastors and leaders of all ages for insight into the ways they are growing in their own faith and what LEAD can do to support them in their development as leaders.

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Lizbeth began her work in the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod in the fall of 2014 as the gift planner with Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest.

Lizbeth received her undergraduate degree at Texas State, and master degree and doctorate from the University of Houston. She resides in Houston with her husband Gary and has one daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren living in San Antonio. As deployed staff living in Magnolia, she participates in worship at a different synod church each Sunday.

The ministry is partnered with the ELCA Foundation to help congregation establish new revenue streams through endowments that provide a quarterly distribution for ministry. The gift planner helps to build the endowment with the generosity of congregation members who leave legacy gifts for ministry in their wills or estate planning. The gift planner facilitates tax-advantaged ways to bless family and the church.

Resources from Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest
Gift Planning Bulletin Insert
Ways to Give During Challenging Times LFSW Webinar 4.21.2020 – Watch | Download

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Aimee has had the opportunity to serve the Lutheran Church in various volunteer positions including council president, Sunday school teacher and VBS director, and as a LYO sponsor. She has worked in several congregations in administrative roles.

Aimee has lived in Texas for most of her life. She and her husband Daryl have two adult children; outside the office Aimee enjoys reading, sewing and spending time with family and friends.

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Born and raised in Texas, Gretchen is a lifelong Lutheran. She studied business administration at Post University and has enjoyed working as an administrator since 1997.

Gretchen has been blessed with multiple opportunities to serve in various youth ministry programs in the past. She is passionate about the work she does with organizations that fight food insecurity and hunger. Outside the office, Gretchen enjoys being a mom to her son, Ayden, and reading mystery novels.

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A native Houstonian, Chris graduated from Concordia University in Austin and went to seminary in Berkeley. His first call was in Philadelphia. In 2003, he moved to New Orleans to serve as Mission Redeveloper for House of Prayer in Harvey. Following Hurricane Katrina, Chris relocated to Houston where he was called as Mission Developer and founding pastor of Celebration in Cypress, where he served for over 7 years. Chris is a member of the Order of Lutheran Franciscans. He enjoys traveling and joining friends for trivia at local venues.

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Prior to serving on Synod Staff, Tracey Breashears Schultz served Zion Lutheran Church in Houston, Texas. Prior to that, she served at MacArthur Park Lutheran Church in San Antonio. A graduate of The University of Arkansas, Tracey received her Masters of Divinity from Wartburg Theological Seminary, and her Doctor of Ministry from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

Before her journey toward ordained ministry, Tracey was a Spanish teacher and a trainer for a medical software company.

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Serving as bishop of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America since 2007 is an honor, a challenge, and a joy. It has given me the opportunity to work with many gifted pastors and committed people of faith. We’re creating communities that make disciples who serve the world in Jesus’ name.

For information updated weekly (sometimes daily) on news, events, ideas, books, schedules, and so on, visit my blog.

Evangelism is one of my passions, and our synod’s highest priority. Evangelism is making fully devoted followers of Christ, who taught love of God and neighbor as the greatest commandments. Every congregation is a mission, and every pastor is a missionary.

Together we plant new congregations, send missionaries, prepare rostered leaders, support companion synods, camps, campus ministries, and more. Our vision is to be a network of growing, Christ-centered, outwardly-focused congregations passing the faith to the next generation.

Biographical Information

Born: August 2, 1961, Columbus, Ohio

Wife: Susan

Children: John and Yuliana

Parents: Warren and Patricia Rinehart

Undergraduate studies: Bachelor of Music in organ performance from Valparaiso University, a Lutheran university in northern Indiana, 1983

Seminary: Masters of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio, 1988.

Calls:

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Davenport, Iowa (1988-1994)
Christ Lutheran Church, Charlotte, North Carolina (1994-1997)
Grace Lutheran Church, Conroe, Texas (1997-2007)
Bishop, Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod (2007-present)

Currently Serving:

Texas Lutheran University Corporation Board
Houston Coalition for Immigration Reform
Board of the Houston Coalition for Mutual Respect

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