Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod and the North-Eastern Diocese of Tanzania have shared a strong partnership for many years. This Lent, we invite you to become part of an exciting new chapter of this companionship with an exciting new project, Located on a beautiful mountain in Tanzania, the Irente School for the Blind is a primary school for...
Category: News
March 3, 2016
Global Focus: Irente School for the Blind
Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod and the North-Eastern Diocese of Tanzania have shared a strong partnership for many years. This Lent, we invite you to become part of an exciting new chapter of this companionship with an exciting new project, Located on a beautiful mountain in Tanzania, the Irente School for the Blind is a primary school for...
February 9, 2016
Welcome Church Shelters ‘Women of the Well’
The Welcome Church is collaborating with a number of partners to provide nighttime housing for women experiencing homelessness in Center City. The shelter, called “the Well,” will open at the Church of the Crucifixion at 8th and Bainbridge Streets on Sunday, Feb. 14. It will offer a place for gathering and renewal from 7:30 pm...
February 1, 2016
Presiding Bishop Calls for Conversation About Race
Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton has called on the ELCA’s 3.7 million members to “be the church that models for the rest of this country what it means to have these difficult conversations” about racial inequality. Eaton made her remarks during a Jan. 14 live webcast, “Confronting Racism: A Holy Yearning.” Watch the webcast recording and get...
February 1, 2016
Celebrating God’s Grace Community
Our Synod celebrated the three-church collaboration in Northeast Philadelphia known as God’s Grace Lutheran Community on Sunday (Jan. 31). St. John’s Lutheran Church, Redemption Lutheran, and St. Petri-Hope now share three pastors and a board of trustees. Pastors Dee Emmert, Dana Heiserer and Tricia Neale are called by Synod Council to serve God’s Grace. Bishop...
January 29, 2016
Solidarity With Persecuted Christians
At the May 2015 Synod Assembly a resolution was passed asking that we as a Synod express our solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Christ around the world who are experiencing persecution for professing the Faith. At its December meeting the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod Council adopted the following statement: The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of...
January 22, 2016
Help Your Community During Blizzard
As of Thursday night, our entire region is under blizzard or winter storm watches. Congregational leaders, in preparation for the winter storm, please consider taking note of where your most vulnerable live, both members and those closest to your congregation, and how you might check on them. Also, if there are power outages, please consider opening...
January 15, 2016
Lutherans Join Mayor’s Prayer Service
On his third day as the newly inaugurated 99th mayor of Philadelphia, Mayor Jim Kenney joined an interfaith gathering of Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists and Hindus for a moving and inspirational Interfaith Worship Service, hosted at the Salvation Army Croc Center in North Philadelphia. After a procession of nearly 100 pastors, priests, imams, and...
December 8, 2015
Get the Facts About Syrian Refugees
Lutheran Children and Family Service is the largest refugee resettlement organization in PA, and is involved in resettling Syrian refugees in Allentown. Did you know that refugees are the most scrutinized and vetted individuals entering the U.S.? Or that the process takes on average two years? LCFS has created an online resource center so that...
December 8, 2015
Refugees Welcomed in Allentown
As Christians celebrated Christ the King on Nov. 22, 500 people gathered in Allentown, Pa., to stand in solidarity against the face of fear and hatred at an interfaith event to welcome refugees from Syria. Those in attendance included young and old, the mayor of Allentown, clergy from the community, and people of many faiths...
November 24, 2015
ELCA Bishop Supports Refugee Resettlement
“We are shocked and dismayed by the terrorist attacks in Paris, Beirut, Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East, but also in Nigeria, Kenya, Bangladesh and the Philippines,” ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton writes in a Nov. 18 message to the church. “Yet, we Christians and all others of good will cannot let fear...
November 9, 2015
Sacred Conversations for Racial Justice
The Synod is co-sponsoring live webcasts of “Listen for a Change: Sacred Conversations for Racial Justice” featuring New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, actor Anna Deavere Smith, and Vanderbilt Divinity School Dean Emilie Townes on January 21-23, 2016, at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. The webcasts from Trinity Wall Street’s annual theological conference will...
September 22, 2015
Bradley Burke Called to Youth, Formation Roles
Dionne Jackson also joins ministry team The Rev. Bradley R. Burke has been appointed Assistant to the Bishop for Youth, Young Adult and Spiritual Formation by Bishop Claire Burkat. Pastor Burke, who is currently serving as executive director of Lutheran Charities in Southeastern Pennsylvania, has been involved in youth and young adult ministry in our...
July 13, 2015
Seeking Understanding: Women and Justice
“Seeking Understanding: Some Issues in Biblical Interpretation Regarding Women and Justice” As part of the development of a social statement, the ELCA Women and Justice: One in Christ task force has produced a study utilizing Book of Faith initiative materials to encourage discussions on the topic of women and the Bible. There is a leader’s...
July 1, 2015
Breaking: Child Protection Law Changes
According to the Center for Children’s Justice, Gov. Wolf today signed into law child protection reforms approved by the General Assembly this week. Highlights of HB 1276’s changes: Establishes Aug. 25, 2015 as the date by which new volunteers must have background checks Permanently waives fees for volunteers completing state background checks Extends to 60 months (vs...
July 1, 2015
Lutherans Raise Voices For School Funding
Lutherans from around the state raised their voices in Harrisburg at a rally for fair education funding June 23. Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania (LAMPa) started the day by leading a prayer service on the steps of the capitol, joining other faith groups fasting there to protest Pennsylvania’s distinction of being the least equitable state...
June 19, 2015
PA Bishops Support Anti-Discrimination Bill
Harrisburg, PA — The seven Pennsylvania bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America released a letter June 18 in support of legislation that would amend the Pennsylvania Public Relations Act to prohibit discrimination in areas of employment, housing and public accommodation on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity or...
April 1, 2015
Eaton: We Need to Talk About Race
Citing recent high-profile events in Ferguson, Mo., Staten Island, Charlottesville and across the U.S., the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA, notes that “we are not living in a post-racial society.” In a March 25 letter and video message to the 3.8 million-member church, Eaton expressed the need for conversation – not only...
March 17, 2015
Religious Leaders Oppose Anti-Muslim Ads
Join the Religious Leaders Council of Greater Philadelphia (RLC) in supporting our Muslim neighbors and opposing a hate campaign scheduled to appear in the SEPTA transit system this spring. The RLC affirms free speech while vigorously rejecting hate-filled messages like these that have appeared in several other cities in a campaign by the American Freedom...
February 4, 2015
Eaton: Church is Place for Deep Conversation About Race
Let’s talk. In her February column in The Lutheran, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton admits that it’s difficult to talk about race in this country. But not talking about it won’t make it go away. She’s convinced that “not only is the church the appropriate place for this conversation, it might be the only place where the...
December 10, 2014
Thanks to You Thousands Have Christmas
For this year’s Christmas Ingathering, about 65 congregations collected donations for vulnerable people. On Dec. 7, about 50 volunteers (mostly from Gloria Dei Church, Huntingdon Valley) unpacked trucks, sorted donations and repacked them for delivery. The items, valued at about $95,000, will serve people locally and internationally. Some highlights of the Ingathering included: Congregations gave...
