Bishop’s Note 18 August 2022

​Update Highlights: Calendar, ALWL, CWA, Synod Happenings, Commentary
 
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.

·        18-19 August Joint Base Lewis McCord Building Dedication
·        20 August One Year Anniversary Stem Cell Transplant
·        21 August Luther Memorial
·        24 August @ Synod Office
·        27 August Bp. Collin’s Retirement Pizza Party, Camp Mt. Luther
·        28 August St. John, Girard
·        31 August @ Synod Office
·        7 September @ Synod Office
·        10-24 September Annual Training, Darien, IL
·        17 September Upper Susquehanna Synod Bishop Installation, Zion, Sunbury
·        26-27 September ULS Board Meeting Gettysburg, PA
·        28 September – 1 October Conference of Bishop’s Meeting, Chicago, IL
·        5 October @ Synod Office
·        9 October Grace, Brookville/ Trinity, Reynoldsville
·        12 October @ Synod Office
·        14-15 October Synod Council Retreat
·        15 October ALWL Training @ Grace, Franklin
·        19 October @ Synod Office
·        23-26 October Rostered Leaders/ALWL Retreat
·        30 October  St. John, Oniontown
·        2 November @ Synod Office
·        9 November @ Synod Office
·        14-16 November FCTE (First Call Theological Event) Capitol Retreat Center
·        19 November Vocations Committee Meeting
·        20 November Faith, Erie
·        23 November @ Synod Office
·        27 November St. Paul, Warren
·        29 November @ Synod Office
·        30 November LAMPa, Harrisburg

 
·        Sunday Supply Dates: October 23*; December 11, 25*. *Mercer/Crawford only. January 15, 29 2023; February 19, 26 2023; March 12, 19, 26 2023.
 
·        ALWLs: Please mark your calendars for Saturday October 15th. ALWLs will gather at St. John's Episcopal/Grace Lutheran Church in Franklin. The day will begin at 10:00am and include a tour of the church’s Tiffany windows, Fr. Shawn Clerkin will offer a meditation /discussion, lunch and an open discussion among ALWLs on needs, wants, concerns and future gatherings. The day will conclude by 2:30pm.
 
·        Attached to this email is an application for NWPA ALWLs. If you are interested in serving as an ALWL please fill out the form and return to [email protected]. If you know of someone who would serve well as an Authorized Lay Worship Leader please pass the form along to them.
 
·        ALWL Training: The next iteration of ALWL training begins in September with Rev. Jake Jacobson leading in the study of the Old and New Testaments. This is a  joint training between Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod, Alleghany Synod and Upper Susquehanna Synod.
Introduction to Scripture Old Testament/New Testament Rev. Jake Jacobson
Course Design: The course will include assigned readings, prerecorded lectures, an introductory Zoom meeting and four 2 hour Zoom/In Person gatherings.
Text: Holy Talk: An Introduction to Scripture for the Occasionally Biblically Embarrassed, Jake Jacobson (Lulu.com or Amazon)
Cost: $50.00/person payable to NWPA Synod plus textbook
Calendar:
September 10 (10:00-Noon): Introduction of Course (Zoom)
September 24 (10:00-Noon): Pentateuch Zoom
October 8 (10:00-Noon): Prophets/Writings Zoom/In Person @ Allegheny Synod
October 22 (10:00-Noon): Gospels Zoom/In Person @ Upper Susquehanna Synod
November 5 (10:00-Noon): Paul/NT Writings Zoom/In Person @ NWPA Synod Office

• Attached to this email is highlights from the CWA. Please review and share.

 

• Congratulations to Ms. Olivia L. Martin-Call on her election as a young adult representative from our synod to the ELCA Church Council. Olivia is a member of Holy Trinity, Greenville and until recently Vice-President of the Congregation Council.

 
·        Fall Convocation. The dates for Convocation are 24-26 October. The location will be the Sheraton Bayfront on the lake. The concept for this year’s Convocation is to gather for time to relax and share and learn. Rostered and ALWL Leaders will be able to check in to the hotel on Sunday afternoon for a relaxing evening in Erie, followed by a program starting Monday afternoon through Wednesday morning. The topic will be “The Post Quarantine Church” based off the book by the same title. We will use our time together to learn from one another, develop ideas, and plans we might implement in our congregations and communities. There will be time built into the schedule for relaxing / exploring Lake Erie and Erie, PA, worship and conversation. And maybe another surprise or two.
 
·        Our 2023 NWPA Assembly will be (8) 9-10 (11) June 2023 at Thiel College. I will form a Synod Assembly Planning Team in the next few weeks. I will ask each Conference to nominate one lay person to be on this Planning Team. This core group along with the synod staff will begin the initial planning process for the next three Assemblies 2023,2024, 2025. As the core team progresses other individuals within our synod will be asked to join specific teams or committees centering around our upcoming 2023 Assembly and beyond.
 
·        The following congregations are in transition:

1. Christ, Sharon and Holy Trinity, Hermitage. The congregation councils are working to develop a model for shared pastoral ministry.
2. Faith, Venus and Holy Trinity, Shippenville. Call Committee working with Candidate
3. Grove Chapel, Indiana and Harmony Grove, Creekside. Two-point parish.
4. Immanuel, Erie
5. Zion, Mayport
6. Luther Memorial, Erie. Call Committee working with Candidate
7. St. Paul, Erie Call Committee developing MSP

 

• Supply Pastor Policy: Our Synod Council approved the attached Supply Pastor Policy. Individuals who are currently serving as supply pastors in our synod need to let Ellen and I know by 1 September your willingness to serve beyond 1 September. Why was this policy proposed by me and enacted by our synod council? I have received reports of congregations using Sunday supply pastors who are not recognized as such by our synod and reports of pastors and individuals who think they are recognized as pastors in our denomination or our ecumenical partner denominations serving in our congregations. This policy helps to set boundaries for both congregations and Sunday supply pastors/deacons.

 

• Rev. Mark Fischer, Twelve Apostles reports, “We donated $800 of proceeds from the Community Yard Sale Day to the Crawford County Career Technical Center. The remaining $1300 is earmarked for our church food bank which serves at least a dozen people each month.” AND “On September 25th we will hold our Harvest Home Dinner. Donations will go to Lutheran Disaster Response for Kentucky Flood victims.” IF your congregation is working to lift up the ministries in your community and beyond please let me know so I can share your work within this email AND invite those who might be interested in supporting your local efforts to show up in support.

 

• Please hold in prayer our pastors and deacon here in our synod along with all who step up as lay leaders to take on roles of increasing responsibility. Pray for them and their family’s health. While CWA did what could be done to prevent the spread of COVID, Presiding Bishop Eaton and several other bishops contracted the virus while in Columbus. One of our own voting members was among several who also contracted the virus. All are recovering. School will start soon for many in our synod along with Fall programing in our congregations. Please hold each other in prayer as we shift towards fuller fall schedules and the turning of the leaves.

 
 
Called to Serve,
 
Bp. Lozano