Dear Beloved, Grace, peace, power, and love in the name of the One who can do all things but fail, Jesus Christ! The eruption of war in Israel and the Gaza Strip opened a heart breaking and a terrifying time for Palestinians, Jews, Christians, and all people around the world. We join people of all...
Category: Bishop messages
October 10, 2023
Pastoral Message: War in Israel and Palestine
Dear Beloved, Grace, peace, power, and love in the name of the One who can do all things but fail, Jesus Christ! The eruption of war in Israel and the Gaza Strip opened a heart breaking and a terrifying time for Palestinians, Jews, Christians, and all people around the world. We join people of all...
May 18, 2023
SEPA at African Lutheran Conference
Bishop Patricia Davenport was guest speaker at the opening worship of the Second International African Lutheran Conference on April 23 at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Monrovia, Liberia. The Rev. Dr. Moses Suah-Dennis helped organize the event.The conference is sponsored by African National Ministries of the ELCA. Participants learned about the history of Liberia, including the...
April 14, 2022
Bishop: “Lead With the Love of Christ”
Bishop Davenport offered words of inspiration and challenge in her sermon at the 2022 Chrism service yesterday, based on Ephesians 5:1-2: Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. “The Apostle Paul encourages us...
February 28, 2022
Pastors Suah-Dennis, Penman Appointed Co-Directors of Evangelical Mission
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod is pleased to announce the appointment of the Rev. Dr. Moses Suah-Dennis and the Rev. Bryan Penman as co-directors of evangelical mission. Dr. Suah-Dennis is pastor of Faith-Immanuel Lutheran Church in East Lansdown. Rev. Penman is pastor of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Conshohoken. They will continue to serve their congregations...
February 16, 2022
COVID Update from Bishop Davenport
Dear Beloved, I am grateful that COVID cases and hospitalizations have been declining quickly across southeastern Pennsylvania. I pray that this trend continues. In order to protect the people we serve, I encourage you to keep finding safe ways to gather in person as well as offer complementary online access. Our leaders and congregations have...
January 13, 2022
As COVID Surge Continues, Stay the Course on Mitigation
A Message From Bishop Davenport January 13, 2022 Dear Beloved, As we enter the depth of the winter season, I want to remind you how important it is to hold fast to our COVID mitigation protocols for the safety of our leaders, worshippers, and communities. We encourage you to find safe ways to gather in...
December 24, 2021
Christmas Message from Bishop Davenport
Watch the video Greetings beloved. I know that it’s been another challenging year. COVID and current CDC guidelines cautioning against in-person gatherings at this time is dispiriting. However, the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them, the light has shined says...
December 15, 2021
Bishop: New Synod Guidelines For In-Person Worship
December 15, 2021 Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. – Philippians 2:4 Dear Beloved in Christ, I bring you greetings for a blessed Christmas and a safe New Year. As we approach our second pandemic holiday, you are in my prayers. Sadly, a week...
November 23, 2021
Welcome Pastor Stacey-Kyle Rea
The Rev. Stacey-Kyle Rea has been called as Assistant to the Bishop for Youth and Young Adult Discipleship, starting December 1, 2021. Currently Pastor Rea serves Trinity Lutheran Church, Fairview Village, as senior pastor. She previously served St. John’s, Phoenixville, and St. John’s, Folcroft. She has been active with Synod youth ministry, leading groups of...
October 29, 2021
Celebrating Our Rostered Ministers
Yes, it’s a celebration. We recall the words of St. Paul, written in First Timothy 5:17. He says, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy “of double honor, especially those who labor “in preaching and teaching.” And then he reiterated it to the saints in Thessalonica, “But we appeal to you, brothers and...
July 29, 2021
Bishop: Feeding the 5,000
Bishop Davenport delivered an inspiring sermon on the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:1-21) to Wednesday’s (July 28) online chapel service for ELCA Churchwide staff. WATCH THE VIDEO Watch the video
July 12, 2021
Prayer and Encouragement from Bishop Davenport
In a video message, Bishop Patricia A. Davenport offers prayer for our leaders and congregations as together we continue to press through to the other side of the pandemic. In this pastoral word of encouragement, the Bishop asks Lutherans to be gentle with one another as individuals and congregations have varying feelings about returning to...
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...
April 3, 2021
An Easter Blessing from Bishop Davenport
Easter Blessing from Bishop Davenport Reflecting on the power and purpose of this day, this scripture fell into my spirit. Please, let me share it with you. Romans 8:35-39 according to The Message. St. Paul writes, “So what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t...
March 24, 2021
Stay Safe. Don’t Miss Your Shot.
Bishop Davenport encourages church leaders to “do no harm” and shares her experience with the vaccine.
March 15, 2021
Thank you for your creative ministry!
Greetings, beloved. I’m reminded of the encouragement that comes from Psalm 31. It says, “Be strong, and take heart, “all you who hope in the Lord.” It’s hard to believe that we are coming up on the first anniversary of the day everything shut down. I remember thinking that it would be a few weeks...
February 16, 2021
Continued Recommendation for Online-only Worship
Although we are encouraged with overall declines in new COVID-19 cases, the counties of Southeastern Pennsylvania are still rated as having “very high” or “extremely high” risk of community transmission of the virus. Bishop Davenport continues to strongly recommend that congregations do not hold indoor worship until further notice. In addition, the bishop recommends that...
January 18, 2021
Bishop Davenport Offers Prayer for Our Nation
Greetings Beloved, As we prepare in our nation’s capital for the historic inauguration of Joe Biden, as our 46th president, and Kamala Harris as our first African America-South Asian American woman, vice president, we must not forget the fury, violence and vitriol unleased in our capitol on January 6th, for many it was truly an...
January 15, 2021
Bishop Eaton Offers Prayer for Our Nation
As we reflect on the events at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and look toward the inauguration, and share concern about possible violence at our state and national capitols, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton offers the following prayer: The psalmist reminds us that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm...
January 5, 2021
Bishop Extends Recommendation for No In-person Worship
Greetings, Beloved! As we enter this new year 2021, I am writing to extend my strong recommendation that congregations do not offer in-person worship until further notice. My recommendation, made after much prayer and discernment, is based on our core Lutheran conviction of loving our neighbors – whether they be people in our communities, congregation...
