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“God’s work. Our hands.” Day of Service

For this year’s “God’s work. Our hands.” Day of Service, St. Mark’s, Williamsport (Pastor Brian Vasey), created Ministry Fair displays of ways to encourage members to explore service activities connecting them to life in Jesus Christ. Displays included information about Stephen Ministry, the upcoming CROP Walk, shoebox ministry, parish outreach, worship and music, church archives, safety, and altar flowers, among others. The congregation also is actively involved in other community and church programs, including Lutheran World Relief, Family Promise, Shepherd of the Streets, Sojourner Truth Ministry, United Churches of Lycoming County food pantry, the Ronald McDonald House, and many additional opportunities.

During the Sunday morning worship service, Pastor Vasey reminded congregants that “Christ comes to us, and the work of God is shared with us so that we may share it with others. The work of God is the work of love.” The fair was coordinated by the Faith and Fellowship Committee and chaired by parishioner Vicki Haussmann and was in response to a churchwide initiative of the ELCA to “celebrate who we are…one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor.”

(Left Photo) Vicki Haussmann shares some of the materials from Samaritan’s Purse pertaining to the worldwide shoebox ministry in which members of the congregation participate annually. (Right Photo) Pamela Jensen and Matthew Fortin review information about Stephen Ministry.

The members of St. Matthew’s, Shamokin Dam (Vicar Mindy Bartholomew) prepared food for the all the staff members of Brookdale Grayson View Assisted Living Facility and The Manor at Penn Village, both of Selinsgrove. The food was delivered on Saturday, September 11, and included hamburger barbecue, baked beans, macaroni salad and lots of deserts.

U S S A R K News from the Upper Susquehanna Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

October

2021

Trinity, Shamokin, To Close Lutherans began gathering formally in Shamokin in 1840 with the Rev. John Peter Shindel, pastor from Zion in Sunbury, coming to preach on occasion. In 1845, while they rented space in the Central School House, the congregation of Trinity

Lutheran Church organized. After 176 years, having finished its mission in Shamokin, the congregation will disband on October 25, 2021. Trinity Lutheran Church helped to organize two other congregations in the region, both named Grace. The church in Mount Carmel began in 1855 and closed in 2019. Grace Lutheran Church in Shamokin formed in 1886 to provide a place for German-speaking Lutherans to worship. After more than twenty years in the schoolhouse and interruption by the Civil War, Trinity finally constructed a building in 1865. Formal incorporation occurred the following year. A history of Northumberland County called the new structure “one of the most handsome of Shamokin’s church structures. This building provided meeting space for the Susquehanna Conference of the East Pennsylvania Synod as it moved to become its own synod. Expansion of the property occurred through the early twentieth century as the congregation grew. This growth led to corresponding outreach and service ministries in Shamokin and beyond. The congregation experienced decline over the decades from the 1960s, eventually having fewer than thirty members. About the same time as the covid 19 pandemic began, Trinity decided that the time had come to end their ministry and voted to disband upon the sale of their building, which occurred in late August. All that remains is for the remaining members of Trinity to determine how and to whom to disburse any remaining assets which, by law, must be given to another non-profit organization.

Up and Down the Valleys Christ’s United, Millmont, held a one-day Vacation Bible School “Noah’s Ark” on Saturday, October 2 for children ages 3 through 10. Fun activities, singing, snacks, crafts, and Bible stories were planned. Clergy Notes: Synod Council renew On Leave from Call status for the Rev. Kate Drefke and granted it for Rev. William Henderson and Rev. Josh Reinsburrow. Rev. William Jones (Emmanuel, Middleburg) was changed to Disabled status while Rev. John Yost was granted retirement status. Also, St. John, Northumberland called Rev. Karla Leiby.

On Sept 16, the St. John’s, Belleville, Knotters (Pastor Ela Robertson) and the quilters from Evangelical, Reedsville (Pastor Carla Volland), gathered to

share tips and techniques and encourage each other in their shared mission quilting comforters for ELCA distribution around the world. Pastor Robertson said, “What a joy to have so many hands and hearts working together on these beautiful patchwork coverlets. They in turn will bring joy to many who have lost homes and belongings through natural catastrophes, economic challenges and political upheaval in the last year.”

Upper Susquehanna Synod

USS ARK is a publication of the Upper Susquehanna Synod, ELCA. Permission

is granted for congregations to reproduce this newsletter. Send mission stories and ministry ideas by the first of the month to

Chad Hershberger, Director of Communications, at news@uss-elca.org.

The Rev. Barbara J. Collins, Bishop

PO Box 36, Lewisburg, PA 17837 570-524-9778 www.uss-elca.org

Upper Susquehanna Synod Events Free Organ Available For donation to smaller church congregation, an Allen RMW-THEA3 console organ. Has a nice selection of voices to accompany congregational singing. Has three expression pedals, reeds, main and crescendo. Kick pistons and pushbuttons under manuals for registration changes. There are five changes per manual. Four satellite speakers, full pedal board. You will be responsible for disconnecting and moving organ. Would recommend someone skilled to do this. This instrument is very heavy. Contact: Gary Ritter 570-546-3712. If unavailable, please leave message with contact information and he will return call. ULS Presidential Inauguration United Lutheran Seminary will inaugurate the Rev. Dr. R. Guy Erwin as its president on October 15-16. His inauguration lecture (Friday) and service (Saturday) will be live streamed on the ULS YouTube channel. Information here: https://www.unitedlutheranseminary.edu/about/president-rev-dr-r-guy-erwin-inauguration October 24, 2021: Run4Camp 5K Camp Mount Luther invites you to be part of a fundraiser for camp that is being sponsored by Lutheran Outdoor Ministries. Lutheran camps from across the country, including CML, are looking for folks to run/walk/rollerblade/bike/ski/wheelchair (whatever!) on Sunday, October 24, 2021 (or another date of your choosing). You will enter with a $25 registration fee and then you should get at least five sponsors for your 5K with all proceeds going to Camp Mount Luther. This is also a fundraiser for the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries organization as Camp Mount Luther has paid an entry fee to be part of this event. Your friends, family, colleagues, neighbors -- whomever you identify -- will fill out a form and they will then be directed to make a gift to your camp. Every single nickel pledged/given in support of YOU will go directly to Camp Mount Luther. Then, during your 5K, you will send a selfie of yourself while you are out on the road, or the trail, or wherever. And there are plans to have a virtual finish line as well. Be part of this opportunity for LOM and Camp Mount Luther! To sign up, visit www.lomnetwork.org/run4camp. October 30, 2021: An Opportunity for Church Musicians and All who Sing or Play Hymns This will be presented by Dr. Karl Moyer of Lancaster, organist and retired professor, on Saturday, October 30, 9:00-12:30, at Weber Chapel on the campus of Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove. His topic is titled "Authenticity in Hymn Singing, Translating Theology into Organ Sound," addressing how different church bodies' hymnody reflects their theology, citing Middle Ages, Moravian, Lutheran, Calvinist, Church of England, Lowell Mason, and Anabaptist hymnody. The event is sponsored by the Williamsport Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and is free for any Organ Guild member; there is a $10 registration fee for others. For more information, contact Donna Elkin at 570-323-7367 or donnaelkin@gmail.com November 5, 2021: Deadline for Seafarer Bags This is our 11th year of providing Christmas-at-Sea gift sacks for ships’ crews that come into East Coast ports during the Advent and Christmas seasons. The synod invites congregations and individuals to join in collecting "Christmas-at-Sea" Gift Bags for seafarers this Christmas through the Seafarers and International House (SIH) in New York City (http://www.sihnyc.org/). Fabric gift sacks, with instructions, are available at the Synod Office. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR EACH BAG! Substitute items should not be included. Contact the synod office with questions at 570-524-9778. November 5, 2021: Evening at Shade Mountain to Benefit Mount Luther This is a fundraising opportunity to share fellowship, entertainment, and locally produced wine, all to benefit Camp Mount Luther. It’s held at Shade Mountain Winery, 16140 Route 104, Middleburg, PA.

There will be a limit of 50 people for this year’s event, which will run from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, November 5, 2021. Entertainment will be provided by KJ Reimensnyder-Wagner, a local folk musician. Menu to include heavy appetizers, desserts, and a complementary glass of wine. Reservations required. Call 570-922-1587 or email cml@campmountluther.org. Cost is a donation. Consider a donation equal or greater to the food and entertainment provided. If you choose to purchase any bottles of wine that evening, camp receives a portion of the proceeds. Promote it with this flyer: https://www.campmountluther.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/2021-Shade-Mountain-Winery-Flyer.pdf

April 28, 2022: Lutheran Day at the Capitol As LAMPA continues to move through the pandemic, they look forward and invite you to mark your calendar for next year’s Lutheran Day in the Capitol. They will gather in Harrisburg on Thursday, April 28, 2022. They have moved this annual event to partner with United Lutheran Seminary's Spring Convocation, in prayerful anticipation of gathering safely once more. July 24-28, 2022: ELCA Youth Gathering “BOUNDLESS – God beyond Measure” The ELCA Youth Gathering is coming up July 24-28, 2022. It will take place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Registration for the ELCA Youth Gathering starts on September 22. There are registration worksheets on the gathering website on the resources page. The forms are helpful to have when you sit down at your computer to input all your information for your church group, the youth, and the leaders. New this cycle is that the ELCA is taking payment online for the gathering. The getting ready material is also on the Gathering Website. It is helpful to use these materials with your youth group to enhance their whole gathering experience. The material is very flexible in how it can be used with your group. For more information you can go to the website www.elca.org/youthgathering. If you have any questions, you may contact our Gathering Synod Coordinator, Charlene Rineer at 570-524-0745.

Make Your Shade Reservation In about a month, we will have our annual Evening at Shade Mountain Winery. This is a fundraising opportunity to share fellowship, entertainment, and locally produced wine, all to benefit Camp Mount Luther. There will be a limit of 50 people for this year’s event, which will run from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, November 5, 2021. Entertainment will be provided by KJ Reimensnyder-Wagner, a local folk musician. Menu to include heavy appetizers, desserts, and a complementary glass of wine. Make reservations at 570-922-1587 or cml@campmountluther.org. Cost is a donation. Consider a donation equal or greater to the food and entertainment provided. If you choose to purchase any bottles of wine that evening, camp receives a portion of the proceeds.

Camp Mount Luther invites you to be part of a fundraiser for camp that is being sponsored by Lutheran Outdoor Ministries. Lutheran camps from across the country, including CML, are looking for folks to run or walk, rollerblade, bike, ski, wheelchair (whatever!) on Sunday, October 24, 2021 (or another date of your choosing). You will enter with a $25 registration fee and then you should get at least five sponsors for your 5K with all proceeds going to Camp Mount Luther. This is also a fundraiser for the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries organization as Camp Mount Luther has paid an entry fee to be part of this event. Your friends, family, colleagues, neighbors -- whomever you identify -- will fill out a form and they will then be directed to make a gift to your camp. Every single nickel pledged/given in support of YOU will go directly to Camp Mount Luther. Then, during your 5K, you will send a selfie of yourself while you are out on the road, or the trail, or wherever. And there are plans to have a virtual finish line as well. Be part of this opportunity for LOM and Camp Mount Luther! To sign up, visit www.lomnetwork.org/run4camp.

October 2021

Camel Tracks

From our Gift Planner: A Flexible, Family-Focused Charitable Giving Option

Often referred to as “charitable checkbooks,” donor-advised funds are charitable accounts established by donors with current gifts to provide future support to ministries. These accounts are opened and funded by a donor who then advises distributions to charity over time. Many donors find value in the flexibility a donor-advised fund provides. These are typically donors who are confident in their charitable intent but uncertain of their charitable plans. They know how much they want to give but aren’t sure who they want to give it to or when those gifts should be made. Establishing a donor-advised fund allows them to make a large gift with an immediate tax deduction but hold off on deciding how to distribute it to charity. Donor-advised funds can also be a great tool to facilitate family generosity. Anyone can contribute to a donor-advised fund once it is established, and the fund can have multiple, and successive, advisers. Families and groups can use donor-advised funds to pool their contributions for larger gifts to charities. The fund can also teach generosity to other family members as the family decides together how much to distribute and where the money should go. The ELCA Foundation is here to support your generosity and help you ensure that its impact is felt for years to come. Contat our regional gift planner, Sister Marianne Brock at Marianne.Brock@elca.org or (717) 574-9066. She’s here to partner with you as you explore a variety of ways to love and serve our neighbors with your charitable giving. Regional gift planners provide expertise and guidance for individuals and congregations, without cost or obligation.

Straight From the Camel’s Mouth By Kyros T. Camel

Fall has been busy around camp lately. I’ve seen lots of people and even almost scared some walkers out for a weekend hike. Speaking of being on our camp trails, we had a great turnout of nearly 200 runners for the annual Dandelion Trail Run on Labor Day Weekend. Pictures and a link to results are on our Facebook page. On October 3, we will be hosting Fall Frisbee Funday at camp. At 3:00 p.m., the director will be at the A-Center for anyone who would like to play a round of Frisbee Golf. No need to sign-up, just show up to play. Fall Wish List: You can help by donating supplies (or money to purchase supplies) that we could use. Here’s our current list: Stain for the Evergreen Center exterior; Soffit and Fascia for Pine cabins, pavilion, and A-Center; Paint for Pine cabins; Playground balls and volleyballs; Lego bricks; White and color copy paper; Brooms and dustpans; White flip charts; Aim n Flames. For summer crafts: Acrylic paint, Fuse Beads, Circle Key Chains, Elmer’s glue bottles, Colored pencils, Glue sticks, and Pony beads. I found this note in the old mailbox in Maple Village the other day. I thought you’d think it was as cute as I did: Mount Luther is much like a shoe repair shop. A place to repair soles (souls) and send them away in pairs. Experiences of church camps! I thought that was pretty cool. Enjoy the fall until we meet again!

Camp Mount Luther 355 Mt. Luther Ln., Mifflinburg, PA 17844

Phone: (570) 922-1587 FAX: (570) 922-1118

E-Mail: cml@campmountluther.org

Please remember Mount Luther in your gift plan.

Please remember Mount Luther in your gift plan.

We thank the following Lutheran congregations and individuals who adopted members of the summer staff this year. They provided notes of encouragement and care packages

throughout our summer program. We thank Evangelical, Reedsville; Trinity, McAlisterville; St. Michael, Cogan Station; Zion, Turbotville; Himmel’s, Rebuck; Salem, Selinsgrove; United

In Christ, West Milton; First, Mifflinburg; St. Peter, Kreamer; Zion, Sunbury; Kailey Betz, Marianne Brock, Parrish Family; and Zack Zimmerman.