You're invited to a special Seeing Race Through Faith training in Dayton, Feb 22!

Thanks to the support of Dayton Urban Lutheran Allies (DULA), the Southern Ohio Synod’s Race Relations Task Force workshop “Seeing Race Through Faith,” is being offered in Dayton!

New Thrive Training Date Set

Another opportunity to train “Congregation Leaders” to lead your Thrive! campaign has been scheduled for:

Saturday, February 22nd
Zion Lutheran, 10 N Breiel Blvd, Middletown
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

This training is necessary for your designated Thrive! Congregation Leader(s) if you plan to take part in the Thrive! Mission Campaign.

Please register in advance so that we may have adequate amounts of Campaign Manuals, brochures, bulletin inserts, and other printed Thrive! materials on hand for your congregation.

To register, please email Thrive@SouthernOhioSynod.org and include:

• the name and address of your congregation
• the email address and preferred phone number of the Congregation Leader and any others who will be attending

Pastors and Stewardship Team members are encouraged to attend the training so that they may use the knowledge gained for future special needs and/or stewardship campaigns of the congregation.

Register for “Effective Congregation Council” Training

Generous advance gifts to the Thrive! campaign are allowing us to move forward now in implementing some campaign initiatives, including a return engagement of:

Effective Congregation Council Training

February 18^th
Epiphany Lutheran Church, Centerville
6430 Far Hills Ave, Dayton
7:00 -9:00 p.m.

The goal is that Council members reflect on their time of service on the Council as the highlight of their service to the church. Yes! Really! This workshop can help lead to an effective council that positions the church to thrive in today’s world.

Who Should Attend?

Council members, pastors and other church leaders should attend Effective Congregation Council training to increase skills in:

• Developing and working from a strategic plan
• Focusing on fiduciary, governance, and generative issues
• Making the best use of time with consent agenda, a purpose for every meeting, and other tactics
• Having the meeting itself be spiritually fulfilling
• Leadership development

ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED! Send an email with the name, phone number, email address and leadership role (e.g. President; Council member) of each attendee to: Thrive@SouthernOhioSynod.org.

We have a NEW PO BOX! Please start using immediately

The Southern Ohio Synod has switched payment lockbox providers. Please begin sending your mission support donations to...

New church council devotions resource created by rostered ministers in the SOS

Download this free resource today and begin sharing with your congregation council!

Don't ignore that spiritual tugging--Come to the Spring Discernment Retreat!

Are you feeling a sense of call? Join others from the region to explore this call, your options and what your path might look like if you answer that call. March 6-7 in Bowling Green, Ohio.

Reminder! Deadline to submit resolutions for the synod assembly is March 15

It's time for Lay School of Theology! Sign up today for one of these in-depth courses designed for the person in the pew!

'The Holy Spirit. Have you met?' and 'Christian Mysticism and Spirituality' are this semester's classes taught by The Rev. Steve Kimpel and The Rev. Dr. Joy Schroeder at our Dayton and Chillicothe campuses.

Benefit Concert Feb 23rd for LSS Faith Mission Homeless Shelters in Columbus

Gethsemane Lutheran Church is hosting a benefit concert which is open to the entire community. Free will donations accepted.

Introducing our 2021 Youth Gathering Synod Coordinators...Now Gathering Emails from Church Contacts--Get on the Distribution List Today!

Returning for her third go-round is Diane Schwiger-Alexander (dsaministry1@gmail.com) and the Co-Coordinator is long time Youth Gathering attendee Gary Strasser (strasser@nktelco.net).

Diane and Gary will be sharing the duties for the 2021 event. Beginning January 15th you can email them with your church coordinators email address as they start to build their email distribution list. NOTE: Always email BOTH Co-Coordinators in all correspondence.

In the meantime, make sure your coordinator is signed up to receive the monthly ELCA Youth Gathering gNews newsletter. 

More ELCA Youth Gathering Info!

ELCA presiding bishop pastoral letter on the United Methodist Church

Through full communion, we have grown in unity and fellowship over the past decade with the United Methodist Church (UMC). We are receiving and sharing gifts, strengthening the body of Christ, and deepening mission and ministry for the sake of the world.

Upcoming prayer and advocacy events via Zoom from the Ohio Council of Churches

The Ohio Council of Churches, of which, the Southern Ohio Synod is a member, has two ongoing gatherings via Zoom for anyone wanting to pray for our leaders and/or learn more about how to be involved in a variety of advocacy efforts.

Lutheran Men in Mission gathering at Capital University for Men's basketball game February 22

The men will meet for lunch at 11:00am at the Rusty Bucket Restaurant, 2158 East Main Street, just west of the campus. RSVP are needed for the event.

“Seeing” Your Neighbor article from enLIGHTen Committee of the SOS WELCA

Ways you can 'see' your neighbor and help put an end to human trafficking.