Members of the newly formed Emmaus Road Lutheran Church join Bishop Burkat, Mission Director Pat Davenport, and Assistant to the Bishop Serena Sellers as the congregation is officially received by the Assembly Saturday morning.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod officially received Emmaus Road Lutheran Church as a new congregation, formed when the congregations of Trinity, Fairless Hills and Christ, Levittown merged. This was the first new congregation to be received by the synod since 2006.

“The resurrection story of the Emmaus road is the story of these two congregations who were unsure of their future, but God was at work in their midst,” said the Rev. Nancy Wiseman, Emmaus Road’s pastor. Both congregations put their buildings up for sale and allowed the Holy Spirit to direct their future.

“We celebrate today the work of the Holy Spirit as well as the work of your hands and your feet to bring two congregations into one,” said Pastor Patricia Davenport, Mission Director of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod.

“We have had struggles,” Wiseman said. “But it has been a transforming experience for all of us.” She then presented the synod with a $5,000 thank offering from the congregation.

“The people of Emmaus Road will be helping other congregations as they struggle with risk-taking in the future,” said Bishop Claire Burkat. “In this way we will all be blessed to be a blessing.”

Listen to the Emmaus Road reception (mp3 audio, 6MB)