Annual Report of the
Bishop to the Allegheny Synod
“Living in God’s Amazing
Grace: Thanks be to God”
…Thanks
be to God, who in Christ … through us spreads in every place the
fragrance that comes from knowing him. For we are the aroma of Christ
to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing
… (II Corinthians 2:14-15)
“…Christ
… through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from
knowing him.” The Corinthian letter is clear that left to their own
devises Paul and the Corinthian Church were certain to fail in their
call to be the aroma of Jesus. Yet Paul persisted in pointing the
Corinthians to the power of God to make the difference in challenging
times. “…Christ … spreads … the fragrance that comes from knowing
him.” May it be said of the people of the Allegheny Synod that
despite their shortcomings and failures, because they know Jesus their
words and deeds radiate the aroma of the grace, love and forgiveness of
God! Thanks be to God!
Our Aroma of
Thanks-Living During the Past and Coming Year
- 10,400 persons worshipped in our
mission centers sending nearly $1,032,000 dollars for mission
support for the work of Christ’s Church through the Allegheny Synod
and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America both nationally and
internationally. Add to that total $181,000 of designated gifts for
World Hunger, Disaster Relief, Missionary Sponsorship, Kenya
Ministries etc. and many more gifts for Sequanota, Allegheny
Lutheran Social Ministries, the Lutheran Theological Seminary at
Gettysburg etc. But there is more aroma!
- Three candidates for Word and
Sacrament Ministry from the Allegheny Synod have completed their
preparation in 2006 and are serving parishes in our synod.
- The congregations of Mt. Zion, Scalp
Level; First, Windber; and Grace, Rummel closed their doors on
December 31, 2006 and formed the congregation of Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church, Windber on January 1, 2007 so that the Lutheran
witness in that community could be strengthened, revitalized, and
ultimately grown.
- St. James, Huntingdon continues its
grace-filled resurrection journey following the devastating fire of
June 2004. The dedication of their new building is on Sunday, June
10. There is a fragrance of new life and excitement emanating from
them!
- This past fall Pastor James
McCormick of Cairnbrook found himself disabled following surgery.
The aroma of Christ was lived and shared by the constant stream of
love and support offered by colleagues and spouses of our synod and
the people of Graef’s congregation. They have lived the Gospel. Oh
that is a blessed aroma to smell and experience! Thanks be to God!
- The Allegheny Synod Evangelical
Lutheran Worship Team did a wonderful job of introducing our
church’s new worship resource, Evangelical Lutheran Worship.
- The Allegheny Synod was the
recipient of a $347,989 “aromatic” gift from the estate of Ms. Leone
Johnston for our endowment fund the interest of which is to be used
to enhance our support for persons preparing for public ministry.
Thanks to Ms. Johnston we can make more of a difference in
candidates’ and new rostered leaders’ lives! Thanks be to God!
- The Lutheran Letter will be
concluding its first year as we gather for assembly in June. It has
been a wonderful addition for sharing the aroma of Christ.
- Assembly 2007 will find us
celebrating not just congregation and rostered anniversaries, but
several synod and churchwide anniversaries as well. These
ministries [Lutheran Campus Ministries (100), Lutheran World
Federation & Sequanota (60), ELCA, Allegheny Synod, Women of the
ELCA, & Allegheny Synod Women’s Organization (20), and Lutheran
Services in America (10)] have been the fragrance of Christ over
many years.
- Paul Hunter is retiring so we will
be electing a new non-paid treasurer for the first time in twenty
years and replacing Paul on the staff with another person who will
have primary responsibility for congregational development –
evangelism, stewardship and revitalization.
- Every congregation has the
opportunity to be the aroma of Christ in traditional or new and
creative ways, trusting the Holy Spirit to use us as aromatic
vessels of love and forgiveness, evangelism and stewardship. I hope
2007-2008 will be a spring board to energize us for this important
and fundamental work belonging to disciples of Jesus.
My partners, the Allegheny Synod
remains vital and fragrant. We need to be persistent in reaching out to
others around us with God’s promise of love and forgiveness, pointing to
God’s ability to do in us what we never thought possible. You and I
know that God can make a difference in challenging times. We have
witnessed that difference. We have heard of that difference. We have
lived that difference. Thanks be to God! Therefore, let us be
animated, active, and aromatic vessels of Christ who are known for
spreading “… in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing
[Jesus]”.
+Bishop
Gregory R. Pile