PASTOR HERR’S PERSPECTIVE
Grace and peace to you in the name of God, who creates, redeems, and sanctifies. As we approach the midway point in 2022 I would like to offer a few reflections, invitations, encouragements, and thanks regarding our life together at Christ Lutheran Gettysburg. Exciting and engaging ministries continue at Christ Lutheran with mission opportunities to address in our community. Let’s all rededicate our commitment to and support for this congregation’s mission to share God’s refreshing and renewing Word and Love with the world.
LET’S GET TOGETHER…Community continues to be a significant and important component of our life together. Let’s get together to strengthen familiar connections and foster new relationships. This summer we have a number of opportunities to be together and I encourage you to participate. Worship continues each Sunday at 8:15 and 10:30 a.m. On July 3 we are outdoors at the National Park Amphitheater at 8:00 a.m. On July 2 at 8:00 p.m. we will mark the 159th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg with a special performance of Songs and Stories of a Civil War Hospital. On Sunday, July 24 from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. we have a lakefront picnic scheduled at Lake Heritage. Stop by for summer lake fun, conversation, good food, and games. Invite a friend/neighbor/co-worker! More details are in this newsletter. Join us on Saturday, August 20 for a Christ Lutheran Family Day at the Waynesboro Country Club. This event is free and includes the use of the club’s outdoor pool, fishing pond, tennis and pickleball courts, corn hole and more. A golf outing will be part of the day and golfers play for free as well. Sign-up information to follow! Come out, reconnect with one another, support each other, and help deepen the faith connections we share in Christ.
WORSHIP…I thank all those who are participating in worship both in-person and on-line. Your presence and participation in worship makes a difference in our life together. Your voices, smiles, contributions and willingness to lend a hand enrich our congregation. If you have been away, I invite you to return to worship and if you have gotten out of the habit use this summer to rededicate yourself to being present in corporate worship. Our caring Christian community is enriched and strengthened by your participation and presence. See you in worship and check out this newsletter for July worship highlights.
WORSHIP LEADERSHIP…The word liturgy means “work of the people” and Lutheran liturgy has a long tradition of involving worshippers in leadership roles. Every Sunday at each service there are many opportunities to contribute your gifts and talents. Ushers are needed to provide hospitality and assistance for all worshippers, lectors are needed to read Holy Scripture, assistants are needed to help distribute holy communion, altar guild workers are needed to set up and clean up communion ware, volunteers are needed to help livestream our worship services, acolytes are needed to light candles and assist in worship, assisting ministers assist the pastor in leading the liturgy, musicians are needed to enrich our music, and offering counters count and record the offerings. Please consider signing up to assist in some way with worship. We have made signing-up easy by going to our webpage and clicking on the volunteer sign-up. There you can pick the Sunday and the task that works for you. If you need assistance in navigating the webpage, please contact the church office. If you need training and orientation to a worship leadership role, please contact me or the church office.
STAFF CHANGES…With Pastor Eckman and Cantor Wentz’s work among us drawing to a close and Vicar Jackson’s part-time work concluding, our staff is reduced and in the midst of transition. Please be patient as our staff works to re-imagine workloads. Keep the call committee and process for a second full time pastor in your prayers. See the staff update section of this newsletter for more details.
STEWARDSHIP…Thank you for the gifts of your time, talents, and financial treasures offered in support of the ministry at Christ Lutheran. We are in the midst of a number of exciting ministries and your assistance is absolutely vital to helping our congregation fulfil its mission. Here are a number of ministries we are currently supporting and seeking to expand: ministry with children and youth including those connected to our preschool and in our community, fellowship/in-reach ministries to strengthen our life together, exploration of additional and new worship opportunities, new Christian education initiatives including the Friday Children’s Retreats, increased Christian education ministries for all ages, racial justice ministry, refugee resettlement work, hunger ministries, and senior ministries. There are many wonderful ministries happening at Christ Lutheran and many more for us to accomplish in the name of the Triune God.