“It’s all about modeling” said Rev. Larry Smoose, team leader for the Synod’s Stewardship Resource Team. To grow mission-minded stewards of finances, time, and talent, said Rev. Smoose, it’s important that congregational leaders – and congregations themselves – model what it means to be good stewards. For example, if the goal is tithing, the congregation...
Category: Assembly
May 10, 2014
Ministry Partner: Stewardship Resource Team
“It’s all about modeling” said Rev. Larry Smoose, team leader for the Synod’s Stewardship Resource Team. To grow mission-minded stewards of finances, time, and talent, said Rev. Smoose, it’s important that congregational leaders – and congregations themselves – model what it means to be good stewards. For example, if the goal is tithing, the congregation...
May 10, 2014
MacPhersons’ Say ‘Asante Sana’
Over and over again “Asante Sana” (“Thank You” in Swahili) was spoken by our Tanzanian missionaries, Susan and Tom MacPherson, as they called via Skype into the Assembly from East Africa. Calling from a classroom at the Irente Childrens’ Home with some young students who had not yet had their dinner and were up past their bedtimes,...
May 9, 2014
Q&A With Mark Hanson
The Rev. Dr. Mark S. Hanson, former presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), spoke with workshop participants at the 2014 Assembly of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod (SEPA) of the ELCA. Bishop Hanson invited the audience to form small groups and to offer questions. Here are highlights compiled by John Kahler. Q:...
May 9, 2014
Moving Toward God’s Preferred Future
“Nobody changes before they are ready,” the Rev. Dr. David Lose, consultant with Kairos & Associates, told the Assembly. “This body is ready, and excited, and eager to live into God’s preferred future.” Lose reported on a wide-ranging survey of synod leaders, including clergy, congregation council members and other lay leaders, conducted this spring to...
May 8, 2014
Join the Conspiracy
“I want to invite you all to join a new Christian conspiracy,” Bishop Claire Burkat challenged the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod in her address to the 2014 Assembly. “What does it mean to in the 21st Century to conspire with Christ and one another to heal and bless the world in whatever ways God is leading...
May 8, 2014
2015 Budget Approved Unanimously
The Synod Assembly unanimously approved a $3.14 million budget for 2015, which anticipates flat income from Mission Support and a $224,000 shortfall. Congregations’ Mission Support giving held steady in 2013 after declining at a rate of 4 percent annually since the 1980s, said the Rev. Karl Richard, finance committee chair. The new budget holds the...
May 4, 2014
Videos from 2014 Assembly
Video coverage of Synod Assembly presentations are available online at the links below: Complete 2014 Synod Assembly video playlist Friday Rev. Mark Hanson Sermon Rev. Mark Hanson Keynote Treasurer’s Report ELCA Representative Presentation by Ms. Judith Roberts Recognition of Approved Candidates Saturday Bishop Burkat’s Sermon Kairos & Associates/David Lose presentation Moments with our Missionaries Bishop...
May 3, 2014
God Strengthens our Hands and Resolve
God is hard at work, strengthening our hands and our resolve. Even when we are tired, weak and worn—especially then. Because He knows that as we heal from our broken, worn places, we gain strength from that healing, and we, in gratitude, turn to help heal others. “This is God’s work—strengthening our hands and our...
May 3, 2014
We are Church — Together
ELCA Churchwide Representative Judith Roberts discusses how we are the church, together. #weareSEPA Justice is what love looks like in public. In keeping with the Assembly’s theme of togetherness and partnership, Judith Roberts, ELCA’s Director of Racial Justice, spoke to the gathering about the initiative We Are Church Together, an ELCA church-wide ministry. ELCA Presiding...
May 3, 2014
Hands Ready to do God’s Work
We’ve hand many requests to post former Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson’s keynote address from the Assembly, on the theme “God’s work. Our hands.” Watch the entire keynote presentation here.
May 3, 2014
Nurturing Vibrant Congregations
For about fifteen minutes every week, most of us listen to a sermon, absorb its message and go home to our daily lives. Perhaps we think about it once or twice, or it may flutter around the edges of our minds, but chances are good that by the next week’s sermon, we’ve forgotten all about...
May 2, 2014
Ministry Partner: Welcome Church
“We are moving 40 folks into permanent housing in May!” was the happy response of Pastor Violet Little of the Welcome Church when asked “What’s new and exciting in your ministry?” Working cooperatively with Project Home the Welcome Church, a ministry of our Synod that worships weekly outdoors on a corner of Logan Square with...
May 2, 2014
MIF Partners with Congregations
The Mission Investment Fund (MIF) of the ELCA partners with congregations, colleges, seminaries, and individuals across the country, providing investment vehicles and loans to them as they grow and prosper. Rev. Mark Wimmer of the MIF presented a video about financial ministry that asked the question, “With your one life, how will you let your...
May 2, 2014
Social Ministry Leaders Installed
After the sermon given Friday morning by Rev. Dr. Mark S. Hanson, former Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, The Rev. Claire Burkat, Bishop, asked Sister Jane Roper and Pastor Jennifer Ollikainen to come forward. Reading from Romans, which mentions the church as having one body but many members, Bishop Burkat installed Sister Jane Roper to...
May 2, 2014
Mission Support Stabilizes
Financial support from the 159 congregations within the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod was up slightly in 2013, to $2.139 million, allowing for continued support of the new faith communities and programs that are at the core of SEPA’s mission. After almost a decade of declining giving, Mission Support grew slightly, yet noticeably, last year, drawing praise...
May 2, 2014
Constitutional Clarification
Just as the congregations of the Synod are encouraged to keep their congregational constitutions in alignment with the ELCA’s Model Constitution for Congregations, so too the synods keep their constitutions aligned with that of the ELCA. Amendments adopted at the 2013 Churchwide Assembly became effective immediately and were reported, as a matter of information, to...
May 2, 2014
Watch Rev. Hanson’s Sermon Online
The morning sermon by the Rev. Dr. Mark Hanson, former presiding bishop of the ELCA, is now available online. Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTVMGNhDPo
May 2, 2014
Look at Your Selfie
“Take out your imaginary cell phone and take an imaginary selfie,” the Rev. Dr. Mark S. Hanson, former Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, challenged the assembly. Dr. Hanson was preaching the sermon at opening worship on May 2 for the 2014 Assembly of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran...
April 2, 2014
Share Your Mission Story
Share Your Congregation’s Story in Video! God’s work. Our hands. SEPA congregations live into this vision of the ELCA week after week, year after year. “God’s work. Our hands.” is the theme of this year’s Synod Assembly. We’d like to feature some of your stories of bringing this vision to life through community service, faith formation,...
May 10, 2013
See Through “Jesus Colored Glasses”
At the opening worship of the 2013 Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, Bishop Claire Burkat challenged the assembly to focus on God-sight as Philip did in the gospel of John. After having been invited by Jesus to follow him, Phillip saw things through “Jesus-colored glasses.” The bishop urged SEPA Lutherans to be Philips – and our congregations...
