Lutherhostel visitors pledge Llama gift

Twenty eight attendees of the seminary's annual Lutherhostel program this year were obviously impressed with their visit to New Creation Lutheran Church in Philadelphia's Tioga section. They pledged to partner with the church in the congregation's support of a Lutheran World Relief initiative that provides llamas to deserving overseas families.

The photo shows New Creation Pastor and seminary alum Luisa Cabello Hansel with Lutherhostel attendee the Rev. Dr. Lee Miller, recently retired bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Upstate New York Synod. Hansel told the visitors that even though the congregation is tested to make it financially, parishioners raise funds for the llama project by an aluminum recycling effort. After the visit, the Lutherhostel guests pledged $201 toward the New Creation initiative, enough to provide a llama to a family.

During the Lutherhostel event June 16-20, participants from as far as Eugene, OR, studied the theme: "Christians in Society: Lutheran Contributions Then and Now." In addition to visiting New Creation, a Latino congregation, the visitors traveled to Cookman United Methodist Church at 12th and Lehigh, Philadelphia, to learn about a faith-based initiative grant that is making it possible for Cookman and eight other congregations to counsel and mentor at-risk youth, including truants and school dropouts in North Philadelphia. they also visited Lutheran Settlement House in the city's Fishtown section and learned about the Lutheran social ministry organization's work on behalf of seniors and victims of domestic violence.

Keynoters during the week were seminary Professor Timothy J. Wengert, who discussed the theological and historic implications for church social action arising out of the Reformation, and former ELCA Presiding Bishop H. George Anderson, who discussed the church's approach to social action on many current levels. Other presenters included the Rev. William G. Erat of Lutheran Children and Family Service of Philadelphia; Susan Pursch, who directs church and community programs for Liberty Lutheran Services, and Sister Ramona Cecille, a Lutheran deaconess who discussed the historic contributions of the church's Deaconess Community.

The Rev. Margay Whitlock, pastor of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Rahway, NJ, and an LTSP alum, was chaplain for the week. Barbara Hartenbauer of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Glenside, PA, was organist. "Anchor man" and moderator was the Rev. Dr. John H. P. Reumann, Ministerium of Pennsylvania Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Greek.

The Rev. John Kinzel and the seminary's assistant director of the LTSP Foundation, played key roles in coordinating the program. The event is co-sponsored by the seminary and the Association of Lutheran Older Adults in Baltimore.

Related link: Read a special report of the event written by participant Pastor George Handley.