The Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod is blessed to have four companion synods – four opportunities to walk with Lutheran Christians in other parts of the world.

These relationships vary, but one consistent blessing is the personal contact with our brothers and sisters from our companion synods.

Over the next few years, there will be many opportunities to receive guests and to travel to these destinations. Here is a listing of these opportunities:

Saxony, Germany 
In October of this year, we will be receiving approximately 16 visitors from Germany. This intergenerational event will be held from October 8 to October 19, 2009.

We are in need of host families for our German visitors. If you are interested in being a host family, contact me (Kurt Garbe) at 570-788-1893 or prkeg@epix.net

There most likely will be a return intergenerational visit to Germany in the spring of 2010.

We have a three-year cycle of youth exchanges with our brothers and sisters in Germany. If we continue (and I am sure that we will), then we will be receiving German youth in October 2010 and sending a group from the US to Germany in June 2011.

Argentina/Uruguay 
We are in the process of planning our third youth servant event to Argentina, which is scheduled to take place in July 2011. Applications for this event will be available in the summer of 2010.

Slovenia 
During this coming summer (2009), nine youth and two adult chaperones will visit us from Slovenia. They will spend three weeks with host families learning what it means to be a Lutheran Christian here in the United States.

We still need a few homes in which to host our Slovenian visitors. If you can help, contact me (Kurt Garbe) at 570-788-1893 or prkeg@epix.net

In the summer of 2010, we will be sending a group of youth and chaperones from our synod to visit Slovenia for three weeks. Please watch for information about applications for this event on the synod website or in Synod News.

Tanzania 
We are planning our next youth servant event to the South Central Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania for June 2010. Applications for this opportunity are due by April 17, 2009. Interviews will take place in early May and members of the group will be selected by the end of May 2009. This will give the youth participants one year to prepare for this trip.

If you are interested in any of the above opportunities, please contact Pastor Kurt E. Garbe at 570-788-1893 or prkeg@epix.net