Global Callings & A Historic Milestone in Australia

Prior to his pastorate here, he was an ELCA sponsored missionary to Malaysia, teaching in an ecumenical seminary. The United States and Australia have had a partnership to establish a center for studying Lutheran theology within the seminary to benefit the Lutheran churches in Malaysia. He did some online teaching for ALC and has continued mentoring some doctoral candidates since returning to this country. You may remember that he went to Australia for a short time last year to teach a course in the seminary. The campus was sold a year or so ago and the only building there is a library. All classes are online for the 50 students in the seminary program. Pastor will write materials and provide online links to resources for students to gather materials themselves rather than listening to a professor. He will lecture for 15 minutes per course during the week along with leading online group exercises. He will begin his new calling in July and essentially can teach from anywhere since classes are via Zoom. He was known as a Honorary Research Associate until this year when he became a Research Fellow (comparable to a full professor). 

Happily Pastor’s wife, The Rev. Wendolyn Trozzo has accepted a call to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Indooroopilly, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane located in northeast Australia. Brisbane is the capital city of Queensland, one of 6 states in Australia, and it is about the size of Alaska. There are approximately 30,000 Lutherans in Australia (about the same as in the state of PA) and St. Peter’s has 60 to 70 worshipers weekly. The Trozzos will live in the church parsonage (manse). There are many varied landscapes in Queensland and they will continue to enjoy God’s beautiful earth. An interesting note: Only last year did Australia vote to ordain women; therefore Pastor Wendolyn will become the first woman pastor in Queensland. The church has been without a pastor for 3 years!

Catching Up with Dante and Cade

I requested an update on the Trozzo sons and a proud father willingly responded. Dante, the older, is finishing his junior year at the University of Akron, majoring in Emergency Management, on a full scholarship from the US Army. He is in ROTC and plans to serve on active duty when he finishes in 2027. He hopes his placement will be in the Army Medical Corps. He is engaged and plans to be married next year. His fiancée Nicole was baptized at Saint Matthew in December.  

Cade, an honors student at Seneca High School, will graduate next month. He will begin his college studies at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA in the fall. He had some experience during his senior year in broadcasting and loved it, therefore his college major will be in Broadcasting. 

Reflections on Our Journey Together: Moving Forward in Faith

Of course I wanted to know how Pastor Eric feels about Saint Matthew Church. In answering, he said, “Covid was a seismic event and it changed everything. After getting through that, his focus was on moving us forward in ministry. You try to achieve at least 30% of what you hope for. The nature of ministry is you are always trying. Some things work and others don’t.” He believes Saint Matthew is in a good place. We have moved through the pandemic phase and on footing to go ahead. We do not know what is coming but there is energy for that. Worship attendance is about the same as pre-pandemic if online is included, which is an estimate. He knows his feelings in the next few weeks will be quite mixed as he leaves behind a place and people he has loved and moves on to a new challenge. We hope he will let us know when he is the published author of the book he is writing! In ending our conversation, I asked Pastor to finish this sentence: “My greatest joys as your pastor have been . . . seeing expressions of deep faith.” He gave as an example the congregation meeting two years ago. There were not enough candidates for the Congregation Council to make it legal. One by one various people volunteered and became active members.

And so it is Pastor Eric, we bid you a fond farewell. We will miss you and what you have meant to this congregation. You had a vison for our church and you helped us to work toward it. You told us to “Live the Love” by caring for our friends and our neighbors in loving service. We have continued to provide food and other services for our neighbors nearby and including Camden. You have encouraged us to care for God’s earth. You wanted us to enjoy a time of fellowship with members and visitors alike and urged the creation of a fellowship area in the narthex. You supported the construction of the new addition and eagerly watched with us as it became a much needed reality. You helped us to celebrate our 75^th anniversary last year and we celebrated your 50^th birthday and 20^th anniversary of ordination earlier this year. We will miss your knowledgeable and excellent teaching and your thoughtful and challenging sermons. We pray God’s richest blessings on you and your wonderful wife as you go forward in faith in a different country surrounded by His powerful love and guidance. May Peace be with you.   
Submitted by Rozella Bower