Up and Down the Valleys: September 2025

Follmer Lutheran Parish, (Follmer, Milton, and St. John’s, Potts Grove) gathered Sunday, Aug. 3, for their annual parish worship and picnic. This year the event was held in the grove at Follmer with members of Washingtonville and Oak Grove churches attending. The weather was perfect, the worship was joyful, and the food was excellent!

About 101 runners enjoyed a crisp morning run for the 24th Annual Dandelion Run held on August 30 at Camp Mount Luther. Results of the race are posted here: https://my.raceresult.com/357721/.  The Heasley family started the race in memory of Rev. Glenn E. Heasley, Jr., former Assistant to the Bishop of the Upper Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Glenn’s favorite “flower” was the dandelion, because no matter what you do with them, they always rise again!

The 37th Annual Convention of the Upper Susquehanna Synodical Women was held on July 26th at Faith, Lewisburg (SAM Bev Hoffman).  There were 31 ladies in attendance.  They collected items for making up 200 Period Packs to be given to CWS for distribution. The extra items were donated to local shelters.

Sue Ellen Spotts and CarolAnn Miller attended the meetings in August in Iowa for the CaSTLE grant the synod was awarded. The grant will be used for leadership training and new worship communities.

It was a busy weekend of ordinations in our synod! We rejoice with Larry Herrold who was ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament on August 16. The ordination was held at Zion, Sunbury. Pastor Herrold has been called to Beaver Lutheran, Beaver Springs. Congratulations to Amy Shuck who was ordained on August 17 into the Ministry of Word and Sacrament. Pastor Shuck was also installed as pastor of First Lutheran, Watsontown.