Virtual Racial Justice Training
2020-11-07 09:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
We want to talk about race, racism, and racial justice as a church. We see the need and feel the deep divide in our country and even in some of our communities and congregations. But how do we start? How can we help our church community begin to have conversations about race that are scriptural, educational, helpful? What if we have few or no people of color in our congregation? How do we have healthy conversation around such a charged issue?
The Upper Susquehanna Synod is offering this training to rostered ministers, lay ministry professionals, and congregation members. The training will be led by the Lower Susquehanna Synod’s Toward Racial Justice team with training to foster healthy and holy conversation so that congregations have the tools and confidence to deepen discussions and take action. The workshop will address three important aspects of anti-racism work: 1) Talking about Race: Language, vocabulary, people skills, and best practices, 2) History and systemic racism in the United States, and 3) How to begin conversations and action in your congregation or ministry context.
The 4-hour training will be virtual via ZOOM and will run from 9:00-11AM and 12:30-2:30PM on Saturday November 7, 2020. Cost is $25.00 per person. If more than two members of a congregation register, additional registrants are free. Registration closes 1 week prior to the workshop. Register here For more information or for the free registrants, please contact Marty Shifflett at 717-652-1852 ext. 115 or mshifflett@lss-elca.org.

Thanksgiving- Office Closed
2020-11-21 08:00 - 17:00
The Upper Susquehanna Synod Office will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 26-27, 2020, in observance of Thanksgiving. The office will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, November 30, 2020, for appointments only. If you have an emergency, please call the synod office (570-524-9778) and the voicemail will give you phone numbers that you can call.

Synod Council Meeting
2020-11-21 09:00 - 13:00, 2021-02-13 09:00 - 13:00, 2021-04-24 09:00 - 13:00
At Synod Office

Boundary Training Zoom Workshop
2020-12-02 10:00 - 15:30
Pastor Diane Wheatley, who has led boundary trainings for the Allegheny Synod, will lead this training offered by the Allegheny, Upper Susquehanna, Northwest Pennsylvania, and West Virginia/Western Maryland Synods. Rostered leaders from all four of these synods are encouraged to attend.
Rostered Leaders in the ELCA are strongly encouraged to participate in a boundary training every 2 – 3 years. For those who are considering mobility, many Synods will not consider candidates who have not had a recent boundary training. This training is about helping us to have healthy churches and healthy relationships with our people.
This training will go over the basics of healthy boundaries for rostered leaders and have opportunity for review and discussion around situations we may encounter in church leadership.
Schedule
10 a.m. until noon – Session 1
noon to 1:30pm – Lunch
1:30pm until 3:30pm – Session 2
Pastor Wheatley will offer time for optional conversation after the course is finished at 3:30 for those who would wish to remain on the Zoom call.
To register for this training:

https://tithe.ly/event-registration/#/2720716
Order the course workbook ($15) from Pastor Wheatley: dwheatle@twcny.rr.com (required)

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Synod Office.

Synod Office Closed
2020-12-24 - 2021-01-01
The Upper Susquehanna Synod Office will be closed on Thursday, December 24, 2020, through Friday, January 1, 2021, in observance of the Christmas and New Years holidays. The office will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, January 3, 2021, for appointments only. If you have an emergency, please call the synod office (570-524-9778) and the voicemail will give you phone numbers that you can call.

Lessons and Carols for the First Sunday of Christmas
2020-12-27
Our synod staff are providing a recorded service of Lessons and Carols for the First Sunday of Christmas. Congregations that wish to may use this service in place of their usual Sunday worship. The recording will drop on December 26 at 5:00 p.m. on the synod’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Here is a link to the video: https://youtu.be/BGL26_auMEw
For people without the internet, you can listen to the service by calling 570-989-8899 and the service will be available all week after 9 a.m. Sunday.
To download the bulletin for the service, click here: https://www.uss-elca.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Lessons-and-Carols-for-Christmas.pdf

Synod Office Closed
2021-01-18
The Upper Susquehanna Synod Office will be closed on Monday, January 18, 2021, in observance of Martin Luther King Day. If you have an emergency, please call the synod office (570-524-9778) and the voicemail will give you phone numbers that you can call.

Diocese of Scranton Ecumenical Prayer Service
2021-01-19 12:10
The theme of this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which will take place from January 18-25, is: “Abide in my love… you shall bear much fruit,” (John, 15). This year, because of the pandemic, the Diocese of Scranton commemoration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will take place in a slightly different manner. The Ecumenical Service of Prayer will be conducted virtually. The service will be broadcast on Tuesday, January 19, at 12:10 p.m. on Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton. At the same time, it will also be made available on the Diocese of Scranton website and through Diocesan social media platforms (Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram). The Reverend Russell McDougall, C.S.C., rector of the Holy Cross Community at King’s College and former rector of the Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem will serve as homilist.

Buffalo Valley Lay School of Theology
2021-01-23
The Buffalo Valley Conference of the Upper Susquehanna Synod is excited to once again offer our annual Buffalo Valley Lay School of Theology! This year, they will be offering multiple workshops running from January 23rdthrough February 14th. A catalog of offerings is available here: bit.ly/BVLST2021. Please note that some workshops gather multiple times over the weeks while some are offered as asynchronous videos on YouTube (see the link below for the Buffalo Valley Lay School of Theology YouTube channel). Any workshops with a date and time associated with them will be offered via Zoom; login information for those Zoom gatherings, as well as any additional supplemental resources, will be provided by the moderator after you register for workshops. You can register to participate in workshops here: http://bit.ly/2021bvclayschool. Visit the YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMHt3TS0Fi5sPTZLBBXbtRA

Cultivate Generosity with Adaptive Planning
2021-01-28 19:00 - 20:30
This online workshop on Thursday, January 28, from 7-8:30 p.m., will help you talk about money and giving without shame, guilt, or short-sighted tactics explore how effective churches and leaders understand financial issues (personal and organizational) consider ministry decisions focused on abundant and adaptive planning learn the one “lever” you can pull to increase giving engage all generations and income levels make a plan for your ministry context use digital resources and virtual groups to keep things moving forward
We especially encourage congregational finance teams, stewardship teams and council members to attend as a group, but all are welcome!
Cost: $15, financial support available
Register at https://demdsynod.org/connectedness/generosity-abundance/congregational-generosity/cultivate-generosity-with-adaptive-planning-workshop/

CML Virtual Camperson Meeting
2021-02-07 15:00 - 16:00
The annual camperson meeting at Camp Mount Luther will be on Sunday, February 7, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. via Zoom. We have decided to do a virtual meeting so that we might be safer as well as get more people involved. If you are planning to be your congregation’s camperson, please email chad@campmountluther.org to get the Zoom link.
A camperson is a liaison between camp and your congregations. They are our ambassadors, regularly promoting camp news. Each synod congregation is asked to send a representative to this event to learn more about Mount Luther. Campersons will get Camel Bucks to the camp store for all those who attend from their congregation!

Camp Mount Luther Sunday
2021-02-14
Transfiguration Sunday has been designated by the Upper Susquehanna Synod Council to be recognized each year as “Mount Luther Sunday” to help promote outdoor ministries in the synod. We hope all of our congregations will join in celebrating outdoor ministries by offering financial support, by keeping the camp staff in prayer, and by participating in the numerous events and activities this ministry offers.

Lutheran Confessions Zoom Course
2021-02-20 10:00 - 15:00
The Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod
will offer an introductory course in Lutheran Confessions
by Zoom, February 20-April 3, 2021, 10:00 a.m.

The course is a portion of the synod’s instructional program for Authorized Lay Worship Leaders. Other interested persons are invited to participate. The Rev. Michael L. Lozano, Bishop will be the instructor.
There is no fee for taking the course. Students are responsible for the purchase or borrow of the textbook.
Please register by contacting Pastor Sandra Jones at prskjones@gmail.com by February 10. A syllabus and Zoom link will be provided by Bishop Lozano.
Introduction to the Lutheran Confessions
This course will delve into the writings of Martin Luther and the early reformers. Audio, video and written materials will be used to introduce Lutheran history and theological concepts. Conversation, lecture and the adult learning model will facilitate individual and group synthesis of the materials. Weekly questions and small projects will assist individuals in discovering the application of Lutheran theology for application for the authorized lay worship leader instructional program.
Course Dates Theme
February 20 The Task of Theology
February 27 The Power of the Word
March 13 Righteousness of God in Christ
March 20 Promise of the Sacraments
March 27 (Passover) Reform of the Church
April 3 (Vigil of Easter) Living and Dying as a Christian

Concept for Learning

Bishop Lozano will email each participant a final detailed syllabus prior to the start of the class.
Participants will spend approximately one hour engaging the texts for the week’s theme.
Participants will receive, no later than Tuesday of each week, additional optional materials for consideration along with a series of questions to guide their study prior to class.
The one and half hour class will be by Zoom at 10:00am on the dates provided. Participants will bring to class their questions from the readings, their self-discovery, and observations for class discussion.
Post Zoom class, participants will receive a short assignment each week to facilitate the integration and application of the week’s theme.

Primary Reading Material (digital, hard and paper bound copies can be found online)
Martin Luther’s Basic Theological Writings 3rd Edition by Timothy Lull (author), William Russell (editor), 2012

GROW in the Snow
2021-03-05 - 2021-03-06
CANCELLED

Help Camp Mount Luther During Raise the Region
2021-03-10 18:00 - 2021-03-11 23:59
Camp Mount Luther is participating in The First Community Foundation Partnership of PA’s “Raise the Region” on March 10-11, 2021. It is a 30-hour fundraising event starting at 6:00 p.m. and ending the next day at 11:59 p.m. Money donated by the Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships will help stretch donations made to organizations that day. Additional monetary prizes and incentives will be awarded, too. Proceeds raised for Mount Luther these days to the camp’s Annual Fund unless a donor gets in touch with the camp office to designate it for another camp cause. To be part of Raise the Region, visit www.raisetheregion.org during the event and make an online donation to camp. Running totals will be shown throughout the day at the Raise the Region website. Camp Mount Luther has participated in Raise the Region for eight years and has garnered about $119,000 in donations during this event. The camp hopes you will help us to have another successful year!

Synod Office Closed
2021-04-02 - 2021-04-05
The Upper Susquehanna Synod Office will be closed on Friday, April 2, and Monday, April 5, 2021, in observance of Good Friday and Easter. If you have an emergency, please call the synod office (570-524-9778) and the voicemail will give you phone numbers that you can call.

CML Early Registration Deadline
2021-04-15 23:59
Register for summer camp at Mount Luther by midnight on April 15, 2021, to get a discount on your summer camp registration! Or, if you bring a friend to camp who’s never been there, you and the friend (or sibling or church buddy) can both get $25 off your registration! Or first-time campers who attend the Spring Open House on May 2 can get the same discount on their summer registration! Only one discount per camper. Program information: www.campmountluther.org/summer. Register online at https://www.campmountluther.org/online-registration/

Synod Wide Rogation Service
2021-05-01 16:00 - 17:00
In partnership with the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry of Pennsylvania (LAMPa), the United Lutheran Seminary (ULS), and the other six ELCA synods of Pennsylvania, a Rogation Service will be held at Camp Mt. Luther at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 1st. Each of the seven synods will hold a Rogation worship service on their own territory which will include a focus on soil samples that were gathered from across the state. The soil samples were mixed together and then the combined soil was placed in containers to distribute back to each synod to include in their service. Our service at the camp will take place outside, beginning at the amphitheater and concluding at the prayer labyrinth. In case of rain, the service will begin in the pavilion but still conclude at the labyrinth, so bring your rain gear. We also ask that masks be worn while we are gathered for this worship service. For more information about this Rogation partnership across the state, please visit LAMPa’s website.

CML Spring Open House
2021-05-02 14:00 - 16:00
New and former campers, family, and friends are invited to the Camp Mount Luther Spring Open House on Sunday, May 2, 2021, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. to enjoy a nice spring day at camp. Come see what it is like to be a camper, tour our facilities, ask questions, and participate in fun “camp” activities. If you are a returning camper, consider bringing a friend who has never been to camp. Want to get a taste of camp before the summer season? This event is perfect for new campers who are a little apprehensive about leaving home for the first time. First time campers who attend can get a coupon for a discount on their summer registration!
To download a flyer for the event, click here: https://www.campmountluther.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021-Spring-Open-House-Flyer.pdf

Bishop's Open Golf Tournament
2021-05-10 11:00 - 17:00
The annual Bishop Open’s Golf Classic is set for May 10, 2021, beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the Susquehanna Valley Country Club in Shamokin Dam. The tournament benefits Camp Mount Luther and the camp’s annual fund. The camp’s golf tournament committee is currently looking for hole sponsors, silent auction items, and golfers. If you can help, please contact the camp office at 570-922-1587 or cml@campmountluther.org. Congregations are also encouraged to become hole sponsors.

CML Spring Work Day
2021-05-22 08:00 - 13:00
Practice stewardship through service at camp at Camp Mount Luther at the Annual Spring Work Day on Saturday, May 22, 2021, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We need your help getting the camp grounds and facilities ready for summer. There will be plenty to do and everyone in the family can help! Please bring supplies to do cleaning, mulching, raking, and light construction projects such as step ladders, buckets, rakes, etc. A light lunch will be served. RSVP by May 17 if staying for lunch to cml@campmountluther.org or 570-922-1587. Promote it: https://www.campmountluther.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021-Work-Day-Flyer.pdf

Synod Assembly
2021-06-19
This year’s Synod Assembly will be all digital! For more information click here:
www.uss-elca.org/assembly

Synod Council Meeting
2021-07-14 18:30 - 20:30
At Camp Mount Luther

A Day in the Life of a Missionary
2021-07-17 10:00 - 23:00
The Global Mission Team of the Upper Susquehanna Synod is inviting you to join us for an hour on Saturday, July 17, as we speak with ELCA missionary, Rev. Linda Johnson Seyenkulo. If you have always wanted to learn what our missionaries do in Liberia, here is your chance to “travel” with her and see what day to day life is like.
Rev. Linda is a busy pastor, teacher, wife and mother. Being married to the Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Liberia, she is also the “Mother” of the church which offers more opportunities and responsibilities to share the Gospel.
We will hear the challenges they have faced in the global pandemic and how they adjusted to offering ministry in the wake of COVID 19. Rev. Linda was unable to come to the U.S. last year, but is now visiting family in the U.S.. The ELCA has asked that the missionaries not travel within the U.S.. Therefore, she is unable to come to our synod or supporting congregations. But that won’t stop us from gathering via Zoom to hear what is going on with her and her work in Liberia!
This is a wonderful opportunity to hear and see a small bit of missionary life without leaving the comfort of your home. Please join us at 10AM, Saturday, July 17. Follow this link: Ann Zimmerman is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Missionary Life Rev. Linda Johnson Seyenkulo
Time: Jul 17, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Time
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85483550726?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 854 8355 0726
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Feel free to email annzimmerman@hotmail.com to receive a direct link to the meeting by Friday, July 16th.

CML Pick-An-Adventure
2021-08-02 - 2021-08-06
Camp Mount Luther is in full swing with their summer programs! There is still time to register for their new Pick-An-Adventure Camp which will be from August 2-6. This is a week for you to come for a day (or more) and do the activities that you want to do. Our staff will lead your family or just your kids for the day from 9-3:30. Lunch will be provided. You will have time and space to talk, listen, grow, share, play, sing, and pray together. Enjoy GROW Time, camp activities, and rest in God’s creation.
For more information, visit the camp website at www.campmountluther.org or call 570-922-1587. Stay connected to camp this summer and find out what is happening during our various programs, visit Facebook (www.facebook.com/mountluther), Twitter (@mtluther) and our blog (www.campmountluther.wordpress.com). We try to update these daily but please realize that our staff is quite busy and if updates are not posted, it’s because the campers and staff are so busy that they can’t get an update posted. And don’t forget, our daily First Light devotions will continue to be posted each weekday. Check them at www.cmlfaithformation.weebly.com.

Rostered Leaders Renewal Day
2021-08-04 09:00 - 15:30
Bishop Collins invites rostered leaders and seminarians to a Renewal Day on August 4, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Camp Mount Luther. This one-day event will include opportunities for worship, conversation, relaxation, recreation, and refreshment. The day begins at 9:00 a.m. and concludes at 3:30 p.m. The campgrounds will be open for exploring all day or bring lawn chairs or blankets for sitting on the grounds and enjoying a day away. Those who attend will have opportunities to participate in small group conversations, a nature hike, swimming, fishing, canoeing, and more. Also, Portico’s Barb Debski and the ELCA Foundation’s Marianne Brock will be on-site. Bishop Collins and Pastor Miller will be available for one-on-one conversation as well. This respite day is offered at no cost to participants; simply register by August 1 at https://forms.office.com/r/gDi2EEEiZM

Summer Institute for Ministry
2021-08-09 - 2021-08-12
Feeling emotionally spent, spiritually absent, and heading toward burnout? You are not alone! Join us for the 2021 ULS Summer Institute at Claggett Retreat Center in the rolling hills of Maryland where we’ll begin to breathe out the feelings of guilt, cynicism, and confrontation, and explore ways to be resilient, hold holy space, address struggles, and seek wellness even in the face of trauma and grief. Join us for this time with other Rostered Leaders to gather in person to rest, renew, reframe and breathe in God’s calling for us in this time. This rostered leader’s event is being sponsored by United Lutheran Seminary in Partnership with Regions 7 & 8 Synods. The theme is “Rest – Renew – Reframe.”
Each day will have no more than four hours of learning and will offer multiple times in the day to walk the labyrinth, visit a slave gravesite on the Trail of Souls, get a chair massage, nap, enjoy a guided meditation class, read a book on the veranda overlooking the Monocacy river valley, have time with a Spiritual Director or coach, and even find a friend to sit and remember what its like to just chat. We ask each person to bring a small bag of dirt from your home or ministry for our final sending.
Click here to register: https://ulsforms.wufoo.com/forms/z1q7x0l209d7ns6/
Click here for more information and a schedule: https://www.unitedlutheranseminary.edu/calendar/summer-institute-for-ministry-a-rostered-leaders-event
