Fall Labyrinth A place for prayer SYNOD NEWS November/ December. EBOLA and US

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1 Fall 2014 SYNOD NEWS NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SYNOD 2014 November/ December Ebola has become a very dangerous and very real problem in Africa and now spreading its way across the globe. Those most likely to be exposed to the virus are those working in the health care field, caring for the already infected as well as any close family and friends to the infected. The CDC states Ebola is spread through direct contact with blood or body fluids on broken skin through mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, or mouth. Body fluids including but not limited to urine, saliva, sweat, feces, vomit, breast milk, and semen of a person who is sick with Ebola. Also objects (like needles and syringes) that have been contaminated can spread the virus. The ELCA is doing whatever it can to aid in the control and treatment of this disease. The Rev. D. Jensen EBOLA and US Seyenkulo, Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Liberia, requests donations of food. To quote him If we don t die of Ebola, we will die of starvation. The Lutheran Disaster Response through the ELCA is sending protective gear, helping provide food, and spreading the word of how to stay clean and safe. They are aiding in the building of an isolation center at Phebe Hospital and School of Nursing that meets the guidelines of the World Health Organization. For those who cannot help by donation or time we ask that you pray. Pray hard for those who are infected and those who are caring for the infected. For more information on ELCA s commitment to snuffing out Ebola visit their webpage and click on disaster response. Also for information on how it is spread, signs, and symptoms visit the Center for Disease Control website. Sanctify, O Lord, those whom you have called to the study and practice of the arts of healing, and to the prevention of disease and pain. Strengthen them by your life-giving Spirit, that by their ministries the health of the community may be promoted and your creation glorified; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Inside this issue: A beautification project of the SYNOD office in Pleasantville, was discussed in a meeting of the Property and Finance committee via conference call on Thursday October 23, The discussion Labyrinth A place for prayer was for prayer labyrinth to be built on the property. What is a prayer labyrinth you ask? A prayer Labyrinth is interactive installation designed and built for spiritual journeys. Its use is for A Labyrinth is designed for all to enjoy. Unlike a maze, a Labyrinth has no dead ends only one path that a person may travel slowly. This is to aid in the work of deep thought, contemplation, NWPASYNOD website 2 Gettysburg Seminary 2 Labyrinth Continued 3 Who Are You Jesus?? 3 NWPA Schedule 3 Bethesda Christmas 4 Committee for Leadership 5 Pittsburgh Theological Semi- ELCA World Hunger 7 St. James Ringgold 7 YAGM 8-9 New Face/Local Events 10 1

2 nwpaelca.org Under Construction! The website for the Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod is getting a facelift! Under new management the website has a new attractive color scheme and appearance. Updated links and information will be added. Pictures have been added from two churches that sent us information on their events. More new information to come! Please be patient with our work in progress! St. Paul s in Coudersport held a free spaghetti dinner for 150 people in their community! Twelve Apostles in Saegertown hosted a clean-up day where they helped local members of their community clean up their yards and homes. Gettysburg Seminary Thursday January 29, 2015 Thinking Differently about Passion: Proclaiming With Children Ms. Chelle Huth, AIM, Director Theological Education With Youth, Director of Youth Ministry Certification School Thursday April 30, 2015 Preaching from the heart of the holy land: Reaching toward unity and peace in our(?) Broken world Rev. Dr. Angela Zimmann, Advancement & Communication Executive and Visiting Professor Of Preaching, Gettysburg Seminary Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg is in its nineteenth year of their program: Preaching Perspectives. This is a very successful program offering a continuing education series for the task of preaching. For more information contact: Wendy Mizenko, Event Coordinator wmizenko@ltsg.edu or

3 Labyrinth Continued... The use of a Labyrinth Paver Kit from The Labyrinth Company would allow the ease of installation and up keep on the property. Also to add to the Labyrinth s accessibility a walk way from the parking lot will allow the safety of individuals with walkers, scooters and wheelchairs to enjoy the Labyrinth as well as the addition of several benches to allow for comfort. The recruitment of volunteer workers to help prep and build the Labyrinth will need to be arranged closer to breaking ground on this project. It is hoped for future use this would be utilized as prayer walk, and nature activity for visitors and the community. It will be a place for different organizations to come and meet for introduction sessions to prayer, confirmation classes, and women's groups. This Labyrinth will not only add beauty and function to the property but further our commitment to the SYNOD goals of forming faith, making disciples and building leaders An example from The Labyrinth Company shown here. Who are You, Jesus?" is a new IPAD app being designed to inspire young children to engage with Jesus through age-appropriate Scripture, expressing their prayers through words and art. A Trio comprised of a writer, a friend, and blogger mom are the brains behind this app! This app will help teach children how to pray. It will help teach them how to communicate with God and to know Who are You Jesus?? Pam Moore, Suzanne Haraburd, Hollis Bernstein To learn more about this app and how it works Visit : that God loves them no matter their age. Engaging young children is getting harder and harder these days due to the constant bombardment of technology. So writer, blogger mom Suzanne Heraburd set out to reach little ones through the very technology they use most. Busy as always here at NWPA Synod Office NOVEMBER November 4 NWPA and SWPA Synod Assembly Planning meeting November 7-10 ELCA Church Council in Chicago November First Call Theological Education Waynesborough November Committee on Church Vocation (Office) November Tanzanian Consultation in Chicago November Thanksgiving Break DECEMBER December 2 Leadership Support Committee Meeting December 24-January 1 Christmas Break 3

4 Holidays Are Upon Us Once Again.. Unbelievable as it is...yes, the holidays are fast approaching. Giving, sharing and joy are essential parts to the holiday season. And as from years past Bethesda Children's Home is seeking help to provide a wonderful holiday season for the children in their care. For those of you not familiar with Bethesda Children s Home, this organization is located in Meadville, PA on a 360 acre farm and currently serves for over 300 children, youth and their families. Providing Behavioral Rehabilitation, Emergency Shelter, Foster Homes, Group Homes, Independent living, Horticulture therapy, and many other services for children with emotional and behavioral disorders; as well as troubled children. Many of these children come from troubled homes, or suffered from abuse and removed from their homes and placed into foster care. Bethesda Children s Home was officially incorporated in 1919 as the Orphans Home of the Pittsburgh Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Its stated purpose was to provide a home for orphaned, destitute, friendless, defective or delinquent children without distinction as to race, creed or condition; in which home under Christian direction and influence these children may be reared and prepared for the stern duties of life and citizenship. Each year around this time the children at BCH fill other their Christmas wish lists, and depending on how many churches are involved with the donations this year is dependent on how many requests are sent to each church. Donations can be sent in many ways: Monetary Donations (Used for Holiday parties and weekend activities) Gift Cards (Visa, MasterCard, or specific stores welcome) Purchased and Wrapped gifts from lists given ( They ask you send a detailed description with each present, so they do not need to open and rewrap the gifts to discern which is which) Festivities for the Children at Bethesda December 18 As you can imagine, children come and go through BCH, so general gifts are requested as well to fill in for any children sent to them after the lists have been made. General gifts for any age or gender including but not limited to clothes, toys, electronics and art supplies would be welcome. You can send donations straight to Bethesda Children's Home or you can schedule a pick up with them. For any question or for anyone wanting to donate you may contact Sandie J. Wheeler, Development Assistant Ext. 313 sandie.wheeler@bethesda-home.org 4

5 ELCA World Hunger Evangelical Lutheran Church In America God s Work. Our hands. The ELCA is working hard to impact the world hunger famine. They are working to reach people who need it most, here at home and abroad. Statistics say that 1 in 8 people do not have enough to eat nor do they know where their next meal will come from. According to the U.S. census taken in 2012 in the United States alone 46.2 million people are living in poverty. Working to raise funds and awareness about the growing hunger crisis across the globe, the 5th Sunday for World Hunger is November 30, also being the First Sunday of Advent. Observance of the 5th Sunday is an opportunity for contributions to be made as well as raising awareness for World Hunger with the emphasis across the NWPA Synod. Attached to this newsletter is the story of a woman by the name of Ellen and her husband telling her story about her fight with breast cancer. The project Angel Heart program supported in part by the ELCA World Hunger program provided nutritious meals for them while Ellen and her husband got back on their feet after handling the costs of her treatments. St. James, Ringgold Closing It s Doors On Sunday November 2, 2014, the last worship will be held at St. James, Ringgold. Then the doors will be closed for the last and final time. A meeting will be held with Bishop Jones and the four other Trustees on Monday November 3, 2014 to meet with contractors to discuss the demolition of the building The property will be given to the Cemetery Association as well as any left over funds after covering the costs of demolition, attorney's fees and any other miscellaneous expenses incurred throughout the process. A timeline will be set-up for the demolition after a contractor is procured. Its has also been discussed that the bell from St. James maybe used as a memorial piece along with a plaque at the location where church once stood. The decision will be made dependent upon the condition of the bell itself and whether or not it is salvageable. We are sadden to see St. James close its doors but know that God goes with everyone in this time of adjustment. By faith we began, by hope we continue, and by revelation we shall obtain the whole. Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians 5

6 Looking to continue your education? The Pittsburgh Theological Seminary offers online classes!! Re-Thinking Church January 19-February 9, 2015 A course centering on helping pastors to imagine new possibilities for the church on the growing issue of where the place of the church stands in todays secularized western society. Taught by Edwin Chr. Van Driel, Directors Bicentennial Associate Professor of Theology, PTS Offers in Spiritual Formation Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world! -Nelson Mandela January The Ignatian Spiritual Exercises and Christian Discipleship Martha A. Robbins, Joan Marshall Associate Professor of Pastoral Care & Director of Pneuma, PTS March 19-22, 2015 Julian of Norwich Roberta C. Bondi, Professor Emeritus of Church History, Candler School of Theology, Emory University May Our Lives as Sacred Story Carrie Newcomer, Singer and Songwriter May Immersion Weekend: An Invitation to a Deeper Spiritual Life Mary Lynn Callahan, Director of Spiritual Life Ministries at East Liberty Presbyterian Church, with presentations by various PTS faculty May 29-June Pilgrimage to Iona, Ireland and Scotland Rebecca Cole-Turner, Spiritual Director, Retreat Leader, and Student in the M.Div. Program at PTS, and Ron Cole-Turner, H, Parker Sharp Professor of Theology and Ethics, PTS June The Spirituality of Water Beth Norcross, Founding Director, Center for Spirituality in Nature, and Adjunct Faculty in Eco-Theology and Eco- Spirituality, Wesley Theological Seminary Contact Lori at for more information 6

7 Committee On Leadership Support G reed Does not rest until it is satisfied and Greed is never satisfied *Sam Eastland How Much is Enough? That is the question asked by renowned author Arthur Simon (Founder of Bread for the World). In his book How Much Is Enough? Hungering for God in an Affluent Culture In his book he reminds readers that when GREED (mammom) is the master, the order of good gets jumbled. He tells us that we are Human Beings NOT Human Having's. We are loved by God for who we are not what we have! Healthy Leader Challenge A resources to spark prayer, thinking, and conversation in the area of financial wellness To put it plainly we will not meet God with a carry on bag full of possessions and money. From pages in his book he quotes: In Matthew (6) and Luke (12), concern about money is directly related to anxiety. The problem is preoccupation with mammon more than the amount of mammon. Poor people are apt to worry about food, rich people to covet much more. Either way, trust is the first casualty a terrible loss because trust is exactly what God wants from us and what lies at the heart of our relationship with God. (pg. 62) Instead of making greed the master of us, we are the masters of greed. To put our natural instinct toward the good in life. To use the power of mammon to help those who have little, to spread it among those who have the greatest need. Make it work for us and GOD! Do his work with our tools. His Work, Our Hands. To love mammon is to confuse having with being, To confuse having with being is to worship the gift rather than the giver, fragments of the creation rather than the Creator When mammon is master a host of evils follow. (pg. 64) Mammon /ˈmæmən/, in the New Testament of the Bible, is material wealth or greed, most often personified as a deity, and sometimes included in the seven princes of Hell Copies of his book may be purchased at book stores nationwide. Including Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble. Available in digital formats as well as hard copies. A Review from 2011 from a woman in California posted on Amazon. A well written, thoughtful book that talks about the traps we set for ourselves and fall into equating what we have with who we are. Our entire way of life seems to be based on getting "more", getting "ahead", working more and longer and forgetting that none of those things make us happy. The important things in life are love of God, and each other. People and relationships, not stuff. There is enough stuff in the world so that no one should be hungry or homeless and yet millions are even here in our country. We really need to look at "How Much is Enough?" Judy Chun-Amazon Reviews 7

8 Young Adults in Global Mission Update on Hannah SPahn! Young Adults in Global Mission is an organization allowing young adults from the ELCA aging from to spend a year abroad in one of nine countries. These young adults are encouraged to be the hands and feet of Jesus and to aid in the critical support of the local ministries. Areas of service include, but are not limited to, health and development, congregational ministry, human rights, education, homelessness, addiction recovery, women s issues and children and youth. Working along side the locals of the communities they witness first hand the issues of wealth vs poverty. Most people don t believe that racial privilege still exists but in these third world countries it is very much present. These young adults spend a year of their lives making a difference in the lives of the people in their communities. Hannah spends her time volunteering at a pre-school known as a crèche as well as a drop-in center, and some after school programs in the village of Matsulu. In the mornings she visits with about 30 children ranging from 3-5yrs of age. There she listens to them recite their rhymes, builds puzzles and plays hand games. Hannah's Swati is very limited so far but the children still try to interact with her verbally. Hannah gets to the drop-in center before the children do and tries to help in the preparation of the meal that 3 female volunteers cook. Many of these children being orphans, the only meal the receive is from the drop-in center. This meal usually consists of rice, vegetable gravy and chicken that is prepared in huge pots over large fires. The drop-in center usually gets anywhere from children in a wide range of ages in attendance, Hannah likes to play duck, duck, goose with these lively bunch of kids. Pictured below the children at the drop-in center also gave Hannah her South Africa name Thembi (pronounced tem-bee), which means faithful, promise, or trust. Hannah leads the children in the Lord s Prayer before the meal is served. Kids at the pre-school Kids at the drop-in center 8

9 A Note from Hannah Hello everyone! This is my first of six newsletters giving an update on life here in South Africa! If you have specific questions that I can address about my experiences, please send them to my (hannah.spahn@gmail.com), and I will answer them in the following newsletter. Also, feel free to check out my blog if you haven t already done so (hannahspahn.wordpress.com). While I don t always have internet, I provide updates as often as possible. I hope this newsletter finds you well and happy! I m thinking of and missing everyone! Peace, Hannah When able Hannah visits a disability center. Shown here Hannah helps prepare chicken for a celebration called Siyosa. Siyosa means We are braaing! A braai (pronounced br-eye) is a South African cookout. The braai is a time to eat wonderful food, hang out with friends, and dance. Post office is on strike so no mail can go out but she has been able to receive a few letters! Prayer Requests from Hannah The Matsulu community ELCSA Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa The kids at the preschool The kids at the drop-in center; many are orphans The people who come to the disability center The other 63 YAGMs throughout Southern Africa and the rest of the globe The YAGM staff in Chicago and around the world My country coordinator, Tessa, and her family 9

10 Local Events and Happenings in and around our NWPA Synod office communities Advanced Youth Theatre Presents Pocahontas Friday, November 14, 2014 Barrow-Civic Theatre The "Wordspinner" and the rhythmic beat of the tom-toms open and close this charming musical adventure for all age groups. Show times are 7:30pm on Nov 14 and 2:00pm on Nov 15 Event Cost: $10.00 The Caring Place Fall Craft Bazaar Saturday, November 22, :00 AM - 3:00 PM The Caring Place Multipurpose Room The Caring Place will hold its Fifth Annual Fall Craft Bazaar. It will take place on November 22nd from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm, located in our Multipurpose Room, open to the public at no charge. Various Craft Vendors will be on display. Space is limited, but Craft Vendors are still wanted! We will have homemade soups and hot foods available. For more information please contact The Caring Place Activities Department at Event Cost: Free to the Public Victorian Christmas Bazaar Saturday, December 06, :00 AM - 3:00 PM Oil City Knights of Columbus One Stop Christmas Shopping! Cash and carry items will be available as well as custom order gifts. Live entertainment will be going on all day. Lunch will be available for purchase (all proceeds benefit the Blue and White Booster Club) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come see us!!! Event Cost: FREE New Face and Voice at NWPA SYNOD Hello everyone! My name is Ellen Shulin and I am the new office assistant here at the Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod Office. I would just like to take a minute to introduce myself. I am 2004 graduate of West Forest High School in Tionesta, PA. I then attended DuBois Business College, Oil City Campus where I graduated with honors and received my degree in Computers and Business Management. I then spent the last several years residing in Pittsburgh, PA where I attended The Pennsylvania Culinary Institute graduating Valedictorian and obtaining a degree in Hospitality and Restaurant Management. After working for a small chain of family owned restaurants for over six years, my life led me home again, where I now reside on the family farm. I am very pleased to be given this opportunity to work for such a great organization and I hope to learn many new things and gain new insight and knowledge of the interworking's here the NWPA Synod office. I look forward to getting to know everyone and having many years here! I have taken over the newsletter as well as the webpage! If anyone would like any information put on either of those feel free to send it to me! Pictures are great! And I would love history and background on some of the congregations in our synod. Thank you all. Deadline for January/February 2015 Newsletter is December 15, 2014 NWPA SYNOD PO BOX 43 PLEASANTVILLE, PA Phone: Fax: nwpasynod@nwpaelca.org Ellen Office Assistant 10