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09/16/2020

A note from Bishop Dillahunt: Together in the grace and love of Jesus Christ

 

O God, full of compassion, we commit and commend ourselves to you, in who we live and move and have our being.  Be the goal of our pilgrimage, and our rest by the way.  Give us refuge from the turmoil of worldly distractions beneath the shadow of your wings.  Let our hearts, so often a sea of restless waves, find peace in you. O God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (ELW Protection through life)

 

Blessings to you all in this fall season.

It is official…we are all moved in to the new office space. With just a few boxes left to unpack, we are settling in. Thanks for your patience in this time of transition. After all the boxes are emptied, we will do a virtual tour of the space, and when it is safe for us to gather again, we will host an Open House. 

Look for an official memo coming soon regarding our NEW PHONE NUMBER: 1-614-714-3157.  (You need to dial the 1 if you are not in the 614 area code.) We’re still working out issues with our new voicemail system, but should be all set soon! 

Remember, our new physical and mailing address is 9200 Worthington Road, Suite 140, Westerville, OH 43082.  Please update our contact information in your phone, address book, software systems, etc. The website reflects all of our new information, so if you forget, check out our ‘Contact Us’ section when you wish to reach us! 

Some of the Bishop’s Office Staff are beginning to travel. As part of those travels, we welcomed into the synod our two newest ordinated Ministers of Word and Sacrament, Pastor Richard Freudenberger and Pastor Corey Wagonfield.  Welcome! I asked that those of us who travel, try our best to keep two weeks, 14 days, between Sunday visits. Most of our weekday meetings and gatherings continue virtually.  I don’t want us to be any kind of super-spreaders.  When we do come, we will be masked/face shielded and will practice recommended physical distancing.  We will also not stay around too long after the service has ended.  Don’t be offended, we just want to keep everyone as safe as possible. 

Thank you to all our pastors, deacons, congregational leaders, tech people, and youth and family ministers, who continue to provide online worship, as well as in person worship services, Bible studies, Zoom Coffee Check-ins and visits to congregational members and viewers.  Your ministry is important and I know it is a different way of being church together.

I remind you that we have a new process for Pulpit Supply. We have two lists and they may be accessed on our website. Here is a link to an updated story on our website that may assist you with the new process. Please understand that our lists are shorter than they once were because of COVID, so please do not wait until the last minute to contact a potential supply preacher.

Coming up next week is the first Vibrant Church Conference Zoom Workshop on Digital Ministry!  It is not too late to register and it is for congregational leaders.  We welcome everyone to join, but specifically lay people.  And it is FREE! There will be other workshops in October and November and in 2021.

Keep in your prayers our Companion Synod in Brazil, Sinodo Espirito Santo a Belem as they gather in Assembly, virtually, September 26.  I was able to bring video greeting to them from Southern Ohio.  About every two months Pastor Mick Althauser, Pastor Bob Abrams and I meet with representatives from Brazil, via Zoom, to talk about ministry in the two synods. Their focus in this assembly is Climate Change and Evangelism. 

We keep in prayer those Synods experiencing wild fires, floods and other natural disasters. We lift up those suffering from homelessness, under and unemployment, racial injustices, and COVID-19. We pray for our teachers, professors, students of all ages and parents navigating the waters of hybrid learning. We also pray for immigrant people and refugees seeking shelter and safety around the globe. And we pray for each other.

It’s been a long spring and summer.  BUT we are together in the grace and love of Jesus Christ.  Nothing can separate us from that love that we know in Romans 8.  There are lots of opportunities ahead in the fall and winter.  Do not be afraid or discouraged.

Be safe, stay well and take care!

 

In Christ,

Bishop Suzanne Darcy Dillahunt

 

 

 

 

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