Nwpa Synod Newsletter North western Pe nnsy lvania Syno d, ELCA 2018 Synod Assembly Inside: Calendar 2 Assembly 3 Green Team 4 Inside this issue: Waldameer 5 Lutherlyn 6 Registrations: Registrations have been emailed and sent out via hard copy. You may register online at : https://www.regonline.com/northwesternpennsylvaniasynod2018assembly. WELCA 7-8 Car Cruise 9 Bethesda 10 Pastor Pierotti 11 Local Happenings 12 Registrations will be open until May 25th, 2018. Anyone needing to register after that date will need to register at Assembly. Housing: Single housing is on a first come first serve basis, it is limited since we are sharing with SWPA. All youth will be housed at Stewart Hall with coordinating chaperones. Meals: Meals will be in the Dining Hall. The NWPA Cookie table will be in the Bistro area outside the Lutheran Heritage Room, sponsored by the Mission Investment Fund and Doug Cornelius of State Farm. Forums: Forums will be offered from both NWPA and SWPA Synods, allowing our two Synods to mingle at common interests. A list of Forums and times will be made available at Check-in. Continued pg 3
Page 2 Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA Calendar May- 12 LWL Continuing Ed. Event 930AM 13 Mothers Day 17 Boundaries Training 9AM Good Hope Lutheran Church 21 Lutheran Day at the Capital 28 Memorial Day Office Closed June- 13-Synod Assembly Prep Day 14-16 Synod Assembly Thiel College 17 Fathers Day 18 Office Closed 21 First Day of Summer
May/June 2018 Page 3 Synod Assembly Continued.. Abraham Jam: A free concert will be held a Passavant Center on Thursday evening at 7:30PM. This concert will feature the musical group Abraham Jam. This will be available to the public free of charge. You do not need to register for Assembly if you are only attending the concert. We encourage carpooling. Good Hope Lutheran Church in Oil City is hosting a Bus to transport folks to and from Greenville, the cost is $5.00 a seat. ELCA Rep Mikka McCracken Director, Planning Engagement- World Hunger Keynote presentation: Rev. Liddy Barlow is ordained in the United Church of Christ. She served for six years as chair of the Pittsburgh Association Committee on Ministry, and was a member of the Habakkuk Group, a national United Church of Christ task force that rewrote the church's Manual on Ministry. Currently she serves as secretary of the Penn West Conference Board of Directors.
Page 4 Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA ADVOCACY NWPA GREEN TEAM The Green Team s purpose is to raise awareness of and advocate for the care of creation. What is advocacy? Webster defines advocacy as, the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal. Wikipedia tells us advocacy is an activity by an individual or group which aims to influence decisions within political, economic, social systems, and institutions. Advocacy can include many activities that a person or organization undertakes including media campaigns, public speaking, commissioning and publishing research or conducting exit polls or the filing of an amicus brief. Lobbying is a form of advocacy where a direct approach is made to legislators on an issue. Research has started to address how advocacy groups in the United States and Canada are using social media to facilitate civic engagement and collective action. As advocates for the care of creation we will speak out and share with you issues in Northwest Pennsylvania. Here are a few Lake Erie water quality, county recycling center in Venango County, air quality concerns near local factories, and the impact of landfills. Although these are local concerns they concern all of us. We are all concerned about the water and air quality as well as how we can reuse, reduce, and recycle. How can we advocate for the care of creation? Green Team members are available to speak to groups about these issues. Green Team members are keeping watch for issues that we will bring to your attention through the Synod newsletter and Facebook page. Green Team members will attend events such as Lutheran Day at the Capitol on Monday, May 21 st. Green Team members will work with staff members from LAMPa, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania, the state public policy office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. LAMPa serves the congregations, synods, and Lutheran institutions in Pennsylvania, providing resources, training, and information in the work of being a public church. We also will work with Lutherans Restoring Creation, a grassroots movement promoting care for creation in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. These advocacy groups are active on social media and we encourage others to become aware of and involved in the ministry of these two groups. To learn more about the Northwest PA Synod s Green Team we invite you to visit our exhibit at the Synod Assembly in June. We will be hosting forums with Tracey DePasquale, LAMPa s director, and a Holy Hike, with Deacon Nancy Guthrie. If you would like to be on our email list or would like more information about the NWPA Synod s Green Team, contact Chair, Rev. Ken Laber (jklaber@velocity.net), or member Dennis Groce (d_mgroce@labs.net) with your name and email address. Please email Pastor Laber or Dennis Groce pictures or a brief description of your Earth Day Sunday (April 22 nd ) activities so we can share. Martin Luther, God is wholly present in all creation, in every corner, behind you and before you. (LW 51:43)
Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 5 We are 50 and Thriving! Thrivent is holding its 50th annual family fun day at Waldameer Park in Erie on July 7th. A picnic and combo tickets to the park and Water World will be available at the reduced cost of $27.00! Details and a reservation form will be in the next newsletter. Please watch for it and plan to join us for a day of fellowship and fun! Recipe By request my Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe! 1 Cup White Sugar 1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (I used JIF) 1 large Egg 1 Tsp Good Vanilla Extract Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine all ingredients. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop 1" balls of dough onto greased cookie sheet. If desired add the classic peanut butter cookie cross hatch by pressing a fork sprayed with nonstick spray into the top of each cookie. (Make sure its gluten free) Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on rack and enjoy!
Page 6 Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA Camp Blast! Saturday, May 12 th, 2018 11 am 4:30 pm Join us for a day of FUN that highlights all that Lutherlyn has to offer! This TOTALLY FREE day has horseback riding, campfire, crafts, gaga ball, archery, high ropes course, zip-line, bouldering room, hikes, nature activities, canoeing, hay rides, games, sports, archaeology, rockets, biking, great food...and MORE! 11:00am Worship in the Amphitheater Noon - 3:30pm FREE Lunch served in the Dining Hall Noon - 4:00pm TONS of ACTIVITIES!! (detailed schedule will be available) 4:00-4:30pm Closing Campfire at Lower Lake You can learn more, or sponsor this great event by visiting www.lutherlyn.com/campblast Camp Fun Run Saturday, June 9 th, 2018 8 am 12 pm This fun-filled event is designed for runners of all skill levels and is a great opportunity to see how beautiful spring can be at Lutherlyn! Our course weaves through several areas within Lutherlyn's 660 acres. In addition to taking in some great scenery on the trials, there will be an assortment of camp-themed (optional) obstacles and tasks to enjoy sprinkled throughout the course. When was the last time you took up a bow and let an arrow fly!? Our short course is approximately 2.2 miles, and our long course adds an additional 2.5 miles for a full course more than 4.5 miles in length. Both courses include wooded trails, gravel paths, grass, and dirt roads. Proceeds from the Fun Run will benefit Lutherlyn's Annual Fund. Each summer, thanks to donor support, Lutherlyn provides more than $50,000 in financial assistance. Your support will allow Lutherlyn to keep our un-broken promise to never turn away a child due to financial circumstance! To learn more about registration fees, starting times, or runner requirements visit www.lutherlyn.com/run
May/June 2018 Page 7 Words for Women There are many ways to enjoy convention at Olmsted Manor! One can attend from Friday supper through worship on Saturday. One can attend for just Saturday or just Friday. Teens get $10 discount. Many Opportunities at Convention: Certified massage therapist, Cynthia Simonsen, will provide chair massages for a donation. She will join us on Saturday morning for the day. There will be a sign-up sheet available Friday night. Don t miss out on this opportunity for self care at convention. There will be a FAIR TRADE FAIR. Chocolate, baskets and gift items will be available for purchase. Hours open will be posted in folder you will receive when you register. We have items from Women of ELCA store to purchase. Volunteers to be a cashier for a one hour slot will be appreciated. Sign up at registration. There will be a Prayer Room to use any time night or day during convention. Please make use of this special offering. It will also be where the Praying Abundantly workshop with Christine will take place. We will be decorating rocks to Share Abundance. This will be available through convention. Draw or write a few words on painted rocks to give to a friend or put it somewhere for a stranger to find. We also will have adult coloring pages available if you want another creative activity. Friday there is an early bird workshop from 4-5PM with Linda Post Bushkofsky, executive president of Women of the ELCA. Bishop Jones will address the group Friday after supper. There will be time to talk with friends old and new and ask questions of our Women of the ELCA churchwide representative and Linda. Rev. Karen Parsh will lead us in worship Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. She will also be available for individual spiritual guidance as needed. You can see there is much to do and conduct the business of NWPA Women of the ELCA Snynodical Organization. Be sure to send a delegate from your congregation and encourage women to attend as participants as well. It will be a fun time for spiritual growth and fellowship. We also are planning time for dancing and/or duck pin bowling! Saturday there are 3 workshops to choose from. You may choose two: Prayerful Abundance, Abundance Through Poetry or Mindful Abundance
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Page 10 Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA THANK YOU for helping make the 4th Annual Bethesda Gala our most successful to date! Bethesda Foundation for Children continues to provide scholarships to youth seeking assistance for secondary education, giving them hope for a brighter future! Thank you for supporting Bethesda Foundation for Children and Bethesda Lutheran Services. We hope to see you at our future events! 10th Annual Charity Golf Outing Monday, June 4, 2018 Meadville Country Club Meadville, PA Erie Gives Day Tuesday, August 14, 2018 Erie, PA Mud Run Saturday, September 22, 2018 Bethesda Lutheran Services Meadville, PA 3rd Annual Clays for Kids Friday, September 7, 2018 Scattergun Reserve, LLC Conneautville, PA For inquiries, please contact our Development Department at: development@bethesda1919.org (814) 724-7510
May/June 2018 Page 11 Bella Ciao A Return to Sant Anna Rev. Tom Pierotti In October, 2013, I visited the village of Sant Anna di Stazzema in northern Italy. This was a very remote, mountaintop refuge that was populated by perhaps 575 women and children and a few old people. They were the families of Partisan soldiers who were fighting against the Nazis. The Nazis had built a well-fortified defensive line across the Italian peninsula. As the Allies were attacking the Nazis from the south, the Partisans were attacking them from the north. The Partisans were so successful that the Nazis had to pull significant numbers of troops from Normandy to help out in Italy. When the Nazis were retreating from Italy, on August 12, 1944, they went first to Sant Anna and massacred everyone they could find (560 mostly women and children). Today, there is a small museum at Sant Anna dedicated to preserving the memory of the Partisans. The gift shop has many books to sell, but none in English. I wrote Bella Ciao to give the museum a small story, in English, that might be of interest to English-speaking tourists. I am selling this for $10 and will use all profits to provide copies for the museum. This little book weaves together my story, the story of the Partisans, and the story of my guide to Sant Anna, Piero Pierotti, who at age four narrowly escaped the massacre. Although it speaks of a horrible event, I believe Bella Ciao is an Easter story. I hope you will enjoy it. Copies are available for purchase by mailing $10.00 to Tom Pierotti, P.O. Box 235, Ludlow PA 16333.
Word from Ellen NWPA Synod, ELCA 22598 Titusville Road PO BOX 43 Pleasantville PA 16341 Phone: 814.589..7660 Fax: 814.589.7566 Email: nwpasynodelca@gmail.com www.nwpaelca.org Scarlett's first birthday came and went! She is still a peanut at only 19lbs. Loves to eat everything she can get her hands on, and is very close to walking. She loves her doggies and is even starting to say their names! Its hard to believe she is already one. I lost an entire year somewhere! Pastor Sandra came and celebrated her birthday with us, at the local pool, in Titusville. A Big Thank you to everyone who wished Scarlett a happy birthday, and to those who have checked in on us from time to time! Thank you so much! Ellen Northwestern PA Synod, ELCA Local Happenings Murder Mystery Dinner/Train Ride Saturday, June 30, 2018 4:45 PM - 9:00 PM 409 S Perry St, Titusville, PA 16354 Millionaire Mayhem - Your Money or Your Life! Show by In All Seriousness. Buffet dinner by Stewart's Premier Catering Oil Heritage Festival Thursday, July 26, 2018-Sunday July 29th. 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Oil City, PA Join us for the 40th Annual Oil Heritage Festival in downtown, Oil City.