Your Generosity is Changing Lives!

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We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with some amazing organizations in making a difference in our community and beyond. This is only possible because of the extraordinary generosity you share through your time and financial resources. In addition to special offerings and fundraising appeals throughout the year, a portion of your offering dollars go toward supporting outreach efforts in East Cobb and around the world.

In addition to the countless volunteer hours our church community dedicates to various organizations, in the past 12 months we have provided donations to the following organizations:

YELLS $5,000

Lutheran Coalition for Habitat $1,000

Inspiritus $1,000

The Lutheran Church in Guatemala and the Milagro Women’s Education Center $8,000 (includes 15 laptops that were donated)

Grace House Campus Ministry $3,000

Our Hands Community Outreach $1,714

MUST Summer Lunches $4,612

Hunger Walk $11,000

Your generosity is changing lives. Praise God!

Off To A Running Start!

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Dear Saints at LCR!

We are off to a running start! My time with you continues to be filled with booked calendars, individual meetings, pastoral care calls, and many meetings to set the stage for a bright future. Some new things in progress include:

  • A more effective way to access pastoral care that both honors confidentiality and protects time;
  • Additional ways to connect with guests to LCR that allow people to make an immediate impact on ministry just by visiting us;
  • Plans to receive new members into our church family;
  • Plans for a staff retreat so that we can be a cohesive force for good at LCR;
  • Introducing a very popular “God Box” for the children (and adults!) during worship (with really cool, colorful cushions to sit on);
  • A Lenten worship series designed to root LCR in historic, biblical spiritual disciplines that foster a deep relationship with Jesus. Our worship emphasis during Lent honors our mission of deepening people’s relationships with Jesus and one another!

Shortly, we will have an even more convenient and efficient way to connect me as your pastor and build a meaningful relationship! In the future, watch for some unique Bible Studies and other offerings. Your generous financial support and prayers are vital to enabling ministry in this place.

I also need to acknowledge once again the hard work that was put into the installation worship service and installation. If you participated in any way or offered prayer, thank you! It is good to be among you. My family and friends who attended repeatedly expressed what a warm and vibrant center of ministry they experienced at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection.

Thank you again for the warm welcome.

Excited for the Future,
Pastor Rich+

Promise Garden Receives $1500 Grant

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The Promise Gardeners met last Saturday to kick off their 2024 season, planting 450 onions bulbs and celebrating a $1500 grant from the Food Well Alliance for garden improvements!

Food Well Alliance is a collaborative network of local leaders working together to build thriving community gardens and urban farms across metro Atlanta providing resources and support to local growers to connect and build healthier communities.

Anyone interested in participating in the garden, whether as a regular gardener or an occasional helper is invited to attend our meeting. If you cannot attend, but would like to get involved, please contact Margaret Perry.

The new season holds great promise!

Introducing our new Pastor: Rich Leseganich

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Greetings, Lutheran Church of the Resurrection!

My name is Pastor Rich Leseganich, and I am honored have been called as your next pastor.

I am a native of Youngstown, Ohio and traveled just over the Ohio border to earn my bachelor’s degree at Thiel College in Greenville, PA. While at Thiel College, I was actively involved in campus ministry and as a religion major, I learned how to embrace the academic study of religion, theologically.

 

Studying at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, I earned my Master of Divinity degree in 1999. My ordination into the Ministry of Word and Sacrament occurred in December 2000 at my internship site in the middle of Pennsylvania Dutch community.  As part of my seminary training, I served at an inner-city African American congregation in Philadelphia, and at rural parishes within a multiple parish context. Completing a chaplain residency, I have served as a contracted on-call chaplain at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Lorain, Ohio. 

 

Since my ordination, I have served congregations as an Assistant Pastor, Associate Pastor, Solo Pastor, and Senior Pastor within the Southwestern Pennsylvania, Northeastern Ohio, and Florida-Bahamas Synods of the ELCA. 

 

Continued and current education are imperative for my pastoral identity.  I am one class shy of completing the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Walden University. In 2018 I completed a Certificate of Spiritual Direction from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. I am a member of Spiritual Directors International and provide spiritual direction sessions. In 2020, I earned a Graduate Certificate in Conflict Management and Negotiation from Walden University and am certified to teach English to speakers of other languages.

 

Some of my passions for ministry, in no particular order, include:  

  • Preaching and leading worship services of all styles, including traditional, contemporary, and blended;
  • Community outreach;
  • Congregational growth;
  • Youth and family ministry; 
  • Service to the elderly; and,
  • Intergenerational dialogue.

 

Both of my parents still reside in Ohio.  I have a younger sister and an adorable nephew. In my spare time, I enjoy coffee shops, reading, experiences that allow me to encounter diversity, and the tallest, fastest roller coaster I can conquer! I have traveled domestically and internationally as a leader and participant on mission trips, and I have organized trips with congregational members to Israel and Jordan, experiences that help Scripture come alive in new ways. 

 

I am optimistic and excited to see how the Holy Spirit will lead us into a ministry partnership- where growth, spiritual depth, community, and a deep relationship with Jesus Christ take root and grow. It is an honor to be erving as your next pastor!

Synod Assembly Recap

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By John and Susan Osberg

John and Susan Osberg served as voting members from LCR at the 2023 ELCA Southeastern Synod Assembly (June 2-4). George O’Donnell, who is finishing his term on the Synod Council, and Pastor Ruth Hamilton also attended. Here are John and Susan’s reflections:

The Southeastern Synod of the ELCA, composed of congregations in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee, is vibrantly focused on being more relevant for today’s community, and on evolving to meet the ever-increasing needs and demands of our church community.

About 300 Lutheran leaders came together in Chattanooga this past weekend. Over 3 days many topics were discussed. Some examples:

  • Our region is too often affected by disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and tornados. In response—through Lutheran Disaster Response and Inspiritus—the Synod is expanding its focus on, and resources dedicated to, helping our neighbors at these moments.
  • The Synod’s growing youth focus is so important not just for the church’s future, but also for the church’s relevance and growth today. Numerous presentations focused on what we must do to meet our youths’ evolving needs and requirements. Specifically, the Synod is increasingly focused on inclusivity. All are welcome!
  • Many of LCR’s past and present leaders are strongly involved with Synod programs and initiatives. The difficult, dedicated, and powerful work done by LCR’s Jerry and Elsie Weyrauch on suicide prevention continues as an important Synod ministry. The Weyrauchs’ past testimony before the U.S. Congress and other initiatives they successfully put in place (such as the nationwide 988 rescue call line) have clearly saved untold numbers of lives.
  • The Guatemala ministry championed by so many at LCR members and by former LCR Pastor Stephen Friedrich was discussed and featured repeatedly.
  • Gun violence, immigration, advocacy, and unhoused (homelessness) programs were also discussed. They all have related initiatives in the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA.

It was an honor to take part in the Assembly. It helped us to see the “big picture.” The worship services were all renewing and inspiring. Our hope, also, is that many others in our congregation will have the opportunity to participate in the future.

 

Watch highlights from the Synod Assembly, including worship and the report of Bishop Kevin Strickland, on the Synod Youtube Page.