celebrationoffice Anniversary, Celebration Members, Worship

Celebrating 55 years of ordained ministry – Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Platz

On Sunday, November 23, we celebrated the 55th anniversary of Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Platz’s groundbreaking ordination. Pastor Platz was the first woman ordained by the Lutheran Church in America, on November 22, 1970!

Bishop Laura Barbins joined us to break open the Word, and Pastor Platz presided over communion. After the service, we enjoyed fellowship and food – and pored over articles and photos Pastor Platz’s family brought to share, documenting Pastor Platz’s long and pioneering career.

You can read a wonderful write-up in the Northeastern Ohio Synod newsletter, Walking Together, and view more photos of the morning in our Facebook post. Thanks be to God for Pastor Platz’s 55 years of ordained ministy!

celebrationoffice Anniversary, Celebration Members

Celebration’s 30th Anniversary Festivities

Bishop Laura Barbins

2023 marks Celebration’s 30th anniversary of ministry in Geauga County, and we celebrated and gave thanks on October 28! Bishop Laura Barbins (who pastored Celebration for 19 of those 30 years) presided over a festival worship service. After worship, we received video and written greetings from founding pastor Randy Olson, and Revs. David Snyder and Kate Crecelius, and in-person greetings from interim pastor, Rev. Jon Paulus. An extravagant potluck dinner followed, featuring Ken Coryell’s famous pulled pork. To see more photos of the event, click here. (Thank you to photographer Chris Goff!)

Click here for a PDF of the anniversary worship bulletin.

To read a detailed history of Celebration’s founding and ministry, click here.