Download Word version Pray, Give in Response to Hurricane Fiona Hurricane Fiona made landfall in Puerto Rico on Sep. 18 – five years after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. A Category 1 storm, Fiona caused an island-wide blackout and brought catastrophic flooding, with some areas receiving more than 20 inches of rain. After hitting Puerto...
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September 20, 2022
MinistryLink News for September 20, 2022
Download Word version Pray, Give in Response to Hurricane Fiona Hurricane Fiona made landfall in Puerto Rico on Sep. 18 – five years after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. A Category 1 storm, Fiona caused an island-wide blackout and brought catastrophic flooding, with some areas receiving more than 20 inches of rain. After hitting Puerto...
September 20, 2022
Pray, Give in Response to Hurricane Fiona
Hurricane Fiona made landfall in Puerto Rico on Sep. 18 – five years after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. A Category 1 storm, Fiona caused an island-wide blackout and brought catastrophic flooding, with some areas receiving more than 20 inches of rain. After hitting Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Hurricane Fiona made landfall...
August 20, 2022
2022 Churchwide Assembly Summary
The 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly convened in Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 8-12, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Gathering under the theme, Embody the Word, voting members participated in plenaries and worship while acting on key legislative business and hearing reports on the work of the church. Imran Siddiqui was elected to a six-year term as...
September 16, 2022
Fall ULS Kindling Faith Events
This fall holds many opportunities for lay and rostered leaders to grow and learn at United Lutheran Seminary. Most of our events have an online option, so even if you’re further afield, you can still engage. Upcoming Kindling Faith Events Soul Care is a new multi-event program in collaboration with the Lower Susquehanna Synod with...
September 13, 2022
MinistryLink News for Sept. 13
The latest MinistryLink newsletter is here. Sunday’s blessing of backpacks, tomorrow’s monkeypox webinar, free vitality trainings, fall stewardship webinar, and so much more. View online at https://conta.cc/3U57ORp. Download Word version: MinistryLink Sept. 13, 2022 Headlines in green are time sensitive information. Bishop Blesses Student Backpacks Sept. 18 Bishop Patricia Davenport invites you to our...
September 13, 2022
Blessing of the Backpacks Sept. 18
Bishop Patricia Davenport invites you to our Synodical Offices at ULS for a special Back to School Event. Join us as Bishop blesses each student and their backpack/lunchbox/devices used for school. We’ll have some fun games, soft pretzels and water ice, too. The event is Sunday, September 18 from 2-4pm – RAIN OR SHINE. To...
September 13, 2022
Free Congregational Vitality Trainings
Is your congregation ready to take the next step (even a small step!!) to revitalize or renew? Our Synod is participating in a series of Vitality Trainings here this fall with folks from across the ELCA. This training is great for pastor and a team of folks to take together to bring clarity about your...
September 12, 2022
Update on Portico Health Rates and Plan Changes
2023 Update on Portico Health Rates and Plan Changes ELCA-Primary health contribution baseline rate will increase 3%, the same rate increase as last year, which was the lowest in eight years. The 3% increase also applies to sponsored members receiving the ELCA Medicare-Primary health benefit Standard option. ELCA-Primary Gold+ option deductibles will increase to $1,500...
September 9, 2022
LDR Update: Kentucky Flooding
Situation: Beginning on July 27, a line of severe storms dumped record amounts of rain on eastern Kentucky, overflowing rivers and creeks onto streets and neighborhoods. Rising waters damaged infrastructure, including roads, bridges and power lines, which hindered rescue efforts. The flooding destroyed hundreds of homes and other buildings. Response: To respond to the flooding,...
August 13, 2022
ELCA elects Siddiqui as vice president
Imran Siddiqui, a senior investigator for the U.S. Department of Labor, was elected vice president of the ELCA on Thursday, Aug. 11, becoming the first Asian American elected to the national post. His six-year term will begin Nov. 1, replacing interim Vice President Carlos Peña, who himself took on the role after the unexpected passing...
June 6, 2022
E-News for June 3, 2022
MinistryLink—6-3-22—Action-on-Gun-Violence—Pride-Event-June-16.html
June 6, 2022
Bishop’s Responses to Concerns in Sierra Pacific Synod
Updated: June 6, 2022 June 6, 2022 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the...
June 3, 2022
Mrs. Curtis Honored for Service
In May, the Church of God in Christ honored Mrs. Yvonne Curtis, our synod’s director of operations, for her years of excellence serving as executive assistant to four former and current bishops of our synod. Congratulations! One of those bishops, the Rev. Roy Almquist, compared the work of an executive assistant to the role Aaron...
June 3, 2022
Volunteers Needed for Hurricane Recovery
Lutheran Disaster Response – Eastern PA is helping survivors recover here in Pennsylvania from both Tropical Storm Isaias (2020) and Hurricane Ida (2021). Volunteers are needed for rebuilding in the Eastwick neighborhood of Philadelphia for Isaias response, and we are hiring contractors to support recovery from Hurricane Ida for disaster case managers and for program...
June 3, 2022
Get On the Bus for Moral March on Washington
From Pastor Violet Little of Welcome Church: We need 36 more folks to make the bus from United Lutheran Seminary (7301 Germantown Ave.) a go for the June 18 Poor Peoples Campaign and Mass Rally. A generous grant from ULS and SEPA Synod of the ELCA can help cover your travel cost. Please go to...
May 27, 2022
CDC Raises Community Levels to High
As of May 27 the CDC lists all of our suburban counties in the “high” community (impact) level. Philadelphia is listed as “medium.” All five SEPA counties are experiencing high community transmission of the virus, according to the CDC. In obedience to Christ’s command to love our neighbors, we urge congregations to take this (hopefully...
May 26, 2022
E-News May 26, 2022
How Long, O Lord? God, our hearts are broken, again and again, by the scourge of gun violence in our nation. Buffalo. Laguna Beach. Deadly weekends on the streets of Philadelphia. Now the massacre of 19 elementary school students in Uvalde, Texas. God, comfort that families that are grieving right now. God, make us angry...
May 20, 2022
Prayer: Remembering Those Affected by Gun Violence
Updated May 25, 2022 to include the mass murders at a school in Uvalde, Texas. Published May 20, 2022 in response to mass shootings in Buffalo and Laguna Beach. Today we remember those who have died by gun violence, those who have survived gun violence, those who mourn deaths of family and friends by gun...
