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Congregation News, August 9

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.

  1. Celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent in your regular morning service and hold an evening celebration of Christmas Eve.

  2. 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).

  3. Celebrate the 4th “Sunday” of Advent on Saturday evening and then celebrate Christmas Eve on Sunday morning or evening.

  4. 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

  5. Join with a neighboring congregation(s) for an evening of Lessons and Carols on December 24 after a “regular” morning service

  6. Join with a neighboring congregation(s) for both a morning and evening service on December 24

  7. 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


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