Dear Edgeboro Friends & Family,

Every other June is an important time in the life of Edgeboro’s region of the Moravian Church. This is when our synods of a district and provincial level take place. The Eastern District Synod (Theme: “It’s Your Call”) will take place on the south campus of Moravian University on June 26-29. Please pray for this special gathering. Along with making this prayer request, here are some details about this event.

What Is District Synod? – “A District Synod is a gathering of representatives from Moravian congregations belonging to a District (a subdivision) within a Province of the Moravian Church. Its purpose is to confirm, renew, and establish bonds of Christian love and fellowship both among individual members and between congregations and to stimulate and strengthen ministry undertaken together. Significantly, in the Moravian Church the majority of those in attendance at synods are lay persons, rather than clergy. Such representation is reflective of the church’s conviction that sharing the good news of Jesus Christ is the calling of the entire church, rather than a task restricted to those called to ordained ministry.” (Rev. Derek French, Nazareth Moravian)

Synod Committees – The number of ideas, issues, and topics addressed at a synod depend on the proposals and reports received, the conversations within synod committees, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. To give you a general idea of what will be covered at synod, here is a listing of the synod committees, each one named after something we are called to do as a church: Public Witness, Spiritual Formation, Lay Discipleship, Personal Witness, Stewardship, Pastoral Leadership, Finance, Administration, Renewal, and Vision.

People Involved – This District Synod will have 145 voting delegates (lay and ordained, mostly lay) from each congregation and ministry placement in the Eastern District (from Ohio to New York, from Toronto to Washington D.C.). It’s very important to note that while each delegate comes from a Moravian congregation or ministry, they do not come representing any views of any other group or person. They come with an open mind and heart, ready to respond to the movement and guidance of the Holy Spirit. These are the individuals from Edgeboro who are delegates that this year’s synod: Rev. Dan Miller, Rev. Dave Bennett, Amanda Borowski, Gayle Justice, Andrew Miller (district youth delegate), and Sue Testa.

For each lay delegate, alternate delegates must be named to attend synod just in case a delegate cannot attend. While it’s likely they won’t need to attend synod, they still must be prepared to step in at a moment’s notice. Edgeboro is grateful for Olivia Lieberman, Becky Miller, and Spencer Smith for filling these roles.

In addition to the delegates, there are many others who have worked and who will work behind the scenes to make sure this synod runs smoothly. These are the individuals from Edgeboro doing this: Johanna Heft (Administration), Carole Schachter (Head Page), and Mike Riess (Photography, Video, and head of a Moravian agency – The Interprovincial Board of Communication).

More information, stories, initiatives, and statements that come from this synod will be widely shared afterward. With all of this in mind, please pray for this upcoming synod.

Praying with you,
Pastor Dan