“Having Helpful Conversations about Race in the Church” — Anti-Racism Training for Rostered and Lay Leaders” (Part 1 – Context). The first of a series of anti-racism training events for lay and rostered leaders will be held Saturday, September 21, 2019, from 9am to 5pm, at St. Luke Lutheran Church, 203 N Valley Forge Rd, Devon, PA 19333 Register by...
Category: Faith in action
August 19, 2019
Quarterly Anti-Racism Training Events
“Having Helpful Conversations about Race in the Church” — Anti-Racism Training for Rostered and Lay Leaders” (Part 1 – Context). The first of a series of anti-racism training events for lay and rostered leaders will be held Saturday, September 21, 2019, from 9am to 5pm, at St. Luke Lutheran Church, 203 N Valley Forge Rd, Devon, PA 19333 Register by...
August 19, 2019
Holy Closure of Good Shepherd, Mayfair on Aug. 25
Remembering in prayer the saints at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Mayfair. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, a congregation in the NE/nW Philadelphia Conference, will hold their final worship service on Sunday, August 25, 2019 at 3 pm with Bishop Davenport presiding. Rostered leaders and members of the SEPA Synod are welcome to attend the final service...
August 16, 2019
Bishop’s Message on ELCA as ‘Sanctuary’
August 2019 Beloved siblings in Christ, Last week at our Churchwide Assembly, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America recommitted itself to walking alongside immigrants and refugees as a matter of faith.This Assembly action affirmed our history as an immigrant faith in the United States and the Lutheran church’s long history of assisting strangers in...
July 17, 2019
Pickleball Inspires Fellowship in West Chester
What could be more fun than a game of tennis or badminton or ping pong with friends? How about a game of pickleball—a combination of all of the above? The two West Chester, Pa., congregations of Advent and Calvary Lutheran churches decided to apply for a Forward Together in Faith grant to allow them to...
July 17, 2019
Servants at Work in South Dakota
A cadre of youth, young adults and leaders from SEPA Synod are in South Dakota for our famous Servant Trip. Here’s a peek into some of what they’ve been up to: For today’s service project in South Dakota a group of us converted an old church basement into a beautiful space that will be used...
July 2, 2019
Volunteers, Sponsors Needed for Camp Noah
Camp Noah Is Quickly Approaching! Planning is underway for Camp Noah at New Creation Lutheran in North Philadelphia Aug. 19-23, 2019! This is one of a series of camps around the U.S. for children who have been affected and/or displaced by disasters. There are tons of fun activities are being planned for the kids, many...
June 15, 2019
ELCA Presiding Bishop, Faith Leaders Issue Statement on Children in Detention
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has convened ELCA ecumenical and inter-religious partners in a statement addressing concerns over the well-being of children who cross the U.S. border seeking safety from danger and threats in their home countries. “Children coming to our nation for safety and...
May 29, 2019
Assembly Leftovers Feed Hundreds
The Synod Hunger Team, operating out of St. John Lutheran, Morrisville and assisted by St. John’s Service/Outreach/Parish Life Team and community members who assist with Aid for Friends put together meals for distribution using the leftovers from Assembly meals. Friday and Saturday lunches were delivered to the Homeless shelter in Levittown, PA and fed over...
May 29, 2019
LDR Responds to U.S. Tornadoes
Lutheran Disaster Response is working with relief agencies in areas of the central US impacted by severe storms and a significant outbreak of tornadoes over the last few days. LDR supports both immediate relief and long-term efforts. Pray Please pray for the communities who were impacted by these destructive tornadoes. May God’s healing presence give...
May 29, 2019
ELCA Presiding Bishop Addresses Well-Being of Children in Detention Centers
May 28, 2019 Children coming to our nation for safety and protection are still dying at our southern border while in U.S. detention. Carlos, a 16-year-old youth from Guatemala, died May 20 in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Wilmer, a 2-year-old, died May 14, also in...
May 29, 2019
Julia Menzo Honored for Service to Disaster Survivors
“Because of your dream of feeding, clothing and serving people whose lives have been changed by natural disaster, many who found themselves living in and on the edge of poverty now have a brighter outlook.” Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod Bishop Patricia A. Davenport so paid tribute May 20 to Julia Menzo, the Director for Community Outreach...
April 8, 2019
How to Be an Effective Small Church
Some years ago, David Ray traveled across the United States, west to east and north to south, and back north, visiting twenty-one smaller faith communities that were noted for the quality and faithfulness of their life together. He asked probing questions and listened carefully, looking for the common denominators, the faithful and exceptional qualities that...
March 27, 2019
KenCrest Honors Support from Five SEPA Congregations
Christ’s Lutheran Church in Oreland, PA and Reformation Lutheran Church in Media, PA were two of the eleven recipients of the 2019 KenCrest Community Champions. Gloria Dei Shining Star Committee, St. James Lutheran Church, Limerick and St. Peter’s Thrift Shop were Honorable Mention recipients. Every year KenCrest takes a moment to celebrate leaders in the community who go...
March 4, 2019
Leadership in Uncharted Territory
“Leadership is disappointing your own people at a rate they can absorb.” Tod Bolsinger, PhD, used this quote from adaptive leadership guru Ronald Heifetz to summarize the balancing act of leading in uncharted territory for more than 200 clergy and lay leaders gathered for a learning day with the author of “Canoeing the Mountains.” As...
February 15, 2019
Lutheran Settlement House Gets Boost from Fishtown’s Boom
From The Philadelphia Inquirer: A century ago, immigrants who arrived in Fishtown from Eastern Europe found themselves at the doors of the Lutheran Settlement House on Frankford Avenue, an urban ministry that helped families acclimate to their new lives. The nonprofit agency, which has never moved from the stately building where it was founded in 1902,...
January 30, 2019
Brewing for Good
Veteran Brewer Lou Farrell, a member of St. John’s, Ambler, is readying a new venture, Ür Brewery, set to open in Lansdale in May. The Welcome Church, a community ministering with people experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia, will benefit from the brewery’s profits. According to an article in NorthPennNow, the new business may also provide employment...
January 23, 2019
A Civil Conversation on Race and Faith
Bishop Patricia A. Davenport was one of five conversationalists who participated in Interfaith Philadelphia’s “Conversation on Race and Faith” at WHYY January 17. The bishop joined the Rev. Steven Lawrence, president of NewCORE (A New Conversation on Race and Ethnicity), Rabbi David Strauss of Main Line Reform Temple, Sheikh Anwar Muhaimin of Masjid Quba, and...
January 16, 2019
Forward Together in Faith Grants Awarded
The Synod has awarded $26,000 in grants funded by the Forward Together in Faith Campaign to 11 projects designed to network congregations and communities, start innovative ministries, enhance their communications, or equip leaders for ministry in the 21st Century. “We had many creative proposals and a limited amount of grant funds,” said Bishop Patricia A....
December 18, 2018
Once he vandalized a church; Now they share a hopeful bond
‘What I did probably saved my life because I got the help I needed.’ By Mark A. Staples Reunions are commonplace during the holidays, but the one that took place between Christopher Rhoads and leaders of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lansdale in early December could not have been imagined three years ago. Early on...
December 12, 2018
RedeemerFest: Faith in Action
Redeemer, Jamison holds Redeemerfest on the first Saturday of October. It is a beautiful example of faith in action. All proceeds from Redeemerfest support a local charity. In 2017 it was the Food Pantry at St Johns, Hatboro. In 2018 it was the Code Blue Project of the Bucks County Coalition to Support and Shelter...
