ࡱ> >@=b jbjb{x{x ,( 3<<<<,8  ,(< < < < < =??????,R@k  " k <<< <  <8< 8< = $<<<< = ht=0 K i=0y  = ,,,,Pastoral Letter from Bishop Robert Driesen June 30, 2010 My dear brothers and sisters in Christ: At the recent assembly of the Upper Susquehanna Synod, voting members adopted the 2011 budget proposal but not without hesitation! The budget proposed by the synod council and reluctantly adopted by the synod assembly represents cuts to agencies and institutions this synod holds dear because they are so important to the mission we all share. As I indicated in my report to the assembly, cuts to Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries, the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, and the Pennsylvania Council of Churches will mean that real people will not be served in the same way we have been able to serve them in the past. Nursing home residents, dependent upon the benevolent care provided to them, will receive $18,000 less from the Upper Susquehanna Synod. Seminarians whose debt upon graduation is already large may find it even larger as a result of our $4,000 deduction to the seminary. Campers and truckers who receive ministry through the chaplaincies of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches may find that fewer chaplains have been provided because of our decreased funding by $2,000. Our synod council had little choice but to wrestle with the financial realities the congregations of our synod have shared with them. Congregations have told us that we can expect less in mission support dollars. The synod assembly, however, has said that we can and must do better for the sake of Gods mission. In an amendment to the motion to approve the budget for 2011, voting members asked that all the congregations of this synod be informed about the drastic cuts in the budget, urging them to do better by prayerfully considering in what ways they could increase giving. The assemblys action also asked that congregations submit their mission support commitments for 2011 to the synod office by September 30 (earlier than usual), so that, based on this response, the synod council might adjust the synods 2011 budget in favor of Diakon and, if possible, other recipients.. I have enclosed with this letter the supporting material that was presented at the assembly along with the amendment that was adopted. Mission support commitment forms are also provided with the request that they be returned to the office of the Upper Susquehanna Synod by September 30. I am grateful for the assemblys faithful call. All of us are being asked to examine what it means to be stewards. The truth is that it would not take very much for us to eliminate the anticipated cuts. While the amendment rightly calls the reductions drastic in light of their potential impact, they do not present us with an insurmountable goal. I urge you to respond, prayerfully considering your response, and urging your congregations to find ways for us to continue to support the ministries that have come to mean so much to us as a synod. Yours in Christ, Robert L. Driesen, Bishop      Synod Assembly Action Regarding the 2011 Budget *+,:;@AEIJVW]ghijm N   & E L h ¼}}}}}uquh0jh0Uh)/h0CJOJQJh0CJOJQJhZzh0CJOJQJhjCh0CJhxh0CJhyh0CJ h0CJheGh06CJ h06CJheGh0CJh05CJOJQJh056CJ,OJQJh>h056CJ,,+,<Aij  >?_^gdY, p@ P !^gdY,^gdY, $^a$gdY, $^a$gdY,$a$gd6_`$a$gd>gd6^gdY,h)/h0CJOJQJheGh0CJ8 h0CJ8'jh0U_HaJmHnHsHtHjh0Uh0*1hP:p09/ =!"#@ $%D@D _-1NormalCJPJ_H aJmH sH tH DA@D Default Paragraph FontRiR  Table Normal4 l4a (k@(No List H@H 6 Balloon TextCJOJQJ^JaJJOJ 6Balloon Text CharCJOJQJ^J4@4 6Header  H$2O!2 6 Header Char^J4 @24 6Footer  H$2OA2 6 Footer Char^JDORD /List Paragraph ^m$TObT Zz No Spacing$CJOJPJQJ_H aJmH sH tH  2 25 ( z z  +,<Aij   >?_ ` 0000000000000000000000000000" ܂iseo)ir4 Г0d18 @0d1@0d1@0d1 }~ _@ @ ( K@@ b  C 1" 0(  B S  ? 0$ 63UB,X A$> 'XhfU-rl|BW{N^`.^`.pL^p`L.@ ^@ `.^`.L^`L.^`.^`.PL^P`L.^`o(.^`.pL^p`L.@ ^@ `.^`.L^`L.^`.^`.PL^P`L.^`OJPJQJo(- ^`OJQJo(o b^b`OJQJo( 2 ^2 `OJQJo(  ^ `OJQJo(o ^`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo( r^r`OJQJo(o B^B`OJQJo(^`.^`.pL^p`L.@ ^@ `.^`.L^`L.^`.^`.PL^P`L. ^`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo(o p^p`OJQJo( @ ^@ `OJQJo( ^`OJQJo(o ^`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo( ^`OJQJo(o P^P`OJQJo(U-rl B,W{> 'X                                            @ "~6} P @Unknown GTimes New Roman5Symbol3 ArialIMonotype Corsiva=Constantia7Calibri5 Tahoma? 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