2020 Ministries
Due to the pandemic, many of our annual events were cancelled in 2020 to keep people safe.  We have included events here that would happen in a typical year.
  • Our six  Lutheran Pantries in Reading are feeding more than 4,000 people monthly!  Nearly half are elderly or children.  These pantries are located at Incarnation, St. Paul's, Hope,  St. John's Reading, Christ Glenside, and Bethany West Reading.  They are supported through the benevolence of our  WBMD congregations. In addition, many congregations also participate in their local food ministries as well.
  • 29 youth and their advisors participated in the  2020 WBMD Youth Event held at Allegheny Lutheran in February.  A massive amount of shoes were collected and delivered to In Ian's Boots, a local non-profit that cleans up and distributes shoes to those in need. 
  • The spring Bowl-a-Thon fundraiser is a fun activity for folks of all ages.  The  money raised supports our summer day camp.
  • We host an annual Lenten Prayer Breakfast where folks gather for prayer and hear a special guest speaker as we prepare for Holy Week.
  • Parish secretaries/administrators, pastors and other leaders enjoy the Parish Office Professional's Appreciation Luncheon where we honor these important partners in ministry.
  • WBMD partners with Bear Creek Camp to provide a week of Summer Day Camp for children from across the mission district.  This is always a great week of fun and growing in faith.
  • WBMD is the sponsoring organization of the Reading Berks CROP Walk which has raised over a million dollars over the years to help  fight hunger locally and around the world.  
  • Learning opportunities for our rostered ministers and lay members are presented, lifting up topics of interest to our local faith communities. 
  • WBMD continued our partnership with the Greater Reading Immigration Project to provide education about immigration issues and support a scholarship fund for undocumented students.
  • The WBMD office serves as a central communication hub and resource center and provides bookkeeping services for several other groups including: Reading Lutheran Parish, Hospital Visitors Program and CROP Walk.  
  • WBMD Director attends meetings of the Clusters and retired Pastors  to maintain communications with district Pastors, helps coordinate rostered ministers' gatherings.
  • WMBD newsletters are published throughout the year to let congregations know about WBMD activities and how their benevolence dollars are at work in our community.
  • Continued financial support to Family Promise of Berks County's Program for homeless families with children.  Many of our congregations participate as hosts or partners in the Interfaith Hospitality Network, providing safe shelter and meals for the guest families in the program.