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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 May. As more people begin to be infected with the Coronavirus, we may see stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders extended to our area. The stay-at-home orders are, at the time of this writing, in effect for five Pennsylvania counties. With this new information, we must suspend our in-person worship services and in-person meetings indefinitely. To gather at this time, while the infection rate of Covid-19 is exponentially growing and doubling every few days, would be dangerous and would expose the most vulnerable among us to serious illness and could lead to the death of our beloved members. We do not have a date for resumption of in-person services. I strongly encourage your Council to make this decision. I learned this week from Bishop Bartholomew in New Jersey that one of their congregations has had three people die from Covid-19 and, at this time, four people are ill in the hospital with the virus. This is a small congregation where everyone knows and loves each other—not unlike many of the congregations in the Allegheny Synod. They mourn the death of three beloved sisters and brothers in Christ and are praying that they will not mourn the death of seven. This is why we can’t meet together. We don’t want our congregations to be a health hazard to our members. We don’t want to lose people we love. I don’t want any of you to get sick, die, or to accidentally pass what could be a lethal virus to people you love. I do not like that we find ourselves in this situation. I want our churches to be open. I want us to be able to gather together, to embrace each other, and to share the love of Christ in person. But, to gather together in- person at this time would be unsafe and life-threatening. Not gathering together in person as the church breaks my heart, but we need to protect each other. It is out of concern for the health of our members that I give you this directive. Additionally, this is the policy that most church bodies in our area are following. The Altoona-Johnstown Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church has suspended services indefinitely. The Orthodox Churches have closed public worship at the order of the Ecumenical Patriarch. The Episcopal Church has suspended in-person worship until the shutdown is over. The Presbyterian and Methodist churches have suspended services. We are all doing the best we can to care for our people. Your pastors and deacons are hard at work figuring out how to faithfully lead worship and care for you in this time. Many of our leaders are offering recorded services on the internet. We are using Zoom technology and conference calling to bring our communities together as best we can. We also know that some of our congregations do not have a pastor at this time and rely on our lay worship leaders to provide services. For these congregations, I would first encourage you to see what your local sister congregations are offering. Please feel free to take part in the prayer and worship offerings that any of our congregations are making available. The Synod staff also is posting a weekly Sunday worship service which is posted on the Allegheny Synod 8C Facebook page. In Christ, +Bishop Michael L. Rhyne

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 has also sent the order from Governor Wolf. Please note that Mrs. Will says that we should not expose ourselves or the Synod to liability. The same holds true for our congregations. We don’t want to do anything which could lead to fines or penalties for our people. Please know you continue to be in my prayers. May the peace of Christ be with you as you care for your people. In Christ, +Bishop Michael Rhyne From: Megan Will Sent: Friday, March 20, 2020 12:50 PM To: Bishop Michael Rhyne Subject: Governor's Order Bishop, I've received numerous calls, messages, and emails about Governor Wolf's order. The Governor has statutory authority to declare what he did, as cited in the order (attached). More importantly, he has been guided by a team of health officials in making these decisions in order to keep us safe. I know no one likes this order, but we must abide by it. I am not a doctor and if our medical professionals are saying this is what needs done in order to help stop this virus from spreading, I'm going to follow that advice. I've ordered my staff to stay home and shuttered my office for 2 weeks. This isn't about politics or religion -- these are experts asking us to stay home and avoid people. I'm going to listen to them. Perhaps even more important than the above, businesses (the church included) find themselves substantially at risk if they refuse to comply. They face criminal charges, loss of funding, loss of licenses, etc. The PA District Attorney's Association has given each county's DA office a list of what to cite businesses with and why for failure to comply with this order. ANY CONGREGATION WHO THINKS THEY CAN IGNORE THIS ORDER IS PLACING THEIR FUTURE AND LIVELIHOOD AT RISK. This is serious; this is not a media thing. This is science and we have to comply. Shepherd your people through this crisis but please emphasize that now is not the time for resistance. I'm not willing to expose myself or this Synod to liability because someone else refuses to listen to a team of experts and comply with a Governor's Order. I am certain you feel the same. Megan

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 you need anything. Please reach out to us if you need any assistance: Pastor Paula: Paula.Schmitt@alleghenysynod.com Pastor Becca: Becca.Ehrilich@alleghenysynod.com Bishop Michael: bishopmichael@alleghenysynod.com Mrs. Will informs us that pastors can be in the church building if there is a need. However neither the office, or the congregation is to be ‘open’ until this shutdown ends. Mrs. Will writes, “Truly, please stay home if you can. Sanctions, including civil and criminal sanctions, can and will be levied by the Governor's office for failure to comply. We must take this seriously.” There is a document that has come from the Governor’s Office that does say that Religious Organizations are allowed to function at this time. Mrs. Will explains that is to allow rostered ministers to continue their functions as pastors and deacons and carry out those duties in situations of emergency pastoral care for the people of God. Church offices should be closed until we receive word to re-open them. We are still following the Governor’s order for suspension of in-person worship. As I said earlier this week, this is a unique time in the church. None of us have experienced a series of events like this before. I thank God for all of you who are caring for God’s people. I pray that you will be strengthened by the presence of our Lord Jesus who will lead and guide you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or the members of our Synod team. We are here for you. We are walking with you. Let us know what you need. Please contact us if you have questions. In Christ +Bishop Michael Rhyne Lord Jesus Christ. We pray for this world and all who are effected by this outbreak. We find ourselves in a place that we have not been before. We ask you Lord to give us the peace of your presence. Still our anxious hearts. Lead us to take those precautions which will protect us and our families. Show us how to care for our neighbor and all those in need. Most of all Lord, heal those who are ill, comfort those who have lost loved ones, and lead us through this uncertainty. We place our hope and trust in you, and pray that you will show us how extend your love and care to each other. In your name we pray. Amen

Due to the restrictions in place due to the Covis-19 virus outbreak, the Allegheny Synod Women's Organization board has canceled the April 18, 2020 convention.

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 worship and in person meetings for the duration of this order from the Governor. I know that some congregations were considering if you would have worship in spite of the recommendation from the Synod Office. However, the Governor’s order changes things. All of our churches should be closed for in person worship through the end of March. If we do not do that we are violating the Governor’s order. In addition the White House task force has requested that all meetings over 10 persons be suspended for the next two weeks. Please share this information with your Council. Please let me know if I can assist you. Mrs. Will also points out that ministers and staff can still be in the building and can still do our work in the next two weeks under this order. We just can’t hold in person corporate worship until this ban is lifted. Mrs. Will also tells us that we should postpone weddings and funerals if at all possible. If that is not possible please be in contact with our office, there are some guidelines we can follow to help make this safe for everyone. If you must have meetings over the next two weeks. I would strongly recommend using Zoom. Zoom is an online meeting platform which we use in the Synod Office, and will be utilizing for our upcoming meetings. +Bishop Michael Rhyne

Please click here for a letter from Bishop Rhyne concerning stewardship during the Covid-19 outbreak and suspension of worship

Please click here for a pastoral letter from Bishop Rhyne regarding the Coronavirus. This information should be shared in congregations.

The total collected for this year's Allegheny Synod 40,000 Can Challenge is 40,432!!! We had a great year and were able to help a lot of people in need. In fact, over the last 5 years, we have collected over a quarter million, 263,327 to be exact. Thank you again for being a part of this ministry and for your commitment to help people in your community. The Allegheny Synod Staff

The Allegheny Synodical Women's Organization 32nd Annual Convention will be held April 18, 2020 at Evangelical Lutheran Church in Duncansville, Please click here for Bulletin Insert with additional details.

As part of a very generous bequest to the Allegheny Synod from Pastor Chris Ramsey’s estate, along with funds the Allegheny Synod Council approved, congregational mission grants may be requested for up to $500 per request. One request per congregation will be considered. The number of grants awarded depends on the size of the requests and the number of requests received. In 2019 we awarded 8 grants. Congregational Mission Grants encourage and support your congregation as you carry out new and creative ways to make known to your community the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ. What is God calling your congregation to do? Is there a project or idea that you are passionate about and need funding? Is there a congregational ministry that wants to expand? This Grant application is due by March 31, 2020. Grants will be reviewed and awarded by May 15, 2020.

Please click below to complete the Making it Mine Youth Event surveys. Adult Survey Youth Survey The Making It Mine Synod Youth Event has just published their theme song! Here it is! HERE is registration information. Downloadable chord sheet for the theme song is HERE.