Author: Church Office

We are thrilled to announce a special homecoming on Sunday, September 7th—Bishop-elect Rev. Stephen Robert Herr will be joining us at Holy Spirit for worship on his very first Sunday serving as bishop of the Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

This moment is especially meaningful for our congregation because Bishop-elect Herr began his journey of faith right here at Holy Spirit. He is a son of this congregation, and as far as we know, the only member to have answered the call to ordained ministry. We celebrate his new role with deep joy and a shared sense of pride.

Rev. Herr was ordained on July 2, 1994, and brings with him over thirty years of leadership experience in parish ministry, campus ministry, and broader church governance. He currently serves as pastor of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gettysburg.

His leadership within the ELCA has included service on the ELCA Church Council, Executive Committee, and as chair of the Legal and Constitutional Review Committee. He has also contributed to the Future Directions Task Force and served on Synod Councils in both the Lower Susquehanna and Southwestern Pennsylvania Synods. Locally, he has served as Dean and Secretary of the Gettysburg Conference and is a dedicated supporter of outdoor ministry through the Lutheran Camping Corporation of Central Pennsylvania.

We can’t think of a more fitting place for Bishop-elect Herr to begin his new ministry than here, among the congregation where the first seeds of his faith were sown.

So mark your calendars and plan to join us on Sunday, September 7th, for a service of worship and celebration. Stay afterward for a time of fellowship, as we welcome our new bishop and longtime friend back home.

Muscle Memory for the Soul

“God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.”

That’s a phrase I’ve been hearing a lot lately. My friends from Tanzania were the first to introduce it to me. I remember standing in front of their congregation, and the exchange went like this:

Pastor: “God is good,”
Congregation: “All the time,”
Pastor: “All the time,”
Congregation: “God is good.”

There’s something so powerful about hearing an entire room of people declare God’s goodness together. But what about when we’re not surrounded by a crowd? What are we declaring then?

When the chips are down, when the fever spikes in the middle of the night, or when the bills outlast the money, that’s when what we really believe comes to the surface. In those moments, we don’t rely on feelings, but on the deeper knowing we’ve cultivated over time. That’s when we need to choose to say it out loud, with purpose, “God is good.”

There is a holy light in naming God’s goodness while sitting in the pit of despair. And there is wisdom in saying it on the best of days too. That practice, spoken in joy, helps create the spiritual muscle memory we will need when life feels like H. E. double hockey sticks.

It reminds me of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, 5th-century monastic Christians who prayed ceaselessly using the Jesus Prayer: “Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.” They prayed it so consistently that, over time, the prayer became part of them. They were no longer simply saying the words, they became the prayer—fully known, fully loved, fully held in grace.

I see a similar hunger in many of you. A desire to grow that deep spiritual memory. Worship is a beautiful place to begin. Before worship starts, or during communion, try centering yourself with the Jesus Prayer or simply whisper, “God is good, all the time.”

These prayers are tools, small but powerful. You can pray them while you drive, do chores, or sit quietly. You can use them to interrupt negative thoughts or to help re-center in difficult moments.

They are more than words. They are reminders to your wonderfully complex brain that no matter what happens, you are deeply loved by God. Nothing—no hardship, no pain, no darkness—can separate you from that love.

If you’re ready to explore more ways to build this kind of spiritual muscle memory, we’d love for you to join us:

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Wednesdays at the Church
Prayer and Meditation at 10:00 a.m.
Come breathe deeply, rest in stillness, and open to God’s presence.

Bible Study at 11:00 a.m.
Join us for a rich conversation around scripture and daily life.

Join us for a Mini Church Picnic Sunday, July 13 following worship. Hot dogs, chips and drink will be provided. Bring a dish to share if you wish. Sign up at the ministry table!

We will be playing Bingo and having a Cake Walk! If you would like to provide a treat for the Cake Walk, please sign up at the ministry table. (Cakes, brownies, cupcakes, pies are all welcome!)

The Gift of Showing Up Together

A reflection for the Holy Spirit Lutheran Church Newsletter

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” – Ecclesiastes 4:9

If you’ve ever served on a committee, you know it’s not always glamorous. Decisions take time. Coffee gets cold. And sometimes, we have the same conversation for the third time because someone missed the last meeting.

And yet, through all of this wonderfully human mess, God shows up.

The Church doesn’t always move quickly, but it does move faithfully. And that’s exactly what we saw at our recent congregational meeting. In the face of a significant budget shortfall, this community didn’t flinch or flee. You leaned in. You listened deeply. You asked thoughtful questions. And above all—you showed up. That is no small thing.

This congregation reminded me of that familiar proverb:

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

We are in this for the long haul. Not just to keep the lights on or the bulletins printed, but to be a community that blesses the world beyond our walls. As Archbishop William Temple once said:

“The Church is the only society that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members.”

That’s who we are. That’s what we do.

So thank you, for your faithfulness, your hopefulness, your generosity, and your presence. Whether you’re on a committee, just joined the congregation, or have been here since pews had ashtrays (yes, that was a thing in some places), your presence matters.

Let’s keep showing up. Let’s keep the humor alive and the coffee warm. Let’s keep listening for the Spirit’s whisper, sometimes in spreadsheets, sometimes in silence, and often in one another.

Because two, ten, fifty, or a whole congregation are always better than one.

In gratitude and hope,
Pastor Gretchen

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