Upper Susquehanna Synod

From Crib to Cross (Lutheran-Episcopal Retreat)
2019-06-24 - 2019-06-26
Explore the Lutheran-Episcopal full communion partnership in a relaxed, scenic setting in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia through conversations with participants of each tradition. It will be held at the Shrine Mont Retreat in Orkney Springs, Virginia, with keynote speakers Dr. Alyson Barnett-Cowan and Dr. Timothy Wengert. Register online (and get more information) at www.virginialutheranepiscopal.wordpress.com.

Synod Assembly
2019-06-14 - 2019-06-15
The 32nd Annual Assembly of the Upper Susquehanna Synod will be held at Susquehanna University on June 14-15, 2019. This year’s theme will be “On the Way Together: United, Supporting, Serving.” Our ELCA Churchwide Representative will be Rev. Ruben Duran, who serves as the Director for Congregational Vitality. Register by May 20! Special attention needs to be made to the meal registrations. Meal tickets will not be available after the late registration date or at the door on the days of the assembly. Other notes as we prepare for this June event:

Live Tweet from Upper Susquehanna Synod Assembly: We will live “tweet” and invite others to as well using this hashtag: #usselca19. If you’d like to see what is happening at assembly, search for the Twitter hashtag or visit facebook.com/usselca.

Along the Way Bookstore: Sandy Grier will operate her bookstore at assembly. She’ll have cards, gift items, books, bulletins, flower charts, Sunday School attendance charts, CDs, DVDs, plays, church supplies, Bibles, Sundays and Seasons and much more. Visit her in the Degenstein Campus Center.

Bulletin of Reports: The bulletin of reports will be available for download at uss-elca.org/assembly.

Summer Camp Kickoff and Circle of Faith Dinner
2019-06-09
On Sunday, June 9, 2019, Camp Mount Luther will have a worship service at 7:00 p.m. at which time they will kick-off the 2019 Summer Camping Season. The worship service is open to anyone who would like to attend to support our synod’s outdoor ministry and this year’s summer staff. The service will be held outdoors, if the weather permits, so please bring a lawn chair. The worship will be immediately following the annual Circle of Faith Giving Club Dinner, which is by invitation. If you would like information on the Circle of Faith Giving Club, contact chad@campmountluther.org.

LARC Vespers
2019-06-02 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
The Lutherans-Anglicans-Roman Catholic (LARC) Vespers will take place this year on June 2 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Liverpool. This annual service is a time for us to gather in celebration of the growing unity we share with brothers and sisters in Christ in the Roman Catholic and Episcopal Churches. Our synod continues to live into the covenant we signed in 1993 with the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Harrisburg and Scranton, and the Lower Susquehanna Synod. While registration is not required for this event, we ask that you indicate by emailing info@uss-elca.org with the number of people from your congregation expected to attend in order that we can plan for sufficient refreshments following the vespers. The time for the event is 4:00 p.m.

Synod Office Closing
2019-05-27
The Upper Susquehanna Synod Office will be closed on Monday, May 27, 2019 in observance of Memorial Day. The office will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. 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.

Resume Writing Workshop and Dinner
2019-05-19 16:00 - 18:30
A Resume Writing Workshop and Dinner will be held at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Kreamer, on May 19th, 2019, from 4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. They will help with resume writing and provide supper! HR Professionals will be on hand from various local organizations to help. They will also be offering a listening ear to hear the needs of the community. For a flyer about the event, click here: https://www.uss-elca.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Resume-Writing-Workshop-and-Dinner.pdf

Lutheran Days in the Capital
2019-05-19 - 2019-05-20
On May 19 and 20, join people of faith from around Pennsylvania for inspiration, education and participation — in worship, service, learning and advocacy. We will focus on setting bigger, more welcoming, tables in our lives, our congregations, our communities and our Commonwealth. Come for our traditional Lutheran Day in the Capitol or come early and enjoy a day of service, learning and witness with our neighbors of different traditions. Bring a friend — or a team! Learn more and register here: https://www.lutheranadvocacypa.org/event/lutheran-advocacy-days-in-the-capital/
Kathryn Lohre, Assistant to the Presiding Bishop of the ELCA and Executive for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations & Theological Discernment will keynote Lutheran Day. Lohre will offer a vision of what it could mean to live into the proposed Declaration of Inter-Religious Commitment, to be considered at the 2019 Churchwide Assembly. She will also lead a conversational workshop around the wisdom and work that went into the proposed policy statement. More information here: https://www.lutheranadvocacypa.org/kathryne-lohre-to-keynote-lutheran-day-2019/

CML Spring Work Day
2019-05-18 08:00 - 13:00
Practice stewardship through service at camp at our work day on Saturday, May 18, 2019, 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 10 if staying for lunch to cml@campmountluther.org or 570-922-1587.
To download a bulletin insert/flyer, click here: https://www.campmountluther.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/2019-Work-Day-Flyer.pdf

RIC Training
2019-05-17 - 2019-05-18
The Table, a new ELCA mission start congregation, will hold a Reconciling in Christ Training at 49 E, Main Street, Bloomsburg, on Friday, May 17, and Saturday, May 18. The Building an Inclusive Church (BIC) training helps you design and implement a journey for your faith community to publicly and intentionally welcome people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. Building an Inclusive Church equips you with ways to create dialogue, deepening relationships throughout your faith community rather than sparking debate and division. The registration fee of $100 includes training, materials, refreshments, and lunch. Registration, cancellation, and refund deadline is two weeks before the training. Reduced income registrations are available. To download a flyer, click https://www.reconcilingworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Bloomsburg-PA-May-17.pdf

LARC Luncheon
2019-05-14 12:00 - 13:00
The next LARC Lunch will be on Tuesday, May 14, at 12:00 Noon in the Dining Room of the Harrisburg Diocesan Center (4800 Union Deposit Road). All are welcome; you may bring new people as well. RSVP to FrJLease@hbgdiocese.org by May 7.

Bishop's Open Golf Classic
2019-05-13 11:30 - 18:30
The annual Bishop Open’s Golf Classic is set for May 13, 2019, 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. A flyer/bulletin insert containing information and registration form is available here: https://www.campmountluther.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/2019-Golf-Tournament-Flyer.pdf. The camp’s golf tournament committee is currently looking for hole sponsors, door prize 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. Get involved and help our synod’s outdoor ministry!

Bishop’s Retreat
2019-05-08 - 2019-05-10
The annual bishop’s retreat will be held on May 8-10 at Camp Hebron, Halifax, on the topic of forgiveness. Rostered leaders are asked to mark their calendars and plan to attend the retreat. If spouses are interested in attending, please let Bishop Collins know. A registration form is available here: https://www.uss-elca.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Bishop-Retreat-registration-form_distributed.pdf
NOTE: A boundaries training will be held the day before at Camp Hebron for those who need that coursework. To register for that training, please contact Brenda in the synod office at 570-524-9778 or brenda@uss-elca.org.

Boundaries Training
2019-05-07
A boundaries training will be held by the synod at Camp Hebron for those who need that coursework. Any church workers, including ALWLs are invited to participate. Registration is $30 and includes lunch. To register for that training, please contact Brenda in the synod office at 570-524-9778 or brenda@uss-elca.org.

Buffalo Valley Lay School of Theology
2019-05-05 14:00 - 17:00
The Buffalo Valley Conference has rescheduled their Lay School of Theology. It is now scheduled for Sunday, May 5th from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., hosted by First Lutheran Church, Mifflinburg, PA. (Please note location change). They extend an invitation to all to participate in this day of learning and conversation. Continuing Ed contact hours can be for Authorized Lay Worship Leaders or rostered leaders. The schedule for the day is as follows:
2:00- 2:15 Registration and Refreshments
2:15- 3:05 Class Session I
3:05- 3:20 Refreshment Break and Conversation
3:20- 4:00 Worship: Holden Evening Prayer
4:00- 4:50 Class Session II
4:50- 5:00 Closing Prayer
Class offerings include:

Preaching on Gospel Texts of Judgment and End-Times
History of Holy Communion Practices
Reclaiming the E(vangelical) Word
Faith Formation
Holy Humor
Real Presence of Christ

Preregistration is encouraged: submit your registration to either brenda@uss-elca.org, 570-524-9778 or prjohnyost@gmail.com. There is no cost for this event but a free will offering will help offset the costs of refreshments.

Generosity Transformed
2019-04-30 - 2019-05-02
At the Generosity transformed! your mission * your ministry * your money Conference, April 30 – May 2, 2019 in Indianapolis, church and organizational leaders will learn how to energize and revitalize their strategies for faithful generosity by connecting their missions, ministries, and resources. More than a typical workshop-based conference, participants will engage deeply in peer discussion groups and subject-based roundtables to develop practical implementation plans and leave ready and able to help their churches and organizations thrive through transformative practices of faithful generosity. The ELCA is offering a limited number of registration scholarships. Contact Keith Mundy (keith.mundy@elca.org) for information on scholarships and the conference. For more information, visit https://stewardshipresources.org/generosity-transformed-2019/

Service for Conclusion of Ministry
2019-04-28 15:00 - 16:00
A service for the conclusion of 160 years of ministry at Grace, Mount Carmel, will be held on April 28, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. It will be held at St. Matthew’s, 301 West Ave, Mount Carmel. Synod members are invited to attend this worship.

Camp Mount Luther Spring Open House
2019-04-28 14:00 - 16:00
Have you ever wanted to see Mount Luther’s site and facilities? Do you miss camp and want to visit in the springtime? Are you interested in coming to camp this summer but want to get more information and see the place first? Well, this is your chance. The Camp Mount Luther Spring Open House will be held on Sunday, April 28, 2019, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. You can ask questions, tour camp, and see what it’s like to be a camper! First time campers who are not yet registered for the summer and who attend the event can get a discount on their summer registration! To download a flyer for the event, click here: https://www.campmountluther.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/2019-Spring-Open-House-Flyer.pdf

WELCA Day of Learning and Renewal
2019-04-27
The WELCA Day of Learning and Renewal will be on Saturday, April 27th, at Messiah, New Berlin. The morning panel presentation will include either or both Sharon and Talena Truitt who visited Liberia this past January, in addition to Pastor Ann Zimmerman (Moderator), Dr. Robert and Carol Bradford, Carol Harrison, Esther Bratton and Jean Bahner, all of whom have been in Liberia at various times. They will share their knowledge and impressions. Sandy Nelson has just returned from a three-month stay in Liberia and will have a table of artifacts that she is offering in exchange for money donations. She’ll be at the table ready when people arrive and during the lunch hour.
The afternoon will feature a Liberian Fashion Show (with dresses “modeled” by members of the audience) and will have TWO commentators–Ruth Koble and Leilee Boko. Leilee is the daughter of Esther Thomas who visited many WELCA groups and congregations in the synod some 20 years ago while she was President of the Church Women’s Association in Liberia and also Director of the Lutheran Training Institute (LTI) at Totota. Esther brought her school-age son and daughter to relatives in Connecticut so they could escape the dangerous conditions in Liberia that led to the civil war (1990’s) but Esther remained in Liberia. Leilee will be able to share much of her mother’s story, since they are in constant contact. Ruth Koble–affectionately known in Liberia as “Ma Ruth”–helped to establish a Literacy Program at LTI, distributed “seed money” so Liberian women could start mini-industries, and taught American canning methods to another group of women.
Please register in advance with Deb Hackenberger (cost is $10.00) or notify her that you are coming to New Berlin. Phone Deb at 717-363-0277 or email (dktabb@gmail.com). Payment will be accepted at the Day of Learning and Renewal.

Princeton Forum on Youth Ministry
2019-04-23 - 2019-04-24
Join other youth leaders, directors, and pastors on April 23-26 on the campus of Princeton Theological Seminary for a 4-day youth ministry conference. We believe that lives and communities will be transformed when theological reflection meets practical application. This year’s theme is MOVEMENT: Mission, Body, and Justice. For more information, visit iymforum.ptsem.edu. Click here for a flyer: https://www.uss-elca.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Forum-on-Youth-Ministry-2019-2.pdf Click here for a bulletin insert: https://www.uss-elca.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Forum-2019-Bulletin-Handout.pdf

Synod Office Closing
2019-04-19 - 2019-04-22
The Upper Susquehanna Synod Office will be closed on Friday, April 19 and Monday, April 22, 2019 in observance of Good Friday and Easter. The office will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. 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
2019-04-15 23:59
Register for summer camp at Mount Luther by midnight on April 15, 2019 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 $30 off your registration! Or, first time campers who attend the Spring Open House on April 28 can get a the same discount on their summer registration! Only one discount per camper.
Program information: https://www.campmountluther.org/programs/summer-camp/
Register online at https://registration.campmountluther.org/

College Workshop
2019-04-07 17:00
Four out of five parents send their children to college without knowing how to pay for it. Do you know there are ways to potentially save on your out of pocket costs? If you are the parent of an 8th through 11th grade student, join Thrivent Representative Melissa Apanel on Sunday April 7th at 5:00 p.m. for a free
presentation, “College Planning Strategies” presented by college planning expert and Thrivent representative Chris Grant. You’ll learn why:

applying to more than one college can improve admissions and financial aid chances
a college with high sticker price can turn out to be less costly out of pocket than a competitive public college
similarly situated families can have widely different FAFSA results that can affect their student’s financial aid.

You’ll also learn how to access free college planning tools, resources, and information to make your family’s college planning efforts as effective as possible. Taking on $30,000 in student loan debt (the average debt per borrower at graduation), can’t be the best strategy to starting life after college. Learn how having a solid plan for admissions, focusing on academics, and understanding the financial
process could provide a much better option. Please RSVP to melissa.apanel@thrivent.com or call 570-884-4060 by April 3rd. This event is open to all – please feel free to share with others that may have interest in attending. It will be held at the office of Melissa Apanel, Thrivent Financial, 434 Market St (Iron Front), Lewisburg, PA 17837. Students are encouraged to attend with their parents. No products
will be sold at this event.

New Beginnings #2
2019-04-05 - 2019-04-07
“New Beginnings” is a unique ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Central PA that shares the love of Christ with the middle school-aged (grades 6-8) youth of today. Because of the synod and camp’s partnership with the diocese, Lutheran youth are welcome and encouraged to attend. Throughout the retreat weekend, the high school youth will minister to the middle school youth. “New Beginnings” speaks, listens, and challenges middle school youth to be positive about themselves, their friends, families and their communities, in a critical time in their lives. This ministry reminds them that we are all children of God, we are special, we are loved, and there is nothing that we cannot overcome with Christ. The “New Beginnings” check-in begins at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 5th and continues through a special Eucharist at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday the 7th. (The entire weekend concludes around 12 noon). The event is held at Camp Mount Luther. Activities include a series of songs, skits, movie clips, and small group discussions. Topics such as God’s love, prayer, self, friends, parents, siblings, and school is explored with talks introduced by the high school youth and adult members of the team. Cost is $100.00 per participant! That includes housing in cabins with other youth, all meals, a t-shirt and an entire weekend of activities! To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/y78dlyx9. Registration deadline is March 29, 2019. After your registration has been sent in and accepted, you will receive a few additional forms to fill out along with a packing list for the weekend. Please feel free to email or call Mary Ellen Kilp or Theda Tallman at cpayouthcom@gmail.com or 717-475-2785 with questions. Here is a flyer for the event: https://www.uss-elca.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/New-Beginnings-1-Flyer-002.docx

GROW Writers’ Retreat
2019-04-04 10:00 - 16:00
Anyone wishing to come and write devotions for Camp Mount Luther’s First Light Digital Devotions is welcome to join other writers on April 4, 2019. The retreat will be from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Evergreen Center. It will be a day of writing and sharing resources for devotional writing. Please RSVP to the camp office at cml@campmountluther.org or 570-922-1587.

Conference Assemblies
2019-03-31
All voting members to Synod Assembly are expected to attend their conference assembly.

Juniata Valley: Sunday, March 31, 6:00 PM, Trinity, McAlisterville
Middle Creek: Sunday, March 31, 5:00 PM, Salem, Selinsgrove
North Branch: Sunday, March 31, 2:00 PM, Pine Street, Danville
West Branch: Sunday, March 31, 3:00 PM, Messiah, South Williamsport

LARC Lunch
2019-03-21
Lutheran Anglican and Roman Catholic representatives will hold the next LARC Lunch on Thursday, March 21, at that Harrisburg Diocesan Center (4800 Union Deposit Road, Harrisburg, PA). RSVP by noon on Friday, March 15, to FrJLease@HBGDIOCESE.ORG.

Meeting on Disaster Response Work Trip
2019-03-18 19:00 - 20:00
The Susquehanna Interfaith Network for Disaster Response is facilitating a work trip to North Carolina on May 19-25, 2019. A planning meeting for anyone interested in attending will take place March 18, 2019, at 7:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Milton. Click here for a flyer/more information: https://www.uss-elca.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Poster.pdf. For more information contact Doug Orbaker (dougorbaker@yahoo.com).

Day of Remembrance Essay Deadline
2019-03-15
The Upper Susquehanna Synod Council supports the work of Days of Remembrance, a member of the Association of Holocaust Organizations. Synod Council encourages congregations to publicize the organization’s essay contest, which has a deadline of March 15, 2019. Go to www.daysofremembrance.org/essay-contest for more information. Awards will be announced in early May. There are financial prizes.

Camp Mount Luther Helped by Raise the Region
2019-03-13 18:30 - 2019-03-14 23:59
Camp Mount Luther is participating in “Raise the Region” on March 13-14, 2019. The event, coordinated by The First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania, helps the community support local nonprofit organizations’ fundraising efforts. FCFP, in partnership with Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships, will be launching the 30-hour fundraising event on March 13 and 14, 2019, starting at 6:00 p.m. on March 13 and ending at 11:59 p.m. on March 14. Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships has donated money that will be used to stretch a portion of donations made to pre-registered nonprofits. Additional monetary prizes and incentives will be awarded throughout the entire event. This program is designed to help organizations, like Camp Mount Luther, kickoff 2019 fundraising campaigns and increase donor bases. Proceeds from this event will go to camp’s Annual Fund, unless a donor gets in touch with the camp office to designate it for another camp cause. How it works:

On March 13 and 14, donors will visit raisetheregion.orgfrom a computer, smart phone, iPad, etc. to learn more about the nonprofits participating and how their work is impacting our community.
You can then make an online donation to support one or more of those nonprofit organizations on the Raise the Region website. Running totals will be shown throughout the day at the Raise the Region website.
At the end of the donation period, a pro-rated match per gift will be determined and the Community Foundation will send checks to all participating nonprofits with the amount raised, the pro-rated match, and any EXTRA money from prizes awarded throughout the day.

Camp Mount Luther has participated in Raise the Region for six years and has garnered about $82,000 in donations during this event. The camp hopes you will help us to have another successful year!

Volunteer Chaplain Assistant Training
2019-03-05
UPMC Susquehanna’s Pastoral Care Department announces their Volunteer Chaplain Assistant Training on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the UPMC Sunbury Hospital in the ground floor conference room (use main entrance, take elevator to ground floor). Topics include: UPMC Susquehanna’s mission, the structure of a pastoral patient visit, assessing a patient’s spiritual needs, patient-centered listening, and when to pray with a patient. Following the training, Volunteer Chaplain Assistants will be scheduled to shadow with their staff chaplains. If you or someone you know would enjoy being a UPMC Susquehanna VCA please contact JoAnn Welch at 570-546-4128 by February 26, 2019, at welchja2@upmc.edu.
