“Struck down, but not destroyed…” The Road to Reconnection SEPA Synod Rostered Ministers’ Equipping Event November 16, 17 and 18, 2021 A Hybrid Event REGISTER NOW! Each year Bishop Davenport calls together rostered ministers for a gathering to be equipped, refreshed and reconnected with one another. We have heard your desire to connect in person,...
Category: Communications
October 8, 2021
Rostered Ministers’ Equipping Event
“Struck down, but not destroyed…” The Road to Reconnection SEPA Synod Rostered Ministers’ Equipping Event November 16, 17 and 18, 2021 A Hybrid Event REGISTER NOW! Each year Bishop Davenport calls together rostered ministers for a gathering to be equipped, refreshed and reconnected with one another. We have heard your desire to connect in person,...
October 1, 2021
Answers to Your Questions From Dr. Babinchak
Dr. Tim Babinchak, an infectious disease specialist and member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Phoenixville, has been offering guidance for responding to COVID to SEPA Synod this year. Here he answers some current questions from SEPA leaders. If you have a question for Dr. Babinchak, please send it to Pastor Bob Fisher at rfisher@sepa.org. ...
September 23, 2021
Ideas for Adapting Worship and Congregational Life
Ideas: Adapting Congregational Life In September 2021, 40 SEPA Synod congregations responded to our informational survey regarding changes to worship in the midst of the current Delta variant surge. Most of the congregations report requiring or strongly suggesting the wearing of masks inside their buildings. Some have agreed to stop worship if attendees do not...
September 16, 2021
Check Latest COVID Conditions
Check COVID-19 new cases, positive test rates, and ICU utilization for your county to determine the relative safety of indoor or outdoor gatherings. COVID CONDITIONS IN YOUR COUNTY CDC DATA TRACKER In its latest guidance, the Ecumenical Consultation on Protocols for Worship, Fellowship, and Sacraments recommends the following metrics for resuming in-person outdoor or indoor...
September 13, 2021
Delta Variant Precautions
Dr. Tim Babinchak, an expert in infectious diseases, advises congregations to continue with the precautions of wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, cleaning, and increasing ventilation as they continue with indoor worship services and other activities. A member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Phoenixville, ihe s retired head of infectious diseases at Thomas Jefferson University...
August 5, 2021
Perspective: The Long Now
Elise Seyfried, director of spiritual formation at Christ’s, Oreland, writes in Living Lutheran: He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” —Genesis 15:5 I remember first reading the verse above, then...
August 5, 2021
Synod Seeks Assistant to the Bishop for Youth and Young Adult Discipleship
The Assistant to the Bishop for Youth and Young Adult Discipleship provides leadership and support to the youth and young adult initiatives of Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod. The work of the Assistant to the Bishop will be shaped by the synod mission: We equip our congregations and leaders for mission and service in the 21st Century,...
August 5, 2021
Updates from Lutheran Advocacy PA
CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSPERSON IN AUGUST U.S. representatives regularly return home districts to stay engaged with constituents. August Recess is one such time, when lawmakers often schedule town halls, meetings, and other opportunities to raise your experiences and policy concerns while they are local. ELCA Advocacy’s guide can help you connect faithfully. LET LAMPA HELP YOU PLAN FOR “GOD’S...
August 5, 2021
LDR Responds to Bucks Flooding, Tornadoes
Lutheran Disaster Response-Eastern Pennsylvania is already mobilizing teams to help. Two weeks ago, hundreds of residents came by Keystone Elementary School in Croyden, PA seeking help. Thanks to local churches and organizations, over 300 clean out buckets were distributed. Last week, a tornado in Trevose damaged a number of homes. Will you help those affected...
August 3, 2021
‘Substantial’ Virus Seen in SEPA
As of August 1, the CDC reports that Philadelphia, Bucks, Delaware and Montgomery counties are experiencing “substantial” community transmission of coronavirus. The CDC recommends that all people, vaccinated or not, wear masks and maintain physical distancing in indoor public or multi-household gatherings. See this article explaining CDC guidance. Unvaccinated persons, including all children under 12...
July 29, 2021
Remembering First Nations and Native Children
With the sad news of 215+ children of the Kamloops Residential School whose remains were recently found in a mass grave and of the children of the Rosebud Sioux whose bodies were returned to their homeland in July, the American Indian Alaska Native Lutheran Association asks your congregation to grieve and pray with them. ...
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...
June 2, 2021
Mediator Youth Honored in Tulsa Centennial Writing Contest
Tredon Stevenson, a member of Mediator Lutheran Church, Philadelphia, received second prize in the youth (ages 14-17) division of the ELCA African Descent Lutheran Association’s national writing contest to honor the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre. He is an excellent student and participates in youth programs and choir and is a worship assistant and...
May 26, 2021
Pandemic Progress Toward a New Normal
As new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations trend downward, our congregations can begin to look forward to our new abnormal for worship and congregational life. “Focus on moving forward, not going back,” says Pastor Bob Fisher, assistant to the bishop for communications. “Worship won’t immediately be what we remember, yet the creativity we have employed will...
May 15, 2021
What’s Next? Being Digital Church After the Pandemic
The widespread use of COVID vaccines and the lessening of restrictions on gatherings are ushering us into our latest “abnormal” – a hybrid church that holds on to the best of its pandemic digital presence and rekindles in-person community. How might we do both sustainably? Why might digital be a better platform for some types...
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 21, 2021
Communications Ministry Highlights
Who knew in early 2020 how important communications and technology would be to our ministries? In this video, Pastor Bob Fisher, Assistant to the Bishop and Director of Communications, shares how the synod — like congregations — leveled up to provide new services and support for congregations.
