March - 2020

ALLEGHENY SYNOD OFFICE CLOSED ... The Allegheny Synod staff will work remotely in order to comply with Governor Wolf's order. The staff remains available via email to assist you. Thank you.

701 Quail Ave., Altoona, PA 16602

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Office hours: Mon. - Fri. 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

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Stewardship is important in these uncertain times

March 31, 2020 “For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” – Romans 12:4-5 In these uncertain times when your congregation is not meeting in-person, it is easy to say to yourself that because you are not meeting, the church doesn’t need my offering. So often we see the church as the building and we forget the church is the people of God.

FFCRA information from the Insurance Board

This afternoon Mrs. Heather Kimmel, General Council for the UCC held a webcast on the Family First Coronavirus Relieve Act (FFCRA). Mrs. Kimmel gave an overview of the new law and how churches may be able to benefit from this law in paying and caring for their lay employees. This is the link to the video of the webcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VLMQL0khwE&feature=youtu.be

A message from Presiding Bishop Eaton on Covid-19 resources

Dear church, The last couple of weeks have been trying ones for everyone across this church. Our synods, congregations and ministries are facing challenges that they’ve never faced before. Being church together means more now than ever before. The churchwide office is launching a comprehensive Covid-19 response across the ELCA beginning today. We have three new approaches designed to provide several levels of support for our most vulnerable congregations and ministries. These

PA Council of Churches resources for Covid-19

Friends, Today, the Pennsylvania Council of Churches released A Pastoral Statement at a Time of Global Pandemic. Please feel free to share with your congregations or in other ways as you see fit. We have been maintaining a page with a variety of COVID-19 resources here, updated nearly daily. Here are the most recent additions (note in particular addition of resources for comfort): New York State Council of Churches’ Coronavirus Guide for Pastoral Leaders, Judicatories, and Co

Bishop issues statement regarding suspension of in-person worship

Friends, Recently we announced the suspension of in-person services and in-person meetings in the Allegheny Synod through April 6, 2020. This week members of our Synod team and several pastors took part in a conference call with the Pennsylvania Secretary of Health, Dr. Rachel Levine. Dr. Levine was very candid in her discussion of the current situation. Dr. Levine shared that infection rates are doubling every few days. Her estimation is that the shutdown will extend into M

Synod Attorney issues statement regarding closures

Colleagues, I have asked our Synod Attorney, Mrs. Megan Will, to write to us about the importance of following this shutdown. I am sharing this with you for your information and so that you may share this with you members. Please see what Mrs. Will writes below. I think it is important to note that in addition to being in private practice, Mrs. Will is an Assistant District Attorney for Somerset county. She understands this order from many different perspectives. Mrs. Will ha

Governor issues more closures.

March 19, 2020. 6:38pm We just received word that Governor Wolf has called for the closing of all non-life sustaining businesses effective at 8:00 pm this evening (3/19/20). Our Synod Attorney, Megan Will, has informed me that this means that we should close our church offices and doors until this shutdown is lifted. Staff should remain home until this passes. The Synod Office will be closing this evening. However, Pastor Paula, Pastor Becca, and I are available via email if

Suspension of worship during Covid-19 outbreak

As you know Governor Wolf ordered that as of midnight on Monday (Tuesday morning) all non-essential businesses in Pennsylvania need to close for the next two weeks. This order is to attempt to curb the spread of the Coronavirus. I asked our Synod Attorney, Mrs. Megan Will, to explain how this order affects our congregations. Mrs. Will informs us that churches are, in the eyes of the law, considered to be non-essential businesses. That means that we should not have in person w

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