Some years ago, David Ray traveled across the United States, west to east and north to south, and back north, visiting twenty-one smaller faith communities that were noted for the quality and faithfulness of their life together. He asked probing questions and listened carefully, looking for the common denominators, the faithful and exceptional qualities that...
Category: Congregations
April 8, 2019
How to Be an Effective Small Church
Some years ago, David Ray traveled across the United States, west to east and north to south, and back north, visiting twenty-one smaller faith communities that were noted for the quality and faithfulness of their life together. He asked probing questions and listened carefully, looking for the common denominators, the faithful and exceptional qualities that...
March 27, 2019
KenCrest Honors Support from Five SEPA Congregations
Christ’s Lutheran Church in Oreland, PA and Reformation Lutheran Church in Media, PA were two of the eleven recipients of the 2019 KenCrest Community Champions. Gloria Dei Shining Star Committee, St. James Lutheran Church, Limerick and St. Peter’s Thrift Shop were Honorable Mention recipients. Every year KenCrest takes a moment to celebrate leaders in the community who go...
March 8, 2019
Prayers for the Saints: St. John’s, Ambler
St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church – Ambler, a congregation in the Lower Montgomery Conference, will hold their final worship service on Sunday, March 31, 2019 at 3 pm with Bishop Davenport presiding. Rostered leaders and members of the SEPA Synod are welcome to attend the final service at St John’s – Ambler celebrating the life, witness and service of this congregation...
March 4, 2019
Leadership in Uncharted Territory
“Leadership is disappointing your own people at a rate they can absorb.” Tod Bolsinger, PhD, used this quote from adaptive leadership guru Ronald Heifetz to summarize the balancing act of leading in uncharted territory for more than 200 clergy and lay leaders gathered for a learning day with the author of “Canoeing the Mountains.” As...
February 19, 2019
New Online Giving Option for Congregations
CHICAGO (Feb. 19, 2019) – The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has formed a preferred vendor agreement with Vanco, an eGiving software developer and payment processor serving more than 20,000 churches across the country. The agreement offers Vanco’s GivePlus suite of eGiving solutions to ELCA congregations. The ELCA churchwide organization has sought new working...
February 7, 2019
Hospitality: The Warm Heart of Generosity
ELCA staff member Steve Oelschlager writes in the most recent issue of Stewardnet, “How might our life together regularly teach and encourage people to want to be part of something bigger than themselves, sacrificing self for the benefit of others?” I think the answer has everything to do with creating remarkable cultures in which hospitality...
January 29, 2019
Box City Registration is Open
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER BY FEBRUARY 24TH We are excited to join with St. James Limerick for their 10th Annual Box City Event from March 23rd – 24th, 2019. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness about homelessness in Montgomery County and to raise funds to Main St. Homeless Shelter in Pottstown. During...
January 16, 2019
Forward Together in Faith Grants Awarded
The Synod has awarded $26,000 in grants funded by the Forward Together in Faith Campaign to 11 projects designed to network congregations and communities, start innovative ministries, enhance their communications, or equip leaders for ministry in the 21st Century. “We had many creative proposals and a limited amount of grant funds,” said Bishop Patricia A....
January 15, 2019
Leadership in Uncharted Territory
Canoeing The Mountains With Tod Bolsinger Tod Bolsinger, author of “Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory,” will be in Philadelphia February 28 to help us reframe our leadership for the sake of the church today. Rather than seeing graphs of decline or propaganda of a hopeful church, we will acknowledge the challenge of our...
January 3, 2019
Generosity: Yours for the Asking
Clif Christopher (who will be our Keynote Speaker at the January 10-11, 2020 Stewardship Extravaganza) shares the following story: Recently I talked with a pastor about how to fund a $6,000 need beyond the resources of the church budget. I felt he had an excellent case for the funds. The ministry sounded important. I asked,...
December 12, 2018
RedeemerFest: Faith in Action
Redeemer, Jamison holds Redeemerfest on the first Saturday of October. It is a beautiful example of faith in action. All proceeds from Redeemerfest support a local charity. In 2017 it was the Food Pantry at St Johns, Hatboro. In 2018 it was the Code Blue Project of the Bucks County Coalition to Support and Shelter...
December 3, 2018
2018 Giving Cutoff
Attention treasurers: The financial books of Southeastern PA Synod, ELCA will close for 2018 on February 7, 2019. All contributions for 2018 must be received by our office by the close of business on Thursday February 7, 2019 in order to be counted as a 2018 contribution.
November 28, 2018
Ambler Union: Young Adults Living Well, Doing Good
The Ambler Union is a collaborative of local young adults and partner organizations dedicated to helping young adults (around 22 to 32 years old) live well and do good. They host events that bring young adults together to create community, enjoy good food and nature, explore tools for living well, and do good in the...
November 21, 2018
SEKOMU Raises Up Special Education Leaders
What do you do when you lack qualified people to help with your ministries? Well, you could start a university to train qualified people. That’s what the North Eastern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania was facing, and what it did, according to Bishop Munga. Speaking at a Meet & Greet at Advent Lutheran...
October 29, 2018
Registration Opens for Tuscarora Youth Retreat
Tuscarora Lutheran Retreat (formerly known as the Harvey Cedars retreat) will be held Friday, April 5 through Sunday, April 7, 2019. This year’s retreat our theme is Changed for Good, where we will focus on how we’ve been changed by our faith and how that in turn, helps us change the world. Get more information...
October 22, 2018
Bless the Lord for SEKOMU’s 10th Anniversary
A message from the Rev. Dr. Anneth Munga on 10 years of Sebastian Kolowa Memorial University and its partnership with our Synod: “Bless the LORD Oh My Soul!” These words are painted on the front wall of one of the lecture halls at Sebastian Kolowa Memorial University (SEKOMU). The university is located in Magamba village,...
October 22, 2018
Are You Leaving Money on the Table?
The Synod Generosity Team and the Delaware Conference invite you to a workshop on generosity and planned giving on Saturday, November 10, 8:30 am to noon, at Reformation Lutheran Church, 102 W. Rose Tree Road, Media. You’ll learn about: Five common ways congregations leave money on the table, and how to get money off the...
October 22, 2018
How to Teach Congregations about Mission Support
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve talked to Congregation Councils and congregational members who do not understand what the synod and ELCA do with the dollars contributed by our congregations. And often our rostered leaders aren’t sure how to teach the compelling stories that arise from the use of these funds in our...
October 17, 2018
Cross+Gen Movement Building Across SEPA
More than two years ago, about 20 congregational leaders turned up to discuss the challenges of the traditional, age-oriented approach to Sunday School and faith formation. On the other end of the Skype connection was author and consultant Rich Melheim. The energy and frustration released on that rainy spring day blossomed into the first synod-level...
October 3, 2018
Generosity Tip: Telling the Story
People, especially millennials, support those causes that have compelling stories that show how money is spent and what outcomes been realized. This is true for our congregations as well as the Synod and the ELCA. Telling your story at the congregational level is the easiest (though not all congregation’s do this intentionally). But what about at...
