By the Rev. Gary Langensiepen, pastor, St. John Windish Lutheran Church, Bethlehem
 
See below for Information about the picture, above.

Many Lutherans in the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod know that we have close relationships with Lutherans in other countries through what is known as the “Companion Synod” program of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

In fact, those who have been voting members to synod assemblies have even heard and seen representatives from these various companion synods throughout the years and have been moved by the message of our unity in Christ’s Church which they have presented.

Thus, through the outreach of the church, we have become aware of places like Saxony, located in Germany, Argentina and Uruguay, located in South America, and Tanzania, located on the continent of Africa. But the location of the fourth companion synod of our Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod – Slovenia – has remained somewhat elusive!

Often confused with Slovakia, Slovenia is one of the most beautiful countries – as well as one of the best kept secrets – in all of Europe.

Once part of Yugoslavia, Slovenia was the first province to secede from that country and form a free and democratic nation of its own. Bordered by the Adriatic Sea and Italy on the west, Austria on the north, Croatia on the south, and Hungary on the east, Slovenia is now a member of both the European Union and NATO.

Breeding place of the famous Lipizanner stallions (in the town of Lipica, Slovenia) and setting for Ernest Hemingway’s famous novel, A Farewell to Arms (the battle takes place at the Vrsic Pass in Slovenia), Slovenia is also the ancestral home of those known throughout northeastern Pennsylvania as “the Windish.” The capital city of Slovenia is Ljubljana, which is now a popular gathering place for young men and women from all over Europe

In 2006 and 2007, young people from the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod will have the opportunity to learn a great deal more about Slovenia and the people who inhabit this beautiful land where storks still nest on utility poles and rooftops and colorful flower boxes adorn window sills.

Through the efforts of the Slovenia Companion Synod Committee and Pastor Kurt Garbe of the bishop’s staff, a student exchange program between our synod and the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovenia will commence this summer.

The committee is now seeking Lutheran families with teenagers on the territory of our synod to host teenagers from the Lutheran church in Slovenia for a three-week visit in August 2006. Then, during the summer of 2007, the American teenagers from the host families will, in turn, travel to Slovenia and spend three weeks in that country hosted by families from the Lutheran church in Slovenia.

Most teens in Slovenia have begun to learn English – and our brothers and sisters in Slovenia hope that this interaction with American Lutheran families will strengthen their grasp of this very important subject! Who knows, perhaps some American teens will even pick up a little of the Slovenian language along the way!

If you are interested in participating in this program, please contact Pastor Kurt Garbe at the Hazleton synod office at 570-788-2686 at your earliest convenience.

The baptismal font shown above was the gift of St. John Windish, Bethlehem, to the Lutheran church in Puconci. Pictured are Deaconess Deborah Graf, Trinity Lutheran Church, Reading; the Rev. Eugene Balazic, pastor of the church in Puconci, and the Rev. Kurt Garbe, associate of the bishop, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod.