ST. LUKE EPISCOPAL CHURCH FOOD PANTRY BENEFIT Below is a flyer for a fundraiser for the food pantry at St. Luke Episcopal Church in Altoona. please share as you are able. BLANKET SUNDAY INFORMATION If your congregation has made blankets or quilts for Lutheran World Relief and needs information for delivery, a mailing was sent from the Allegheny Synod Women’s Organization. If you did not receive the mailing, please contact Fay Dellinger, fldellinger@embarqmail.com or 814-276-3192. LAMPa news Season of Creation Begins as World Leaders Prepare to Gather The Season of Creation is an international, ecumenical, liturgical movement inviting Christians of all backgrounds and nationalities into a month-long season of hearing the cries of creation, raising our awareness of the new thing God is doing, and advocating for policies around the world that expand environmental justice. From September 1 – October 4 (the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi), individuals, congregations and communities are invited to participate in this world-wide movement through prayer, communal worship, and action. Begin today! Join LAMPa's statewide creation care network. Urge Congress to reform disaster response. Learn about other ways to participate with the global church as we give thanks and act for our common home. As we enter this season, the U.S. is experiencing a year of disasters reflecting the accelerating consequences of the climate crisis, even as global leaders prepare to meet in New York for United Nations summits on climate ambition and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 2023 report of the International Panel on Climate Change points to a path for a livable future — if we act together now. The cries are urgent, but we are called to act in hope. MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS BUS TRIP Below is a flyer with information for a bus trip to see The Miracle of Christmas at Sight and Sound. SYMPOSIUM OF EVANGELICAL LUTHERANS IN APPALACHIA (SELA) Below is an information page about the upcoming SELA event being held at ULS, Gettysburg.

Johnstown Banishment Vigil on September 7th Our friends in the United Methodist Church are planning an event in Johnstown: The commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Johnstown Banishment, in which around 2,000 African American and Mexican American people were given 24 hours to leave Johnstown after a shooting that left several people dead. Here are some links to information about the banishment and events: https://www.wpaumc.org/johnstown-banishment https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rosedale-remembered-a-commemoration-of-shame-and-commitment-to-change-tickets-443058659377 NOMINATIONS FOR SYNOD COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS As you know, we did not have enough people nominated to fill open vacancies on some Synod committees. Below is a list of vacancies on Synod Committees. HERE is a link to the Constitution. See notes below for where the description of the committee can be found. If there is someone in your congregation who could fulfill a vacancy, please be in contact with Pastor Kevin or Bishop Paula before September 10 so we can contact people and have their names added to the Synod Council material for its next meeting on September 23. Synod Council: 1 lay male, 2 year term; 1 youth member, 2 year term [Constitution, Chapter 10, begins on page 17] Consultation: 1 lay female, 3 year term; 1 lay female, 6 year term [Constitution, Chapter 11, begins on page 23 and Chapter 17 begins on page 40 and Chapter 14 begins on page 29] Discipline: 1 lay female, 3 year term; 2 lay female, 6 year term; 2 lay male 6 year term [Constitution, same a consultation] FREE WEBINAR The Rev. Dr. Mark Yackel-Juleen and Pr. Peter Soli will host a free webinar focusing on adaptations a congregation might take to sustain or renew their ministry. They will share their experiences of accompanying congregations considering making change. This is an opportunity to sample the course and learn more. The Practical Tools Webinar is scheduled for Friday, September 1, at 11:30 AM. Click HERE to register and for more information. LUTHERAN LETTER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER EDITION The latest edition of the Lutheran Letter is here Join European Descent Lutheran Association for Racial Justice (EDLARJ) in Minneapolis for: community building racial justice education shaping the future of EDLARJ. Every three years, EDLARJ meets to build community, learn about racial justice, and to shape the future of EDLARJ. This year, we will be gathering in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Our time there will include: A pilgrimage to George Floyd Square co-lead by ELCA Racial Justice office; Conversations with community members; Worship & meals together; Discussions on what EDLARJ does, where we are hoping to go, and how you can take part; Elections of new board members and officers …and more! Logistics Schedule: Registration time: October 12, 3:00pm CST Closing: October 14, 3:00pm CST Registration cost: $250/per person (This covers meals, transportation to and from George Floyd Square, and assembly materials.) An offering will be taken at worship for the American Indian Alaska Native Association (ELCA) and MIGIZI, a Minneapolis non-profit supporting American Indian youth. Hotel Information: We have reserved a block of rooms at Aloft Minneapolis , 900 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, 55415 The Aloft Hotel is .3 miles from the Metro Light Rail Blue Line stop, which you can take directly from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport. You are responsible for obtaining transportation to/from and around Minneapolis with the exception of our group pilgrimage to George Floyd Square. Register Here! BY SEPTEMBER 15

LOVE MADE REAL The ELCA’s Future Church Initiative has evolved into God’s Love Made Real. Visit the website below to learn more about our ministry goals and to take a survey that will assist in ministry moving forward. https://lovemadereal.elca.org/ NOMINATIONS FOR SYNOD COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS As you know, we did not have enough people nominated to fill open vacancies on some Synod committees. Below is a list of vacancies on Synod Committees. HERE is a link to the Constitution. See notes below for where the description of the committee can be found. If there is someone in your congregation who could fulfill a vacancy, please be in contact with Pastor Kevin or Bishop Paula before September 10 so we can contact people and have their names added to the Synod Council material for its next meeting on September 23. Synod Council: 1 lay male, 2 year term; 1 youth member, 2 year term [Constitution, Chapter 10, begins on page 17] Consultation: 1 lay female, 3 year term; 1 lay female, 6 year term [Constitution, Chapter 11, begins on page 23 and Chapter 17 begins on page 40 and Chapter 14 begins on page 29] Discipline: 1 lay female, 3 year term; 2 lay female, 6 year term; 2 lay male 6 year term [Constitution, same a consultation]

Lutheran Men In Mission The Summer newsletter for Lutheran Men in Mission is below Resourceful Servants E-mail You probably received an email from the ELCA concerning the Resourceful Servants Emergency Savings program. If not, here is the e-mail. Included in the message are these links for more information: Find out if you qualify for the Emergency Savings/Congregational Financial Assessment Program by visiting our website, reviewing the introductory booklet and completing the Financial Wellness Assessment. Through the website you can also register to attend an introductory webinar on Aug. 24. The due date to complete the Financial Wellness Assessment and included program application is Sept. 20. God’s work. Our hands. Sunday Project ideas, resources and other information can be found here. Invitation to Ordination You're Invited To A Service of Holy Communion with the Rite of Ordination for Laura Waltermire. Wednesday, August 23, 2023 + 5:30 pm. Messiah Lutheran Church, 144 Jubilee Street, Rockwood, PA. Clergy are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is red. If you plan to vest and process, please arrive at the church no later than 5:00 pm. Clergy will be invited forward for the laying on of hands. Laura is called to serve St. Mark, Pleasant Gap. Administrative Opening St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Martinsburg, is seeking an Administrative Assistant who is proficient in clerical and computer skills and demonstrates professional courtesy in communication and confidentiality. Part time position: 12-15 morning hours, 4-5 days weekly. If interested, please contact PrTraciStMatthewMartinsburg@gmail.com. Best Practices for safer online worship A discussion is taking place within the Conference of Bishops regarding safer practices for online worship since several reports have been received from pastors who have discovered several of their services which are archived on YouTube receiving significantly higher viewership. A more detailed analysis indicated that the folks viewing them were focusing on the children's sermons, especially when the kids' underwear was showing or the kids were spreading their legs. If you are providing online worship, consider blurring the kids’ images or focusing on a different part of the sanctuary during the children’s message. At this point, we have not received any written guidance on how to prevent this, be aware that it is happening. Lutheran Faith Community Nurse Association Education Event In September, the Lutheran Faith Community Nurse Association will be offering a three part series entitled This is How We Die. We will couple excellent content from Barbara Karnes’s 3 DVD series This is How People Die, with dialogue and reflection. Barbara Karnes is a registered nurse and well-known hospice pioneer and advocate. The events will be held on September 11, 18, and 25 starting at 7 pm. Nursing contact hours will be provided for the sessions attended. For more information click on this link: https://lutheranfcna.org/event-5361391. Ending With Grace from Dialog Works Ending with Grace Begins September 19th. Closing a congregation is a complicated and often painful process. Ending with Grace guides faith leaders in navigating the process's mechanical tasks and emotional and spiritual dimensions. Attorney Murray Sagsveen and a guest student in the course said this about Ending with Grace. "The complexity of closing congregations is often underestimated and misunderstood. It can be handled well or extremely poorly. Well presented and well attended by interested students." Author and priest Gail Cafferata, in her teaching video, shared how the closing of a congregation does not necessarily mean its life is over. More information and registration can be found here The Online "Practical Tools for the Journey" Course Begins September 21st Dialog Works helps faith leaders with practical tools to assess their congregation's needs, explore sustainability options, and develop leadership skills to promote effective leadership within their communities. We aim to provide the necessary resources and support to help them succeed in their important work. Rev. Marie Bonnie wrote in her course evaluation: “I appreciated the videos to view in preparation for class. The spiritual practices videos from Martha were good reminders for me to engage in reflection in an intentional way. I liked having more than one voice-the newness of Peter and the familiarity of Mark. They partnered well together. Peter, Mark and Martha’s combined experience brought a richness to the class content and conversations.” For more information or to register, click here Merry Christmas! As many of you are now discovering, Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year. Some congregations who are not served regularly by a pastor are asking what to do concerning worship. There are some options. There are likely other options that are not listed. The strong encouragement from the Office of the Bishop for congregations who do not have a pastor is to accept an invitation to join with another congregation. Supply people will be limited this year. Celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent in your regular morning service and hold an evening celebration of Christmas Eve. Celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent AND Christmas Eve in your regular morning service and do not have an evening service (similar to Palm/Passion Sunday). Celebrate the 4th “Sunday” of Advent on Saturday evening and then celebrate Christmas Eve on Sunday morning or evening. Celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent on Sunday morning, skip an evening worship and then celebrate the Nativity of our Lord on Monday, December 25 Join with a neighboring congregation(s) for an evening of Lessons and Carols on December 24 after a “regular” morning service Join with a neighboring congregation(s) for both a morning and evening service on December 24 Plan a week-long celebration of the season by providing daily readings and prayers to be distributed on Sunday, the 24th in the morning. Kindling Faith Continuing Education Events at ULS For Everyone who enjoys the art of “The Naked Pastor” For Church Musicians who want Inspiration For Congregational Leaders who need ideas for aging infrastructure and membership For People who want to think critically about the work of Martin Luther (Luther Colloquy info. coming soon!) For anyone who’s dreamt of spending six weeks learning about life in the Holy Land while living in Bethlehem For those who care about justice for the wrongly imprisoned (Author Anthony Ray Hinton, March 18th in Philadelphia For anyone who enjoys a veritable buffet of learning opportunities in one day (Learning Day in Gettysburg, March 2nd) For those who’ve found inspiration from reading Kate Bowler (Save the date: she’ll be in Gettysburg on April 24th) For any congregation that would enjoy a field trip to Gettysburg (email mzimmann@uls.edu to plan your trip) Christian Nationalism Blog post from LEAD written by Bishop Michael Rinehart can be found here. HOPE: A four-week series with reflection questions from LEAD LEAD is offering a four-week series on hope. More information can be found here

Invitation to Ordination You're Invited To A Service of Holy Communion with the Rite of Ordination for Laura Waltermire. Wednesday, August 23, 2023 + 5:30 pm. Messiah Lutheran Church, 144 Jubilee Street, Rockwood, PA. Clergy are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is red. If you plan to vest and process, please arrive at the church no later than 5:00 pm. Clergy will be invited forward for the laying on of hands. Laura is called to serve St. Mark, Pleasant Gap. Administrative Opening St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Martinsburg, is seeking an Administrative Assistant who is proficient in clerical and computer skills and demonstrates professional courtesy in communication and confidentiality. Part time position: 12-15 morning hours, 4-5 days weekly. If interested, please contact PrTraciStMatthewMartinsburg@gmail.com. Merry Christmas! As many of you are now discovering, Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year. Some congregations who are not served regularly by a pastor are asking what to do concerning worship. There are some options. There are likely other options that are not listed. The strong encouragement from the Office of the Bishop for congregations who do not have a pastor is to accept an invitation to join with another congregation. Supply people will be limited this year. Celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent in your regular morning service and hold an evening celebration of Christmas Eve. Celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent AND Christmas Eve in your regular morning service and do not have an evening service (similar to Palm/Passion Sunday). Celebrate the 4th “Sunday” of Advent on Saturday evening and then celebrate Christmas Eve on Sunday morning or evening. Celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent on Sunday morning, skip an evening worship and then celebrate the Nativity of our Lord on Monday, December 25 Join with a neighboring congregation(s) for an evening of Lessons and Carols on December 24 after a “regular” morning service Join with a neighboring congregation(s) for both a morning and evening service on December 24 Plan a week-long celebration of the season by providing daily readings and prayers to be distributed on Sunday, the 24th in the morning. Continuing Education Opportunities offered from West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod. Please be in contact with them if you have questions. Mark on Mark: A Gospel Study for Preachers Date: 3-5 October 2023 Venue: Blackwater Falls State Park Audience: Preachers (clergy and lay) Fees: $100 tuition (all other expenses on your own) Abstract: The Rev. Dr. Mark Vitalis Hoffman leads us through the Gospel of Mark in anticipation of Year B. More information: http://wv-wmd.org/education/#Fall2023Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/6515763551803379 SCALD III (Symposium of Central Appalachian Lutheran Dogmatics) Date: 9 November 2023 Venue: Morgantown, WV Audience: All Fees: Free Abstract: An academic-style conference involving interaction with the Lutheran Confessional/dogmatic tradition in which rank and file clergy and laity get to test their research and ideas with peers capable of critical (yet convivial) conversation. More information: http://wv-wmd.org/education/#SCALDFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1009286270072701 What's a Prince-Bishop To Do...Or Not? Augustana XXVIII and Civic Engagement Format: Lecture Date: repeated four times (3 Sept 2023, 6 Sept 2023, 9 Sept 2023, 17 Sept 2023) Venue: Wheeling, WV; Parkersburg, WV; Charles Town, WV; Bittinger, MD Audience: All Fees: Free Abstract: Bishop Riegel lectures on Augsburg Confession 28, dissecting Melanchthon's critique of prince-bishops and exploring the implications for civic engagement by ecclesiastical bodies and their agents. More information: http://wv-wmd.org/education/#AC28 Ecumenical and Inter-religious News from the ELCA The latest newsletter can be found here: community.elca.org/emailviewonwebpage.aspx?erid=e75db29b-1c98-48bd-9bf5-b8b90a4ec72d&trid=e75db29b-1c98-48bd-9bf5-b8b90a4ec72d

Welcome to new subscribers. If you no longer wish to receive these updates, you can click unsubscribe at the bottom of the page. If you continue with a subscription, you will receive news and calendar updates when they are posted on the Allegheny Synod website. We try to do that on a weekly basis, but some weeks there are no updates. What appears below is information that was sent to pastors and deacons. Information that is specifically for them is not included in this update. I recently spent a few days at an art conference in Lancaster County. The theme of the event was Finding our Place: The artist, the church and placemaking. Dr. Jennifer Craft was the keynote speaker. She made three presentations around the idea of place and how artists fit into the place that is the church. One thing she said that I have been thinking about is that our relationship to place says something about our relationship to God. It got me thinking about the many conversations I have had in recent months about the places we call church and how tied to those places (i.e. buildings) we seem to be. The four walls that make up the building, set in one place in our geography often is viewed as the only place where God lives. We know God is more expansive than that and we preach it and teach it, but I wondered whether having a more tangible example of it would help us see it more clearly and feel less tied to the building as where God lives and help us to make a shift toward seeing God in others and in the world around us. I met people from across Pennsylvania and listened to their experiences of place and sometimes how out of place they feel in the church. What struck me was how the focus of the community of faith shifted when there was not a building involved. The people who were part of communities of faith that worshipped in rented facilities such as a school auditorium, were keenly focused on their community and each other—not on whether they would be able to fix the broken water pipe or have enough saved for a new roof. Don’t get me wrong—I am church building nerd for sure. I love architecture and stained glass and carved wood. What I started seeing more clearly in my interaction with these new friends was the shift in who they were and how they were because they could focus on their mission as God’s people in a community. I plan to keep pondering this idea and seeking an answer to a question asked at the conference: “Where is the Holy Spirit taking us and into whose lives?” I would commend to you Dr. Craft’s book. And, ask you to consider, what would church look like for you and your community if there were no building? Be of good courage, +Bishop Paula RECONSIDERING THE SOCIAL STATEMENT ON HUMAN SEXUALITY Below information/FAQ sheet provided by Dr. Roger Willer of the ELCA concerning the upcoming reconsideration of language in the 2009 Statement on Human Sexuality. It is for your information and describes the process the ELCA Church Council and the whole Church will take moving forward. YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Below is information on the Youth Leadership Summit 2023. If you wish to nominate a youth to attend, please contact the Office of the Bishop. YOUTH MISSION TRIP VIDEO If you have not had the chance to see the Youth Mission Trip video. It can be found here: https://youtu.be/YkgGzVvV_xY THE WEEKEND HAS A THEME SONG Here’s a first look at The Weekend’s theme song. https://youtu.be/8kwRutq7Lj4 The Weekend is the Allegheny Synod Youth Event being held December 8-10 at St. James, Huntingdon. The chord sheet for the theme song is below LUTHERAN FAITH COMMUNITY NURSE EDUCATIONAL EVENT Attached to this message is an informational flyer with registration information for an upcoming event sponsored by the Lutheran Faith Community Nurse Association. MERRY CHRISTMAS! Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year. Some congregations are asking what to do concerning worship. These are some options--you may think of others: Celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent in your regular morning service and hold an evening celebration of Christmas Eve Celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent AND Christmas Eve in your regular morning service and do not have an evening service. Celebrate the 4th “Sunday” of Advent on Saturday evening and then celebrate Christmas Eve on Sunday morning or evening. Celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent on Sunday morning, skip an evening worship and then celebrate the Nativity of our Lord on Monday, December 25 Join with a neighboring congregation(s) for an evening of Lessons and Carols on December 24 after a morning service celebrating the 4th Sunday of Advent Join with a neighboring congregation(s) for both a morning and evening service on December 24 Plan a week-long celebration of the season by providing daily readings and prayers to be distributed on Sunday, the 24th in the morning.

The deadline for Lutheran Day at the Curve is fast approaching ... Tuesday, August 1! Lutheran Day at the Curve will be Sunday, August 13. Game begins at 6:00 pm. Fireworks after the game. Click on the link below for a registration form.

Below, please find information and a registration form regarding a Parish Secretary Seminar to be held October 3 & 4, 2023.

The Weekly Prayer from Lutheran Campus Ministry at Penn State: O God, You see the struggles in our world. You hear when we cry out in distress. You know our trials and sorrows. You see the struggles in my life. You hear when I cry out in distress. You know my trials and sorrows. Come close and bring healing and wholeness. Transform grief and misery into hope. Help me to rest in your compassion. Amen CHRISTMAS AT SEA PROJECT Below is a photo of a postcard for the Christmas At Sea project through Seafarer’s International. Now is the time to begin working on the project. If your congregation is interested, please see the postcard for more information on how you can be involved. KINDLING FAITH OPPORTUNITIES FROM United Lutheran seminary The Lutheran Settlement House is leading our Summer Ministry Institute on the Gettysburg Campus, July 16-21. This program is entitled “Creating Sanctuary—Supporting Survivors of Domestic Violence.” Learn more about the program here: https://www.unitedlutheranseminary.edu/calendar/kindling-faith-summer-ministry-institute-creating-sanctuary-supporting-survivors-of-domestic-violence Theological Education for Adults is being held on the Gettysburg campus July 23-28. Dr. Emlyn Ott from Healthy Congregations will be working with participants under the theme of “The Challenges of Ministry in Such a Time as This.” This is an excellent opportunity for both lay and rostered leaders: https://www.unitedlutheranseminary.edu/calendar/kindling-faith-theological-education-with-adults-the-challenges-of-ministry-in-such-a-time-as-this-gettysburg-campus Kindling Faith is partnering with the Lower Susquehanna Synod of the ELCA to offer required Anti-Racism and Boundary trainings on the Gettysburg Campus or via zoom in late August and late November. Check with your synod office to see if this would fulfill the requirement for you. Registration is available by clicking on this link: https://ulsforms.wufoo.com/forms/mlxbqsm04b7mdy/ Other September offerings:Partners for Sacred Places is offering a special seminar from September 28-30 on the Philadelphia campus for those church leaders who are shepherding their congregations through transitions of every sort: https://www.unitedlutheranseminary.edu/calendar/kindling-faith-sacred-places-transitions-seminar The Association for Lutheran Church Musicians will be holding special events on September 9th in Philadelphia and September 23 in Gettysburg for all church musicians! Registration information will be forthcoming. Woman Wholly and Holy Made, an event for women in ministry will take place on the Gettysburg campus from the evening of September 10th – Lunch on September 12th. Program and registration information is here: https://www.unitedlutheranseminary.edu/calendar/kindling-faith-reclaiming-the-narrative . Pastoral Care Zoom Workshops will begin with “Assessing and Engaging Religious and Spiritual Struggles” offered via zoom on September 11th at noon and September 14 at 7 pm. This is one of six online seminars being offered by the Rev. Beth Toler, MDiv, ThD, LMFT throughout the coming academic year. Register here: https://www.unitedlutheranseminary.edu/calendar/kindling-faith-pastoral-care-zoom-workshops . Fall Convocation will be here before you know it! We hope to see you on September 20th in Philadelphia. Rev. Dr. Teresa Smallwood will give the morning lecture on “The Preacher and Prophetic Witness” and in the afternoon, the Rev. David Hayward, aka “The Naked Pastor” will share anecdotes on his work as a prophetic artist. Books and artwork will be available! Register here: https://ulsforms.wufoo.com/forms/m1f4k5t21hbu4tu/ . DISCERNING GOD’S LEADING FROM DIALOG WORKS A continuing education event from Dialog Works. More information can be found here: Discerning God's Leading - Summer '23 (dialogworks.org) ADULT LUTHERANS ORGANIZED FOR ACTION NEWSLETTER You can find the latest edition of the Adult Lutherans Organized for Action Newsletter here: Wake up, Church! (mailchi.mp) ELCA WORSHIP NEWS You can find the June edition of the ELCA Worship News here: Worship News: June 2023 (engagingnetworks.app) ELCA DISABILITY NEWSLETTER You can find the latest ELCA Disability Ministries Newsletter here: community.elca.org/emailviewonwebpage.aspx?erid=e613bc00-7ce5-4be3-949e-67b09b2e720a&trid=e613bc00-7ce5-4be3-949e-67b09b2e720a NATIONAL YOUTH GATHERING MATERIALS AVAILABLE National Youth Gathering material is available here: The Getting Ready Materials are HERE! 👀 (engagingnetworks.app) ELCA SEEDS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER The digital version of ELCA Seeds Monthly can be found here: community.elca.org/emailviewonwebpage.aspx?erid=9ae49acf-37ad-4d23-976d-cd3913d7b789&trid=9ae49acf-37ad-4d23-976d-cd3913d7b789

ADOPT THE CAMP SEQUANOTA STAFF! The document below has more information on how your congregation can adopt the Camp Sequanota staff this summer. It’s easy! And your support means so much to the staffers who are caring for all the campers. POSITION: PARISH SECRETARY/ADMINISTRATOR Description: This is a part-time office position with responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the church office, coordinating and producing various forms of communications, maintaining parish records, financial records and assisting pastor with a variety of ministries. The position reports directly to the Pastor and works cooperatively with volunteers and other staff, including the Finance Treasurer and Church Council. This job is a salaried, 16-hour per week, position. Paid holiday, vacation and sick days are offered. For a full job description contact Reverend Kathleen Stump at pastorkathystump@gmail.com. Resumes, including salary requirements, should be submitted to the attention of Reverend Kathleen Stump, at Faith Lutheran Church, 6567 Glades Pike Road, Somerset, PA 15501, or pastorkathystump@gmail.com. POSITION: HUNGER ADVOCACY FELLOW Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania has an opening for someone looking for a year-long transformative experience combining leadership development, faith formation and community-building advocacy. This hybrid position includes salary, benefits and a relocation stipend. Learn more and apply or share to help us act as church together as we strive for a just world where all are fed. https://recruiting.paylocity.com/Recruiting/Jobs/Details/1700597 FB: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=616991130465433&set=a.461500992681115 NOMINATIONS SOUGHT Many of you are aware that Bill Layton, the Synod’s Treasurer, has decided not to seek another term. Bishop Paula and Pastor Kevin have been seeking out people who have the gifts to serve in this way. To date, we have just one name to bring to the Synod Council. If you know someone who has the gifts to serve in this way, please be in contact with Bishop Paula or Pastor Kevin. We can provide a job description for interested persons. This is an appointed position that interviews with the Synod Council. SYNOD MISSION TRIP FUNDRAISER Below is information about a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for the Youth Mission Trip to Florida. Please publicize in your bulletins and newsletters. Donations may also be made on the Synod’s website through the Donate button. Choose mission trip in the drop-down menu. If you have any youth who would like to go on the trip, spaces are still available, and adult chaperones are supplied. Contact Pr. Drew McCaffery for more information. SYNOD WORSHIP The Allegheny Synod will gather for worship on Sunday, June 11 at 4:00 pm at First Lutheran in Altoona (1401 12th Avenue, Altoona). Following worship light refreshments will be served on the outside patio adjacent to the church. All are welcome to this service. Clergy are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is green. If you plan to process, please be at First Lutheran by 3:30 pm. Vesting will take place downstairs in the lounge. SYNOD ASSEMBLY EVENTS Sunday, June 11, 4:00 pm: Synod-wide Pre-Assembly Worship First Lutheran Church (1401 12th Avenue, Altoona, PA 16601) Reception will follow. All are invited to attend Tuesday, June 13, 6:00 pm: Bible Study #1 “Christ Unites Us” with Churchwide Representative Kristen Opalinski via Zoom All are invited to attend. Zoom link on Allegheny Synod website in the Synod Assembly tab. Thursday, June 15, 6:00 pm: Bible Study #2 “Christ Unites Us” with Churchwide Representative Kristen Opalinski via Zoom All are invited to attend. Zoom link on Allegheny Synod website in the Synod Assembly tab. Saturday, June 17, 8:30 am Allegheny Synod Assembly (in-person event) Blair County Convention Center (1 Convention Center Blvd., Altoona, PA 16602) PUBLICITY FOR THE WELL FESTIVAL AT CAMP SEQUANOTA Visit this link: Well (sequanota.com) for posters, bulletin inserts and other registration information.

Lutheran Day at the Curve will be held Sunday, August 13. Game begins at 6:00 pm. Fireworks after the game. Below is a ticket order form which must be complete by August 1.

Please read and share the letter at the following link, which was sent to all congregations late last year, and consider supporting Lutheran Campus Ministry at Penn State, a Partner Ministry of the Allegheny Synod.