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     Weekly E-News ArchivesFrom previous editions of E-News (date posted)
HELP NEEDED!Lutheran Disaster Response Network-NE PA needs Skilled individuals or teams of volunteers immediately to frame house in Drums (Rt. 309 and I-80 north of Hazleton). Call 610.770.9205 or contact volunteer coordinator Dianne (610.428.4598) or Carol (484.515.6147). DATE FOR 2009 LIFT EVENT SETLIFT (Lutherans in Faith Together) was an enormously popular event in 2007. So we're doing it again in 2009. Mark your calendars: The 2009 LIFT event will be held on Saturday, JUNE 13, 2009, at Muhlenberg College. Watch for more information. REMINDER: MEAL TICKETS AT THE ASSEMBLYIf you are not staying at Split Rock but would like to purchase meal tickets for any of the meals, you MUST order those meals FROM SPLIT ROCK BY MAY 26. A form for purchasing meals is found on the assembly page of this website; click here for the form. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS EVENTS
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH VOTES FOR FULL COMMUNIONThe United Methodist Church (UMC) voted and approved this week an implementing resolution of full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America at that church's General Conference meeting in Fort Worth, Texas. The ELCA Church Council will consider recommending an implementing resolution for full communion with the UMC in the coming months, which would then be passed on to the ELCA Eleventh Churchwide Assembly for further consideration in 2009. The UMC and the ELCA entered into a relationship of interim Eucharistic sharing as of the ELCA Ninth Churchwide Assembly in Florida in 2005. SOME CONTINUED GOOD ECONOMIC NEWSThe Mission Investment Fund continues to offer a 4.68%APY for an 18-month Mission Term Select. This investment requires a $2500 minimum deposit and must be a new investment and cannot be a transfer from an existing investment. This is a great opportunity to receive a good return and assist in building the Church. For more information about this and other investment or loan opportunities, contact Pr. Mark Wimmer: 267-203-1137 or mark.wimmer@elca.org. For concerns or questions about church buildings, contact building consultant Jeff Spann: 973-625-2568 or jeff.spann@elca.org. LUTHERAN YOUTH DAYNew Life in Christ: Let's Celebrate! is the theme of the Lutheran Youth Day scheduled for June 14 at Mauch Chunk Lake Park, Jim Thorpe. The event, for 8th through 12th graders, will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bring your own picnic lunch. For more information, click here. FALL PRE-RETIREMENT SEMINARThe Board of Pensions and Region 7 is sponsoring a pre-retirement seminar from Monday, October 20, to Tuesday, October 21 (noon to noon), at Koinonia Conference Center, Highland Lake, NY. The fee is $150.00 single, $115.00 per person double occupancy (includes lodging, meals and materials). For more information or to register, contact Yvonne Curtis at ycurtisf@aol.com or 215-248-6318. Space is limited; register early. REMEMBER THE GULF COASTWhen the 2005 hurricane season battered communities along the U.S. Gulf Coast, the response of Lutheran donors was overwhelming. Through that support, Lutheran Disaster Response has played an integral role in the initial stages of recovery from these terrible disasters. But the work is far from over. Recovery could continue for years—and LDR asks you to renew your commitment to the Gulf Coast by giving to an unprecedented second funding campaign. To give a gift to the appeal or learn more, go to www.ldr.org. ASSEMBLY PRAYER SHAWL PROJECT UPDATEWow! Twenty-seven congregations have contacted Pastor Eileen Le Van to let her know they are contributing. She has a confirmed count of 781 and several churches have not given her a count yet. So you do not need to make any more prayer shawls for the assembly. If your congregation has agreed to make shawls but has not contacted Eileen to say how many your congregation has made, please contact her at 610-374-3230. INTERFAITH IMMERSION EXPERIENCEBear Creek Camp is offering a great interfaith immersion experience called “The Summit” for senior high youth June 29-July 3, 2008. Ninth through twelfth graders and leaders of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism will participate in a five-day residential program of sharing, teaching, and worship on site at the camp. Scholarships are available to make the program quite affordable. To register or for more information, go to www.bearcreekcamp.org. LIMITED TIME OFFER ON SPECIAL MIF FUNDBeginning April 1, the Mission Investment Fund (MIF) will offer an 18-month MissionTermSelect–Fixed product with a premium rate of 4.6%. Only new funds are eligible for this rate; funds currently invested in MIF are not eligible. The minimum investment is $2,500. This is a limited time offer. For information and applications for this and other investments as well as loans offered by MIF, contact Pr. Mark Wimmer at 267-203-1137 or mark.wimmer@elca.org. For questions regarding building needs, contact ELCA building consultant Jeff Spann at 973-625-2568 or jeff.spann@elca.org. HELP LAUNCH CAMP NOAH 2008Camp Noah is the week-long all day Bible school type program for children who have been impacted by disaster. Volunteers and contributions are needed to send three crews out this summer, most likely to the Midwest. Friedens, Oley, has a full crew going out June 14. Two other teams are scheduled to embark July 12. To help or for further information, contact Gwen or Ruth at 610.770.9205 or gwen@lutherancongregationalservices.org. THE "A TEAM" NEEDS ACCESSIBILITY "HOT SPOT" STORIESThe Accessibility Ministry Team needs stories about synod congregations' 'Accessibility/Welcoming Hot Spots," i.e., descriptions of how a congregation has made its facilities, groups, and programs accessible, welcoming, and inclusive for people with mental, physical, or sensory disability challenges. Stories of congregational leaders with challenges and of challenged members who have made a significant contribution to congregational life will also be appreciated. Pictures will be helpful. These 'hot spot' stories and pictures will be used in the "A Team" synod assembly display. They may be sent to the Rev. David Heckler, St. Paul Lutheran Church, 405 Church St., Hawley, PA 18428; spelc@voicenet.com. DRAFT OF ELCA SOCIAL STATEMENT ON HUMAN SEXUALITYThe draft of the ELCA social statement on human sexuality, to be considered by the churchwide assembly in 2009, was released to the public March 13. You may read the statement online at http://www.elca.org/faithfuljourney/draft/. It is important to remember that this draft is NOT the proposed social statement. One opportunity to talk about the draft statement will be at a forum at the synod assembly in May. BALLOT-COUNTERS NEEDED AT THE SYNOD ASSEMBLYWe need ballot counters at this year's synod assembly, to be held May 29-31 at Split Rock Resort. Here is an opportunity for volunteers from your congregation to be part of an important moment in our life together as a synod -- the election of a bishop. The first ballot for bishop will take place on Thursday evening, May 29. Since both this first ballot and the second one, which will be taken on Friday morning, are handwritten, extra ballot counters will be needed at those times. Balloting for other elections will also take place beginning Friday morning and ballot counters will be needed for those ballots as well. Balloting continues Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. If anyone in your congregation is interested in helping at any of those times, please contact Carol Moyer at nepsynod@rcn.com (put "ballot counter" in subject line) or 610-395-6891 with the volunteer's name and contact information. 2008 AFFIRMATION OF BAPTISM FESTIVALThe 2008 Affirmation of Baptism Festival will be held on November 15, 2008, at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. This event will gather ninth grade youth – those currently in confirmation or those recently confirmed – for a day of exploring the fullness of baptismal life and the Christian callings to witness and work in the world. Congregations can bring up to four ninth grade youth and one adult advisor. More information can be found at www.theologicaleducationwithyouth.com. Registrations will begin online on May 15, 2008. LEAVE A LEGACY FOR MINISTRY AND MISSIONDonor Advised Funds allow you to make a gift today and help determine ministry recipients now and in the future. The Donor Advised Fund could eventually become a permanent endowment fund. For more information, call Pr. Greg Kramer at the Lutheran Planned Giving office at 570-374-2044 or call the ELCA Foundation, 800/638-3522, ext. 2970, or visit their website at www.elca.org/fo. ANOTHER COMPUTER VIRUSOur inboxes have been cluttered lately with messages that a friend, relative, colleague or classmate has sent us an E-card. The message then tells us to click on a link to see the card. These messages usually take you to a website that then installs a piece of malicious software that hijacks your computer. (Don't confuse this with messages warning you about a virus called “Invitation” or “Postcard.” Those are hoaxes. As always, never open attachments or follow links in email unless you're absolutely certain it came from a trusted source. It’s unfortunate that even an electronic greeting card can be dangerous, but it’s always better to play it safe. NEWS FROM THE MISSION INVESTMENT FUND (MIF)Still a great time to invest with MIF. Currently a 2-year investment is offering a 5.1% return, and a 4-year investment is offering a 5.3% return. Both require a $100 minimum investment. Mission Term Select Grand investments are offering a 1-year at 4.8%, 2-year at 5.25% and a 3-year at 5.3%. All Grand investments require a $250,000 minimum deposit. For more information about investments or loans, please contact Pr. Mark Wimmer: 267-203-1137 or mark.wimmer@elca.org. For the services of the ELCA building consultant, contact Jeff Spann: 973-625-2568 of jeff.spann@elca.org. LUTHERAN VOLUNTEER CORPS SEEKING APPLICATIONSLutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC) is seeking 108 full-time volunteers to work in social justice organizations and social ministries in twelve U.S. cities. Volunteers receive health insurance, time off for retreats and vacation, and a stipend to cover basic living and personal expenses. Most positions also qualify for student loan deferment and a $4,725 AmeriCorps Education Grant. For more information on the program and to download an application, go to http://www.lutheranvolunteercorps.org/volunteers.htm. REGION 8 GLOBAL MISSION EVENTRegion 8 Global Mission and World Hunger Committees are sponsoring a global mission event on May 23 and 24, 2008, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Camp Hill, Pa. The Rev. Dr. Rafael Malpica-Padilla, director, ELCA Global Mission, is the preacher for the opening service on Friday evening. Dr. John Nunes, president of Lutheran World Relief, is the keynote speaker on Saturday morning. A large variety of workshops will be presented by ELCA leaders and its partner agencies for adults, young adults, youth, and children throughout Saturday, highlighting the church’s global mission, impact on world hunger, advocacy, and peace and justice issues. The GME will conclude by sharing in the Trinity congregation’s late afternoon service on Saturday. For more information and a registration form, click this link. FIFTH ASIAN LUTHERAN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCEThe Rev. Dr. Pongsak Limthongviratn, director for Asian and Pacific Islander Ministries Multicultural Ministries, ELCA, invites you to the Fifth Asian Lutheran International Conference (ALIC), February 4-10, 2009, Hong Kong. The theme of the conference is Asian Church in Changing Societies. Paul Rajashekar, Dean of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, will be the keynote speaker. The conference is organized by the Association of Asians and Pacific Islanders-ELCA. The conference is open to all. A continuing education plan is available. For more information and a registration form, please contact Pongsak Limthongviratn at 773-380-2834. POPULATION PROJECTIONS, WORSHIP ATTENDANCE CHANGES FOR THE SYNODWondering what the projected changes in population are for your area of the synod? Interested in the change in average attendance from 2000 to 2003 in synod congregations? The ELCA has a helpful map of the synod (and every synod in the ELCA) in their "Synod Statistics" section of the Research pages. To go directly to our synod's map, click here. PROJECT CONNECT DISCERNMENT RETREATSPastors and other rostered leaders: Do you know young adults who are beginning to discern a call to public ministry? You can help these potential leaders of tomorrow's church discern their call to ministry by encouraging them to attend the following retreat offered by Project Connect June 6-8 at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. Brochures and information on these retreats can be found on the Project Connect website. TAX REFUND SCAMSThe Internal Revenue Service has warned taxpayers to beware of several current e-mail and telephone scams that use the IRS name as a lure. The goal of the scams is to trick people into revealing personal and financial information, such as Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, which the scammers can use to commit identity theft. Recent scams include a phone call, in which a bogus IRS employee tells the consumer he is eligible for a sizable rebate for filing his taxes early; a link for a refund that is e-mailed to tax-exempt organizations bearing the supposed signature of the IRS Exempt Organizations business division; and an e-mail inviting recipients to click on a series of links to download information on changes in the tax law, but which downloads malware onto the recipient's computer. A new scam, not seen before by the IRS, notifies the recipient by e-mail that his or her tax return will be audited. The e-mail instructs the recipient to click on links to complete forms with personal and account information that the scammers will use to commit identity theft. STABLE RETURNS IN A TIME OF ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTYInvestments with the Mission Investment Fund (MIF) offer competitive interest rate returns. A special investment opportunity for February takes the form of a 2-year Mission Term Select offering a 5.1% return on a minimum investment of $100. A Mission Term Select Grand offers 5.25% return with a $250,000 minimum deposit. Invest for a stable return AND build a church. For investment or church loan information, contact Pr. Mark Wimmer at 267-203-1137. Building question and concerns can be directed to building consultant Jeff Spann at 973-625-2568. Detailed information is also available at the MIF website. ELCA VOTING AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION GUIDECalled to Be a Public Church: 2008 ELCA Voting and Civic Participation Guide is a newly released resource from the ELCA. The ELCA has produced this resource to assist congregations that want to provide a forum for folks to talk about the issues (not the candidates, but the issues) that will face voters in this fall’s general election and beyond. There is also a helpful section dealing with what is legal for churches to do politically and what is not. The 74 page Civic Participation Guide is available for download from the ELCA web site (http://www.elca.org/advocacy/publicchurch/index.html), where it can be printed in part or in whole. It can also be purchased from Augsburg Fortress for $5.00 per copy (Item No: 9786000220617), which may be more cost effective than printing the entire guide. SHARING PARISH RECORDSSeveral of our congregations have recently been approached by representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), asking about access to parish records and offering to help preserve them. The ELCA General Counsel suggests that it is probably not a good idea to give any group unrestricted access to your records. Allowing any group access would set a difficult precedent, opening the door for requests from businesses or other, less reputable, religious groups, such as the Church of Scientology. It is better for a congregation to have a policy that the records of the congregation are for individual inquiries for personal information related to an individual or a family. Parish records are generally for internal use (members, synod and church body reports, archives) and not for external use (other religious groups, para-groups, and commercial entities). Information about maintaining and using your historical records can be found on the ELCA website at http://www.elca.org/archives/guide.html and http://www.elca.org/archives/guide/AccessPolicy.pdf. MARK YOUR CALENDAR: DIAKON BENEFACTORS DINNERJohn Tesh will perform live at the 20th Anniversary Diakon Benefactors Dinner, Thursday, May 15, at the Sovereign Performing Arts Center, Reading, Pa. A new dining station celebration in the ballrooms will honor the event’s founders, Col. Harry Yoder and Mr. Bill Deibert at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Tesh performance in the theater at 7:15 p.m. All proceeds benefit Diakon Adoption and Foster Care and the charitable care provided to the residents of The Lutheran Home at Topton. To find out how you can attend either the dinner and the show ($200) or just the show ($55 or $30), please call Dawna Trump toll-free at 1-877-DIAKON-7, option 2, ext. 50464, or visit the webpage at www.diakon.org/benefactors. 2007 MINUTES BOOKThe 2007 Minutes Book is finished and available. Most of the content is available in the Resources section, Synod Forms and Documents subsection, on this website. Not included on the website for privacy reasons is the roster section. Instructions on how to download the rosters from a secure website will be sent to rostered leaders next week. The entire book is also available in hard copy. If you would like to pick up a hard copy, call Carol Moyer at the synod office at 610-395-6891. YEAR-END CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTSPlease be advised that the IRS rules have become more stringent for those deducting their charitable contributions on their income tax returns. Make sure your year-end statements include the name and address of the church and the statement that “No goods or services were received in exchange for these contributions.” There is also some question as to whether or not the statements need to be signed to be valid for the IRS. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that the Financial Secretary or other responsible party sign each of the year-end statements. MIF: HELPING THE PAST FUND THE FUTURECemetery associations are invited to consider investing some of their funds in the ELCA Mission Investment Fund. Such funds can earn attractive interest while also helping to create mortgages to fund new mission congregations and provide loans to existing congregations throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Continue the witness of past generations by supporting generations into the future. For information about MIF, please contact Pr. Mark Wimmer at 267-203-1137 or mark.wimmer@elca.org. NEWS FROM THE MISSION INVESTMENT FUNDMake your dollars work twice. Money you invest with MIF helps fund loans to build new congregations and renovate existing ones. Our excellent investment options also help you save for life goals: retirement, higher education, emergency fund. Your money works hard for the church and for YOU. Currently, a 2-year fixed investment ($100 minimum) yields 5.1%. A Mission Plus account which offers a checkbook and a debit card is great for quarterly tax payments. For more information about investment and loans, contact Pr. Mark Wimmer at 267-203-1137 or mark.wimmer@elca.org. For building questions, concerns, and issues, contact ELCA building consultant Jeff Spann at 973-625-2568 or jeff.spann@elca.org. REQUEST FOR INFORMATIONDoes your congregation own a cemetery or have a cemetery association? Mark Wimmer, our Mission Investment Fund representative, would like to compile a list of congregations that own cemeteries and/or have a cemetery association. If your congregation fits this description, please pass your information on to Mark at 267-203-1137 or mark.wimmer@elca.org. SIGN UP FOR THE ELCA E-ADVOCACY NETWORK!E-Advocacy empowers ELCA members to advocate for peace, justice, and care of creation. You'll receive timely updates from thCA on a wide variety of issues, including hunger, poverty, and the environment; and you can be confident knowing you are being asked to call or e-mail your elected officials only at the moments when your voice can make the most difference. Visit www.elca.org/advocacy to sign up. MUTUAL MINISTRY MANUAL ONLINESince there no longer seems to be a short mutual ministry guide available from the ELCA, Catherine Ziel has updated the old LCA version. You can find it by clicking here. SYNOD ASSEMBLY PRAYER SHAWLSIn May when our synod gathers in assembly, we will be electing a new bishop. As a reminder that this process is grounded in and guided by prayer, we would like to give a simple prayer shawl to each person who attends. The prayer shawls are to be made in a simple, scarf-like design, 6-8 inches wide and 48 inches long, knitted or crocheted in a stitch of the maker's choice. It is not necessary to label the prayer shawls, but if you wish, please feel free to add a label with the name of your congregation. If you would like to make shawls to be distributed at the assembly, please contact Pastor Eileen Le Van at Nativity Lutheran Church in Reading, at 610-374-3230 to let her know how many shawls you are willing to make and to arrange for pick up of completed shawls. You should plan to have shawls completed by May 4. NEW ELCA DISABILITIES MENTORING PROGRAMPastor Lisa Cleaver, the Director for Disability Ministries in the ELCA, is starting a mentoring program as a part of Disability Ministries. The initiative will support candidates or rostered leaders living with a disability by providing a structured mentorship program. The hope is that mentors will be people who are rostered in the ELCA and living with a disability. If you know of someone who would be interested in becoming a mentor, please contact Lisa at 773-380-2692. More information on the program may be found at http://www.elca.org/disability/mentor/. BUSINESS MILEAGE RATE FOR 2008The IRS announced this week that the standard mileage rate for business travel beginning January 1, 2008, will be 50.5 cents per mile. The rate for miles driven in service to charitable organizations will remain unchanged at 14 cents per mile, while the rate for medical travel or moving will drop from 20 cents to 19 cents per mile. NEW JOINT CONFLICT RESOURCE TEAM BROCHUREDo you know about the Joint Conflict Resource Team? This program is designed to provide resources at no cost to congregations and church leaders experiencing low-level conflict. The program is a joint venture of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA, and the Penn Northeast Conference, UCC. Check out the new brochure!. THE VOLUNTEER MINISTRY TASK FORCE: A VALUABLE RESOURCEThe synod Volunteer Ministry Task Force coordinates volunteer ministries across the synod. This group can provide support, assistance, and training for a Director of Volunteer ministries position. In addition, they will assist congregations in recruitment, training, recognition, and retention of congregational volunteers. For more information and the names of contacts, click here. LUTHERAN ARCHIVES CENTER ANNOUNCES INCREASED HOURSWith a goal of increasing service to its constituency, the Lutheran Archives Center at Philadelphia has announced that the Center will be open four afternoons a week (Tuesday through Friday, 1:00 to 4:00 PM). During these hours, staff plans to be present to answer the telephone and email inquiries as promptly as possible. Those planning to visit the archives are urged to call (215-248-6383) or email (mtairyarchives@ltsp.edu) beforehand to make sure that a staff member is present. Visits at other times can be scheduled, but must be confirmed in advance. RESOURCE FOR MINISTRY AMONG RETURNING VETERANSThe Fall 2007 issue of Caring Connections (http://caringconnectionsonline.org), the online journal published by the Inter-Lutheran Coordinating Committee, is dedicated to exploring effective means of ministry among returning veterans. The contributors to this special edition of the journal include chaplains fresh from serving in combat, pastors with developed congregational programs for returning veterans, and pastoral care givers with expertise in issues such as marriage. To access this special resource, visit the website noted above and download the special issue. The journal is a quarterly resource that assists pastoral care givers network and enhance their skills. A REQUEST REGARDING PARISH NURSESIn order to encourage and support parish nurses in their ministry as well as to further the message of wellness, the Board of Pensions has begun to reconstruct the ELCA parish nurse database. If you are an ELCA parish nurse or have one in your congregation, please email Rebecca Westfield at rwestfield@elcabop.org with name, email, contact phone, congregation, and address. NEWS FROM THE MISSION INVESTMENT FUNDThe Mission Investment Fund (MIF) and the Women of the ELCA are still promoting the MIF Challenge to all members of WELCA organizations. New investments are being sought from members. In return, MIF will provide major sponsorship of the 2008 WELCA convention in Salt Lake City. Investments in MIF provide a competitive rate of return to investors. Invested monies then become mortgages for congregations and ministries of the ELCA to borrow. Materials for the challenge can be downloaded from the MIF website: www.missioninvestmentfund.org or by contacting Pr. Mark Wimmer: 267-203-1137 or mark.wimmer@elca.org. LEAVE A LEGACY FOR MINISTRY AND MISSIONRemember: If you have no Will or Trust, state laws will determine who will inherit your property at your death. State laws do not include your church or any other charity as a beneficiary. To learn more about how you can make charitable gifts to your church or other charities from your estate, call Pr. Greg Kramer at the Lutheran Planned Giving Office at 570-374-2044 or call the ELCA Foundation, 800/638-3522, ext. 2970, or visit their website at www.elca.org/fo. PROOF OF 501(c)(3) EXEMPTIONIf at any time your congregation needs to prove that you are a 501(c)(3) exempt organization, you will need to know the ELCA Group Tax Exemption number. The four digit number is occasionally requested when applying for grants, receiving endowments, opening postal accounts, and the like. To obtain this four digit number from ELCA headquarters in Chicago, send an email to: 501c3@elca.org. In your email, explain for what purpose you need the group exemption number, then send the email. You will receive a return email asking for the name, address, phone number, and Employer Identification Number (EIN) of your congregation so that the ELCA can update your records. This data is sent to the IRS each year. Once the ELCA has updated your information, an official letter stating that your congregation is a Subordinate Organization of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod, which is included as a Subordinate Organization of the ELCA to which the IRS exemption number is assigned. This official document should be kept in the congregation's permanent files. This four-digit number is not to be confused with the nine-digit Employer Identification Number. The four-digit group exemption number indicates that the ELCA and its related entities are recognized as exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. FIDELITY BOND COVERAGEThe synod office regularly gets phone calls asking about bonding of treasurers and others who handle money. This was a service that was once provided to congregations by the ELCA. Please be aware, however, that the ELCA has not provided fidelity bonding since March 31, 1995. Each congregation must make its own arrangements for bonding. Your insurance company can provide you with information about this coverage. CHECK YOUR LABOR LAW POSTERSEven though your congregation may not have employees affected by the new minimum wage, you are still required to have the current rate posted in a conspicuous spot. While you're at it, this is a good time to make sure that all of your required posters are displayed and are up-to-date. (Yes, churches are required to display a full set of posters.) There’s no need to buy them; both state and federal posters are available free online. The federal website at http://www.dol.gov/elaws/posters.htm and the Pennsylvania site at http://tinyurl.com/2wwyf4 will help you figure out what you need and where to get it. WELCA TRIENNIAL GATHERING 2008Registration for the WELCA Triennial Gathering, which will be held Thursday evening through Sunday noon, July 10–13, 2008, will begin on Tuesday, September 4. The theme of the gathering, which will be held at the Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, is "Come to the Waters." For more information, go to the WELCA website at http://www.womenoftheelca.org/tg08.html. The Seventh Triennial Convention takes place before the gathering, from Tuesday through Thursday, July 8 to 10, also at the Salt Palace Convention Center. CHANGE IN MANDATED REPORTING LAWUnder Pennsylvania law, pastors and other rostered leaders who come into contact with children as part of their work are required to report suspected child abuse. Until recently, this report only had to be made if you suspected the abuse as a result of actually hearing from the child or seeing indications of abuse first-hand. However, a change to the law (http://www.jlc.org/news.php/35) takes effect on May 29, 2007, and it will affect rostered leaders. Under the new law, you must file a report even if you have not actually seen or talked with the child, as long as you have reasonable cause to suspect abuse. Reports should be made to ChildLine at 800-932-0313. If you are in doubt about how to handle a particular situation, feel free to contact Family Life Services (610-682-1337) for guidance. CONTACTS FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AND YOUTH MINISTRYKaren Matthias-Long is creating a list of key Christian Education and Youth Ministry leaders to whom she can send email pertaining to Christian education and youth ministry news, events, and programs. Please contact Karen Matthias-Long (karen.matthias-long@ecunet.org) with the names and email addresses of any leaders in your congregation who would appreciate receiving synod emails. Be sure to include the name and location of your congregation. KEEP IN TOUCH WITH ELCA NEWSSubscribing to ELCA news will allow you to receive, by e-mail, up-to-date releases and postings regarding the news and events of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. ELCA News Releases are longer, more detailed accounts describing events and ministries of the ELCA. They are issued less frequently than items for the ELCA News Blog. The ELCA News Blog provides short, quick and frequent updates on ELCA ministries. Stories include Web links. This service supplements ELCA News Releases. To subscribe to either or both news services, go to http://www.elca.org/news/subscribe.html. Want to add the ELCA news feed to your congregation's website? Go to http://www.elca.org/newsevents.html. COMMUNION WARE JOURNEY CONTINUESThe communion ware given to ELCA synods by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Lands is still available for your congregation to use. It provides an opportunity for you and your congregation to learn about and pray for Palestinian Christians and their Muslim and Jewish neighbors. Use these vessels in Holy Communion as a reminder of and a witness to our partnership in mission with our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land. If you are interested in borrowing the set (a chalice and paten), contact Pastor Catherine Ziel (Catherine.ziel@ecunet.org) at the synod office. YAHOO FOR LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSEHow many times a week do you use an Internet search engine like Yahoo!, Google, or Ask.com? For many people, the answer is probably "A whole bunch." What if Lutheran Disaster Response earned a penny every time you performed such a search? Now it's possible. GoodSearch.com is a new search website that donates half of its revenue (about one penny per search) to the charity of the searcher's choice. You use it just as you would any search engine, and GoodSearch is powered by Yahoo! so you are guaranteed good search results. To start using GoodSearch, go to www.goodsearch.com. You will see two boxes -- the search box and a box that says "Who do you GoodSearch for?" Simply enter in "LDR" and start searching. You can even download a GoodSearch toolbar (www.goodsearch.com/toolbar) for your Internet browser so that you have a search function always at your fingertips. REQUEST FROM THE A-TEAMSend us your pictures (preferably digital) and your stories for the accessibility web page on the synod's website. Include photos and stories of successful physical and sensory accessibility projects in church buildings, people with disabilities involved in congregational life and service, and the church name and telephone number to facilitate inquiries. Send the stories and photos to Carol Weiser at the synod office, nepsynod@rcn.com, or 4865 Hamilton Blvd., Wescosville PA 18106. Check out the pictures and stories currently on this site. TAX LAW CHANGESChanges to the tax laws that took effect this year may affect donations to churches. In the past, members who made cash donations were allowed a tax deduction if they had some sort of written record of the donation, and if each gift was under $250. Notes in a diary or on a calendar, for example, were considered a sufficient record. Beginning in 2006, however, donors must have either a bank record (such as cancelled checks) or a written receipt from the church. While most congregations have routinely sent such receipts, it is now essential that they do so. Remember, too, that these statements must say that the donor did not receive anything in return for the donation. LISTING YOUR CONGREGATIONAL WEBSITE ON ELCA AND SYNOD WEB PAGESDoes your congregation have a website? Is it listed on the ELCA website? You can check to see if your site is listed by clicking the link about congregations on this web page on our website. If your congregational website is not listed or is listed incorrectly, you can update the information by going to www.elca.org/scriptlib/it/cds_CongrWebPages/cds_main.asp or by clicking the link in the last paragraph on the "synod congregations" page. WHAT TO DO WITH THE "OLD" WORSHIP BOOKSWondering what to do with copies of the LBW and WOV when you are ready to put the new ELW in the pews? Here are a few suggestions from the ELCA Resource Centers online meeting: 1) Invite members to buy copies as a "memento" and use the money for ELW purchases; 2) Share both LBW and WOV with prison ministries, care centers, nursing homes, homeless shelters, camping ministries, etc.; 3) Buy some yourselves and give them as gifts to relatives (at least those who might appreciate such a thing!). ELCA NURSELINE AVAILABLE 24/7Health information from a registered nurse is just a phone call away with the ELCA NurseLine. This service, provided by Optum, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to everyone with ELCA health coverage. Call the ELCA NurseLine at (877) 856-8145 or learn more at http://www.elcabop.org/. MISSION INTERPRETER PROGRAM INFORMATIONInformation about the Mission Interpreter program of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod is now on the website. Go to the Stewardship Resources on the Resources drop-down menu and click the link there. For more information, contact Guy Ehler via email at relhew@verizon.net. ROSTERED LEADERS INVITED TO USE MUHLENBERG LIBRARYThe Trexler Library of Muhlenberg College welcomes local clergy, deaconesses, and AiMs to use their facilities. Go to the circulation desk, show your driver's license, and receive a library card that will give access to their main collection of books, videos, and CDs. Rostered leaders also have Interlibrary Loan privileges. If there is a journal article or a book that Muhlenberg does not own, please ask for assistance from the reference department in placing an Interlibrary Loan request free of charge to you. Stop by or call 484-664-3500 to learn more about the library. HIPAA MISUNDERSTANDINGThe newsletters from several of our congregations recently reported that HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) prevents churches from listing hospitalized members in the bulletin or newsletter. This is NOT true. HIPAA only applies to health care providers, not to churches. While we certainly want to respect the privacy of congregational members, there are no legal restrictions on including people on the prayer list. This confusion may have started with an article in The Lutheran magazine that reported this information incorrectly. It was retracted in the following issue. The Lutheran ChurchÖMissouri Synod has a helpful article at www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=6536. CHURCH BUILDING CONSULTANT AVAILABLEMission Investment Fund (MIF) building consultants are available to work with ELCA congregations that wish to consider a building program or determine how existing facilities can be used to serve a church's mission more effectively. Services that MIF church building consultants provide to ELCA congregations include advising on plans for new buildings and renovating older facilities; assessing a facility and assisting in developing a plan to deal with repairs or address increased need for space; reviewing building plans; improving accessibility; creating a more welcoming environment; providing information about securing loans through MIF. The church building consultant for Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod is Jeff Spann. He can be reached at 973-625-2568 or JspannMIF@aol.com. For information about investments or loans, please contact the Rev. Mark Wimmer at 267-203-0037 or mwimmer@lctelford.org or www.elca.org/mif. WORSHIP AND SPIRITUALITY MINISTRY TEAM GRANTSThe Worship and Spirituality Ministry Team is offering grants for local initiatives related to their purpose, to help the people of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod "deepen their relationship with God." For information on the criteria for grants and for a grant application, go to the Worship and Spirituality Ministry Team web page and click on the grant information and application links. CONTINUING EDUCATION GRANTSLooking for a grant for continuing education? The Leadership Development Ministry Team reminds you that rostered leaders of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod may apply for matching grants of up to $250 to support continuing education. More information and a grant application may be found via the team's page on the synod website at www.godslove.org/people/ministry_teams/leadership/. PRAYERS FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EASTThe ecumenical prayer vigil for peace in the Middle East that began in 2000 continues across the USA, on the same day each month in each state, until there is an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The day of the month for Pennsylvania is the 9th of the month. We will include the reminder in the monthly prayer sheet that goes out in the monthly mailing.
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