Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Summertime is almost here – the weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and school is almost out.  I’m looking forward to the warmer weather, and to getting to spend evenings around a fire or exploring the local walking trails with Pastor Sarah and Robbie.  There are several events that will be happening in our congregations this summer that I’m also very excited for, and that I’d like to take a moment to share with you.

The first event is my installation service, where I’ll be installed as the pastor of the Punxsutawney Area Lutheran Parish by Bishop Jones of the Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod.  The installation service will be on Sunday, June 3, at 3:30 in the afternoon at First English, with a potluck meal to follow.  I know there will be a few other Lutheran pastors from the Indiana and Jefferson clusters who’ll be there, and I’m hoping that other pastors from other Punxsutawney churches will be able to attend as well.  It should be a really unique worship service, and I’m excited to be able to be a part of it.  Since it’s an afternoon service, there will be worship at all the normal times that Saturday evening and Sunday morning.

I’m also looking forward to the Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod’s annual Synod Assembly.  Synod assembly is an annual event where members of congregations from across the synod gather to do some of the necessary business, but also to learn and study, and to worship as members of the NWPA Synod.  It’s a chance to gather and share in fellowship and worship with our fellow Lutherans from across the synod.  This year’s synod assembly is from June 14-16, and we’ll be sharing the assembly with the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod.  I’m excited to be able to be a part of it, and to be able to share in that time with members of the church from all across western Pennsylvania.

I’m also excited for some opportunities for us to worship together as a parish throughout the year.  There are typically four months in the year with five Sundays.  This year, those months are April, July, September, and December.  I’m hoping that on those fifth Sundays, we might be able to have one combined worship service as a parish, which would rotate among the three congregations’ buildings.  I’m still trying to work out all of the details, especially for the July service, because it would conflict with the Punxsutawney Ministerium’s Church in the Park event, but I’m excited for the chance for us to come together for worship and fellowship as a whole parish.

I’m looking forward to all of those things, and I’m also excited to be a part of the parish and of each of the three congregations.  I hope that whatever your plans may be for this summer, that it can be a time of rest and refreshment.

Peace,
Pastor Russ