Weekly Faith Formation and Worship During COVID-19

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 Dear Friends of the Milton Lutheran Parish,

I hope you are all doing well! As we move into another week of life and ministry here at the Milton Lutheran Parish, I want to share some updates with you. 

The first is that this upcoming Sunday, October 25, will be our last parking lot worship. Starting November 1, we will be worshipping inside on Sundays at Trinity at 9:30 A.M. 

This Sunday, October 25, we have a lot to celebrate. We will recognize the anniversary of the protestant reformation, have worship around campfires, and most importantly celebrate the first holy communion for Evan Coup. We hope you will join us! Bring chairs, your masks, cooking forks if you have them, blankets, and your own communion elements (bread and wine or juice). We will have marshmallows and hot dogs to share. Chad Hershberger from Camp Mount Luther will be leading us in worship, and there will be a special offering to support the ministry of the camp. You’re invited to stay in your cars for worship if you want to add an additional layer of protection. We do ask that you wear your mask during the whole service if you are outside of your cars. 

We will recognize All Saints Sunday on November 1. You are invited to bring a picture of a deceased loved one to the service. There will be a table set up in the front of the sanctuary for you to place your picture. If you are unable to attend in person you can drop off the picture prior to worship on the 1st. 

I also wanted to share with you a partnership ministry between United in Christ Lewisburg and the Parish. 

Gathered Together, Sent Together: Services of Unity

As we move ever closer to this year’s presidential election, it feels to many as if we have never been more divided within our country, within our communities, and even within our own households. The questions posed to us on this year’s tickets run deep and stir within us visceral convictions of what must be done. Yet, in just a short time now, people of genuinely good faith will arrive at the polls to cast their ballots towards both sides, candidates, and parties. Faith-filled folks will be voting for both candidates and both parties, so how do we find new life together when it feels like there will have to be winners and losers among us?

Recently, we heard Jesus’ call to render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s. As people of faith, then, we know that no matter which way we have voted, no matter which way our neighborshave voted, we are one together in the Christ who claims us. As we look to answer the questions of how we will live as one community beginning on November 4 and beyond, this year we will be making sure we start off on the right footing with Christ as our cornerstone in our life together no matter those results

In order to be reminded of that sure footing together, we will be joining with United In Christ in West Milton for two joint services of unity bookending the election. Join us on Monday, November 2 at 5:30 pm for a socially distanced parking lot worship service at United In Christ 1875 Churches Rd, Lewisburg, PA 17837 where we will be joined by Pastor Justin Lingenfelter and the people of United in Christ. We will worship together and remember the baptism by which we have allbeen claimed together in the community of Christ. From this steadfast remembrance, we will then head to the polls on November 3 in our acts of civil responsibility.

Following election day, please join us again on Wednesday, November 4 at 5:30 pm for a socially distanced parking lot worship service at Christ Lutheran Church 1125 Mahoning Street, Milton, PA 17847. There we will join in a service of Holy Communion where we will remember that, no matter the events or results of the day prior, we are all joined in the one body of Christ. There we will be met by the one who comes to sustain us, nourish us, and reconcile us one to another for our shared life together.