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...
Category: Communications
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...
December 10, 2021
Revised COVID Policy for Synod Events
To safeguard the health and safety of event participants, Synod teams, volunteers, and staff, we adopt the following protocols for Synod-sponsored or endorsed events. Download a printable version: Synod Events During the Pandemic CHECK COVID STATS IN YOUR COUNTY Executive Summary Participants, presenters, event staff Provide proof of full vaccination, including boosters...
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...
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...
November 22, 2021
Video: Free Online Tech Tools
There are an endless number of apps and tools available for digital ministers to reach their people online, but which ones are really worth your time? Watch this video (passcode: sepa!comms2021) to hear Sammy Kelly and Michele Barra, co-owners of Digivangelism, dive into some of the most effective FREE methods to connect with your people and...
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 . ...
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
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...
May 14, 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...
