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Hungry for the Word?
Join us for the 2015 Lower Susquehanna Synod Assembly
It's time to begin preparing for our 2015 Lower Susquehanna Synod Assembly by electing voting members from your congregation. Check here for the official Call to Assembly, a video from Bishop Dunlop, proposed constitutional amendments, and more.
OFFICIAL NOTICE: CALL OF THE 2015 SYNOD ASSEMBLY
To: The congregations and the rostered leaders of the Lower Susquehanna Synod, ELCA
From: Thomas E. McKee, synod secretary
Re: Call of the 2015 Synod Assembly This is the official notice that the 2015 Synod Assembly of the Lower Susquehanna Synod, ELCA, will be held Friday, June 5, 2015, to Sunday, June 7, 2015, in Parmer Hall of the Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and the Performing Arts on the Messiah College Campus, Grantham, Pennsylvania. All rostered leaders rostered in the Lower Susquehanna Synod and a lay male and a lay female elected by each congregation of the Lower Susquehanna Synod constitute the voting members of this assembly. In addition, each congregation with 500 or more baptized members may elect one additional voting member. In selecting voting members all congregations are encouraged to consider electing youth, young adults, and persons of color or of primary language other than English. Information about the 2015 Synod Assembly including registration materials will be posted on the synod Web site as plans are completed. Hard copies of assembly materials will be mailed only to those requesting to receive information in this manner.
Click here to be redirected to the 2015 Assembly Page on our website where you'll find more information and regular updates.
Click here for the Six-Month Notification of Constitutional Amendments Recommended by Synod Assembly and Synod Council to the 2015 Synod Assembly.
Click here for a bulletin insert to use encouraging individuals to consider nomination for the positions of Synod Vice-President, Synod Secretary, Synod Council, Gettysburg Seminary Board of Directors, and Voting Members to the 2016 Churchwide Assembly.
Watch Bishop Dunlop's comments about this year's Synod Assembly here or on our YouTube Channel.
 | | 2015 Synod Assembly Preview |
Photo: abcdz2000, Creative Commons
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Winterfest registration deadline fast approaching
Winterfest 2015 is only one month away, and the deadline for registration is 12:00 midnight, Monday December 15, 2014. This year's Winterfest theme is "Hungry," and we will focus
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Rev. Hugh Hollowell of Love Wins
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on the ways we are fed by Christ and equipped to go out and feed others in Jesus name. This willinclude examining how we are feeding the hungry both locally through ministries like the one at St Paul, Wertzville, and
nationally through ministries like Love Wins in North Carolina. Rev. Hugh Hollowell, founder of Love Wins, a ministry devoted to helping feed the spiritual needs as well as the immediate needs of those living with poverty, will join us as one of our featured presenters. To learn more about Love Wins, visit: http://feeds.feedburner.com/lovewinsministries/WOeu . Participants can look forward to fellowship, inspired worship, and meeting new and old friends. This years event also features three new learning tracks for adults. Consider joining us! Event information and registration are available at: http://www.lss-elca.org/youth-family/events/winterfest/.
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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)
10 Keys to Being a Healthy Church Leader
Let's face it, being a church leader demands a lot on our hearts, minds, souls and bodies. (Especially around Christmas!) And even though we all know that being a healthy leader is essential leading a healthy church, many of us don't make self-care as big a priority as we should. Here, from ChurchLeaders.com, is a brief list of 10 tips for staying healthy. Print it out and work on it daily.
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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Donna Nicholson and Denise Ferguson on Board
to Staff our Synod's ABMN Campaign
Two new faces, Donna Nicholson and Denise Ferguson, join our synod team to provide leadership and staffing support for the Always Being Made New (ABMN) Comprehensive Campaign. Together they bring a wealth of experience to this effort that aims to raise $2.75 million for a number of synod ministries and $2.5 million for ELCA churchwide initiatives including world hunger and the malaria campaign.
"Our synod assembly overwhelmingly approved a comprehensive campaign, Always Being Made New, to increase resources for ministry in our Lower Susquehanna Synod and the ELCA," said Bishop Jim Dunlop. "We are very fortunate that Donna Nicholson with her experience and knowledge of our Synod was willing to take on the task of directing this effort. We are thrill
 ed that she felt called to help the church in this way by taking a leadership role in Always Being Made New." Donna Nicholson joins our synod team as director for the Always Being Made New Campaign, bringing with her many years of advancement and stewardship experience as well as a strong understanding of and commitment to the church and its mission. She served as Vice President for Development and Advancement at Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg, and prior to that as Director of the Annual Fund and Alumni/ae Relations at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, CA. She has also worked in fundraising and public relations for Dickinson College and ARTWORKS, The Visual Arts School of Princeton & Trenton, New Jersey. Donna serves on the board of Lutheran Social Services of South Central Pennsylvania and as Stewardship Chair for Christ Lutheran Church in Gettysburg, where she and her husband, Jim, are members and is active in a number of community organizations. Donna and Jim are the parents of three grown sons.  We welcome Denise Ferguson, who is providing part-time support for the Always Being Made New Campaign. She has worked in a variety of positions in state government ranging from political intern to special assistant to the secretary of the Department of Welfare. Most recently she has been served Messiah Lutheran as a part-time housekeeper, but most importantly, the Ferguson family as a stay-at-home mom. Denise received her bachelor of arts degree in international politics with a minor in French from Westminster College in New Wilmington and her master of public education degree from Pennsylvania State University, Middletown. A native of the Pittsburgh area, Denise has lived in Harrisburg most of her adult life. She has always been a member of a Lutheran congregation and was a camper and staff member at Camp Lutherlyn in Prospect, PA. She and her husband are the parents of two children and are active members of Messiah Lutheran Church in Harrisburg. |
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 the Rev. John Bernheisel. Ordained in 1949, Pastor Bernheisel died on Friday, November 28, 2014, at the age of 93. Funeral services were held today, December 4, at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in York. Click here to access the obituary.
...prayers for hope and healing for Tom McClellan, husband of Sister Deb McClellan.
...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.
 Lower Susquehanna Women of the ELCA Updates!
Check our synod website for updates, including new photos from the Triennial Convention and Camp Hebron, updated resources, and the Nov./Dec. issue of News & Views, and other related information. You can also access a PDF copy of News & Views by clicking here. Thanks to Donna Greifzu for providing communications and coordinating the newsletter publication.
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:
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.
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!
December 8 Faith Formation & the Future of the Church Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia
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.
December 6
Advent Day Apart
The Wittel Farm
Holiday Craft Show & Fair Trade Fair (Also Dec. 5 from 1:00 - 7:00 p.m.)
Zion Lutheran Church, 18 Quarry Rd., Leola
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
A Visit with Saint Nicholas!
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2000 Chestnut St., Camp Hill
December 12-13
Advent Family Retreat
Camp Nawakwa, Arendtsville
Solace & Celebration Concert
St. Peter's Lutheran, Middletown
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
January 27
One Synod - One Book Discussions on Finding God in a Bag of Groceries
St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 30 W. Main St., New Kingstown
To Share:
Christ Lutheran Church, Filey's has nine 8' tables available for anyone interested. They are in fair shape but are very heavy. They are free to anyone who would like them. We could transport them if necessary.
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: Myers-Buhrig Funeral Home & Crematory, Mechanicsburg
Position: Facilities Caretaker (Posted 12/4/14)
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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world.
