Upstate Update: Wednesday, February 18, 2015

The Upstate Update for Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Bishop's Lenten Message

Bishop John Macholz

It is difficult to hear the most prominent words of Ash Wednesday, "you are dust and to dust you shall return" without returning to the beginning: the creation narrative in Genesis 3:19. It is here that the author of the narrative writes of Adam and Eve's (and all of humanity's) failure and sin and, because of that, the consequences.

I remember as a child growing up in a predominately Roman Catholic town in Connecticut. I rode the bus to Immanuel Lutheran School downtown along with mostly Roman Catholic students; I in my kakis and shirt, they in their different uniforms, depending on the school. There were moments when I felt like an outsider simply because of my clothing.

But I really felt like one on Ash Wednesday each year when I would get on the bus at the end of the day and almost everyone but me had foreheads smudged with black ash in the sign of the cross. I felt even more distant. I no longer do!

You see, Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent leads us to the truth of our lives and selves; we are sinful, unclean and have missed the mark. In his letter to the Romans Paul does not mince words: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." These words strike home and hit at the heart of the matter, don't they? On our own, we can't make it, be perfect, win God's favor, get it right; we fall short. This season of purple and confession, of hints of Calvary and suffering shows us clearly who we are. Yet it also shows us who God truly is.

God is one who does not leave us on our own but comes to us in the Christ who more than makes up for our sinfulness and brings forgiveness and new life. Someone once said, "We are all beggars at the foot of the cross." There is much truth to that. But there is even greater truth to the fact that One who 'tented among us', spoke of the last, least and lost and finally submitted to the will of the Father makes up for our shortcomings and failures, wipes away our sins and sends the Spirit to work the work of sanctification. On our own, we are lost. With the Spirit of the living Christ, we live fully and hopefully.

Because of Christ and his cross, failure is turned on its head, despair is replaced with hope and death has been destroyed and yields willingly to the promise of new life. For that we say, "Thanks be to God!"

As you enter this most holy season, may you find time to reflect on life and its realities, freely admit your sins and wrongdoings and discover hope in the midst of it all. The journey begins, it leads us toward a week we call holy and an instrument of death that awaits. But, as Tony Campolo is known to have said, "It's Friday, but Sunday's coming!" Join me in prayer, in hope and the grace that is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord. Welcome to Lent.

Some resources for your daily use during Lent

http://www.luthersem.edu/lent/ - Online resource

http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/productgroup/729/Grace-Peace-Devotions-for-Lent-2015 - Kindle, Nook and Google

https://www.rca.org/resources/lent-devotions - from our RCA sisters and brothers written by counselors and staff at Camp Fowler

http://d365.org/ - a non-denominational resource that offers a reading a day, reflection and prayer.

http://www.journeywithjesus.net/PoemsAndPrayers/Poetry_For_Lent_And_Easter.shtml - a resource from 2014. but it contains fifty poems to be read during Lent. Another approach.

PRAY FIRST

PRAYERS OF HEALING

For Pastor Zach Labagh

For Mrs. Virginia Rumfelt (mother of Pr. Dan Rumfelt)

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING

For Pastor Rebecca Mentzer and Paul Kloster at the birth of their son, Silas Lawrence Kloster

2% DISCOUNT - What, How, and Why

What: $21,000 potentially saved by ELCA employers in the Upstate New York Synod

How: all congregations and organizations in our synod will earn a 2% discount on this year's ELCA health contributions if 65% of the eligible ELCA-Primary health plan members and eligible spouses/same gender partners in our synod take the Mayo Clinic Health Assessment January 1 - April 30.

Why we need you: If you're an ELCA-Primary health plan member, we need you to take the health assessment. You may be the one to push us over the 65% discount threshold and save us all 2% on all of this year's health contributions. Take a few minutes right now and take your health assessment! As of February 17, 2015 only 23 eligible members had completed the health assessment.

To take the Mayo Clinic Health Assessment online directly through myPortico go to https://myportico.porticobenefits.org/Campaign/HealthyLiving.aspx. If your spouse has ELCA - Primary health benefits and completes the Mayo Clinic Health Assessment, too, you'll receive another $150 wellness dollars into your wellness account, and will help us earn our synod-wide 2% discount.

REGISTER FOR THE BISHOP'S CONVOCATION

Bishop Jim Hazelwood

Please visit our website at http://upstatenysynod.org/, print and complete the registration form and mail it to Kathy Neugent at the Synod office (5811 Heritage Landing Drive, First Floor, E. Syracuse, NY 13056) with the $10 per person registration fee (includes mid-day lunch).

Date March 21, 2015

Time 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Who's Invited Rostered Leaders, Spouses, Laity

Location First English Lutheran Church, 501 James

Bishop John Macholz

Street, Syracuse, NY

Topic "Nones" (the Millennial generation members

who have no connection with the church)

Session 1 "Where in God's name are we?"

Session 2 "Conversations with people who don't go to church"

CAMP JOY - June 21 to 26, 2015

THANK YOU from Camp Joy to the Upstate New York Synod and all the Synod churches who have so generously supported Camp Joy through the years. Your support, both financial and otherwise, has been appreciated much more than you know!

Camp Joy is a Christ-centered annual week-long camping experience at the Rochester Rotary Sunshine Campus in Rush, NY, for adult persons with developmental disabilities, age 18 and older Staff and campers from all over grow together in fellowship with Christ leaving with a profound impact, life-long bonds and joyous memories for all those involved. It is easy to see why so many look forward to this camp with great enthusiasm

all year long!

New campers and volunteer staff persons are needed. Applications are available by calling Reformation Lutheran Church, 585-454-3367 weekdays from 9 AM until 2 PM. Thank you!

TIDBITS

Synod Assembly Reports DUE BY MARCH 10, 2015.

E-mail to Caitlin Donovan at cld4910@rit.edu or mail to the synod office at 5811 Heritage Landing Drive, First Floor, E. Syracuse, NY 13057.

2015 Mission Support

The Synod Challenge letter has been sent out to all congregations. The electronic form for the Statement of Intent is available at http://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/ELCA-CSM-StatementOfIntent-2015.pdf. Please return your completed Statement of Intent for Mission Support for 2015 to the Synod Office, either electronically or by regular mail as soon as possible to 5811 Heritage Landing Drive, First Floor, East Syracuse, NY 13057.

Congregational Reports

Forms A and C http://www.elca.org/en/About/Congregations Congregations are all asked to fill out these important forms as soon as possible. Please also send a copy of these reports to the synod office by mail or by e-mail to kbrundige@upstatenysynod.org.

Congregation Report Covers

Available at: http://resources.elca.org/search.cgi?keywords=REPORT+COVERS&Click+to+Search.x=19&Click+to+Search.y=9

Annual Pastor Reports DUE BY MARCH 1, 2015 Click on "Synods" at http://www.elca.org/resources/office-of-the-secretary.

Whether retired, on leave from call or actively serving, together we are the body of Christ and together we are growing in relationship and understanding of who we are and whose we are. Thanks for your participation in this endeavor.

2015 IRS Mileage Rates

The Internal Revenue Service has issued the 2015 optional standard mileage rates [http://1.usa.gov/139Ciqc] used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2015, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be: 57.5 cents per mile for business miles driven; 23 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes; and 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations.

The Synod Compensation Guidelines [http://bit.ly/1wiHTl8] recommend that rostered leaders be reimbursed for business miles at the current IRS rates and volunteer mileage be reimbursed at the current 14 cents/mile IRS rate.

See the March 2015 newsletter at

http://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/ELCA%20Global-Links%20Newsletter.pdf

"Pilgrimage into the Last Third of Life: 7 Gateways to Spiritual Growth, a free online book study will be held Thursday evenings in March. Topics to be included are: Doing Inner Work, Living In and Out of Community, Prayer and Contemplation, Redeeming Loss and Suffering, and Leaving a Legacy. This study is facilitated by Rev. Brian McCaffrey, Chaplain at LutheranCare in Clinton, NY. Download the promotional flyer at http://upstatenysynod.org/download/general/pilgrimage%20poster%202%202.15.pdf

To register and for more information contact Pastor Brian at 315.235.7125 or visit

http://www.lutherancare.org/.

Please visit our website upstatenysynod.org

Thank you for spending some time reading this edition of the Upstate Update. We hope, and pray, that you found it useful. If you know someone who could benefit from the Upstate Update, please forward it to them and ask them to sign up directly.

Kathy Neugent

Executive Assistant to the Bishop

Upstate New York Synod of the

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

kneugent@upstatenysynod.org

Phone: 315-299-4955 Fax: 315-299-4981

Resurrection people who pray first, walk together and change lives.