Worship will be Sunday June 22nd at 4 p.m. in the Chapel of the United Lutheran Seminary Philadelphia Campus. Pastor Taylor Walker will be preaching and Pastor Kevin Tracey will serve as Presider. All are welcome to attend and lift up our synod and pray for more inclusivity around our synod and the world.
Author Archive
June 5, 2025
SEPA Pride Worship June 22
Worship will be Sunday June 22nd at 4 p.m. in the Chapel of the United Lutheran Seminary Philadelphia Campus. Pastor Taylor Walker will be preaching and Pastor Kevin Tracey will serve as Presider. All are welcome to attend and lift up our synod and pray for more inclusivity around our synod and the world.
May 13, 2025
Vocational Affirmation and Discernment
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE BISHOP A Message from Bishop Bryan Penman Dear Siblings in Christ, It’s graduation season—a time when we gather to celebrate years of hard work, study, and perseverance. Degrees are conferred, papers submitted, exams passed, and dissertations defended. If you’re celebrating a 2025 graduate in your family, congratulations ! For many, this...
April 29, 2025
Celebrating the Faithful Leadership of Ms. Tracey A. Beasley
You’re Invited: A Celebration Honoring Ms. Tracey A. Beasley Vice President, Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCAConcluding 12 Years of Faithful Service After 12 years of devoted leadership as Vice President of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Ms. Tracey A. Beasley is concluding her term. We invite you to join...
April 19, 2025
An Easter Message from Bishop Bryan Penman
Fearful, Yet Overjoyed. The Women at the Tomb By Sister Mary Stevens, CRSS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE BISHOP An Easter Message from Bishop Bryan Penman April 19, 2025 The Vigil of Easter “But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.” – Luke 24:11 Dear Beloved in Christ,...
April 16, 2025
Lutheran Night at the Phillies
Lutheran Nights at the Phillies Three great games to choose from! Three opportunities to gather together! Benefits Youth Ministry Scholarship Fund. Click the link below to choose the game(s) you wish to attend. Looking forward to a fun evening with our fellow SEPA friends. April 19 Buy Now May 17 Buy Now August 18 Buy...
April 16, 2025
Community Safety Training ahead of Pride Month
In preparation for Pride Month and due to increased safety risks for our LBGTQIA+ siblings, communities and friends ReconcilingWorks and SEPA Synod will be previewing a Community Safety Guide. Tuesday April 29, 2025 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Benbow Hall + United Lutheran Seminary 7301 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia
April 3, 2025
2025 Treasurers Gathering
Join us for the Treasurers Gathering on June 21, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the United Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia, specifically in the Brossman Center. This essential event is designed for treasurers and financial leaders of Lutheran congregations to enhance their understanding of budgeting, financial procedures, and accounting practices. During this gathering,...
March 18, 2025
Ponder Anew
March 17, 2025 The Feast of St. Patrick March is here, and for many, that means college basketball. But I know that for most of you, this season brings a different kind of March Madness—the busyness of Lent. And at the synod office, our version of March Madness is the flurry of preparations for our...
February 11, 2025
Gathering of Church Council Leaders
Dear Congregational Council Leader, Are you stepping into a leadership role in your congregation? Perhaps you’re serving on your Church Council and want a clearer sense of what that entails. Or maybe it’s your turn to guide your congregation as President, Vice President, Treasurer, or Secretary. Whatever your role, we have an exciting opportunity just...
February 3, 2025
January Mission Support Memo
Mission Support connects us! STORYTELLING ENGAGEMENT Unidad — Unity A story out of our Metropolitan New York Synod for our ELCA stewardship ministry, in celebration of the Peterman Award Have you ever met a person of faith who shines with the light of Christ even in the hardest of times and places? After meeting the...
January 29, 2025
Equipping our Synod for the work of ministry..
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE BISHOP Dear SEPA Family and Friends, Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I am writing to share some important updates about staffing changes within our Synod. When I began my term as bishop this past September, I committed to holding off on staffing changes until after February 1. Now,...
December 23, 2024
Christmas Message from Bishop Penman
December 23, 2024 Grace and peace to you this Christmas season. At the heart of the Christmas story is a journey—a journey of a young couple, Mary and Joseph, searching for a place to stay. When they arrived in Bethlehem, there was no room for them. Yet in the kindness of a stranger, they found...
December 19, 2024
December Mission Support Memo
Mission Support connects us! STORYTELLING ENGAGEMENT Companion Connections A story from our Oregon Synod bishop Each of our ELCA synods engages with at least one companion synod in another country, a global accompaniment funded by your Mission Support. In this time of Advent wonder, we want to share with you an edited version of a...
December 11, 2024
December Message from the Bishop
December 11, 2025 Dear Beloved in Christ, December often feels like a whirlwind in the church. The steady progression from Advent to Christmas overlays the festive chaos of the secular holiday season, making this time especially busy. Those who’ve worked with me over the years know that I’m a “special kind of crazy” when it...
December 11, 2024
A Pastoral Message from the ELCA Bishops of Pennsylvania
Advent 2024: A Season of Waiting and Hope Dear Pennsylvania Lutherans and Partners in Ministry, As we begin the season of Advent, we are reminded of the holy call to wait with hope and expectation. In this time of preparation, we recall the promise of God’s presence among us—Emmanuel, God with us—and the call to be attentive...
November 19, 2024
ELCA congregations, the time for clean energy is now.
A Message from the Mission Investment Fund: As faith communities, we are not merely bystanders in a transition to clean energy—we are leaders. Guided by our shared values of care for one another and the Earth, we have the potential to drive significant change. By leveraging new federal programs and financial incentives, we can make...
November 15, 2024
November Mission Support Memo
Mission Support connects us! STORYTELLING ENGAGEMENT A story from the West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod: Mission Support shared with the churchwide organization allows us to create partnerships with preferred vendors that make things like online giving and having a web presence easier and more affordable for congregations. These partnerships allow the churchwide organization to use some...
April 3, 2025
2025 Secretaries Gathering
This gathering is designed for all individuals who serve as secretaries within their congregations, whether in an elected role as secretary of the congregation and council, or as part of their employment in assisting with maintaining records. The event will provide valuable guidance on essential responsibilities such as: Constitutional Responsibilities & Minute Taking: A review of...
February 14, 2025
Love is Everywhere
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE BISHOP February 14, 2025 Beloved Siblings in Christ, As we enter the month of February, love is everywhere. Stores are filled with Valentine’s Day cards, roses, and heart-shaped chocolates. We see love celebrated in many forms—romantic love, familial love, and even the brotherly love that gives our great city of...
December 5, 2024
2025 Nominations
How does the work of Jesus get done in Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod? By faithful members of our congregations who love Jesus, love the Church, and are willing to take leadership positions in our Synod. At the upcoming Synod Assembly, May 30 & 31, 2025, we will be electing leaders to serve on the Synod Council....
