Synod Staff and Deans

The bishop, Synod staff and deans provide pastoral care, support and resources for our rostered and lay leaders and more than 140 congregations and worshipping communities with approximately 70,000 baptized members.

The Synod office is located on the Philadelphia campus of United Lutheran Seminary:

Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA
7241 Germantown Avenue
Brossman Center
Philadelphia, PA 19119-1723

Phone: 267.323.3737
Fax: 267.323.3777

Email:

Scroll down for contact information for Synod staff members and conference deans.

Office of the Bishop

The Rev. Bryan J. Penman
Bishop
Phone: 267.323.3756
Email

The Rev. Bryan J. Penman was elected the sixth bishop of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) on May 4, 2024 and assumed office Sept. 1, 2024. He serves as spiritual leader of the 70,000 members and more than 140 congregations and worshipping communities of the synod. The bishop oversees and administers the work of our Synod, provides pastoral care and leadership to the Synod, our congregations, and professional leaders: pastors, associates in ministry, deaconesses and diaconal ministers.

Yvonne Curtis
Director of Operations and Executive Assistant to the Bishop
Phone: 267.323.3747
Email

Mrs. Curtis manages office operations and staff and is executive assistant and scheduler for the bishop. Contact her for all requests to the office of the bishop, including appointments with and visits by the bishop.

Business Office

The Business Office oversees the fiscal operations of the synod and resource development, and provides programs to assist congregation treasurers and pastors manage congregation finances.

Martin Schwab
Senior Accountant
Phone: 267.323.3754
Email

Candidacy, Mobility and Interim Ministry, Mission Advancement

Vocations and Leadership works to identify, raise up, and support leaders for the Church through the candidacy and mobility functions and interim ministry.

Mission Advancement cultivates generosity and ongoing support of the ministries of the Synod.

The Rev. Karen M. Sease
Assistant to the Bishop for Congregations
Phone: 267-323-3744
Email

The Rev. Erika Strobel Wesch
Assistant to the Bishop for Formation
Phone: 267-323-3737
Email

Pastor Wesch will focus on candidacy for SEPA Synod as well as leadership development and synod authorized ministry.

Ms. Lisa Pressley
Candidacy Committee
Email

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Communications

The Rev. Paula Lebo
Assistant to the Bishop for Mission Interpretation
Phone: 267.323.3743
Email

Pastor Lebo works with the day-to-day communications of the Synod, the Synod’s website, MinistryLink e-newsletter and other projects that communicate this Synod’s mission and vision to congregations and constituents.

Cynta Outterbridge
Communications Assistant and Database Manager
Phone: 267.323.3742
Email

Mrs. Outterbridge handles day-to-day updates to the Synod website, ministrylink.org, and compiles the bi-weekly SEPANews e-mail updates. She also manages the Synod databases of rostered leaders, congregations, congregational contacts and other constituents and is the statistician for the Synod. Contact her with changes to your contact information. She is assistant to Mr. Fisher and provides computer support for Synod staff.

Congregational Vitality/Evangelical Mission

The directors work with new mission starts and re-development congregations as deployed ELCA staff for our synod, working with new church starts as well as the Congregational Vitality Team.

The Rev. Dr. Moses Suah-Dennis
Co-Director for Evangelical Mission
Phone: 267.323.3746
Email

The Rev. Linda Manson

Co-Director for Evangelical Mission and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Faith Formation and Discipleship

Vacant
Assistant to the Bishop for Youth and Young Adult Discipleship

Synod Assembly

Carrie Schwab
Assembly Coordinator
Email

Cynta Outterbridge
Assembly Registrar
Phone: 267.323.3742
Email

In addition to communications and database duties, Mrs. Outterbridge is assistant to the event planner(s) and registrar for Assembly and Convocation.

Love Revolution

The Southeastern Pennsylvania’s Synod’s Love Revolution supports congregations who are ready to renew their sense of purpose and enter into a revolutionary process . Love Revolution centers on the work of Loving God and Loving Neighbor and explores the 5 gifts of discipleship in the baptismal covenant: Live among God’s faithful people, Hear God’s word and share in his supper, Proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ in word and deed, Serve all people following the example of Jesus, Strive for justice and peace in all the earth.

The Rev. Richard (Rick) Summy
Program Director
Phone: 952.529.8340
Email

The Rev. Kayla Sadowy
Grant Evaluator
Email

Faith Alive

Faith Alive accompanies SEPA congregations as they articulate their worship values; deconstruct existing barriers to full worship participation across all ages, stages, and abilities; and reconstruct worship where children know they belong. We will do this through Worship Learning Labs, providing resources for creative congregational evaluation and planning, and microgrants. Faith Alive honors our children’s experience of God and creates space for them to be full participants in worship.

The Rev. Annemarie Hartner Cook

Program Director

267.323.3737

Conference Deans

Conference	Dean

Central Philadelphia	The Rev. Noah Hepler Atonement, Fishtown 919.609.1258 Email

Chester	The Rev. Chris Franz Advent, West Chester 610.436.0807 Email

Delaware	The Rev. Marie Sager St. Timothy, Aston Email

Lower Bucks	The Rev. Nathan Krause Redeemer, Jamison Email

Lower Montgomery	The Rev. Julie DeWerth Good Shepherd, King of Prussia 610.308.2675 Email

Northeast/Northwest Philadelphia	The Rev. Daniel Eisenberg St. John’s, Mayfair, Philadelphia (215) 776-9683 Email

Upper Bucks	The Rev. Bill Coleman St. Paul’s, Telford 215.723-8981 Email

Upper Montgomery	The Rev. Matthew Finney St. Paul’s, Sassamansville & Christ, Niantic 610.845.2583 Email

Updated March 10, 2025

MinistryLink