Around the Allegheny Synod/Region/ELCA

ELCA ELECTS NEW PRESIDING BISHOP: At its 2025 church wide assembly held July 28-August 2 in Phoenix, the ELCA elected Yehiel Curry as its next presiding bishop. He will be installed as the new bishop October 4 and serve a six-year term. Rev. Lucille Mills also was elected as secretary of the ELCA. To read more about bishop-elect Curry, secretary-elect Mills, and the church wide assembly, visit elca.org.

VISITATION TRAINING: If you feel a call or have a passion to be with people during difficult times, Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries is providing a free visitation training program in September and October. The program will address common concerns such as What will I talk about? What if they have difficulty hearing? How long should I stay? What happens if they have difficulty speaking?

Sessions will be held 10am September 2 and October 7 at The Oaks (200 Rachel Drive, Pleasant Gap). Follow-up reflection sessions will be held 10am September 23 and October 28 online. Those participating will receive names of residents on The Oaks’ campus to visit between the training and reflecting sessions. The visitation schedule is flexible. All participants who complete the training will receive a certificate of completion.

To register, contact Pastor Ralph Hamer at 814-696-4558 or pastor.hamer@alsm.org.

HELP SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS: Do you love telling people about Jesus or feel an interest in sharing the Good News with others? Go Tell It In The Mountains, the initiative of the Allegheny Synod, along with the Upper Susquehanna and Northwestern Pennsylvania synods, has several learning opportunities this fall to help you engage with scripture, learn preaching practices, and more.

• Beginning September 9, Dilip Abayasekara will lead a large group cohort via Zoom. The sessions are 9am to noon and meet once per month on the second Tuesday of each month. It will not meet in December or April. Participating in the group is free and space is limited to 90 people. To register, visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4EA4AE29A5F8C34-57046547-preaching. For additional information please contact John Kratz at director@alleghenysynod.com. 

• Small group cohorts (with no more than eight people) focused on compelling preaching also are available for free and meet once a month. There are a selection of days of the week and times available. Most are done via Zoom. If you would like a list of times available, contact Pastor David, who will be leading one of the cohorts. 

• A quarterly study of Biblical texts will be held at the Lutheran Home in Hollidaysburg and be led by Dr. Allison DeForest of United Lutheran Seminary. The cost is $20. The next meeting is November 12. Seating is limited. Register at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4EA4AE29A5F8C34-57215934-pericope

For more information on the initiative and other resources on preaching, visit gotellitinthemountains.org or contact Pastor David.

SYNOD’S 2025 ASSEMBLY PUSHED TO FALL: The Allegheny Synod decided to move its 2025 Synod Assembly to October 31-November 1 when it will elect a new bishop. The need for churches within the synod and the synod office itself to take time to talk and listen to one another was the reason for pushing the assembly back. 

BE A PART OF SYNOD COUNCIL/COMMITTEES: Besides electing a new bishop, members of the Allegheny Synod also will be voting on several positions on synod council and committees. If you are interested in being considered for a position, contact Pastor David.

The openings this year include:

• Synod Vice President (4-year term) lay male or female.

• Synod Council (3-year term) one rostered leader, one lay female, one lay male, one young adult (age 18-30), and one youth (age 15-18 for a 2-year term).

• Consultation Committee (6-year term) one lay male or female.

• Discipline Committee (6-year term) three rostered leaders, three lay male or female.

ULS HOSTS SERIES FOR AGING ADULTS AND THOSE WHO CARE FOR THEM: United Luther Seminary continues its author series “Aging Grace-Fully.” The series examines how to age with grace and live fully with the physical, mental, and social changes that are often difficult to accept when growing older. The series seeks to understand and accept these challenges and features leading authors who share their knowledge and experiences about aging, including suffering, love, and loss. All presentations will be on the Gettysburg campus of ULS ($25 per person) and available online ($15).

The remaining author schedule is: September 11 — Anne Lamott, author of Somehow Thursday.

For registration information or if you are interested in watching these discussions as part of a group at St. Mark, contact Pastor David.