Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
Eastern
District Watchword 2006
A Word from Gary
Lenten greetings to all. As we
journey on the way to the cross and the empty tomb this year, may you truly
grow in your commitment to Christ. The Ash Wednesday gospel (Matthew
6:1-16,16-21) reminds us of our need to grow in the disciplines of Lent while,
at the same time, making sure that it is an inward and humble growth as opposed
to an external show of piety. I am reminded that God asks us to
try to practice a piety that is based on God's love for us and not a piety
that is being motivated by thoughts of human praise or reward. God
asks us to show a righteousness that is based on God's goodness and not a
righteousness that is motivated by thoughts of demonstrating our
own virtue. Two major items are on my mind this
month.
The
first item is in reference to a wonderful pastoral event held in
February -- district pastors, retired pastors residing in the district,
and Moravian seminary students enjoyed a wonderful retreat and, almost without
exception, individual participants were appreciative of the event and were
very grateful to the EDEB for providing such a great retreat. What
made it such a highlight was the presence of Martin Marty, the superb facility
and gracious Mary Immaculate hosts, the great fellowship that was occurring
between retreaters, the good food, the restful nature of the schedule, and
(most of all) the attitudes of each person present. We will have one
again next year. I had wanted to schedule it during the same days following
Presidents' Day but realized that Ash Wednesday occurs on that date next
year. Thus, it will likely be held on Jan. 30-Feb. 1 next year.
The second item
has to do with all of the new pastor-parish relationships that are occurring. As
we journeyed through pastoral call, pastoral move, and installation processes
these past few months, I have sensed a wonderful aura of excitement and renewal occurring
in the lives of our pastors and their assignments -- Marge Hassler at New Dawn,
Dean Jurgen at Lititz, Rosieta Burton at Battle Hill (the snowed out installation
now re-scheduled for 4 PM on April 2), Carol Dague at Moravian Houses and
Village Chaplaincy, Ian and Eileen Edwards at Great Kills, Gordon Sommers at
West Side, Kay Rohn at Grace Center Valley and Coopersburg, and Janel Rice
at Central. At the same time there is great excitement beginning to
generate as we await the coming matches: Gregg Schafer at Newfoundland, Rick
Bruckart at Hope Conference and Renewal Center, Leslie McKoy at United,
Wanda Weidman at York Covenant, Lynette McRae at New York First, and Terry Folk
at Schoeneck. While mentioning this, I would be remiss if I
did not say how much we miss the following pastors in our district but, at the
same time, how excited we are to hear how wonderful their new pastor-parish
assignments are for both them and their charges -- Frank Barker and the
seminary in Jamaica, Beth Rohn and Lake Mills, Tammie Rinker and Wisconsin
Rapids, and Percy Gordon in retirement. Pray for us all (EDEB and
Joint Boards alike) as we attempt to discern God's will for pastoral leadership
at Lititz (Director of Pastoral Ministries), York First, College Hill, Good Shepherd
New Hartford, Fellowship, and Tremont Terrace.
These examples
remind me of the goodness of God. I would remind all pastors and board
leaders that your 2005 Annual Reports are now past due. Only half of our
district congregations have yet submitted their reports. Please make this
a priority. I would also remind pastors and board leaders to make sure to
begin talking about preparing a grant proposal for the two "Mission Development
Grants" that will be awarded in August (one for up to $10,000 and one for
up to $5,000). Make sure your grant proposal is on Lucille's desk by noon
on August 1. If you mail it, make sure that it has arrived by that date
because none will be considered if they arrive after that.
Some important
March dates -- installation of Gregg Schafer at Newfoundland on March 5 at
10:45 AM, Ministerial Candidate Review with four prospective candidates on
March 11, installation of Lynette McRae as the Licensed Lay Pastor of the
New York First congregation on March 19 at 4 PM, selection process for a
new president for Moravian College and Theological Seminary continues this
month, the Weber Lectures occur on March 23, and the Antiguan anniversary
celebration occurs at United on March 26 at 4 PM. The District Board
meets via Conference Call on March 23 and the district Budget Committee meets
on March 30 to prepare the 2007 district budget. I and possibly one or
two other members of the EDEB travel to Good Shepherd on March 6, to Lititz on
March 7, to College Hill on March 9, to West Side on March 13, to Tremont
Terrace on March 14, and to New Dawn on March 18-19.
As you journey
through Lent, 2006, remember that God walks hand in hand with you.
Blessings. - Gary
Prayer Concerns and Joys
Our condolences
to Dean and Janis Easton and family on the death of her father, Harlan Hamann,
of Keystone, IA, on January 25th.
Sister Sherry
Gehris was hospitalized recently. Continue to hold her in prayer as well as all
our brothers and sisters dealing with health issues as they move towards
strength and healing.
Continue also to
remember those churches attempting to discern God’s will for pastoral
leadership.
We celebrate
with Pastor Rich Thierolf and the Lebanon Moravian Congregation as they
have now completed the move to their new location. Their new address is 1115 Birch Road, Lebanon, PA 17042.
The phone number remains the same.
Pastoral Changes
Sister Lynette
McRae has accepted an appointment to serve as licensed lay pastor of the First
Moravian Church, New York. Her installation will take place on March 19 at
4 p.m.
Brother Terry
Folk has accepted the call to serve as pastor of the Schoeneck Moravian
Church, Nazareth, PA. Brother Folk
has been serving as pastor of the First Moravian Church, York, PA. He will begin his new ministry in May, with
installation during worship on May 14.
* F.
Y. I.
- Schedule of Events
Thru March 5 – Whitefield House Museum
of the Moravian Historical Society, Little Dolls, Big Stories: History
Through Girls’ Treasures exhibit. 610-759-5070 for more information.
March 9 (Thu.), 9:30 am-2:30 pm. Weber
Memorial Lectures. Searching for Common Ground: Preaching Across the
Divides. Prosser Auditorium, Moravian
College.
March 23 (Thu.), 1:30-4 workshop, 7:30-9
lecture. A Contrarian Moravian’s Approach to Church Growth.
For
information for all continuing ed programs at MTS: 610-861-1519, www.moravianseminary.edu;
or seminaryOCE@moravian.edu
March 25 - Moravian Health and Wellness
Ministry meeting for the Maryland churches. (Time and place TBA)
April 1, 9:30 am-1:30 pm. Inquirer’s
Day Moravian Theological Seminary.
For more information & to register online: www.moravianseminary.edu
or contact Ann Gibson, 610-861-1512.
April 5, 10:30 am-3 pm. Science and
Religion Symposium, Artificial Intelligence, Cybertheology, and the Human
Prospect. MTS, 610-861-1519.
April 21, 9:30 am-2:30 pm. Zeisberger
Lectures in Evangelism, A Conference
on the Emergent Church with Brian McLaren.
MTS, 610-861-1519.
April 27, 9:30 am-1:30 pm. Moses
Lectures in Moravian Studies, Moravian Music on a Mission. MTS,
610-861-1519.
Apr. 30, 7:30 pm – Unitas Chorale concert, College Hill Moravian Church, Bethlehem (new location.)
Coming Events
May 6, 7:30 pm – Unitas Chorale concert- Lancaster Moravian Church, Lancaster.
May 13 - Moravian Health and Wellness Ministry meeting at Lititz Moravian Church for Central PA and Maryland area churches. Participants will receive notebooks which they can use as a resource for starting Health and Wellness ministries in their local congregations. Time still TBA.
May 15-17 – The 56th Johns Hopkins Institute for Spirituality and Medicine. What Does It Mean to Be Human? A Public Discourse on Genetics, Ethics, and Spirituality. www.hopkinscme.net.
June 3 (rescheduled from Apr. 29 due to a scheduling conflict)- Moravian Health and Wellness Ministries Networking Event sponsored by the ED Lay Ministry Commission. Emmaus Moravian Church. Each participant will receive a resource notebook with information for starting and developing a congregational health and wellness ministry. Time will also be set aside for a health fair and for participants to meet in small groups according to their interests. Times and registration fees will be announced soon. Moravians from all areas of the Eastern District are welcome to attend. For information contact Lynnette Delbridge, 718-442-5215, or pastor@chmchurch.com
June 5-16 – German Script course at the Moravian Archives, Bethlehem. www.moravianchurcharchives.org.
June
15-19 - Provincial Synod at Moravian College, Bethlehem
July
2-8 – 22nd Moravian Music Festival and Seminars, Capital
University and Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, OH. www.MoravianMusicFestival.org
2008
June
18-21, 2008 – Eastern District Synod at Moravian College, Bethlehem
News
from the Benefits Office
Pastors, please
note the enclosed items provided to us by BENECON. BENECON is a Benefits
and Consulting Group we have retained to help us structure our health care and
prescription drug plans to assure appropriate benefit levels as economically as
possible. They have been very helpful and saved us considerable cost in
qualifying our retiree prescription drug plan for the Medicare Part D. subsidy.
BENECON will be
providing similar health related items in the future which we will pass along
with the District Newsletters. We would welcome your comments, pro or con.
Benefits Office 610.867.7566 , benefits@mcnp.org
Click Adobe icon for
Healthy Heart .pdf
Click Adobe icon for Resolutions
.pdf
Birthdays
and Anniversaries
March
Birthdays
1 The Rev. Donald Fulton
2 Mrs. Mary Harke
3 Mrs. Elizabeth Sawyer
4 The Rev. Abzal Sahadath
5 The Rev. Marvin Henkelmann
Mrs.
Wilma Henkelmann
7
Mrs. Mary
Ellen Henkelmann
Mrs. Alma McMahan
8 The
Rev. Dr. David Schwarz
The
Rev. Leslie McKoy
12 Mrs.
Geraldine Eichman
The
Rev. Peter Skelly
Mrs.
Joyce Trievel
18 Dr.
Howard Cox
19 The
Rev. George Richmond
21 The
Rev. Michael Johnson
23 Mrs.
Susan Sommers
25 The
Rt. Rev. C. Hopeton Clennon
30 The
Rev. Dr. David Schattschneider
31 Mrs.
Marie Couts
March
Anniversaries
1 The Rev. Wanda Weidman & Mr. Richard
Everhart
9 Mr. & Mrs. John Ziegler
12 The
Rev. Barbara Rich &
The
Rev. Dr. William Hosking
20 The
Rev. & Mrs. Gary Straughan
23 The
Rev. & Mrs. John Hoenig
27 The
Rev. & Mrs. Douglass Norwood
Churches celebrating March anniversaries:
5
- 1939 - Calvary, Allentown, PA
14 - 1886 - Great Kills, Staten Island,
NY
14 - 1951 - Mountainview, Hellertown, PA
25 - 1752 - First, York, PA
27 - 1966 - John Hus, Brooklyn, NY