REPORTS OF THE 2018 ASSEMBLY NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SYNOD of the EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH in AMERICA Mohegan Sun Arena Wilkes-Barre, PA June 8-9, 2018 CONTENTS: PART I Assembly Program Assembly Committees Assembly Reports Auditor’s Report Proposed Budget 2018 Assembly Minutes Voting Members PART II, Page 131 Constitution and Bylaws Standing and Continuing Resolutions PART III, Page 177 Congregational Statistics, 2017 Treasurer’s Acknowledgments Synodical Statistics, 2016 & 2017 PART IV, Page 215 Directories for: Synod Council Mission District Councils Synod Ministry Teams Synod Support Committees Boards of Institutions and Agencies Ordained Pastors Specialized Pastoral Care Professionals United Church of Christ Pastors Full-Communion Partner Denomination Pastors Deaconesses Associates in Ministry Diaconal Ministers Synodically Authorized Lay Ministers Slovak-Zion Synod Congregations Congregations, Listed by Location Social Ministry Agencies INDEX, Page 295 3 “Synod Assembly Plenary Session Minutes will be added when they are available “ 5 31st Annual Synod Assembly Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA June 8-9, 2018 Mohegan Sun Arena Wilkes-Barre, PA 2018 Synod Assembly Program Friday, June 8, 2018 8:00 AM Registration Opens 9:00 - 11:00 AM Plenary Session One Introduction of Guests Opening Worship (with Order for the Opening of an Assembly) Adoption of the Program Report of the Nominating Committee/Floor Nominations First Ballot Report of the Bishop Greetings from Pastor President Gustavo Gómez Pascua Greetings from Ministries/Organizations Announcements 11:00 - 2:30 PM Lunch on your own/Round Robin Activities Bear Creek Camp/Ministry Displays/Service Projects 2:30 - 3:35 PM Plenary Session Two Gathering Music/Prayer Reports of the Vice President and Synod Council Reception of the Hmong Community Evangelical Lutheran Church Report of the First Ballot, Second Ballot Report of the Secretary First Report of the Committee of Reference and Counsel Address by the ELCA Representative – Nick Kiger Announcements 7 3:35 - 4:00 PM Break 4:00 - 5:30 PM Festival Worship Service Reception of an offering for the ELCA Young Adult in Global Mission Fund 5:30 - 9:00 PM Dinner on your own/Round Robin Activities Bear Creek Camp/Ministry Displays/Service Projects Saturday, June 9, 2018 8:30 - 9:00 AM Opening Worship Reception of an offering for the ELCA World Hunger Appeal 9:00 - 12:00 noon Plenary Session Three Report of the Second Ballot, Third Ballot Second Report of the Committee of Reference and Counsel Installation of Bear Creek Camp Staff Report of the Constitution Committee Mission Interpretation Moment Young Adults in Global Mission Conversation Acknowledgements: New to the Roster and Retirements Report of the Treasurer/Presentation of the Spending Plan 50th Anniversary Video Report of the Third Ballot, Fourth Ballot Relationship Building/Ministry Sharing Activity Break Presentation of 2019 Compensation Guidelines Report of the Fourth Ballot, Fifth Ballot (if necessary) Other Reports (Q and A about the Bulletin of Reports) Unfinished Business Announcements Closing Worship/Order for the Closing of an Assembly 8 2018 SYNOD ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES Assembly Coordinator Reference and Counsel The Rev. Kurt Garbe The Rev. D. Michael D Bennethum, Staff Liaison The Rev. Allison deForest, Arrangements/Planning Team The Rev. Mary Ann Hamm The Rev. Steve Shussett The Rev. Michael Bennethum The Rev. Dody Siegfried The Rev. Jeffrey Carstens The Rev. Christopher deforest, Deborah Frey Registration The Rev. Kurt Garbe, The Rev. Jean Huber The Rev. Michele Kaufman, The Rev. Peter Kuritz Edwin Belón, Laurie Christman Bishop Samuel Zeiser Deborah Frey The Rev. Mary Gade, Staff Liaison Diane F Hemerly, Jim Hemerly, Elections Larry Mast, SALM, Marcia Mast Ed Cool, Chair, Jin Doxsey, Larry Stauffer Linda Eroh, Hal Gooch Diane F. Hemerly, Jim Hemerly Service Project Table The Rev. Wayne Kaufman Lee Hallock, Karen Kowalczyk, Paul Kowalczyk The Rev. Peter Kuritz, Staff Liaison Judy Seroska, Bonnie Stewart Deacon Terry Leib, Louise McCloughan Phil Newlander, The Rev. Anthony Pagotto Ushers Jim Parks, Larry Stauffer The Rev. Peggy Wuertele Linda Below, Peggy Cranmar, Helen Davis Jim Doxsey, Martin Everhart Excuse Blake Allen Hammacher, Melody Hinderer The Rev. Michele Kaufman, Co-Chair Deborah Frey The Rev. Wayne Kaufman, The Rev. Larry Laine The Rev. D. Michael Bennethum, Staff Liaison Dr. Ruthann Major, Co-chair, Satchell Manchester The Rev. Kenneth Melbur, Samantha Melbur God’s Playground Phil Newlander, Ed North, Lynn Muchler Stash Judy Tim The Rev. Jean Huber Worship Greeters & Volunteers Alice Baer, Marty Everhart Barbara Belón, The Rev. Lauren Blatt Trish Hudson, Judy Loeffler, Ron Loeffler The Rev. Jeff Carstens, Chair The Rev. Phyllis Pellitier, Leeann Whitaker The Rev. Maritza Dolich The Rev. Kurt Garbe, Staff Liaison Pastors and members of congregations of: The Rev. Charles Grube, Jean Grube Hazleton/Lehighton Mission District The Rev. Carolyn Hetrick, Dr. Michael Krentz Pocono Mission District Bishop Samuel Zeiser Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Mission District Minutes The Rev. Kathleen Ash-Flashner, Co-Chair The Rev. Thomas Irwin, Co-Chair Jacquie Moser The Rev. Carl D. Shankweiler, Staff Liaison 9 EXECUTIVE REPORTS (OFFICERS & DEANS) REPORT OF THE BISHOP port Symposium and three meetings that led up to it. Held across the synod, the four meetings Greetings as we prepare to gather in Wilkes- nurtured relationships among rostered ministers, Barre for Synod Assembly 2018: Sharing Minis- congregation leaders, bishop’s associates, Synod tries, Building Relationships. Council, and Nick Kiger from the Churchwide Mission Advancement Unit. You will hear from Evaluations of past assemblies shaped this Nick, churchwide representative to the assembly. year’s theme. Voting members expressed thanks His formal report comes during plenary time; he for ministry ideas shared by others and for enrich- will then be available to meet you during time al- ing relationships built with others. Based on this lotted for relationship building. feedback, voting members at Assembly 2018 will be offered more opportunities to share and build. It is critical that we assemble to share and build Assemble on June 8 and 9 prepared to speak to for the sake of spreading the gospel so that we other voting members, to listen to those who live can take account of our blessings, including: the out their faith with imagination, and to grow closer faithful growth of three Synodically Approved to ministry partners who believe that God’s love is Worshiping Communities; reaching 85% (to unleashed in personal, congregational, synodical, date) of our 100% goal of congregations partici- and churchwide ministries. pating in the ELCA Always Being Made New campaign; a promising pastoral care pilot project Assembly 2018 will equip you as we worship, as in the Pocono Mission District; welcoming a new we fill vital leadership roles, as we discuss is- congregation onto the synod roster – the Hmong sues, and as we hear about the vigor, as well as congregation in Knauers; and the growing excite- the challenges, in our life together in Christ. In ment as the ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston addition, Assembly 2018 will invigorate your faith draws near. through ministries and relationships experienced at service projects, at Bear Creek Camp, and at It is critical that we assemble also because, while workshops and displays. we affirm the vigor of our life together in Christ, we cannot ignore challenges posed by an in- Synod Vice President Barbara Belόn has been creasing number of congregations unable to sus- building relationships through visits to congrega- tain full-time ordained leaders. Some of those tions. Elected last year, Barbara expressed will- congregations are forward looking and find new ingness to visit congregations upon invitation. energy through merger or consolidation, or new She has been invited, and after each visit Barba- vision for mission through cooperative ministry ra shares the experience with me. She is discov- with neighboring congregations. Some – thankful ering firsthand how meaningful it is when congre- for so many steadfast members for so many gation members share ministries with her face-to- years – conclude they will close and continue face. ministry in other Lutheran congregations. Associates of the Bishop too are building relation- Tied to these urgent circumstances is the finan- ships, using a new tool – the Congregational Vi- cial challenge that finds its way from congrega- tality Project – in their mission districts. The pro- tions to synod and churchwide ministries. Conse- ject is designed to help congregations focus less quently, pressures come to bear on staffing on numbers of people or amounts of money and (locally, synodically, and churchwide) and on min- more on deepening relationships with God, build- istries meant to bear witness to our Lutheran ing relationships with each other, and engaging in commitment to theological education, justice, relationships with their surrounding community. peace, global mission, and other important issues As the project goes forward, it will shift beyond and needs. measuring vitality toward giving congregations resources to grow these relationships in their These circumstances are reshaping all three ex- different contexts. pressions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – congregations, synods, and church- Creating Congregational Cultures of Generosity wide. For those whose leadership in this church is another tool. Drawing