“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth …” (John 14:15) As we near the end of the fifty-day celebration of resurrection, our gospel lections…
What does the future of church look like? For three leaders from Camp Mount Luther’s CaTALYST faith community, it looks like connection, creativity, and meeting people exactly where they are. Chad Hershberger, Jim Vitale, and Ali Wyland recently attended the…
Oftentimes, I struggle to understand the words of Jesus as recorded in the gospels. I find the sayings of Jesus in John 10 to be among the most confounding. In just the first ten verses of this chapter, Jesus is…
A community Easter Egg Hunt was held in Millmont for children ages 0 to 12 on Saturday, March 28. It was sponsored by the churches of the Buffalo Valley Lutheran Parish, Christ’s United, Millmont, and First, Mifflinburg (Pastor Curt Wingert)…
Recently, several congregations in the Allegheny, Northwestern PA, and Upper Susquehanna Synods participated in a survey that asked one question: What do you hope for the sermon each Sunday? The survey results indicate a strong desire (almost 50%) for sermons…
When Jesus appeared to the disciples on that Easter evening and again a week after, his greeting to them is, “Peace be with you.” We hear this phrase three times in the reading from John’s gospel; three times, to the…
The Fellowship Hall at Messiah, New Berlin (Minister Bev Hoffman) came alive March 24 as 62 women gathered for the first Women’s Outreach Work event, an afternoon highlighting service, creativity, and collaboration across the Susquehanna Valley. Inspired by Lutheran World…
You cannot have Easter without Good Friday. I have heard and said these words more often than I can remember. Sometimes I have said them in frustration at those whom I knew I would only see on that one Sunday…
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5) Once again, we reach the culmination of our church year. In our Holy Week, we move from a triumphal parade to the bloody crucifixion of our Savior…
St. Matthew, Bloomsburg, was awarded a Daily Bread Grant from ELCA World Hunger. They have two on-going feeding ministries including a Community Blessings Box and the Bloomsburg Food Cupboard. In May, the congregation will start its 17th year of monthly…