Category: Assembly

May 7, 2024

Rev. Bryan Penman Elected Next Synod Bishop

The Rev. Bryan Penman, pastor of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Conshohocken and co-Director for Evangelical Mission in the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, was elected Saturday as the synod’s next bishop. Bishop-elect Penman received 203 votes on the fifth and final ballot for bishop. The Rev. Karl Richard, pastor of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Springfield...

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January 8, 2024

Bishop Election – Mission Profile Published

December 6, 2023

Nominations for 2024 Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod Assembly Deadline Extended 3/30

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 3 & 4, 2024, we will be electing a Bishop, which will take place by...

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October 30, 2023

Proposed Constitutional Amendments for Consideration at the 2024 Synod Assembly

Dear members of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, The 2024 Synod Assembly will be notable as we will be electing a Bishop to succeed Bishop Davenport.  Yet there will also be other items that will come to your attention for consideration and action.  We will be electing people to serve as Voting Members to the 2025...

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June 23, 2023

2023 Synod Assembly Highlights

We are grateful that the saints of Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod could again meet in person for Synod Assembly after four long years. The energy and spirit was uplifting as long-time friends greeted one another and new connections were made. The stories of our creative and sustaining partnerships in ministry were shared on screen, around Mission...

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January 26, 2023

Synod Assembly Returns to In-Person

May 5-6, 2023 at Franconia Mennonite Church A significant number of responses to our Assembly survey indicated that people want to return to the fellowship and relationship-building of in-person meetings. We have listened to your voices and have scheduled the 2023 Synod Assembly for Friday and Saturday, May 5 and 6, at our familiar site...

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January 21, 2022

You Can Change the Church

A Pre-Assembly Web Forum with the Reference and Counsel Committee Join us February 3 at 7:00pm on Zoom to learn: How you can create changes in the church through the Synod Assembly What’s the difference between a resolution and a memorial? Ways to write an effective resolution REGISTER NOW   Download printable copy   The...

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November 23, 2021

Synod Assembly April 30, 2022

Hope for Today, Strength for Tomorrow Through Community in Christ. The 2022 Synod Assembly will be held on Saturday, April 30 as an online business meeting. Conferences will participate in service projects on Saturday, April 23, and an in-person gathering will be scheduled later in the year. The theme for this year’s gatherings is Hope for...

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April 30, 2021

“We have faith over fear”

Message from Synod Vice President Tracey A. Beasley to the 2021 Synod Assembly.

April 29, 2021

“We’ve Come…a Mighty Long Way”

Message from Bishop Patricia A. Davenport to the 2021 Synod Assembly Dear Synod! I greet you with deep gratitude for your faithfulness and profound partnership as we have endured together the joys and challenges of this pandemic. We have experienced a year filled with anxiety, pain, change, challenge and death, and yet there have also...

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December 15, 2020

Positions to be Elected at Assembly

Nominations Needed for Synodical Positions The SEPA Synod’s Nominating Committee is currently looking for help as we seek to raise up new leaders from across our synod. We are looking for qualified persons, both clergy and lay, to serve as nominees for the election at the SEPA Synod Assembly on April 23-24, 2021. This year we have over...

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December 10, 2019

Synod Council and Committees seeking Nominations for 2020

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod’s Nominating Committee is asking for your help in identifying gifted and qualified persons, both clergy and lay, to serve as nominees for election at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod Assembly on May 1-2, 2020 Every year the Synod Assembly elects members of the Synod Council, which serves as “the board of directors...

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May 29, 2019

Assembly Leftovers Feed Hundreds

2019 Assembly logo 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...

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May 23, 2019

‘Are We Willing to be Transformed?’

The beloved community is like this: ‘God takes it very personally how we treat one another,” the Rev. Dr. Wyvetta Bullock said in her sermon at the Assembly’s Saturday Eucharist. “The compassion we express to others is our expression of our love for God.” As humans we struggle with love that seeks nothing in return....

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May 23, 2019

“Are We Ready To Be Transformed”

Sermon by Rev. Dr. Wyvetta Bullock at SEPA Synid Assembly, May 4, 2019. The beloved community is like this: ‘God takes it very personally how we treat one another,” the Rev. Dr. Wyvetta Bullock said in her sermon at the Assembly’s Saturday Eucharist. “The compassion we express to others is our expression of our love...

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May 22, 2019

Laments of a Death-and-Resurrection People

“It is time for our inadequate dreams to die in order for Christ to rise in us, and our church.” This observation by one pastor to Bishop Patricia A. Davenport grounded the preaching, prayer and lament during the opening worship service of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod’s 2019 Assembly. Several preachers and prayer leaders explored the...

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May 21, 2019

Leadership Rooted in Baptism

“Our purpose comes out of the baptismal waters, where our leadership is grounded.” The Rev. Dr. M. Wyvetta Bullock, Assistant to the Presiding Bishop/Executive for Administration and ELCA Churchwide Representative, led a lively forum – “Leadership Rooted in Baptism” – on the first day of the assembly. As she began the forum, she shared that...

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May 20, 2019

Balanced 2020 Budget Approved

2019 Assembly logo The Assembly adopted a budget for fiscal 2020 that anticipates total revenues of $3.33 million and expenditures of $2.88 million. The budget takes effect Feb. 1, 2020. Finance Committee Chair Albert Glenn outlined one significant change to the 2020 budget. The synod regularly gives support to United Lutheran Seminary, including about $50,000 for tuition support...

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May 15, 2019

Vitality Team Offers New Vision

We are church in an environment that is “volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous,” Synod Vitality Team co-chair the Rev. Bryan Penman told the 2019 Synod Assembly. But by working toward what research has shown are key marks of vital congregations, SEPA congregations can become more connected and relevant in their communities, he said. The Vitality...

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May 10, 2019

Bishop Davenport: “We are co-creators of our joint mission”

2019 Assembly logo Bishop Patricia Davenport, the Fifth Bishop of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA, opened the Synod’s 2019 Assembly (her first as Bishop) with a reading from Psalm 34: 1-3.  “… O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt God’s name together.” From the excitement of her election at the 2018 Assembly, to...

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