January 14, 2015

Envisioning the Future of Faith Formation

You've probably heard the buzz words "faith formation" but may still be wondering where to start. We can help. Faith formation happens through regular and intentional practices and opportunities--such as praying, worshiping, learning, celebrating, and serving--that engage an entire community in lifelong Christian formation and ongoing spiritual growth. Faith formation is not a trendy program, a one-stop-shopping curriculum, or a quick and easy fix.

Join this year's Synod Assembly keynote speaker, John Roberto of Lifelong Faith Associates, on Friday afternoon, June 5, at Messiah College to re-imagine the future of Christian education as faith formation. Roberto is the editor of Lifelong Faith and works as a consultant to churches and national organizations, teaches courses and conducts workshops in faith formation, and has authored numerous books and program manuals. John works on the Vibrant Faith Ministries team as coordinator of FaithFormationLearningExchange.net and leader of the three-day Vision and Practice of 21st Century Faith Formation training program. His latest publications include Reimagining Faith Formation for the 21st Century (2014), Generations Together: Caring, Celebrating, Learning, Praying, Serving Faithfully (co-authored 2014), and Faith Formation 2020: Designing the Future of Faith (2010).

When: Friday, June 5, 2015, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Where: Messiah College, Calvin & Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts, Grantham, PA
Why: Because faith formation is essential to the future of the church 
How: Register by clicking here. (Note: A freewill offering will be accepted at this event in lieu of registration fees.)

Photo: Creative Commons License. 

GLOBAL NEWS & CONNECTIONS

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month

 

27,000,000. That is a huge number; a huge number that represents the number of people enslaved in modern-day slavery, or human trafficking. Human trafficking is the third largest worldwide crime and is growing rapidly. There are two forms of trafficking: labor and sex. One can find a victim of labor trafficking in both expected and unexpected places from working in nail salons, restaurants, factories to picking cocoa or coffee beans on plantations. Sex trafficking happens online, in local motels, and wherever large conventions (think Super Bowl, for example) take place. Its many forms include prostitution, pornography, personal sexual servitude, and working in strip clubs or in exotic dancing venues. 

 

One is lured into trafficking by promises of a better life, love and attention, blackmail, or a family member may just sell their relative or even do the trafficking. One may ask, "why can't they just leave?" It is not that simple. Traffickers use many manipulative tools such as violence, threats of familial violence, threats of deportation, captivity, and confinement, essentially imprisoning their victim. Many will not identify themselves as a victim and may even defend their traffickers due to psychological enslavement. For some, returning to family is not even an option as they will experience stigmatization.

 

Once rescued, a survivor must be provided with care to treat and address all aspects of their traumatic experience and start them on a journey of healing. Now, where do we as Lutheran Christians come in? Right where we are...we raise awareness; we pray for victims, survivors, those helping them; we support monetarily; we buy fair trade; we be the body of Christ. For more information visit these websites: www.hopeforjustice.org, www.polarisproject.org, or www.internationaljusticemission.org.

 

Bring your friends, youth group and young adults to St. Peter Lutheran Church in Middletown, PA, this Sunday afternoon (1/18) from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. for a screening of In Plain Sight: Stories of Healing and Hope  sponsored by PureHope Coffeehouse. Refreshments and a discussion with members of a local restoration group in Baltimore and PureHope founder Stephanie Strauss will follow. Click here to watch a trailer.


Interested in Global Missions?

Wondering how you can make a difference right here in our Lower Susquehanna Synod? Join our Global Missions Committee and help tell the stories and share the good news about the work God is doing through our hands and those of missionaries like the Zimmermans, the Rimmers, Kate Warn, and many more. E-mail Pastor Sharron Blezard or any member of the committee for more information.

Note: Do you have an idea from your congregation that you'd like to highlight? E-mail Sharron Blezard or contact any Global Missions Committee member. Thanks to Synod Council and Global Missions Committee member Stephanie Strauss for the article about human trafficking and for sponsoring the showing of In Plain Sight.


It's Time for Summer Camp Open House!

 

Lutheran Camping Corporation invites you to visit Kirchenwald or Nawakwa on Sunday, March 22 or Sunday, April 12, from 2:00 - 4:30 p.m. Take a tour of camp with members of our summer staff and see what camp is all about. As a bonus, we will give a $10 gift certificate for the camp store to every brand new camper! Click here for more information.


Leadership Link of the Week

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)

 'This will NEVER Work!' -- Why Churches Resist Change (and How to Respond!) 

Every congregational leader has had this experience: A well-researched, well-presented idea - bold, creative, innovative and missional - is met with a tsunami of resistance. This article from ChurchLeaders.com talks about the top pretexts for resistance and how to handle them. Which ones do you hear in in YOUR congregation? 
 

Upcoming Brown Bag Leadership Lunch: 

February 12 - Website Ministry Basics with Sharron and Marsha

Want to know more about how your congregation's website can be used for ministry and mission? Need to know how to get started in digital ministry or how to update and enhance what you already have? Trying to decipher platforms and hosts? Join Deacon Marsha Roscoe and Pastor Sharron Blezard to learn and share tips and techniques. If you are interested in having your website evaluated for this event, please contact Pastor Sharron Blezard (717-652-1852, ext. 102). We gather at 10 a.m., work for a couple hours and then eat at about noon as we finish up our discussion. All congregational leaders are welcome. Registration is not required but it would be great if you could let Cathy Deitrich of the synod office ([email protected]) know if you're attending so we can make sure to have enough materials. 

 

(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.)

You're Invited
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Installation of the Rev. Robert Moore
St. Paul Lutheran Church, 201 W. Louther St., Carlisle
3:00 p.m.
The Rev. Paul Blom, Bishop-Emeritus of the Texas Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod will preach. A reception will follow worship. Clergy are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is green.

prayers
Prayers and Updates 
  
Our synod prayer list is updated frequently and posted on the website. To be redirected to the complete prayer list click here.

...We pray for the family of Tricia Dolby (daughter of Pastor Cheri Korte, Trinity, Colebrook), who died January 9, 2015. Arrangements are pending.

...We pray for the family of Iva Nace, wife of the late Rev. James R. Nace, who died Friday January 9, 2015. A memorial service was held Tuesday, January 13, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Wrightsville.  Click here to be redirected to the obituary.

...We pray for the family of Tom McClellan, husband of Sister Deb McClellan, who died Wednesday, December 10, 2014. A memorial service to celebrate Tom's life will be held on his birthday, Saturday, January 24, at 11:00 a.m., St. Bartholomew Lutheran Church, Hanover. The family will receive friends from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. at the church. Click here to be redirected to the obituary.

...We pray for hope and healing for Pastor Faye Snyder (recovering from surgery).

...We pray for hope and healing for Pastor Judy McKee (recovering from surgery).

Have a prayer request to share with others in our synod? Please contact Pr. Sharron Blezard at [email protected]. 

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. 

 

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 bad weather. The United Church Center Building follows the Central Dauphin School District closure policy.

 

CALENDAR NOTES: Our Synod Offices will observe the following closing:

January 19 (Martin Luther King Jr. 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.

WHERE'S MY PHOTO DIRECTORY? Due to a production glitch, our synod's new photo directory is delayed. We hope to have it out soon, so watch future editions of Carings & Sharings for more information.

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.

books
Opportunities for Education... 
Visit our synod website for specific details and registration information about each event! 
Click here to be redirected!

January 17
Stephen Minister Training (10 consecutive Saturdays)
Luther Ridge Retirement Community, Chambersburg

January 29
Law and Gospel Seminar with Prof. Sarah Hinlicky Wilson
Zion's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Jonestown

 

January 31 - February 1, 2015

Grace in Wellness Women's Retreat

The Hotel Hershey, Hershey, PA

March 1-3, 2015
34th Annual Rural Ministry Conference: Practicing Care in Rural Congregations & Communities
Wartburg Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa

Bible Study Series at The Wittel Farm

Bible studies based on Richard Foster's seminal work on Christian spirituality, "Celebration of Discipline." Led by The Rev. Robert Hoover. Visit http://www.lutherancamping.org/events/biblestudy.php for details.

* Wednesday, February 11 - "Prayer"

* Wednesday, March 11 - "Submission"

* Wednesday, April 8 - "Confession"


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 [email protected]. 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.

 

  




Visit the Congregation Connections page on our synod's website to keep up with the specific details (including event times, contact information, publications, and registration information) of the many good things happening in the worshiping communities of our synod. (Click the blue hotlink at the beginning of this paragraph to be redirected.)

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 [email protected].

 

January 18

Ugandan Children's Choir in Concert

Trinity Lutheran Church, 2000 Chestnut St., Camp Hill

In Plain Sight: Stories of Hope and Freedom Film & Discussion

St. Peter Lutheran Church, Spring and Union Sts., Middletown

 

January 21

Conversations with Bishop Dunlop

Christ Lutheran Church, 30 Chambersburg St., Gettysburg

 

January 24

Colorful Parenting Seminar

Trinity Lutheran Church, 2000 Chestnut St., Camp Hill

 

January 25

LARC (Lutheran-Anglican-Roman Catholic) Vespers

St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 125 S. Spruce St., Annville

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

 

January 31

Fifth Annual Community Free Clothing Give-Away and Community Meal

Trinity Lutheran Church, 47 W. Main St., Mt. Joy

Graceful Witness Workshop

St. Bartholomew's United Church (ELCA), 1204 Grand Valley Rd., Hanover

 

February 1

Suicide and God's Grace Educational Event

St. Bartholomew's United Church (ELCA), 1204 Grand Valley Rd., Hanover

Rejoicing Spirits Worship

St. Luke Lutheran Church, 2795 Luther Dr., Chambersburg

 

February 8

Second Chance at Life Celebration and Health Fair

Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 3700 Rutherford St., Paxtang (Harrisburg)

Eaken Piano Trio in Concert

First Lutheran Church, 21 S. Bedford St., Carlisle

Rejoicing Spirits Worship (a disABILITIES ministry)

St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 30 W. Main St., New Kingstown

 

March 22

"Seeding the Future" Dinner and Silent Auction -- A Camp Nawakwa Benefit

Trinity Lutheran Church, 2000 Chestnut St., Camp Hill
 

To Share: 

St. Peter's Lutheran Church, 10 Delp Road, Lancaster, PA has about 70 copies of the HYMNAL SUPPLEMENT 1991, published by GIA, that they would LOVE to offer to any interested church body.  Please contact Sandy Shattuck or Gary Williams at the church to respond to questions or to indicate your desire to "adopt" the books.  Church phone - 717-569-9211 or [email protected].  

 

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. 


 

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 [email protected]. Positions are posted for 60 days unless extended.

  

Visit the Employment Opportunities page on our website for a complete list of current job openings with more details.

Organization: Lutheran Camping Corporation
Positions: Various Summer staff positions (Posted 1/14/15)

Congregation: First Lutheran Church, Chambersburg
Position: Parish Administrator (Posted 1/14/15)

Congregation: St. David's Lutheran Church, Hanover
Position: Communications Coordinator (Posted 1/6/15)

Congregation: Zion Lutheran Church, Hummelstown
Position: Director of Youth Ministry (Posted 1/6/15)

Organization: Myers-Buhrig Funeral Home & Crematory, Mechanicsburg
Position: Facilities Caretaker (Posted 12/4/14)

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 (reposted 12/10/14)

 

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)

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,  [email protected].

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