November 22, 2010
St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, Mt. Airy, and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Lafayette Hill, will offer a free, sit-down Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day from 11 am – 1 pm at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 6671 Germantown Avenue. The meal is open to anyone in the neighboring community. The dinner is part of a joint ministry between the two congregations called “Holy Hot Dish” that provides a free community meal every Saturday from 11 am – 1 pm at St. Michael’s. Nearly 90 people along with volunteers gather weekly for a home-cooked meal and conversation.
November 14, 2010
"All around us are those who yearn for freedom from worry, loneliness, abuse, fear, and whatever else is oppressing them. Grace gives us the ability to approach every person we meet with an open heart and acceptance," writes Liberty Lutheran Services CEO Luanne Fisher in a recent column in The Daily News.
November 14, 2010
ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson told young people who suffer bullying because of their sexuality that "you are a beloved child of God" in a video contributed to the It Gets Better Project. In the video, Hanson acknowledges that "sometimes the words of my Christian brothers and sisters have hurt you" and shares his hope" "God has called you by name and claimed you for ever. There's a place for you in this world and in this church."
September 10, 2010
In recent days and weeks the media have been filled with reports of controversies and discord that focus on radical fringe groups of many faiths and place religious followers in an unfavorable light. "Christians, Muslims, Jews, and people of good will of all faiths, seek ways to build bridges among our faith traditions, with mutual respect and concern for the world that we share," Bishop Burkat says in a statement. "When escalating anxieties and competing judgments claim our attention, let us to turn to God who is larger and stronger than our fears. These volatile and mercurial times are an opportunity for people of faith to pray for and promote understanding, dialogue, and peace." Read more to find Sept. 11 resources for your congregation.
September 8, 2010
As I reflect on my journey (safari) in the day-to-day account that follows, I hope you will sense the great privilege it is to be joined by Christ to this diocese, and that you will see in the lives and witness of the people, the great love of God in Christ that continues to be lavished on the world.
September 8, 2010
Our newest congregational companion, Mikanjuni Lutheran Parish, is now connected to St Luke, Devon. From the bishop's travel diary: A band greeted us as we first were asked to sign the guest book and then were escorted into the very large sanctuary. Mikanjuni had for about 11 years been a sub-parish of Kana Lutheran Parish, companion to St. John Lutheran Church, Philadelphia (Mayfair). (Read more)
September 8, 2010
"The opportunity to bring the Word of God and to baptize in the name of the Triune God in a place far away, to a people foreign to my culture, in a language not my own, was one of the highlights of my call as a pastor and a bishop," Bishop Burkat writes about her recent safari to visit our compaion synod in Tanzania. "This was truly a time when distance narrowed, offering a glimpse into God’s amazing grace!" Click to read the Bishop's message and a diary of the journey.
June 22, 2010
Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will prepare a revised 2010 budget and spending plan for consideration in August, and they will create a plan to restructure the churchwide organization in 2011 in response to continuing declines in income, said the Rev. M. Wyvetta Bullock, ELCA executive for administration, in a June 21 e-mail to churchwide staff.
June 21, 2010
Bread for the World head David Beckmann, a Lutheran pastor who once worked for the World Bank, is one of the winners of the 2010 World Food Prize, which is often seen as the Nobel Prize on issues related to food security, hunger, and farming.
June 17, 2010
At a congregational meeting June 6, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Abington, held a successful first vote to withdraw from the ELCA and join the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) once that body is formally constituted. The motion passed by a 76% vote of the 188 voting members present, receiving 143 positive votes and 45 “no” votes. The bishop and synod leaders will consult with the congregation for at least 90 days before a second vote will be held.
June 3, 2010
A Month of Potlucks is a movement started by two Lutheran pastors. The idea is simple. Host a potluck, include a talk or activity about hunger and take a collection for ELCA World Hunger. Thirty congregations are already on board. Will yours be the next to join them?
June 3, 2010
Our Tanzanian companion synod’s SEKUCo project, Tennessee flood relief and the Synod’s Fund for Mission have benefited from record-setting offerings received at May’s Assembly worship services. Overall, Assembly voting members and visitors contributed nearly $10,000 to these worthy causes, despite the difficult economic times. These offerings were larger than Assembly offerings in recent memory, according to the Synod’s business office.
June 2, 2010
Congregational Deacon Marilyn Griffiths of Faith Lutheran Church, Philadelphia, supports military men and women who are currently serving overseas on deployment through a project called Destination APO. The mission is to enhance the quality of life to military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and remote locations. If you have a loved one or congregational member serving, read on to find out how to put them on the list to receive packages or learn how to donate items.
May 27, 2010
Loving God,
when our ways of life lead to ecological disaster,
your creation groans and your creatures suffer.
Send your Spirit to renew the earth and seas.
May 24, 2010
Thanks to the efforts of the Legislative Hunger Caucus, there is now a Hunger Garden on the grounds of the State Capitol in Harrisburg. The garden, opened May 7, relies on volunteers to grow fresh vegetables to be donated to local food banks. At the 2010 Lutheran Day at the Capitol, the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania gave its "Hunger Leader Award" to Sen. Mike Brubaker (R-36), a leading force in establishing the garden.
May 17, 2010
"From the Street," a photovoice project with individuals experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia, will be on display May 22 and June 1-4 in two locations in Center City.
May 10, 2010
After engaging in passionate discussion in support of the ministry of the whole church, the assembly adopted a spending authorization plan for 2011 in the total amount of $2,808,595. This was adopted in the anticipation that the future revenue will be at the same level as 2009.
May 10, 2010
Bishop Claire Burkat challenged the 2010 Assembly to see how the four directions launched at last year’s assembly can lead the synod to embrace five trends that she sees emerging on the missional horizon. Represented by the acronym FACE, the directions are: Faith formation, faith in Action, Connecting and Communicating, and Equipping for evangelical outreach. Read more and view video of the bishop's remarks.
May 7, 2010
Bishop Claire Burkat introduced the theme of the 2010 assembly of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod in her sermon, Inbreaking/Outpouring: The Living Word. She spoke of the magnitude and power of God’s creative Word in our lives.
“We will hear, see and experience the inbreaking of the Word of God, and take notice of its power and beauty in our lives while we are here together for these two days” said Burkat.
April 12, 2010
he Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted a series of historic and sweeping revisions to ministry policy documents April 10, the result of months of extensive writing, comment and review by hundreds of leaders and members following the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. The Assembly directed that policy documents be revised to make it possible for eligible Lutherans in committed, publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA clergy and professional lay leaders. The assembly directed that revised policies recognize the convictions of those who believe the ELCA should not allow such service.
