New to the Neighborhood: Always Being Made New
The 32nd Annual Synod Assembly of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod was held June 13-15, 2019, at California University of Pennsylvania. Attending from St. John’s were Pastor Erin Jones, lay voting members Cody Schaar and Judi Rogers, and Sarah Lundie, member of Synod Council.
Judi and Sarah were happy to help with registration Thursday morning. Pastor Ellen Lundie is chair of Registration and Attendance for assembly. Judi, who serves on the assembly planning committee, helped the communication team by posting photos to the synod Facebook page, and also assisted the committee on elections. Pastor Erin assisted the assembly by helping out at the minutes table (mainly because that’s where they keep the good chocolate).
Important elections were held at this assembly. Bishop Kurt Kusserow was elected to a third six-year term on the second ballot. Bill Horne, Vice President of the ELCA served as churchwide rep to the assembly and also oversaw the bishop’s election process.
Barbara Nugent, a member of Bethlehem, Glenshaw, was elected Synod Vice President, and Pastor Bill Schaefer, Prince of Peace, Latrobe, was elected Synod Secretary. Both will serve four-year terms. The assembly showed its gratitude to their predecessors – Jeannette Christensen, who served two terms as Synod Secretary, and Brandon James, who served three terms as Synod Vice President.
Sarah Lundie, who concludes her service on Synod Council this year, was elected to the Committee on Discipline. Other election results are available on the synod website.
In other actions, the assembly approved the 2020 budget along with a resolution that at next year’s assembly the Budget and Finance Committee are to present a proposed 2021 budget that is balanced or has an anticipated surplus. Compensation Guidelines for 2020 were also approved. A resolution was passed in support of refugee children, condemning their separation from families and encouraging prayer, action, and advocacy on the part of congregations and members of the synod.
The assembly heard from two keynote speakers: Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service; and Carrie Taneyhill, Deputy Director for Emergency Operations, Lutheran World Relief.
The Rev. Liddy Barlow, Executive Minister, Christian Associates of Southwest PA, and Rabbi Ron Symons, Senior Director of Jewish Life, Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, spoke to the neighborly theme of the assembly in their interfaith presentation. They shared about the importance of talking with, working with, and supporting our neighbors who are members of different faith communities.
Thursday during lunch provided times for assembly members to attend forums to learn about specific organizations and issues. One important forum, attended by Pastor Erin and Cody, focused on the proposed “Declaration of Inter-Religious Commitment,” outlining the theological and sociological foundations for the ways in which the ELCA engages in dialogue and action with people of different faiths. This declaration will be voted on at the upcoming Churchwide Assembly in August. More information and a link to the draft policy statement can be found here: https://www.elca.org/Faith/Ecumenical-and-Inter-Religious-Relations/Inter-Religious-Relations/Draft-Policy-Statement
Cody also attended a forum presented by Pastor Kerri Clark and Pastor Peter Asplin on the topic of navigating through uncharted territories. Just as Lewis and Clark didn’t have a map when they set out to explore the Louisiana Purchase, neither does the Church have a map for moving forward in the 21st century. The presenters shared learnings from Tod Bolsinger’s book, Canoeing the Mountains, which challenges the church to understand its skills, its abilities, and how the world has changed, and to move forward with a spirit of adventure to share the Good News.
Sarah attended a forum on Mission Interpretation, presented by Pastor Wayne Gillespie. A mission interpreter thanks people for their service, tells the story of how we use offerings and gifts to create ministries, and reminds people that we make a difference when we answer the call to mission and ministry. There will be an educational event this August in Pittsburgh for anyone interested in joining this ministry team. The second forum she attended was presented by Lauren Walcott, the Synod Communicator, who provided information about free and almost free tools for use on social media. Topics included communication basics, creating content, graphic design, and optimizing workflow.
On Friday evening, Eric David Damon was ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament. Pastor Damon has been called to serve Emmanuel (Heilman) Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ford City and Grace Lutheran Church in Manorville.
Cody and Judi thank the people of St. John’s for the opportunity to serve as your representatives to synod assembly. Along with Sarah and Pastor Erin, all were enriched by the experience. More information about assembly is available at www.swpasynod.org/2019-synod-assembly. Be sure to check out the photo gallery, which includes a number of photos which were taken by Judi for the synod Facebook page. Visit the synod Facebook page for even more photos.
The 32nd Annual Synod Assembly of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod was held June 13-15, 2019, at California University of Pennsylvania. Attending from St. John’s were Pastor Erin Jones, lay voting members Cody Schaar and Judi Rogers, and Sarah Lundie, member of Synod Council.
Judi and Sarah were happy to help with registration Thursday morning. Pastor Ellen Lundie is chair of Registration and Attendance for assembly. Judi, who serves on the assembly planning committee, helped the communication team by posting photos to the synod Facebook page, and also assisted the committee on elections. Pastor Erin assisted the assembly by helping out at the minutes table (mainly because that’s where they keep the good chocolate).
Important elections were held at this assembly. Bishop Kurt Kusserow was elected to a third six-year term on the second ballot. Bill Horne, Vice President of the ELCA served as churchwide rep to the assembly and also oversaw the bishop’s election process.
Barbara Nugent, a member of Bethlehem, Glenshaw, was elected Synod Vice President, and Pastor Bill Schaefer, Prince of Peace, Latrobe, was elected Synod Secretary. Both will serve four-year terms. The assembly showed its gratitude to their predecessors – Jeannette Christensen, who served two terms as Synod Secretary, and Brandon James, who served three terms as Synod Vice President.
Sarah Lundie, who concludes her service on Synod Council this year, was elected to the Committee on Discipline. Other election results are available on the synod website.
In other actions, the assembly approved the 2020 budget along with a resolution that at next year’s assembly the Budget and Finance Committee are to present a proposed 2021 budget that is balanced or has an anticipated surplus. Compensation Guidelines for 2020 were also approved. A resolution was passed in support of refugee children, condemning their separation from families and encouraging prayer, action, and advocacy on the part of congregations and members of the synod.
The assembly heard from two keynote speakers: Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service; and Carrie Taneyhill, Deputy Director for Emergency Operations, Lutheran World Relief.
The Rev. Liddy Barlow, Executive Minister, Christian Associates of Southwest PA, and Rabbi Ron Symons, Senior Director of Jewish Life, Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, spoke to the neighborly theme of the assembly in their interfaith presentation. They shared about the importance of talking with, working with, and supporting our neighbors who are members of different faith communities.
Thursday during lunch provided times for assembly members to attend forums to learn about specific organizations and issues. One important forum, attended by Pastor Erin and Cody, focused on the proposed “Declaration of Inter-Religious Commitment,” outlining the theological and sociological foundations for the ways in which the ELCA engages in dialogue and action with people of different faiths. This declaration will be voted on at the upcoming Churchwide Assembly in August. More information and a link to the draft policy statement can be found here: https://www.elca.org/Faith/Ecumenical-and-Inter-Religious-Relations/Inter-Religious-Relations/Draft-Policy-Statement
Cody also attended a forum presented by Pastor Kerri Clark and Pastor Peter Asplin on the topic of navigating through uncharted territories. Just as Lewis and Clark didn’t have a map when they set out to explore the Louisiana Purchase, neither does the Church have a map for moving forward in the 21st century. The presenters shared learnings from Tod Bolsinger’s book, Canoeing the Mountains, which challenges the church to understand its skills, its abilities, and how the world has changed, and to move forward with a spirit of adventure to share the Good News.
Sarah attended a forum on Mission Interpretation, presented by Pastor Wayne Gillespie. A mission interpreter thanks people for their service, tells the story of how we use offerings and gifts to create ministries, and reminds people that we make a difference when we answer the call to mission and ministry. There will be an educational event this August in Pittsburgh for anyone interested in joining this ministry team. The second forum she attended was presented by Lauren Walcott, the Synod Communicator, who provided information about free and almost free tools for use on social media. Topics included communication basics, creating content, graphic design, and optimizing workflow.
On Friday evening, Eric David Damon was ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament. Pastor Damon has been called to serve Emmanuel (Heilman) Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ford City and Grace Lutheran Church in Manorville.
Cody and Judi thank the people of St. John’s for the opportunity to serve as your representatives to synod assembly. Along with Sarah and Pastor Erin, all were enriched by the experience. More information about assembly is available at www.swpasynod.org/2019-synod-assembly. Be sure to check out the photo gallery, which includes a number of photos which were taken by Judi for the synod Facebook page. Visit the synod Facebook page for even more photos.
