St. Luke's Lutheran Church (ELCA) has elected the Reverend Lauren A. Gough, an Episcopal priest of the Diocese of Central New York as their new pastor. Under new rulings in both the Lutheran Church (ELCA) and the Episcopal Church, clergy can serve in either denomination under a program called "Together in Mission." The purpose of the program is to widen the perspective of Christianity among churches of like doctrine and structure.

      Pastor Gough has been ordained 24 years and has served congregations in Bainbridge and Afton, NY, Ft. Washington, MD, Watsonville, CA and Endicott, NY before coming to Sidney. St. Luke's is the first Lutheran church she has served.

      Raised in Ft. Worth, TX, Pastor Gough graduated from North Texas University in music and history, received her seminary education at the Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, MA and did her doctoral work at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkeley, CA. She taught school for fifteen years before entering the ministry. She has served on the Standing Committee of Diocese of Washington, DC and as a board member of the Clergy Association.

      "I am delighted to be back in the Tri-town area," she said. "I have always liked the people in this part of the world. I plan to settle in the area and hope I will eventually retire here.

      Pastor Gough will begin her service at St. Luke's on September 1.

In Christ,
Pastor Lauren A. Gough

Expect a miracle:
Look for a miracle:
Be a miracle:

God Bless