April 3, 2010
He is risen indeed! Celebrate the Good News of Christ's resurrection during the season of Easter, which extends until Pentecost Sunday on May 23. Click on the image to find a church near you.
March 30, 2010
The Religious Leaders Council of Greater Philadelphia celebrated its fourth year as a Council at its March 22 meeting. Members gathered to share their wisdom as they face common challenges. They also decided to launch ‘Zones of Peace’, an interfaith, grassroots initiative will bring together congregations and schools throughout the region to address the root causes of violence and work for peace. Bishop Burkat, a co-convenor of the council, presented on ministry with people who are "spiritual but not religious."
March 18, 2010
An article in the Colonial-News highlights the once-a-year Easter candy making projects at St. Mark's, Conshohocken, and Prince of Peace, Plymouth Meeting. St. Mark's has been making Easter chocolates since 1918. Link after the jump.
March 11, 2010
You're invited to join The Welcome Church, an outreach to persons experiencing homelessness in Center City, for a service of remembrance and thanksgiving for those who lost their lives living on the streets during this brutal winter. The service is Tuesday, March 16 at noon at The Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion at 2110 Chestnut Street. If you are not able to attend, please keep the community and persons experiencing homelessness in prayer at that hour.
March 9, 2010
Diakon Family Life Services will sponsor a comprehensive workshop on preventing child abuse in the congregational setting on Thursday, April 15 at Trinity, Lansdale. Registration deadline is April 1. Read on for full information.
March 1, 2010
"The most powerful learning is my new understanding and appreciation for the oneness of God’s people in Christ," Bishop Burkat writes about her participation in the recent ELCA Ecumenical Journey to the seats of Anglican, Orthodox and Catholic communions. "Yes, there were differences in culture, in worship, in theology, and in current pressing issues as we traveled to four major Christian centers, and met with prominent Christian leaders in London, Istanbul, Rome and Geneva. However, the hospitality, love and respect for us, and us for them, and our common faith in Jesus Christ transcended the difficulties, which sometimes threaten to divide us and undermine the common Christian witness to the world."
February 16, 2010
The Council Presidents and Vice Presidents Gathering with Bishop Claire Burkat Saturday, Feb. 27 will focus on communications. What trends can shape communication with our members and neighbors? How can we collaborate to spread the Gospel and make our congregations more visible through communication? These and other questions will be addressed by Bob Fisher, assistant to the bishop for mission interpretation/communications. Please RSVP as soon as possible so that we may make appropriate arrangements.
February 4, 2010
Bishop Burkat is part of a delegation of ELCA officials led by Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson on the 2010 Ecumenical Journey to visit Christian leaders in London, Istanbul, Rome and Geneva, including the heads of the Anglican, Orthodox and Roman Catholic communions. "I thank God, ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson, and the people of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod for allowing me this most remarkable opportunity to visit the major faith centers and major Christian leaders of the global and ancient Church," the bishop writes in her first message from the trip. "More than any other time in history the one holy, catholic and apostolic Church is connected and accessible. By air, by sea, by land, by internet, by cell, and, yes, by clear, mutual conversation, consolation and communion, we have opportunities as never before to work pray for the peace of the whole of God’s world, the well being of the people of God, and the unity of all."
January 21, 2010
Once again a team from Christ Lutheran, Kulpsville, is in Ocean Springs, MS. Lois Kadel is keeping a journal of the group's activity as the group works, even with their eyes and hearts fixed on Haiti. Now is the time to join a SEPA-LDR trip to Mission Starfish (formerly Camp Victor) in March -- your interest needs to be noted by Jan. 24.
January 19, 2010
Each year on the day before the holiday commemorating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Family of God Lutheran in Buckingham hosts a forum on race relations. The collective effort of the NAACP of Bucks County, the Peace Center, the Bucks County Committee for Interracial Harmony, the Bucks County Human Relations Council has been held since the 1980s.
January 19, 2010
A litany for Companion Synod Sunday, Jan. 31, written by Mark Sofio of St. Paul, Exton, is available for download on the Synod website.
January 18, 2010
Lutherans gathered Sunday to sing, pray, share and worship in celebration of the legacy and witness of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Photos by Rev. Jesse Brown)
January 4, 2010
It was a Christmas at Seamen's Church Institute that all involved will remember forever.
As always, this 166-year old vital-to-commerce ecumenical ministry practiced the Golden Rule with seafarers from around the world, even bringing a father together with his long-lost daughter.
December 17, 2009
Bishop Hanson's 2009 Christmas Message is now on the web. You can view it as a video, read the text, or download a bulletin insert to share with your congregation.
December 9, 2009
Congregations from across the Synod participated in the 2009 Ingathering on Sunday, Dec. 6, filling a truck with gifts for the less fortunate.
December 8, 2009
In a live/webcast 'town hall' Dec. 6, Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson said the ELCA is a church where all people "can teach and preach" with the integrity of their convictions on sexuality matters. The ELCA is also welcoming people who "are coming to faith or being renewed in their faith" because of the assembly's actions, Hanson said. "We can be faithful Lutheran Christians and live with that tension in the same church body. Wouldn't it be wonderful if that became our witness?" he said. He also addressed congregations that are redirecting or withholding funds to register disagreement with the assembly's actions. "Let me tell you when that line is cut, mission and ministry is diminished throughout the world and throughout this church," he told the forum audience.
November 23, 2009
"In this season of Advent and Christmas, as we remember the miraculous gift of the coming of Christ into our midst, let us remember and appreciate the ways Christ continues to come to us, to be with us, and to bless us for God’s earthly mission," Bishop Burkat writes in her seasonal message to Southeastern Pennsylvania Lutherans. "In my daily devotions during the Advent and Christmas seasons, I will try to remember and embrace three free gifts of the Holy Spirit -- grace, guidance and gratitude."
November 19, 2009
"Where does the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) stand today? We stand together in God’s grace, but we are not standing still," Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson wrote in an open letter to ELCA members Nov. 19. "We proclaim Jesus Christ and are fully engaged in this mission by actively caring for the world that God loves. God’s mission is serious work that calls for serious commitment. We bring all that we are—especially our rich diversity, our shared tradition and even our disagreements—in service of God’s mission. We go forward in this mission trusting that “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:5)."
November 2, 2009
Bishops Claire S. Burkat (center left) and Samuel R. Zeiser (center right) display the newly restored minutes of the Lutheran Ministerium of North America dating from 1781. With them are John E. Peterson (left), Curator, and Kim-Eric Williams, Archivist, of the Northeast Regional Archives Center.
October 15, 2009
Sixth Annual Boxcity to raise awareness about homelessness in Bucks County and raise funds for the Red Cross Shelter in Levittown. Members and friends of the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Yardley and Family of God Lutheran in Buckingham will sleep outside on Friday, December 4th to raise awareness and funds.
