​Bishop’s Note 13 October 2022

 

• New Notes or Changes to Notes will have this bullet and will remine new notes for two weeks, then will shift to the • until they are removed from the Notes. Upcoming Events changes or additions will be italicized and then shifted to Ø until removed.

 
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.

• 15 October Synod Council, Grace, Franklin
• 15 October ALWL Training @ Grace, Franklin
• 16 October Hope, Homer City 200th Anniversary Celebration
• 19 October @ Synod Office
• 23 October Trinity, Meadville
• 23-26 October Rostered Leaders/ALWL Retreat
• 30 October  St. John, Oniontown
• 2 November @ Synod Office
• 3-6 November Camp Swift, TX for Army Reserves
• 9 November @ Synod Office
• 13 November Trinity, Smethport
• 14-16 November FCTE (First Call Theological Event) Capitol Retreat Center
• 19 November Vocations Committee Meeting
• 19 November Faith, Erie
• 20 November Faith, Erie
• 23 November @ Synod Office
• 27 November St. Paul, Warren
• 29 November @ Synod Office
• 30 November LAMPa, Harrisburg
• 3-4 December  @ Army Reserves
• 7 December @ Synod Office
• 9-10 December Region  8 Steering Committee
• 14 December @ Synod Office
• 18 December St. John/Bethany, Warren
• 26 December – 2 January Synod Office Closed.
• 26-31 December Family Vacation
• 4-8 January 2023 Conference of Bishops Academy, Minneapolis, MN
• 11 January 2023 @ Synod Office
• 15 January 2023 First English and Mt. Zion, Punxsutawney
• 16 January 2023 30th Anniversary of Ordination
• 17 – 30 January 2023 ELCA Bishop’s Holy Land Visit
• 1 February @ Synod Office

 
·        Sunday Supply Dates: 2023 February 19, 26;  March 12, 19, April 9*, 16, 23. *Mercer/Crawford/Erie.
 
Churchwide Events:

• I will be visiting the Holy Land next January with 17 other ELCA Bishops. This trip was to occur in 2020 but COVID. While in the Holy Land, there will be an ordination. Sally Anzar, daughter of Bp. Sani Ibrahim Anzar, will be ordained as the first woman pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land. Prayers for Sally and the Anzars are welcomed. I am planning on bringing a gift from our synod to her ordination. Ideas are welcome.

 

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Ecumenical Events:
 
Region 8 Events:

• The Rev. Dr. Craig Satterlee will be presenting the theme, "My Burden is Light: Making Room for Jesus in Preaching," at the WV-WMD Synod's Fall Clergy Continuing Education Event to be held 16-18 Nov. 2022 at Cacapon Resort State Park (Berkeley Springs, WV).

 
Registration information and other details are posted on the WV-WMD Synod's Education for Clergy & Laity webpage (http://wv-wmd.org/education/index.html#Fall2022).
 
Deadline for room reservation is 15 October 2022; after that, the block of rooms will be released from, meaning there may very well still be rooms available, but there is no guarantee. Event registration is free (for content), but attendees are on their own for room & board.
 
This event is for clergy, seminarians, and SAMs. It is open to all judicatories.
 
Other Continuing Education Opportunities:

• Upcoming Kindling Faith continuing education events at ULS:
• We are planning a reboot of the Symposium of Evangelical Lutherans in Appalachia (SELA) on the Gettysburg campus from October 26th – 28th 2023. This event is a time of formation and renewal for rostered leaders or synodically-authorized lay leaders. I would like to hear from folks who would be likely to participate at a special informational session on November 13th at 7 pm. The zoom link for those who are interested in or currently serving in a Appalachian ministry contexts: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88294752114?pwd=Y25nWDlicHFCam5JcGxWMnU1bG55UT09
• Soul Care is a new multi-event program in collaboration with the Lower Susquehanna Synod. You can register here.
• Implicit Bias Training with Stacey Waters of the Pennsylvania Human Rights Commission is being offered free of charge via zoom. The first opportunity is on October 17th at 2 pm. The second opportunity at 7 pm. Again, both events are available via zoom.
• Transgender and Lutheran with Dr. Stephanie Dykes. Sunday, October 23, 7 pm. Join Stephanie on zoom for a delightful introduction to her experience as a transgendered Lutheran living in the Seattle area.
• Luther Colloquy with featured speakers President Guy Erwin, Dr. Volker Leppin, Dr. Monica Melancthon, and Dr. Amy Nelson Burnett speaking on the topic of “Lutheranism and the Status Quo.” Wednesday October 26th on the Gettysburg campus. Livestream is available.
• An Evening with Pastor Franklin Morales will be held via zoom on Sunday, November 20th at 7 pm EST. is an opportunity to meet an ELCA Latino pastor who has an amazing story to share about his many journeys that led him to rostered service in the ELCA’s Metro DC synod. It is a beautiful story of love and courage. I hope you can join us.

 
Walking Together as Synod:

• The first roundtable discussion for the NWPA Synod Book club was held by Rev. Tedd Cogar. It was not well attended as only he and I were on the zoom call. Pr. Cogar is willing to reset and hold another discussion on another date. If you are interested in the book and discussion please reach out to him directly so he can find a time which will work on everyone’s calendar. The book, two remaining copies at synod office, is Becoming a White Antiracist: A Practical Guide for Educators, Leaders, and Activists by Stephen D. Brookfield and Mary E. Hess.

 
Congregations in Transition:

1. Christ, Sharon and Holy Trinity, Hermitage. The congregation councils working on a model of shared pastoral ministry.
2. Grove Chapel, Indiana and Harmony Grove, Creekside. Two-point parish.
3. Zion, Mayport
4. Luther Memorial, Erie. Call Committee considering Candidate
5. St. Paul, Erie Call Committee developing MSP
6. Tabor, Kane Call Committee developing MSP

 
Clarion-Forest-Venango-Warren Conference:
 
Cameron-Elks-McKean-Potter Conference:
 
Crawford-Mercer Conference:
 
Erie Conference:
v  Pr. Karen Parsh, Interim Pastor at Abiding Hope writes, “On Saturday, October 15 from 1:00 to 3:00 Abiding Hope in partnership with St. Paul's Lutheran Church and New Hope Presbyterian Church will be hosting a PUMPKINFEST at Abiding Hope, in support of Youth Ministry Outreach and the Kearsarge Food Bank. There will be plenty of Pumpkins provided by Baytree Farms in Emlenton, and Bethesda will be sponsoring a food truck for snacks. There will be performances by the Sonlight Puppeteers and games and crafts for children. All are welcome to join us.
 
Indiana-Jefferson Conference:
 
Commentary:
I’ve heard this a lot lately within various Lutheran circles… “Where’s Jesus?” It’s either a gentle or blunt reminder to everyone of where is Jesus in this conversation, this action, this event. Or have “we” pushed Jesus out of the conversation, action or event. Perhaps it’s a question we should carry with us at all times and ask regularly of ourselves and others. The question just might change our answer to whatever we are considering. “Where’s Jesus?”
 
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
 
[email protected]
(o) 814.589.7660
(c) 724.931.4848