Bishops Notes March 25, 2025

Bishop’s Note 25 March 2025
 
Please remember to share the notes with your congregation and if you know of someone who would like to be placed on the mailing list, just send me a note.
 

• New Notes or Changes to Notes will have this bullet Ø and will remain new notes for two weeks, then will shift to the • until they are removed from the Notes.

 
Upcoming Events:
The following is a list of upcoming events I will be attending in person. If I am in your area and you would like to go to lunch, coffee, have a chat, etc. let me know.

• March 23 – Twelve Apostles, Saegertown
• March 26 @ Synod Office
• March 27 – Lutheran Home at Kane Board Meeting, Kane
• March 30 – St. John, Emlenton
• April 2 @ Synod Office
• April 4 - Pirates Opening Day
• April 4-6 – Duquesne 100th Anniversary of Pharmacy School Celebration\
• April 9 @ Synod Office
• April 12 – Synod Council Zoom
• April 13 – Palm/Passion Sunday – Saron, Youngsville /Berea, Pittsfield
• April 15 – Chrism Liturgy, Good Hope, Oil City
• April 17 – Maundy Thursday
• April 18 – Good Friday
• April 19 – Easter Vigil
• April 20 – Easter Day
• April 23 @ Synod Office
• April 24 –Lutheran Home at Kane Board Meeting, Kane
• April 27 – St. John, Oniontown
• April 30 @ Synod Office
• May 4 – First English, Punxsutawney
• May 4-6 – ULS Board Meeting, Philadelphia
• May 7 @ Synod Office
• May 10 – Bishop’s Day of Learning, Zion, Indiana
• May 12 – Pennsylvania Bishops LAMPa Pre Meeting, Harrisburg, PA
• May 13 – Lutheran Day at the Capitol, Harrisburg
• May 14 – LAMPa Policy Council Meeting, Harrisburg
• May 17 – Synod Council @ Synod Office
• May 21 @ Synod Office
• May 22 – Lutheran Home at Kane Board Meeting, Kane
• May 24 – Vocation’s Committee Meeting, Synod Office
• May 29 @ Synod Office
• May 29 – Ascension Day Liturgy, Grace, Franklin
• June 4 @ Synod Office
• June 8 – Luther Memorial Academy 40th Graduation
• June 11 – Synod Assembly Plenary Zoom Meeting
• June 13-14 Synod Assembly Plenary In Person Meeting
• June 18 @ Synod Office
• June 22 – New Life, Marion Center / Hope, Homer City
• June 24-27 – Region 8 Bishop’s Retreat
• June 29 – Mt Zion, Trade City

 
Sunday Supply Dates:
NOTE: Please email to myself and Ellen at the office your Sunday bulletin by Thursday prior to my supplying at your congregation.  May 18; June 1
 
Churchwide Events:
 
Other ELCA Information:
Please see Sumud for more information on our support to Israel/Palestine. Please see the attached information sheet on synod Sumud ambassadors.
 
Region 8:
 
ULS/Kindling Faith:
Please check out the full list of Kindling Faith’s offering on Facebook.
1.     Click on this link: https://bit.ly/KindlingFaithFacebook
2.     Click on “Events”
3.     Register for Everything!
 
LAMPa:

• We are excited to announce a new continuing education and networking event for congregational youthworkers, both staff and volunteers, designed to help renew, educate and connect youth leaders with their peers, while providing them resources and training in youth and family ministry theory, theology, and practice. The event titled ‘Network In the East,’ represents a collaboration between the ELCA Youth Ministry Network and the Kindling Faith Initiative at United Lutheran Seminary (ULS) at Gettysburg, which is designed to offer lifelong learning for ministry leaders.

 
Network In the East will be held on the Gettysburg Campus of ULS, on August 7-9, 2025, and will include courses on adaptive leadership, curriculum design for the congregational setting, helping young people respond to trauma, and developing active learning for faith formation. We are pleased to welcome Deacon Jessica Noonan from LEAD Ministries: https://leadconnects.org/, who will offer our keynote presentation on adaptive leadership and listening. A full schedule of courses and presenters is available by visiting: https://www.lss-elca.org/youthworkers/, and scrolling down the page to ‘Network In the East.’
 
In addition to our learning modules, we have created lots of opportunities for networking and fellowship with peers, including an opening night picnic-style meal and a Friday meal out in Gettysburg, plus evening receptions to allow for connection and conversation about your own ministry context. Thanks to a generous grant, we are offering the event, coursework, all meals and fellowship at $139.00/person. Lodging is separate and rooms have been blocked for this event at the Best Western in Gettysburg. Lodging fees are paid directly to the hotel. Participants can opt to arrive and stay one night or two, and split room costs with fellow team members from their congregations, or from a nearby congregation. Information on how to register for the event, and details on booking your lodging can also be found on the website: https://www.lss-elca.org/youthworkers/. The deadline for event registration, and hotel reservations is July 7, 2025.
 
Questions regarding the event content or registration questions can be directed to Charlie Roberts, at [email protected], Director of Faith Formation and Youth Ministry for Lower Susquehanna Synod, who is acting as the host synod for this event.
 

• Fill out LAMPa’s Ministry Survey – It’s ESSENTIAL to our advocacy work and bringing stories from the ground!

Help us continue that work of connecting by filling out this Ministry Survey – it will help us map where our hunger, housing, health, immigrant and refugee, and other social service ministries are rooted, so that we can better connect communities on the ground with the lawmakers. The stories of what you are witnessing in your ministries and your communities are vital to the church's advocacy!
In addition to filling out the survey, please share what you are seeing or anticipating in terms of current and future need, numbers, who is being served, who is stepping up, any changes in demographics in narrative form. Please put the topic (ex: HUNGER) in the subject line and email to [email protected].
We will share these stories in our state advocacy and share with our DC colleagues for use in federal advocacy. If you do not want certain things to be shared, or if you prefer a conversation first, please indicate in your email. As things are changing day-by-day, we encourage updates as you are able!!

• REGISTER NOW for Lutheran Day in the Capitol – May 13  When the world feels unstable, and the task of justice seems impossible, our faith calls us to turn to the words of the prophets and the promise of Christ that reminds us God is always doing a new thing. This Lutheran Day, we're coming together from across the Commonwealth to remind ourselves of God's faithful action in the world and calling on our lawmakers to join in the work of reconciliation, restoration, and justice on behalf of our neighbors in need and the world God loves. Find out more and register.

 

• Did You Know? Advocacy in the ELCA happens at the state, federal, and global levels! Stay up-to-date on advocacy opportunities in Pennsylvania by signing up for Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania (LAMPa)’s E-News and Action Alerts. Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

 
Want to know what ELCA Advocacy is working on at the federal level? Sign up for ELCA Advocacy Action Alerts, read the Advocacy Blog, follow on Facebook and Instagram.
 
The ELCA is represented at the UN with the Lutheran Office of World Community (LOWC). See the great work they are doing by following on Facebook and Instagram.
 
Camp Lutherlyn:

• Packets of Summer Camp information were mailed to each congregation the last week of February. If you have not received it or if you need additional postcards, please contact Lutherlyn at 724-865-2161 or [email protected].

 

• Registration for SUMMER CAMP 2025 is open. Visit www.lutherlyn.com/summercamp for details.

 

• 2025 CONFIRMATION CAMP AT LUTHERLYN

AMAZING GRACE: No Fine Print
June 15-20, 2025
For campers entering 6th-11th grade
 
CONFIRMATION CAMP DESCRIPTION:
"ConfirCamp" at Lutherlyn is an invitation to join a group of ELCA Lutheran leaders in creating a safe place to explore our faith, build trusting relationships, and experience the joy of Christian community. Campers will spend approx. 3 hours each day in experiential confirmation class taught by Pastors and the rest of the day doing Classic Camp activities. The curriculum can enrich and supplement Confirmation Curriculum that is being taught at your home congregation throughout the year or can be a stand-alone experience.
 
Details can be found here: https://www.lutherlyn.com/programs/summercamp/confirmation-camp.html
 
Go Tell It IN The Mountains:
Greetings from the Go Tell It IN the Mountains Initiative,
 
Central to the Go Tell It IN the Mountains Initiative is our desire to create curriculum, training opportunities and continuing education events that meets people’s expressed needs.
 
To that end, the Initiative has engaged two partners to create surveys for us to complete. Each survey has a different focus, so we ask everyone to complete both. Yes, the timing is unfortunate, but the information gathered is essential to our moving forward with faithfulness.
 
The first was created by Sacred Playgrounds and focusses on Spiritual Formation. There is a full list of resources (video, bulletin inserts, memes, etc.) to help you promote this survey. These resources are all on our www.gotellitinthemountains.org website under the “Resources” tab. The direct link for this survey is here: Go Tell it IN the Mountains Survey Please make this survey available to all people who receive services from your congregation such as daycares, food banks, and mission centers.
 
The second was created using our Survey Monkey tool and it focuses on worship and preaching. This tool breaks off into different questions for each group or clergy, lay preacher, congregation leader or attendee. This real time data and tool is under the Initiatives management and may be accessed anytime by emailing me at [email protected]. The direct link for this survey is here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZFC6TRZ This survey will be very helpful in our work to create resources for preachers throughout our region. Please encourage your church councils and people who attend worship to complete this survey.
 
Thank you for your help in making the Go Tell It IN the Mountains Initiative a success.
 
God’s Peace,
John Kratz
Go Tell It IN the Mountains Initiative
 
Other Continuing Education Opportunities:
 
Walking Together as Synod:
 
Lutheran Home at Kane:
 
PORTICO:
 
Congregational Vacancies:  Are congregations not working on Ministry Site Profiles

1. Berea, Pittsfield
2. Bethany, Sheffield
3. Bethlehem, Ohl
4. First English, Punxsutawney
5. Gethsemane, Port Allegany
6. Jerusalem, New Bethlehem
7. Mt. Zion, Punxsutawney
8. Mt. Zion, Tionesta
9. Mt. Zion, Trade City
10. Saron, Youngsville
11. St. John's, Emlenton
12. St. John's, Emporium
13. St. John's, Erie
14. St. Mark’s, Waterford
15. St. Mark's, Eddyville
16. St. Paul's, Galeton
17. Trinity, Reynoldsville
18. Trinity, Smethport

 
Congregations in Transition: Are congregations working on Ministry Site Profiles (MSP)
 
The following congregations have an active Ministry Site Profile (MSP):

1. Christ, Sharon
2. Grace, Brookville
3. Grove Chape, Indiana
4. Harmony Grove, Creekside
5. Holy Trinity, Hermitage
6. Hope, Homer City
7. New Life, Marion Center
8. St Paul Drakes Mills, Cambridge Springs
9. Tabor, Kane
10. Twelve Apostle’s, Saegertown
11. Zion, Mayport

 
Clarion-Venango-Warren Conference:
 
Cameron-Elks-McKean-Potter Conference:
 
Crawford-Mercer Conference:
 
Erie Conference:
 
Indiana - Jefferson Conference:
 
Commentary:
Our Synod Assembly is scheduled for June 11, 13-14. June 11 will be an online gathering. June 13-14 will be in person at Thiel College.

 
Please take note of the many attachments to this Notes.
 
Called to Serve,
 
 
Bp. Lozano
 
 
Rev. Michael L. Lozano, Bishop
Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
22598 Titusville Road
PO Box 43
Pleasantville, PA 16341
 

mary_peterhaensel
File Size:	3991 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

ambassador
File Size:	13 kb
File Type:	docx

Download File

---

guidelmem.resolutions-2025.pdf
File Size:	218 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

networkintheeast
File Size:	293 kb
File Type:	png

Download File

---

memor.resolutionsmemo
File Size:	176 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

DigitalTaskForce
File Size:	41 kb
File Type:	docx

Download File

---