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...
Category: Assembly
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...
May 9, 2013
Show Jesus Fearlessly
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Phillip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” (John 12:20-21 NRSV) “The Greeks noticed something about Jesus,” said Bishop Claire Burkat in her address to the 2013 Southeastern Pennsylvania...
May 9, 2013
Balanced Budget Approved
The 2013 Assembly approved a balanced budget for fiscal 2014 that includes sending 50 percent of partnership support received to the churchwide organization. “We are committed to being a robust, changing church, but not a diminished one,” finance committee chair Rev. Christopher Weidner told the Assembly. Weidner called his presentation “Being the Church with Dollars...
May 9, 2013
Beasley Elected Vice President
Tracey Beasley, a member of Reformation Lutheran Church, Philadelphia, was elected Vice President of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod (SEPA) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in an election held as part of the annual Synod Assembly on Friday, May 3, 2013. The Vice President is the chief lay officer of the Synod, chairs...
May 8, 2013
Gamelin: Go With Boldness
Jay Gamelin, pastor and discipler at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Lexington SC, illustrated how one can show Jesus by sharing his faith story during his keynote to the 2013 Assembly of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod. He began by sharing his thoughts about Jesus’ disciple, Thomas, whom he prefers to call “Curious Thomas” or “Honest Thomas” because...
May 8, 2013
Malaria Fundraising Exceeds Goal
Our Synod’s Malaria Campaign, led by our youth, has exceeded its goal for the 2012-13 school year by more than $20,000 – and the school year isn’t over yet. Bishop Claire Burkat introduced the Malaria Team’s report to the Assembly Saturday morning by pledging $1,500 over three years to the Synod’s malaria eradication fundraising. So...
May 7, 2013
Departing VP Offers Words of Hope
“Under her leadership, this church has navigated some very difficult years, “said Bishop Claire Burkat as she introduced Pat Robinson, departing vice president of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod. “She loves Jesus and she loves this church,” said Burkat. “She leads with great wisdom and humor. She has a contagious love for Jesus.” Robinson, a member...
May 6, 2013
Gardens Grow in Tanzania
Tom and Susan MacPherson, missionaries from our Synod at Irente Children’s Home in Tanzania, gave the Assembly an update on their mission and ministry Saturday morning — live from Tanzania via Skype. The MacPhersons have been serving as part of the companion relationship between SEPA and the North East Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church...
May 6, 2013
We Are All the ELCA
“We are all the ELCA; we are all partners in this report,” said the Rev. Neil Harrison, director of renewed evangelizing congregations, representing the ELCA churchwide organization to the Assembly. As the ELCA celebrates its 25th year, it is living into its mottos – “God’s work. Our hands.” and “Always being made new” – in triune...
May 6, 2013
Mission Continues Despite Giving Decline
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod invested nearly $300,000 in mission programs in 2012, despite the continued decline in partnership support from congregations. This figure included youth and young adult congregations, planting and revitalizing congregations, global relationships and other mission programs in 2012, Treasurer Janet Huber Neff told the Assembly. In many areas the Synod held the...
May 3, 2013
‘We Are Being Watched’
“I went to seminary for four years to do this,” said Jay Gamelin (@JayGamelin), pastor of Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Lexington, SC, as he raised his arms. The second time he did it some people in the assembly stood, recognizing a common pastoral signal in worship. He said he felt uncomfortable for a long time because...
May 6, 2012
2012 Assembly Highlights
The Church must be planted May 05, 2012 “As baptized children of God we have a biblical mandate to be church planters,” said the Rev. Patricia Davenport, Director for Evangelical Mission for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod. “Beloved, we have been commissioned to plant churches one person at a time, it is part of our...
May 6, 2012
Celebrating Our Heritage, Welcoming the Future
Coverage of Dr. Krueger’s two presentations to the Synod Assembly are provided separately below: “Celebrating your heritage, welcoming the future” May 04, 2012 in his first presentation for the 2012 SEPA synod assembly, on Celebrating Your Heritage, Embracing Ministry, Welcoming the Future, the Rev. Dr. Karl Krueger, Director of the Krauth Memorial Library and Professor...
May 6, 2012
Plant. Water. Grow!
“This is a new season of health and vitality…for the Kingdom of God, for the ELCA, and right here in the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod,” Bishop Claire Burkat said in her address to the 2012 Assembly. “I see lots of life,” the bishop said, reflecting on her visits to congregations throughout her first term as bishop....
May 6, 2012
Assembly Re-elects Bishop Burkat
“I’ve learned over the last six years that the synod elects a pastor and forms a bishop. And you have formed me,” Bishop Claire Burkat told the 2012 Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod Assembly Friday after it re-elected her to a second six-year term as bishop.
May 5, 2012
2012 Spending Plan Sees Small Surplus
Janet Neff, treasurer of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, reported that the 2012 budget was a balanced budget. This occurred without the sale of church property or the need for transfers from reserves. The majority of revenue for the synod comes from partnership support from the congregations of the synod. In 2011, partnership support was $2,254,260,...
May 4, 2012
Surplus 2013 Budget Approved
The Assembly overwhelmingly approved a 2013 budget that calls for ending the year with a surplus of approximately $10,000. The budget anticipates income of $2.26 million in partnership support from congregations and $1.36 million in additional income, with expenses of $3.61 million. The Rev. Christopher Widener, finance committee chair, outlined the committee’s guiding principles in...
May 18, 2011
Mennonites, Lutherans Reconcile 500-Year-Old Rift
Lutherans and Mennonites stood side by side at the communion table to receive the bread and the wine. Together, they then went out into the congregation to distribute the elements to those present at the 2011 assembly of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
The unity observed at the table was further acknowledged during a time of reconciliation at the start of the assembly. Bishop Claire Burkat, representing the Lutherans, apologized to Pastor Charles Ness, a Franconia Conference pastor who has been involved in the global Anabaptist reconciliation movement, for the sins of 16th century Lutherans who persecuted and murdered Anabaptists during the Reformation because of doctrinal differences.
