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Bishop’s Blog! March, 2024

Here's what's happening in our synod!

This Week at the Synod Office

The Synod Office will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday. Pastor Laura Sinche is on call for pastoral emergencies.
 
On Tuesday, April 2 at noon, a Service of Word and Sacrament will be celebrated in the Chapel of All Saints. All are welcome.
 
Pastor Micah Krey will be on vacation from April 2-8, returning to the office on April 9.
 
Pastor Alejandro Mejía has a mobile office at Good Shepherd (Bel Air) on Tuesday afternoons, and will be away for a Director for Evangelical Mission gathering April 2-4, and at the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church commission meeting on April 4-7, returning to the office on April 8.
 
Pastor Robin Simpson Litton keeps a mobile office at Gloria Dei! (Arnold) on Wednesdays.  
 
Pastor Carla Christopher is working from her office in Gettysburg, and will be away for the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church commission meeting on April 4-7, returning to the office on April 8.

Campus Ministry Trivia Night

The Table, our Baltimore Lutheran/Episcopal Campus ministry, presents Trivia Night 2024! Trivia Night will be held on Saturday, April 13 from 6-8 p.m. (doors opening at 5:30) at Epiphany Lutheran Church (4301 Raspe Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21206). You can register as an individual or as a team of eight; $20 per person includes a taco bar. There will also be a 50/50 raffle. You can learn more and register online.

2024 Mission Visit to Companion Synod in Tanzania

The 2024 Mission Visit to the Mara Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania leaves June 6, 2024 and returns June 19. Plans are currently being finalized, and you can be a part of this exciting adventure from the slopes of Kilimanjaro across the Serengeti to the shores of Lake Victoria. You will meet Lutheran Christians excitedly sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with neighbors and faithfully serving the human needs they encounter. Final deadline for application is Thursday, March 28. There are two spots remaining and you can learn more about joining the DE-MD Synod’s 2024 Mission Visit by contacting Pastor Charles Zang.

Celebrate Bishop Gohl’s 50th Birthday!

Our bishop, Bill Gohl, celebrated his 50th birthday this week! We have planned three ways to celebrate with Bishop Gohl, and invite you to join us in any or all of them!

• Send the Bishop a card! The staff are collecting birthday greetings for Bishop Gohl, just send them to the Synod Office: Pr. Micah Krey, 5699 Meridale Road, Baltimore, MD 21228 and the Synod Staff willI collect all the cards and present them to him on March 25! He doesn’t know about the card shower, and we will be eagle-eyed about the mail these next few weeks.

• Support a Facebook fundraiser for Mar-Lu-Ridge! During March, Bishop Gohl has an annual Facebook Fundraiser for Mar-Lu-Ridge. You can support that fundraiser, whether you are a Facebook user or not, by clicking the link below. Bishop Gohl counts outdoor ministry as one of the most formative experiences of his call story – both as a camper and later as summer staff. What he doesn’t know is that a family donor has agreed to match his Facebook fundraiser, dollar for dollar, up to $5000 in honor of his 50th birthday!

• Come to a dinner dance to support the Annual Fund! On Saturday, May 11, we will have a dinner dance to celebrate the Bishop’s 50th birthday, with a catered meal, beer, wine, soda, a short tribute, music, dancing, and birthday cake! The Dinner Dance will be held at Columbus Gardens (4301 Klosterman Avenue, Nottingham, MD 21236, not far from where 95 and the Beltway meet on the north side of Baltimore, in Baltimore County). Tickets are $85 per person, and are all inclusive – including a gift for the Annual Fund. If you cannot attend, you can surely sponsor a ticket for someone else – or make a direct gift to the Annual Fund.

Please direct any and all questions to Pr. Micah Krey via email.

Ordinations & Installations

The Rev. Brian Sanders, a clergyperson from another Christian tradition, will be received onto the ELCA Roster of Ministers of Word and Sacrament and Installed as Pastor to the Community of Unity (Wilmington) on Saturday, April 6 at 3 p.m. at Unity Church. Pastors, Deacons, and Members of the Order of St. Stephen are invited to vest and process, red stoles.
 
The Rev. Amy Wright will be Installed as Associate Pastor for the community of St. Philip’s (Wilmington) on Sunday, April 14 3 p.m. at St. Philip’s. Pastors, Deacons, and Members of the Order of St. Stephen are invited to vest and process, white stoles.

Unlikely Leaders

Registration for Unlikely Leaders, a leadership retreat for students in grades 6-8, is now open! Each congregation is invited to bring four youth and one adult advisor to this weekend event where we will explore how water shows up in the Bible and what we can learn about ourselves, our faith, and our role as leaders in the church and the world right now. More information and the link to register can be found on our website.

Lutherpalian Easter Eggs!

The people of St. Matthew, St. George, and St. Luke in Dundalk have prepared 3600 of their delicious homemade half-pound Easter Eggs! They are available in 8 flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla, Peanut Butter, Coconut, Fruit & Nut, M & Ms, Chocolate Chip, and Chocolate with Peanut Butter Chips. Each egg is $5.50, and can be ordered by calling: Michelle Besser (443-570-3701), Bonnie Davis (443-877-8042), or Kathe Akers (410-458-8364). Eggs can be picked-up as soon as this weekend, at St. Luke!

Baltimore-Area Easter Vigil

St. Mark’s (Baltimore) will host the annual Easter Vigil Service on Saturday,  March 30, beginning at 7 p.m. St. Mark’s is located at the corner of St. Paul and 20th Streets, where you will find their parking lot, as well. A rich feast for the heart and spirit, and a grand Easter party afterwards! If you’d like, bring a small bell (or load a bell app on your smartphone!) to ring at the Gloria in excelsis.

Easter Sunrise Service

Mar-Lu-Ridge will host the annual Easter Sunrise Service on Sunday, March 31, beginning at 6 a.m., in Salem-on-the-Mount Chapel. Bishop Bill Gohl will preach, the praise team of St. Paul (Jefferson) will lead our song, and a marvelous hot Easter Breakfast will be shared at 7 a.m.! 

The 33rd Annual Fell's Point Easter Sunrise Service will be held at the end of the Fell's Point Pier (at the foot of Broadway) at 6:45 a.m. on Sunday, March 31, lasting 30-45 minutes. Please plan to dress for the weather. For more information, you can email Pastor Jack Trautwein or call at 410-746-7494.

A Word From...

The Connectedness Team
Join in the celebration at the Lay Ministry Dinner on Sunday, April 28 at Carroll Lutheran Villages' Zest Dining Room from 3-6 p.m. The event will feature Mrs. Jada Wright, Vice President of the Delaware-Maryland Synod, as the esteemed speaker. Attendees will witness the presentation of the Delaware-Maryland Synod Awards for Significant Lay Ministry, recognizing outstanding volunteer efforts within Lutheran services organizations, including The Luther Award and The Innovation Award. Ensure your presence by RSVP-ing now for an evening of recognition and camaraderie.

The Generosity Team
How to Improve Financial Stewardship: A Guide for Congregations: For church leaders who want to learn (or relearn) some traditional methods and principles of a giving campaign, here is a gem of a resource from the ELCA. The free 36-page guide covers a lot of ground -- the major types of giving campaigns, how to put together and train the folks to run them, and ideal timeframes for implementation. Everything you need to plan and run your campaign.

ELCA Mission Support
This month's ELCA Mission Support Memo is brimming with inspiring stories and opportunities for engagement. Dive into the narrative of how the Central States Synod is fostering leadership through their innovative Ministry Lab - an interactive space where individuals can explore new ideas, tools, and resources.  Additionally, learn how congregations can join the upcoming Cultivating Generous Congregations Cohort, starting in April, as well as an acknowledgment to congregations for their diligent submission of Annual Congregational Reports.

Your Neck of the Woods

events happening in local congregations

St. John's Lutheran Church (518 Franklin Avenue, Essex, MD 21221) is holding their Annual Spring Tea on Sunday, April 7 from 4-6 p.m. Enjoy an afternoon tea (menu of assortment of tea, coffee, finger sandwiches, flavorful soup and dessert) with some horse racing and a hat parade. Bring your decorated hat and win a prize for the most creative. Tickets are $15 for adults and $6 for children 12 and under. Please contact the church office at 410-687-4621 or via email for tickets.

St. Paul's (10625 Old Frederick Road Thurmont, MD 21788) extends a warm invitation to music enthusiasts to join them for a series of free concerts sponsored by the GreenSpring International Academy of Music. The upcoming concert dates are Saturday, April 6, Sunday, April 14, and Sunday, June 16, all starting at 2:00 p.m. Don't miss this chance to experience the joy of music in the serene ambiance of the historic church.

Holy Trinity (7607 Old Sandy Spring Road, Laurel, MD 20707) is having a Community Easter Eggstravanga on Saturday, March 30 from 12-2 p.m. There will be games, arts and crafts, an Easter egg hunt, and storytelling of the Easter story. All are Welcome! Call 301-725-1666 or visit us on Facebook to RSVP! 

Trinity (15 Randolph Avenue Hagerstown, MD 21740) is hosting an Easter Vigil in partnership with St. Mark's.  The service will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 30. Pastor Bob Schmitt, interim at Trinity, will be presiding and Pastor Brian McClinton, pastor at St. Mark's will cantor and preach. Join them for the Great Vigil and Resurrection Eucharist!

Classifieds

To view the job descriptions listed below or to submit a classified ad, please visit the Classifieds page on our synod's website.

Parish Administrator (part-time) | Ascension (Towson, MD)