Salisbury Lutheran Parish Liturgy of the Word (via Google Meet) Sunday @ 10:30am Connect via Phone: + 1 956-752-6696 PIN: 708 350 361# Connect via Computer: https://meet.google.com/wnx-cent-uyb Faith Lutheran Church, Somerset is posting a virtual liturgy on its Facebook Page - Faith Lutheran Church (Somerset, PA). It becomes available Sunday morning for viewing. In-person worship begins at 9:00 am Website http://www.faithlutheransomerset.org Under “About Us” there is a “Links” tab which lists Faith’s FaceBook page. When you click on that you are taken directly to Faith’s FaceBook page without having to have a FaceBook account. Direct link: https://www.facebook.com/Faith-Lutheran-Church-857308614391564/?view_public_for=857308614391564 St. James Lutheran Church, Huntingdon Worship at 9:30am. It is pre-recorded on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_c8fPCP1iTc6U427myLLcg?app=desktop Friedens Lutheran, Friedens, PA Live stream on Facebook on Sunday at 10:30 am. Tuesday Bible Study, live streamed every Tuesday at 2:00 pm Women’s Bible Study via Zoom on Thursday’s at 7:00 pm. Trinity Lutheran, Johnstown, PA Services are at 9:00 am on Sunday on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/trinitylutheranchurchjohnstown/ St. John Lutheran Church, Bellefonte Every Wednesday at 6:30 pm - Holden Evening Prayer service on Facebook Live (on the church’s Facebook page [St John Lutheran Bellefonte PA] - videos of the service are posted to the page immediately following. Every Sunday at 9:30 am - Service of Word and Prayer on Facebook Live (on our church’s Facebook page [St John Lutheran Bellefonte PA]. St. Mark, Pleasant Gap Word and Prayer Worship: Sunday 9:30 am via Zoom AND Facebook Live Midday Meditation: Wednesday at Noon on Facebook Live Sunday Review Bible Discussion: Wednesday at 6 pm via Zoom Evening Prayer: Wednesday at 7 pm on Facebook Live Information can be found at www.facebook.com/stmarkpleasantgap or by e-mailing stmarkpleasantgap@gmail.com. St. Luke Centre Hall Regular worship videos are posted on Sunday mornings on their YouTube Channel: St. Luke Lutheran Church Centre Hall, PA, the link to the channel is: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCndvYdWpi7qSKld6Y8cnHMg/ Grace Lutheran Church, Johnstown Worship services available on Grace’s Facebook page and Grace’s website, glcjohnstown.org. Services are posted each Saturday evening and available for a week or so. Gatesburg and Pine Hall Lutheran Churches Pre-recorded service posted every Sunday morning by 11:00 am on their Facebook pages. Trinity Lutheran Church, Somerset https://www.trinitysomerset.org/virtual-worship/ Christ Lutheran Church, Claysburg Facebook Live on our church's Facebook page. https://facebook.com/events/s/service-of-the-word-6th-sunday/1347225432134957/?ti=as Holy Shepherd Parish Shepherd of the Hill, Karthaus and Holy Trinity, Lanse Services can be found on Facebook at 9:00 am: facebook.com/holytrinitylanse or facebook.com/SHLCKarthaus and at www.holyshepherdparish.com St. Paul, Pine Grove Mills Livestream on Facebook at 10:45am at https://www.facebook.com/stpaulpgm/live Zoom Webinar: Webinar ID 961 5252 0889; Webinar Password 725815 Or this link will open up the webinar: https://zoom.us/j/96152520889?pwd=L3JLSndFMXJySWlHNnExdTRCcnJMZz09 The New Centerville Lutheran Parish and the Lavansville-Bakersville Lutheran Parish, These parishes are collaborating on our digital worship efforts. We have made this worship available through the following. Facebook @newcentervillelutheran @lavansvillebakersville.lutheranparish Websites www.newcentervillelutheran.org www.lbparish.com Spreaker - Podcast https://www.spreaker.com/show/mt-calvary-lutheran-church St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Martinsburg Sunday: 10:30 AM Service of the Word with (Recorded) Music on Facebook 11:15 (or immediately following Service of the Word) Zoom Music & Fellowship Monday: Recorded Hymn Devotions at 9AM & 9PM Facebook Tuesday-Friday: Live Morning Prayer @ 9AM Facebook Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: Live Night Prayer @ 9PM Facebook Wednesday: Live Holden Evening Prayer @ 7PM Facebook St Luke's Lutheran Church, Roaring Spring Live Sunday at 9:45am on Facebook Morning Prayer - Tuesday’s at 9:00am on Facebook Evening Prayer - Wednesday’s at 7:00pm on Facebook Kid’s Lunchtime Lesson - Thursday’s at Noon. on Facebook Night Prayer - Thursday’s at 9:00 pm on Facebook First Lutheran, Portage Online worship on Facebook at 9:00 am First Faith Lutheran Cooperative Livestream worship Sunday morning at 10:00 am on First Faith Lutheran Cooperative Facebook page. Wednesday Story Time, 9:00 pm, First Faith Lutheran Cooperative Facebook Page Grace Lutheran, State College Sunday worship via Zoom at 8:00 am on the website (glcpa.org) or Facebook page. Wednesday lectionary Bible study podcast, Pocketful of Grace" available each Wednesday at 8:00 am on the website. Sunday worship radio broadcast, 10:30 am on WRSC am 1390 and 93.3 FM Bethany Lutheran, Altoona Online worship via Facebook Live at 9:00 am In-person worship at 9:00 am Christ Trinity Lutheran Parish Laurel Trinity, Jennerstown and Christ Casebeer, Somerset In-person worship begins Sunday, June 21, outside, Worship will begin at 9:30 am. We will switch back and forth between the churches on a bi-weekly basis (21 &28 at LT, 5 & 12 at CB, 19 & 26 at LT, etc...) for the foreseeable future. Here are other ways people can tune in: FM radio in the parking lot Online through Zoom. The link can be found on our webpage christtrinityparish.org or through Zoom app (Meeting ID 6125606500 Password: 471947) Worship at Home: A letter we mail out to those who request a take-home edition of worship.

On May 8th the first round of reopening Pennsylvania will begin. In the Allegheny Synod, this move from the “Red Phase” to the “Yellow Phase” will take place in Clearfield and Centre counties. On May 15th Bedford, Blair and Cambria counties will move to "Yellow Phase." The Centers for Disease Control, recommends that businesses and institutions who decide to reopen implement a screening for those who come on the premises. The point of the screening is to protect the church or business from liability and to aid in contact tracing if an outbreak were to occur in your congregation. Rather than having you take the temperature of all who enter the building, this screening form can offer a safety check before you have group meetings. This is a sample screening form. Though it is tedious, the recommendation is that individuals who come to the building should complete a form, those forms should be kept in the church for 6 weeks, after which they can be shredded. Information on this recommendation can be found on the CDC website Additional links and information from the CDC, PA Dept of Health, and OSHA are below. This Risk Assessment Tool is provided by the PA Department of Health. It can be helpful in discerning what steps to take in your congregation. In addition to this recommendation, the CDC and DOH continue to recommend social distancing which would include refraining from passing the peace, shaking hands, and physical contact for the immediate future. This is simply more information for us to consider. We want to provide you with as much information as we can while we continue to walk in this time of Covid 19. God bless you, Bishop Michael CDC Guidelines for Community and Faith based organizations PA Dept of Health Coronavirus Fact Sheet OSHA “Guidelines for Preparing Workplaces for Covid 19

The ELCA Office of the Secretary has provided this document on how to count and track attendance for online worship during the time of Covid-19. The ELCA Churchwide Organization has realized that through this pandemic, many churches are welcoming people through virtual services. The form also shows how online tracking will appear on the congregation’s annual report.

May the peace of the risen Christ be with you all! As we begin to hear about plans to re-open businesses in Pennsylvania, we’ve compiled some things to think about as you begin working toward holding in-person worship. We strongly encourage you to contact your insurance carrier before you return to in person worship and be in conversation about what they recommend. Please continue to follow the guidance of the CDC, the Governor, and your local entities. Regional opening by phases: One of the challenges we will have in the Allegheny Synod is that our Synod is broken up into four separate regions of Pennsylvania. If you reference the map pasted at the end of this message you will notice that Centre County is in the Northcentral region. Clearfield County is in the Northwest region. Somerset and Cambria counties are in the Southwest region. Blair, Bedford, and Huntingdon counties are in the Southcentral region. Other Synods are comprised of multiple regions but the Allegheny Synod appears to be the only one divided into four. That means that when considering opening we will have to be attentive to whether or not our region or county has been opened. The Governor plans to open each region in phases. Currently we are all in the most restrictive “Red Phase”. Regions will first be moved to the slightly less restrictive “Yellow Phase”. If infections rates drop regions can later be moved to the “Green Phase”. A description of these phases of opening is pasted to this message. Our understanding is that the Northcentral and Northwest regions are to move to the “Yellow Phase” of opening on May 8. The other regions of the state will be opened at a later time. That means that as of May 8th Clearfield and Centre counties will move into the yellow stage. The rest of the Allegheny Synod will remain in the “Red Phase”, under the full stay at home order, until the regions are cleared by the state. Opening to Yellow Phase: When the Governor allows the state or separate counties to enter the “Yellow Phase” of the re-opening, it means: (https://www.governor.pa.gov/process-to-reopen-pennsylvania/) Work & Congregate Setting Restrictions Telework Must Continue Where Feasible Businesses with In-Person Operations Must Follow Business and Building Safety Orders Child Care Open with Worker and Building Safety Orders Congregate Care and Prison Restrictions in Place Schools Remain Closed for In-Person Instruction Social Restrictions Stay at Home Restrictions Lifted in Favor of Aggressive Mitigation Large Gatherings of More than 25 Prohibited In-Person Retail Allowable, Curbside and Delivery Preferable Indoor Recreation, Health and Wellness Facilities (such as gyms, spas), and all Entertainment (such as casinos, theaters) Remain Closed Restaurants and Bars Limited to Carry-Out and Delivery Only All businesses must follow CDC and DOH guidance for social distancing and cleaning Monitor public health indicators, adjust orders and restrictions as necessary Continuing issues to consider: The following are questions about re-opening and some suggested best practices. More detailed information on these issues is in the ‘Helpful Articles’ below. Those most at risk will be the first to return, how do we protect them? Encourage the elderly and those with compromised immune systems to remain home If the Pastor has a compromised immune system, a conversation with Council should happen now Should we continue offering a web-based service even after the shut-down is lifted? There may be people who would like to attend church but are nervous about a group gathering until we know we are safe. It is advisable to offer both an in-person and streamed service for the future. When will we know it is safe to fully return? When the Governor allows your county to be in the Green Phase. At that time, we will still need to follow the state and CDC guidelines for the size of gatherings. What if my church worships more than 25? Congregations that worship more than 25 on a Sunday may consider dividing the congregation into smaller groups (25 or less) and offering multiple in-person services. Continue to stream worship for those who do not yet feel comfortable returning. How will we achieve social distance even with the move to the Yellow Phase? Consider roping off every other row of pews and asking those in the same pew to keep the six foot distance required for social distancing. Congregation members should wear masks when attending in-person worship and avoid touching anyone. Encourage members not to shake hands, pass the peace through touch, and not to hug anyone. Should we pass the offering plate? Continue the practice of not passing the offering plate until we enter a safe phase. Have a plate or basket in the place where people enter for offering and remind members not to touch the receptacle. How do we disinfect the church? What steps do we need to take? The church should be disinfected before any in-person worship resumes. Poll the congregation for volunteers. All volunteers should wear masks and gloves. All surfaces should be thoroughly wiped down. If you are offering multiple services on the same day, surfaces should be disinfected between services. Consider propping open the door of the church so the door knob is not touched multiple times even with gloved hands. Surfaces to disinfect between worship: pews, door knobs, chalice, paten, altar area, pulpit, lectern, any other surface that was touched by a member of the congregation or those serving. How do we have a safe distribution of the Eucharist? No common cup, no intinction until it is deemed safe. Use wafers and not real bread. Pastors and assistants should wear masks and gloves. The wafer should be dropped into open hands by the pastor without touching the person receiving. Consider offering Eucharist in one kind until we enter the green phase of reopening. Use a pouring chalice. Assistants should hold the chalice by the stem, not the cup. Altar Guild members who prepare Communion should wear gloves when preparing. If possible, use a pouring chalice, wine, and disposable cups. Assisting ministers should wear gloves and a mask, hand the cup to the member by the rim and have the member receive the cup by the bottom so as not to touch the gloves. Those persons pouring should only touch the stem of the chalice and wear gloves and a mask. Congregations may consider offering Eucharist in one kind (host) for this beginning return phase. Vessels should be washed in hot soapy water before use even if they have been in a cabinet in the church during the shutdown. Should we remove the worship books from the pews? Consider removing the worship books from the pews until it is deemed safe. When it is deemed safe, consider disinfecting the covers of the books before returning to the pew. Offer the service on paper with everything printed. The Synod office will send via e-mail the words to the various settings of the liturgy upon request. Should the congregation sing? The coronavirus is easily spread through droplets from mouths and noses. Singing increases the likelihood of those droplets being in the air. We advise congregation not sing until it is deemed safe. If you choose to sing, members should wear masks. Can the choir sing? It is not advisable that the choir sing. If you choose the choir to sing, have them sit six feet apart and possibly wear masks—even though that is not ideal for singing. Can small groups such a Congregation Council meet in the Yellow Phase? It should be safer for Councils, Bible studies and small groups to meet in person. We recommend maintaining some online options for high risk individuals and those who do not feel comfortable being in public and be sure to disinfect areas of use. Office functions could resume as normal, with attention to cleaning. Additional questions to consider: How will you update your building use agreements to reflect the new realities of COVID-19? If someone contracts COVID-19, how will you communicate with your congregation and members who may have come into contact with that individual while maintaining privacy and pastoral care? If someone who has been in your building contracts COVID-19, how will you do a more intensive cleaning prior to its next use? How will you communicate your safety plan and best practices to the congregation? Helpful articles Why Getting the US Back to Normal in the Next Couple Months is a Fantasy. PBS NewsHour, April 20, 2020. The Coronavirus in America: The Year Ahead. New York Times, April 18, 2020. 24 Questions Your Church Should Ask Before People Return. Ken Braddy, Jr. How to Seize this Moment for Your Church. Ed Stetzer. Pennsylvania Council of Churches Covid-19 Resources

Communion in the time of Covid-19 Bishop Michael L. Rhyne, Allegheny Synod, ELCA This message addresses the issue of ‘virtual communion’. Along with this message there are links to resources on this topic. These are a message from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton; an article from Dr. Dirk Lange of the Lutheran World Federation; an article from Bishop Craig Satterlee of the Northwest Lower Michigan Synod, ELCA; and an article from members of the faculty at Trinity Lutheran Seminary. May God’s grace and peace be with you. We are in the time of Covid-19. Here in Pennsylvania we have been under a stay at home order from the Governor and have been unable to gather physically as the church since mid-March. Fortunately, our leaders are finding ways for us to stay connected. Our leaders are using online worship, phone calls, letters, and many other creative means to continue to share the gospel. I thank God for you, our leaders and our members, and pray that you will be strengthened by our Lord Jesus and know his presence in this time. Because we have been unable to gather together, questions have been raised about how can we provide the Eucharist to our people. One question that has been raised, and I believe it is out of a pastoral concern for the people of God, is whether we should have communion over the internet. This has been referred to as ‘virtual communion’. The idea being that the pastor would speak the Words of Institution and the people watching from a distance would have bread and wine with them that they could then consume. I want to first say that I am fasting from the Holy Eucharist in this time when we can not gather as the people of God. I think that is the best practice for this time. This is the recommendation our Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton recommended to the ELCA. Except in cases of people who are near death, I believe we should all refrain from the Eucharist until we can gather together safely as the body of Christ. I will not receive the Holy Eucharist until we all can receive the Holy Eucharist. That is unless I come close to death and receive the sacrament as part of the consolation of the dying. We need to discern this as the Church I am not in favor of virtual communion. I don’t believe the church has fully reflected on what it means and the ramification of this practice for our current time and for the future. I do deeply understand the desire of pastors to care for their people and I think it a good thing that people desire the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. My concern is whether it is truly a valid sacrament if offered in this way. I fully understand Jesus Christ is in all times and all places. I cannot place limits on what our Lord Jesus can accomplish and bring into being. My concern is, and why I would counsel refraining from this practice, I know that my Lord Jesus desires us to take and eat, but I know that in the context of the gathered Body of Christ. I cannot say that I know the will of our Lord Jesus on the practice of receiving Eucharist when we are not together. Even when we share the Eucharist with those who are hospitalized and homebound the body is physically gathered. It will take time, reflection, prayer and the body of Christ communally discerning if this is something which should happen. Until that time, until we have had the opportunity to reflect as Christ’s people on whether this is a good and right use of the means of grace, I say it is not something we should be doing. I would rather continue a fast from the Holy Eucharist until we can know if this is efficacious to the people of God. If we are gathered together and the pastor consecrates the elements, I know that Jesus Christ is fully present in the bread and in the wine. If I am home with my elements and watching something on the computer, I do not have the same certainty. When ordained the Bishop charges the newly ordained to, “Care for God’s people, bear their burdens and do not betray their confidence. So discipline yourself in life and teaching that you preserve the truth, giving no occasion for false security or illusory hope.” (ELCA Rite of Ordination). In the uncertainty of this practice I am concerned that we might be offering false security or illusory hope to God’s people. I would rather be sure that I am following the command, the tradition, and the practice of the church where I know Christ is present with the Body. The idea of ‘virtual communion’ also brings up many questions for me. To address these, I would like to share part of an article from Bishop Craig Satterlee or the Northwest Lower Michigan Synod, ELCA. Bishop Satterlee wrote a pastoral letter to his Synod on the issue of ‘virtual communion’. I have posted a link to that article with this letter. Bishop Satterlee raises, in I believe a tongue in cheek manner, what are serious concerns and unanswered questions about this practice. “I wonder: If I set out bread and wine when I watch mass from the Vatican or from Notre Dame, can I commune with Pope Francis or with my colleagues in the Department of Theology? If my pastor presides at 10 AM and I sleep in and don’t watch the service until 1 PM in the afternoon, does it still count? I sometimes watch my sermon videos and genuinely receive the gospel from myself. Can I do that with the sacrament by virtually presiding and then watching myself later with bread and wine and commune with myself? If my pastor gets too political and preaches about immigration or gun violence or climate change, can I become a virtual member of a congregation in another part of the country that is more in line with my values? Can I virtually preside at Holy Communion from my office in Lansing to all of our congregations? That would certainly alleviate the crisis caused by the shortage of clergy. It would also be a lot less expensive.” (Craig Satterlee, ‘Holy Communion in a Time of Crisis’). Bishop Satterlee is reminding us that there are too many unanswered questions. I agree with his assessment and would commend his full article to you. Because we don’t know, it is wiser to abstain and fast until we are able to gather physically again, and distribute the elements in a safe way. That is unless we are nearing death and receive the Eucharist as part of our preparation to meet our Lord. Assembly of the Baptized Another concern I have about virtual communion is as Lutherans we have a confessional understanding that the Holy Eucharist is to be celebrated in the gathering of the baptized. The members of the Trinity Seminary faculty speak well to this in their article: "The Lutheran Confessions teach that the Lord’s Supper is to be celebrated in the assembly of the baptized, and not privately or by individuals in their own homes. In this communal celebration, we do not invite Jesus to our family table. Jesus invites us to his family table to share his body and blood, which unites and strengthens the body of Christ, the church, in faith and service. Just as Christ is present in the sacrament bodily, the community gathered to receive the sacrament is best gathered bodily." (Kleinhans, Peterson, Schroeder, ‘Concerning Online Communion’) Martin Luther was very much against the practice of the private mass and repeatedly called people to celebrate the Eucharist in community with the gathered Body of Christ. Can one argue that in a virtual meeting the Body of Christ is gathered? Yes, I believe one could. As we have said earlier, we cannot limit our Lord’s ability to gather us. However, we are missing a major gift of the Eucharistic celebration if we choose to commune apart from the gathered body of Christ—that is the incarnate manifestation of Christ both in the consecrated elements and in the Body of Christ that is found in our siblings who sit on our left and right in the gathering. The Eucharist is more than the meal. It is the celebration that Christ Jesus has called us into this community and made us part of himself. I learned in seminary that Saint Augustine would offer the invitation to the table by saying to the congregation, “Come receive that which you are.” Augustine recognized the gathered community of believers as an essential part of the Eucharistic celebration. The Eucharist is not about ‘me and Jesus.’ It is about Jesus doing what God always does, caring for and feeding his people, and being in the midst of us together. One could argue that this is an extreme situation in which the Body is gathering though we are dispersed. This argument takes us back to my earlier point: there are too many unknowns and much work to be done in discernment as the Body of Christ. I know that Christ comes to us when we gather as God’s people together and in community in the place we choose to gather. Whether that is in the church building or whether we take the Eucharist to someone who is homebound. Because of this, I encourage us to refrain from receiving the Eucharist until we are able to gather together again. I also know that when I gather with my pastor and they preside at the table our Lord Jesus shows up in body and blood. There gathered among us Christ is physically present. A colleague likes to say that in the Holy Eucharist we have a guaranteed physical encounter with the Lord who made heaven and earth. There in those elements, consecrated by that pastor among God’s people I know that Christ is present. The pastor has been called by God, set apart, and ordained for this particular ministry. I know when our pastor’s celebrate the Holy Eucharist among God’s people that Jesus is there. I would lean on waiting until I can be certain of the presence of our Lord. I am not certain what happens in a ‘virtual communion’ We know waiting Weekly communion was not a prevalent practice for many of the congregations of the Allegheny Synod in the past. We rejoice that in the past few decades we have gotten to the place where congregations receive the Eucharist weekly. That is a blessing. It was not too long ago that many of our congregations would receive Eucharist monthly or quarterly. Many of our members probably can recall that time. It is not ideal at all. I wish we could gather and celebrate together, but we know that would be dangerous to our most vulnerable members. Also, if one of us were a carrier, we could unwittingly infect numerous people in the church, or beyond the church. This is not the first time we have had to wait. Our Lord will see us through. Continuing Discernment You probably know that I lean toward more traditional practice when it comes to the liturgy and worship. I am not one for Eucharistic innovation. I am discerning what God is saying to the church at this time. I am in conversations with colleagues, other Bishops, seminary faculty around this subject. Different groups have differing opinions and thoughts on this matter. I am trying to listen and hear where God is leading us and what Jesus is telling us. I ask you to join me in praying about this issue. At this time, I recommend not instituting ‘virtual communion’. I believe there are too many unanswered questions and I will stand on the practice which I know and has been handed down through the church for thousands of years. I will follow the counsel of our Presiding Bishop and the precedent of the Church until we are able to gather as the Body of Christ, I will fast from the Eucharist. I appreciate your continued prayers as we discern the way forward together. In Christ Bishop Michael L. Rhyne Allegheny Synod Resources Message from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton https://www.lss-elca.org/bishop_eaton_200320/ Lutheran World Federation ‘Digital Worship and Sacramental Life in a Time of Pandemic” Dr. Dirk Lange https://www.lutheranworld.org/blog/digital-worship-and-sacramental-life-time-pandemic ‘Holy Communion in a Time of Crisis’ Bishop Craig Alan Satterlee, PhD https://mittensynod.org/docs/COVIDCommunionLetter.pdf ‘Concerning Online Communion’ Dr. Kathryn “Kit” Kleinhans, Dr. Cheryl Peterson, and Dr. Joy Schroeder (Members of Trinity Lutheran Seminary Faculty) https://associationdatabase.com/aws/SOS/asset_manager/get_file/439016?ver=2&fbclid=IwAR0g66r7go4M50O2oeWyV3WsUpLxFVC6MDvj4oEJehvetrC0-e4ATwpuW6g

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17) We have been actively dealing with the spread of COVID-19 for over a month. Congregations and leaders have had to get creative with worship and activities, including the most unprecedented Holy Week in our lifetimes. Changes are being made to businesses and the workforce, including furloughs, lay-offs, and the closing of businesses. There is uncertainty around when we may return to a somewhat “normal” existence while the pandemic still poses a threat. The outlook of our situation can look pretty grim on the surface. But as followers of Jesus, we know that—as James reminds us in the Bible verse above—all gifts are from God above, regardless of change. And because God continues to gift us, we are able to gift others. Below are some suggestions about gifting in this uncertain time. Adjust as needed. Your generosity may be different now depending on your current employment and financial situation. It’s OK to adjust for now and do what you can. Revisit weekly to see what may be possible as this pandemic unfolds. Share generously as you are able. Our congregations, pastors, deacons, and outdoor/campus ministries are still working hard to minister to folks even as we are unable to meet in person. Even as you adjust, remember that all that we have is a gift from God and can be shared with those doing God’s work during this pandemic. Pray about how God could be moving you to share with your congregation and other ministries within our synod, along with your neighbors in need. Explore electronic giving. If your congregation doesn’t already have the option, now many be a good time to explore an electronic giving option through your church website, automatic deductions, and/or a mobile app. Check out the two ELCA preferred vendors for electronic giving, Tithe.ly and Vanco. Make self-care a priority. Do what is needed to take care of yourself and your family. Make space to intentionally relax during this stressful time. Wear masks when going out and frequently wash your hands. Read pandemic news deliberately and not before bedtime. You are only able to take care of others as much as you take care of yourself. Pray and read the Bible. During trying times, it’s easy to let our relationship with God fall by the wayside. But now more than ever is an opportunity to cultivate our relationship with God. Spend time in prayer and read a Bible passage daily. Listen for God’s voice and guidance. Please know that we as a Synod Staff have been praying for you all. Our synod’s congregations, leaders, and ministries continue to be a bright light in a dark time. Jesus’ message of love and salvation is still being proclaimed even as we shelter in place and practice social distancing. God’s peace, The staff of the Office of the Bishop of the Allegheny Synod Bishop Michael Rhyne Pastor Paula Schmitt, Assistant to the Bishop Pastor Becca Ehrlich, Interim Director for Evangelical Mission Mrs. Michelle Bossler, Office Manager

Alleluia, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia! Grace to you and peace from the risen Christ! Saint Teresa of Avila said, “Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.” Friends, everything we are experiencing in this pandemic is new. There is no instruction manual for what to do in a situation like this. What has given me and the staff hope are the ways in which you are living out Saint Teresa’s quote. You are being Christ’s risen body in the world through the masks you are making, the food you are donating, the time you are giving, and the connections you are making through phone calls, emails, and texts and social media. The Holy Spirit is using you to share the love and light of Christ with those around you. We thank God for you and for the ways you are demonstrating what it means to be the church. Everything you are doing is a powerful witness to the risen Christ to an anxious and hurting world. While this year’s observance of Holy Week and celebration of Easter was not what we hoped for, we are continually reminded that we are not alone. We are the body of Christ. We are in this together. I hope you will join me in giving thanks to God for the heroic efforts of our hospital workers, grocery store employees, truck drivers, first responders, postal carriers, and a host of other people who are helping us to sustain us in these uncertain times. We know you will join us in continuing to pray for those who take care of our congregations our pastors, deacons, and lay worship leaders. The days can be long and frustrating. Do not lose hope. Now, more than ever, it is important to remember who and whose we are. Jesus called and claimed you in the waters of baptism. His resurrected life lives in you. Even though we cannot be together physically, we can be of one heart and mind as we pray for strength and courage to meet each day and be thankful for the moments of joy that break in to our lives in ordinary ways. We also invite you to use this time to turn and return to God. These weeks of waiting offer ample opportunity to pray, to read Holy Scripture, and to take time to rest in the presence of our God who is with us always. Christ is always right beside us. He is welcoming us to turn to him. Please use these moments to pray for our world, to pray for our neighbors, and to be reminded of the presence of Jesus Christ. May the peace and presence of Christ be made real to you this day and always. Living in the hope of the risen Christ, The Allegheny Synod Staff, Bishop Michael, Pastor Becca, Pastor Paula and Michelle.

Dear Allegheny Synod congregations and Rostered Ministers, I am thrilled to announce that our synod has its first new start (church plant) since 1968! ELCA Churchwide has approved Gloria de Dios, Pine Grove Mills (outside of State College) as a Synodically Authorized Worshiping Community Exploration (SAWCX). This 6-month exploration will be geared toward the Latinx community (those of Latino/a background) in Centre County and the State College area. We received a $6,000 grant from Churchwide to support our efforts. Pastor Paul Tomkiel and some members at St Paul, Pine Grove Mills identified the need for a Lutheran presence within the Latinx community in Centre County, and answered the call of the Holy Spirit by stepping in to help fill that need. This group has been building a core group of Latinx folks who have met a couple times for informal fellowship before the state-wide shutdown occurred. We are grateful that both the Pine Grove Mills group-- and those in the Latinx community who have already starting gathering-- listened and responded to God's guidance, and we are grateful that ELCA Churchwide has also affirmed God's guidance for this new start. This grant is currently on hold due to the pandemic and finding a Latinx mission developer mentor who will work with Pastor Paul Tomkiel and those at St Paul, Pine Grove Mills who are working on this new start. Once the risk of the pandemic is past and we have a mentor in place, Gloria de Dios will be official. We celebrate this new ethnic-specific ministry and pray for its success in reaching out to the Latinx community! If you would like to donate to Gloria de Dios and support this new ministry monetarily, please contact Interim DEM Pastor Becca Ehrlich at becca.ehrlich@alleghenysynod.com. God's peace, Pastor Becca Ehrlich Interim Director for Evangelical Mission (DEM) Assistant to the Bishop Allegheny Synod, ELCA (814) 942-1042 ext. 22

Pennsylvania Launches COVID-19 Job Hiring Portal Unemployment Rights and Resources—COVID-19 Fighting COVID-19 Stigma and Other Mental Health Resources added to Mental Health Resources for Coping with COVID-19 Human Services Secretary Encourages All Pennsylvanians to Help Report Child Abuse Amidst COVID-19 Public Health Crisis PUC Encourages Awareness of Telephone Discount Lifeline Program to Consumers at Risk of Isolation During Challenging Times WellSpan Health Resources for Community Partners; Grant Opportunity Christian Churches United Launching COVID-19 Response Fund Updates continue to be added at COVID-19/Coronavirus—Resources for Congregations, State-Level Guidance.

A Pastoral Letter from Bishop Michael Rhyne Monday of Holy Week April 6, 2020 May God’s grace and peace be with you! As we begin Holy Week in the time of COVID-19, we find ourselves unable to be together in this holiest of weeks. We are separate from each other and keeping our distance to slow the spread of this virus, prevent our medical systems from being overwhelmed, and protect the most vulnerable among us. I am so deeply thankful for the care you are showing to your siblings in Christ as we negotiate this unusual time. This is new territory for all of us. Our daily routines have been interrupted and we worry about friends and neighbors who might be affected by the virus. We may feel a sense of being at sea and in a wilderness not of our own making. The combination of the anxiety in the world along with the work of adjusting to a new normal can be exhausting. That is why it is extremely important for all of us to take care of ourselves in this time. I do not just mean our rostered ministers in the Allegheny Synod. Our leaders are working hard and looking for new and creative ways to keep us connected as the body of Christ in this uncertain time. I thank God for them and I hope you will join me in praying for and thanking God for our pastors and deacons in the Allegheny Synod. All of us need to take care of ourselves right now. I invite you to make the most of the situation we find ourselves in. Most of us are home under the ‘stay home’ order. Please utilize this change in our regular schedule to take time with our Lord. I encourage you this Holy Week – and throughout our time of shut-down – to develop a habit of spending time every day in God’s word. Take time to reflect on the Scriptures. If you don’t know where to start, I suggest opening one of the Gospels or reading a Psalm. The word of God will still your anxious heart and reminds us that we are not alone. God also will remind us that though this is a new experience for us, our Lord God has led his people through trial and tribulation before and God will bring us through to the other side. It is all the more fitting we remember that during Holy Week as we recall the story of our Lord Jesus who went through the trial and suffering of the cross, descended into death, and rose from that death to show us his true victory which brings us into eternal life. It also is important to take care of your mind and body in this time. Please make sure you are getting enough sleep. Doctors and therapists who I have spoken with have repeatedly said that sleep is one of the best remedies for stress and anxiety. Sleep allows us our body to reset and be ready for the next day. Make sure you are eating healthy food and getting enough to eat. In times like this we can go to two extremes in our diets. Anxiety and stress can kill our appetite and thus deprive us of the nutrients we need to function in this time. The other extreme is we stress eat to deal with the situation and over consume the sweets, fats, and sugars that our body craves in stressful times. To care for ourselves we want to make sure that we are getting nutritious foods, getting our vitamins, and eating our vegetables. I would encourage you to get outside if that is possible for you. We have been given an order to stay home, but that doesn’t mean we have to stay inside. I would encourage you to get out in your yard, sit on the porch, or find ways to get into the sunshine. I recommend this because it is important we keep moving as we are able in this time. That movement and sunshine can make us feel better while also reminding us that we are staying at home rather than being stuck at home. Finally, check on your friends and neighbors. We may not be able to be together in person, but we can call those people around us. Your friends and neighbors may have a need that you can help with now. Especially check on any of our older friends who may not be able to get out in this time. Perhaps you can help by picking up some of the essentials which they need. This is a way we can continue to care for each other, and be the church. You are precious to God. So please take care of yourselves in this time. Rest in the Lord. Get the sleep that you need. Try to eat well to fuel your body. Find ways to move and enjoy the sunshine. Look out for each other. I thank God for you. Please take care of yourself and be good to yourself. We will get through this. We are all in this together. In Christ, +Bishop Michael Rhyne

This week one of our colleagues asked our Synod Attorney, Megan Will, to explain for the sake of their Church Council why no one must be in the church building while we are under the shut down order. Megan’s response is below. I am sharing it with you with the permission of Megan and the colleague to whom she was responding. I thought this was a clear description of the reasons we must abide by this order. Megan is trying to help us understand the implications of this order and the liability our congregations are exposed to if we do not comply. May God continue to lead and guide you. In Christ, Bishop Michael Message from Megan Will: Good afternoon, Pastor I received your message regarding clarification of the Governor's Stay-at-Home Order. I appreciate your reaching out as the Order itself is unclear. I have been in contact daily with the Pennsylvania Bar Association receiving guidance on the Order and what is and is not allowed. The Bar Association has been in daily contact with our government officials in Harrisburg to answer these questions, and so, I feel confident in replying to your inquiries at this time. Please understand that the Order shutting down "essential businesses" lists religious organizations as "essential." However, this is only for emergent pastoral care. The church is not open and should not be open to anyone but you or your pastoral staff. This means that your council cannot gather, your choir cannot gather, and your youth cannot gather - even if you have less than 10 people who are practicing social distancing. The building is not to be open for any purpose, including Holy Week services. Activities that are allowed: getting mail, paying bills, returning phone calls, grabbing necessary items for your work from home. These activities are things that you or your staff only are permitted to do, and never while others are in the building. Example: if your secretary normally comes in at 10am every other day to go through the mail, please ensure she has left before you go in to do the same. Many counties are enforcing the Governor's order through the Pennsylvania State Police or other local police bureaus. The church could be fined and cited, as well as any individuals who are on the property, for failure to follow these orders. I don't want you or your congregation to land in criminal court, but that is the very real consequence of failure to follow the Order. Even worse, the church could lose public funding if they are failing to follow the Order. The District Attorney's Association has been tasked with keeping a list of businesses who have failed to follow the Order and turn that information over to the government so they may essentially blacklist organizations from receiving grants and public funding. I know you're frustrated. I know your parishioners are also frustrated. I cannot emphasize enough the danger that your parish is in for failure to follow this Order. I trust that you will advise your congregation appropriately. I appreciate your reaching out before these actions were taken; truly, I am praying for you and this Synod daily. Megan

Funerals in the Time of Covid-19 Bishop Michael L. Rhyne, Allegheny Synod, ELCA April 6, 2020 We find ourselves living in the time of COVID-19. At the present time, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is under a ‘stay-at-home’ order. Our pastors and congregations are learning new ways to connect while we are unable to gather in person. All of us wish that we could be together, but we know that to gather as the church at this time could endanger the most vulnerable among us. As hard as this is, we distance ourselves out of love for the members of our church family. None of us would want to be the reason that one of our beloved siblings in Christ contract this deadly virus. This separation is hard especially when those we love finish their time here on earth. This is the time, maybe more than any other, when we want to gather and hold each other in our pain and grief. The funeral is a chance for us to publicly and communally mourn and to thank God for the life of that one who has died. The question is then, what are we to do when we can’t come together because we need to keep members of our community safe? We wait. If the deceased and family decided to be cremated, the cremains can be kept by the family or funeral home until a public funeral and internment can be held. If the person does not wish to be cremated, there could be a graveside internment and a public memorial service once it is safe for persons to gather. For a graveside internment, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Health is still allowing gatherings of 10 people or less—which includes the minister and the funeral director. We must continue to maintain social distancing, and as hard as it is, we have to forego the hugs and handshakes that we are accustomed to in these times. It is hard but these guidelines are for everyone’s safety. It is possible that as the virus spreads the allowed number of persons in any gathering could shrink. There are states where groups larger than 5 or even 2 are forbidden. We will have to adjust the size of any gatherings to the number allowed by the Dept. of Health at that time. Can a Christian be cremated? We have had several people ask what is the Lutheran position on cremation. The major Lutheran Church bodies in the United states, the ELCA, LCMS, and NALC, do not take an official position for or against cremation. These church bodies hold that cremation is one of several options for end of life decisions. This has not always been the case for the Christian church. In the early church, Christians were opposed to cremation. They believed that as Christ had a bodily burial, they also should have a bodily burial. The early Christians found themselves in a situation where they were surrounded by the Roman culture that practiced cremation as their primary means funeral rite. It was, therefore, important for these early Christians to distinguish themselves from the surrounding Roman culture. Part of the prohibition on cremation in the early church was to demonstrate that the followers of Christ were different from the pagan world that encircled them. The question I think is more likely to haunt people these days in regard to cremation is, ‘does burning the body affect our ability to be raised up on the last day’? The fear is if the body is cremated and turned to ash rather than being placed in the ground, we will not be able to be raised up because our earthly shell has been destroyed. Nothing can stop Jesus from raising you from the dead. Nothing that is done to your body can stop God from calling you into eternal life. You are baptized. Jesus has claimed you in those waters and will never let you go. Cremation will not prevent you from joining the resurrection. St. Paul tells us in Romans 8: 35 - 39 “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution,or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Nothing in this world or the next can separate us from Jesus Christ. Christ is the one who has claimed us in the waters of baptism and nothing can take us from him. Jesus says in the Gospel of John, “it is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose nothing of all that he has given me, and I will raise them up on the last day.” (John 6:39). Whether we are buried in a traditional casket, or our ashes are interred in a columbarium or in the ground, we belong to Jesus and he will never lose us. We also have to consider the process of cremation is speeding up the natural process of decay that occurs to all of us. Cremation turns the body to the ash and dust that we will all eventually become. That is important because if my resurrection depended on the state of my earthly remains then all of us could be in trouble. There are millions who have died and gone before of whom there are no earthly remains left. There may be some relics and bones of some of the early saints of the church, but most have crumbled to dust by now. We know that Jesus will be able to call them from the grave and raise them from the dead, no matter what condition their earthly remains are in –even if it is only dust. We also can consider our own condition. We know Jesus will return one day. If Jesus returns to us in the year 10,000 AD, even if we were buried in a more traditional burial none of us will be any more than dust by that time. The world will most likely have forgotten all of who we were. Jesus will know us. Jesus can call even dust into his eternal life. The question then is, “Do we become ash and dust now through cremation, or do we become dust through the process of time”? Either way, Jesus will find us and raise us up to his eternal life. In the end, this is a personal decision for each of us and our family. We have to do what is right for us and our loved ones. Cremation does not place your salvation or resurrection at risk. Our Lord Jesus will find us and call us home no matter what, because nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. At this point in my life, I have chosen to be buried when my time on earth is through. However, if that is not what happens to me, I know I will be okay, because whether I live or whether I die I belong to Jesus Christ. May God bless and keep you now and always. +Bishop Michael L. Rhyne