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World Hunger Legacy Grant Recipients Announced
 Eleven grants totaling $26,300 were awarded to congregations and affiliated non-profit groups across our synod from Legacy Grant funds. Successful applicants provided details about their project, budget information, and desired goals/outcomes. All programs must in some way address hunger, education, or root causes and are either a direct ministry of a Lower Susquehanna Synod congregation or a project affiliated or partnered with one. Applications will be accepted for another round of grants in 2015. Watch Carings & Sharings for details. The recipients for 2014 are:
- Trinity, Arendtsville - John's Meals Ministry - This ministry provides food backpacks each weekend to children in the Upper Adams School District. An ecumenical partnership strengthens the program's capacity.
- Mt Zion Lutheran Church, Boiling Springs - There are three aspects to this project - a free store of clothes, personal care items, toys, food and household items, free community dinners, and holiday meal boxes.
- Good Shepherd, Liverpool - This project will provide weekend backpacks for children who are identified as food insecure in the local school district.
- Christ & St, James, Gettysburg - This project combines the efforts of two Gettysburg congregations and ecumenical partners in a Ruth's Harvest initiative to provide weekend food backpacks for Gettysburg elementary school children at risk for hunger.
- Big Spring United, Newville - Community Garden providing fresh produce free to local hunger programs
- Christ, Duncannon - Support for meals for one week of the St. Barnabus program benefiting Harrisburg children in need.
- Christ, Duncannon - Appalachian Trial Hiker Summer Weekly Meal and Ministry
- Memorial Lutheran, Shippensburg - This grant will augment resources to provide fresh or frozen produce for local hunger programs.
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 Trinity, Mechanicsburg - New Hope Ministries is partnering with Trinity to provide nutrition classes. - St. Stephens, New Kingston - This grant will help increase capacity for the free monthly Community Dinner that provides a healthy meal and community-building opportunities.
- St. Paul's, Adamstown - This grant will help start a Power Packs Program in the local school district for children who are food insecure and need additional weekend nutrition.
As you gather around the table to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal, give thanks for these and other ministries across our synod that help to feed others as we have been fed by Christ.
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 Children, Youth & Family on the Web
Our synod's Office for Children, Youth & family Ministry, a part of our larger Lower Susquehanna Synod Center for Faith Formation, not only offers events and ministry resources for children and youth, but for adults who are tasked with equipping children, youth and their families, whether as volunteers or as staff in congregations. In an effort to make everything from Christian ed resources to event registration materials more readily available to congregational leaders, we have expanded and improved our web presence. Visit us at: http://www.lss-elca.org/youth-family/ , to learn more about the many ministries we share as a synod with children, youth & families. The site is more navigable and has more content than ever before. If you have a story, picture, resource or weblink that you'd like to share, email Charlie Roberts, Director for Children, Youth and Family Ministry at croberts@lss-elca.org.
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 Our synod grows stronger because its dedicated leaders continue to learn new ways of approaching ministry and serving God's people. Check here each week for a link to a video, article, podcast, powerpoint presentation or other media that will help our leaders embrace new ideas and learn new insights into ministry. (Photo: Chris Carter, Creative Commons)
Congregations use fun videos to talk money
Who says stewardship can't be fun, funny, informative and hi-tech at the same time? Certainly not Trinity Lutheran Church, Mt. Joy, and St. James Episcopal Cathedral, Chicago. Both have put together videos that discuss the realities of church life and invite their members into deeper participation in God's ministry through their financial offering. Moreover, both congregations take a light touch to a subject that is often taken way too seriously.
" Car Chat" is the offering from Trinity, Mt. Joy, using cartoon illustrations and narration to tell the story.
"Hello" is the video by St. James Cathedral, which brought together singers for a parody of the opening number from the Broadway show, "The Book of Mormon." What creative ideas can your congregation come up with?
Upcoming Brown Bag Leadership Lunch:
December 11 - The Use and the Means of Grace & Eucharistic Practice
The December Brown Bag Leadership Lunch will discuss the ELCA document, "The Use and the Means of Grace" that addresses communion practices in the ELCA and how that informs who we are as Lutheran Christians. Looking for tips on how to facilitate conversations in your congregation? Want to talk with others and share ideas? Join us on December 11. You can find this document on the ELCA website here as a downloadable PDF and additional resources for study at www.elca.org/worship.
Brown-Bag Leadership Lunches take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Lunchroom of our Synod Offices. Bring lunch and we'll have discussion and a meal together. Registration unnecessary.
(To get to the lunchroom from the lobby of the Synod Office's main entrance, follow the corridor that goes off to the left. Just before the end, take the stairway at the left. On the ground floor, the lunchroom will be on your left.)
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Hartman Siblings win the Lutheran History Contest for Youth
Two Harrisburg area Lutheran teens are the winners of this year's Lutheran Church History Contest for Youth. Zachary Hartman won the senior high school student prize for his history on the origins of the Tree of Life Lutheran Church, 1492 Linglestown Rd, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (www.tree-of-life.us). Alexa Hartman received the middle student prize for her submission on the history of the youth group at Tree of Life. Tree of Life Lutheran Church, a congregation of the Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, began as a mission congregation in May of 1987. "It's a thrill to have two of our members, and siblings at that, as contest winners" commented Pastor Richard Geib. "Zach and Alexa will add this recognition to their list of accomplishments and good service to the Church."
The siblings presented their winning projects during the Christian Education session at Tree of Life Lutheran Church on Sunday, November 23 at the Adult Sunday School class. LHSMA board member Kevin Hepler (pictured with the Hartmans) recognized the winners at the 11:00 a.m. worship service.
Both students, children of April and Ed Hartman, received a cash prize of $250 for their work submitted in the form of video documentaries. They will be invited to attend the annual meeting of the society to be held next Spring on the campus of Gettysburg Seminary. Dr. Annabelle Wenzke, who serves on the LHSMA board, indicated "how exciting it is to see youth take an interest in history and their congregation's heritage." The society hopes to make these projects available to the public.
The Lutheran Historical Society sponsors this contest for students in grades 6 through 12 to foster awareness of the importance of local history and culture in the life of their congregation. It seeks multimedia projects that tell a story either about the history of their congregation, a particular person in the congregation who has played a significant role in its life, or an important event, mission or ministry that has shaped the congregation. Winners are chosen on the basis of significance, creativity, use of supporting sources and coherence of the presentation. Separate prizes are awarded to middle school and high school age groups. Submissions for the next round of awards are due by June 30, 2015. For contest details and information visit the society's webpage at www.lhsmidatlantic.com.
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Our synod prayer list is updated frequently and posted on the website. To be redirected to the complete prayer list click here.
...prayers for the family of Marion Glover, mother of Pastor Vaughn Glover (St. Michael, Strasburg) and mother-in-law of Pastor Traci Glover (Mt. Eden, Quarryville), who died November 21. Visitation and funeral are planned for Friday, November 28, in Port Dickinson, NY. Click here to access the obituary.
...We pray for peace, justice, and reconciliation, not only for the community of Ferguson but for the whole human family around the world that encounters violence, prejudice, and injustice.
It's time to plan for the 2015 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-25). The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is a longstanding expression of the ecumenical movement -- a worldwide movement to heal divisions within the Church, to promote dialogue among churches and Christian communities, and to encourage Christians everywhere to better understand and reflect the implications of "one Lord, one faith, one baptism." Visit the Week of Prayer website by clicking here. You may also wish to visit our ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious website here.Have a prayer request to share with others in our synod? Please contact Pr. Sharron Blezard at sblezard@lss-elca.org.
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Give + Receive + Share = News to Use from our Synod Office
Click to Give: It's Easier Than Ever to Make a Difference with your Mission Support!
 It's easier than ever to make a gift to support the mission of our Lower Susquehanna Synod. All you have to do is visit our website (www.lss-elca.org) and click the "Donate Now" button on the bottom right side. It will take you to our secure donation site (the same one that hosts Thrivent's Simply Giving) so that you can easily support our work together. Make a one-time gift or set up a regular giving schedule. Together we are stronger and better able to feed others as we have been fed by Christ.
LAST CALL FOR ROSTERED LEADERS WELLNESS RETREAT REGISTRATION
Rostered leaders, you have only a few days left to register for the Leadership Retreat. The deadline for registration is December 1. Your subsidized cost is only $75 for double-occupancy. This rate applies to all full-time and part-time ministry leaders under call or contract (regardless of whether or not you receive Portico Insurance Benefits) & all ministry leaders covered under 2014 Portico Insurance. Please select the "Active Rostered Leader Under Contract or Call" registration type on the registration page to receive this subsidized rate. Please note the full cost of $375 applies only to those serving a church or organization without a contract or call (i.e., youth workers, choir directors, et al.) Click here to register.
WEATHER-RELATED CLOSINGS OF OUR SYNOD OFFICES 
A message will be posted on our Facebook Page and on our phone system voice mail if our offices are closed due to inclement weather. The United Church Center Building follows the Central Dauphin School District closure policy.
CALENDAR NOTES: Our Synod Offices will observe the following closings:
November 26 due to winter storm predictions
November 27-28 (Thanksgiving)
December 24-26 (Christmas)
January 1 (New Year's Day)
HOLD THE DATE! Mark your calendars now for September 13, 2015 (first Sunday after Labor Day) and the third annual "God's Work. Our Hands." Sunday. Look for more information, but start planning now how your congregation can use your hands to do God's work in your community and beyond.
Correction: In last week's Carings & Sharings we incorrectly listed the founder of Bread for the World as the Rev. David Beckmann. While Rev. Beckmann currently leads this ministry, the founder was another Lutheran pastor, the Rev. Art Simon.
Check the Synod Calendar on our website for a complete listing of meetings and gatherings. Inclement weather closings of our office are announced on the answering machine (ext. 100) and our Facebook page.
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 Opportunities for Education...
Visit our synod website for specific details and registration information about each event!
November 29
Advent Waiting:
Making a Hermitage in your Heart
St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2695 Luther Drive, Chambersburg (beside Luther Ridge Community)
January 17 Stephen Minister Training (10 consecutive Saturdays) Luther Ridge Retirement Community, Chambersburg
January 31 - February 1, 2015
Grace in Wellness Women's Retreat
The Hotel Hershey, Hershey, PA
Boundary Training for Rostered Leaders & Professional Ministry Workers
ALL LEADERS should complete an approved boundary workshop every three years and are expected to attend one of these workshops or provide verification of comparable training received elsewhere. To register, call Cathy Deitrich at 717-652-1852, ext. 104 or e-mail her at cdeitrich@lss-elca.org. There is no charge for the training. A free-will offering will be collected to defray lunch costs.
Thursday, January 15
(Deadline to register: January 12 ) Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 3700 Rutherford St., Harrisburg
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 14
(Deadline to register: March 11) Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 750 Greenfield Rd., Lancaster
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 5
(Deadline to register: April 30) St. Paul Lutheran Church, 20 Franklin St., Biglerville
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Check out the many education offerings at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA. Events and conferences are sponsored by the Leadership Institute. Click here to visit their website for a complete listing.
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Visit the Congregation Connections page on our synod's website to keep up with the specific details of the many good things happening in the worshiping communities of our synod. We have so many wonderful events and activities taking place that we can't list all the details in this e-newsletter format!
Please keep us posted about what's happening in your congregation and community. We are able to post photos, pdf documents and flyers, and contact information on our Congregation Connections page. E-mail event information to sblezard@lss-elca.org.
November 26
Thanksgiving Eve Worship Services
Trinity Lutheran Church, 2000 Chestnut Street, Camp Hill
Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, 9 N. Main St., Dover
November 27
Tree 4 Hope Turkey Day 5K
Harrisburg Hospital Grounds
November 30
Spring Garden Band in Concert
St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 839 W. Market St., York
December 3, 10, 17
Advent Midweek Holden Evening Prayer
St. David's Lutheran Church, 1032 Musselman Road, Hanover
December 4
Conversations with Bishop Dunlop
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1000 North Front Street, Liverpool
December 6
Advent Day Apart
The Wittel Farm
Annual Christmas Bazaar
Brickerville United Lutheran Church, 340 E. 28th Division Hwy., Lititz
Fifth Annual St. Paul's Cookie Walk
St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 25 W. Springettsbury Ave., York
Cookie Walk to Benefit Tech4Tanzania
Slate Hill Mennonite Church, 1352 Slate Hill Rd, Camp Hill
1st Annual Cookie Walk (to benefit "Companion in Christ" congregation in Mbeya, Tanzania)
St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 30 West Chestnut St., Hanover
Richard A Sultner, Sr. Music Scholarship Concert ("Twas the Night Before Christmas")
Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, 9 N. Main St., Dover
Harrisburg Singers Present
Holiday!
Trinity Lutheran Church, 2000 Chestnut Street, Camp Hill
December 7
Rejoicing Spirits Worship
St. Luke Lutheran Church, 2795 Luther Drive, Chambersburg
Inauguration of David J. Lose as President of LTSP's 12th President
The Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2110 Chestnut St., Philadelphia
December 12
Giving the Gift of Art: Hope for the Homeless (to benefit Family Promise)
AmeriChoice Federal Credit Union, Mechanicsburg
December 12-13
Advent Family Retreat
Camp Nawakwa, Arendtsville
December 13
Cookie Walk (to provide scholarships for children of Agape Parish, Tanzania)
Shiloh Lutheran Church, 2201 Church Rd., York
Cookie Walk (to benefit youth attending the ELCA National Youth Gathering)
St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 839 W. Market St., York
December 14
2nd Season - 2nd Sundaes Concert Series
St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 839 W. Market St., York
Rejoicing Spirits Worship (a disABILITIES ministry)
St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 30 W. Main Street, New Kingstown
Christmas at Trinity
Trinity Lutheran Church, 2000 Chestnut Street, Camp Hill
December 17
Blue Christmas Service
St. Peter Lutheran Church, 130 Nittany Dr., Mechanicsburg
January 2-4
Winter Youth Retreat at Camp Kirchenwald
January 21
Conversations with Bishop Dunlop
Christ Lutheran Church, 30 Chambersburg St., Gettysburg
January 25
Conversations with Bishop Dunlop
Zion Lutheran Church, 1905 Broad St., East Petersburg
To Share:
Zion Lutheran Church, Hummelstown recently converted the lighting in the sanctuary to LED. Subsequently, they have 29 GE Incandescent Lamp bulbs with a Mogul screw base, 300 watts, 130 volts, 5200 lumens, 1000 hours. Please contact Zion's church office 717.566.2589 if you are interested.
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Employment listings are provided to synod congregations and related agencies free of charge. This service is made possible by your Mission Support of Lower Susquehanna Synod and ELCA. Please provide a brief position description, contact information, and a link to a complete position description on your web site (if desired). Send information to Sharron Blezard at sblezard@lss-elca.org. Positions are posted for 60 days unless extended.
Organization: Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia
Position: Vice President for Mission Advancement (Posted 11/25/14)
Congregation: Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, York Springs
Position: Part-Time Organist and Sr. Choir Director (Posted 11/25/14)
Organization: Claremont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
Position: Part-time Chaplain and Director of Pastoral Care (Posted 11/25/14)
Congregation: Trinity Lutheran Church, Arendtsville
Position: Organist (posted 10/2/14)
Congregation: First Lutheran Church, New Oxford
Position:
Organist/Choir Director
(reposted 10/20/14)
Congregation: St. Stephen Lutheran Church, New Kingstown
Position: Youth and Family Ministry Director (reposted 10/2/14)
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| Carings and Sharings is the e-newsletter of the Lower Susquehanna Synod. Its purpose is the sharing of news and events which raise up the mission and ministry of the synod and ELCA in our congregations, our synod, and the broader church. It is not intended to be an endorsement of every activity. Comments about this newsletter may be sent to Sharron Blezard, editor, sblezard@lss-elca.org. |
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Pastor Chad and Natalie Rimmer
