In late June, 111 Lutherans traveled halfway across the country to be of service to descendants of an ancient culture. Eager to make a difference in whatever ways they could, these youth and adults arrived east of Rapid City, South Dakota at Rosebud Reservation, home to the Lakota tribe. The group—representing 19 churches of the...
October 31, 2013
Making a Difference, One Life at a Time
In late June, 111 Lutherans traveled halfway across the country to be of service to descendants of an ancient culture. Eager to make a difference in whatever ways they could, these youth and adults arrived east of Rapid City, South Dakota at Rosebud Reservation, home to the Lakota tribe. The group—representing 19 churches of the...
October 16, 2013
How Is Your Congregation Website?
Are you satisfied with your congregation website? At last Sunday’s Communicators’ Network Gathering, Bob Fisher shared tips for congregations looking to evaluate their existing website or develop a new site. Websites are a key portal that visitors use to find and evaluate congregations, Fisher says. Many adults use web searches instead of telephone books or...
September 20, 2013
Synod Council Endorses Gold+ Health Benefits
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod Council recommends that congregations and other agencies within the Synod provide health benefits at the “Gold+” level to their rostered leaders and lay employees. “The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod as part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America recognizes that a commitment to comprehensive health care benefits is an investment in ‘the...
September 12, 2013
God’s work. Our hands.
We are a church that rolls up its sleeves and gets to work. Across our Synod on September 8 volunteers cleaned up parks, streets and creeks, helped schools get ready for fall, ran programs for kids, did painting and construction for shelters and clinics, packed thousands of meals, and more on “God’s work. Our hands. Sunday” Sept....
August 20, 2013
ELCA Always Being Made New
The ELCA’s theme, “Always Being Made New,” was lived out at the Churchwide Assembly in Pittsburgh Aug. 12-17. The Assembly elected a new Presiding Bishop, the Rev. Elizabeth Eaton; Bishop Burkat says that our new bishop “will lead us with courage, wisdom, wit, and a deep and faithful engagement with the witness of the ELCA...
August 14, 2013
ELCA Elects New Presiding Bishop
The Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, bishop of the Northeastern Ohio Synod, was elected today (Aug. 14) as the next Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Eaton received 600 votes on the fifth and final ballot at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The Rev. Mark Hanson, incumbent Presiding Bishop, received 287 votes. Eaton is the...
June 6, 2013
Prayers for Building Collapse
Updated June 6: Your prayers continue to be needed for all those affected by Wednesday’s building collapse in Center City. More than 24 hours after the event rescuers continue to comb the rubble. A woman was rescued late last night, bringing the total of those rescued to 14. Six people are known to have died....
May 31, 2013
“God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday, Sept. 8
We are a church that rolls up our sleeves and gets to work. “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday is September 8, 2013 “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday is an opportunity to celebrate our 25th anniversary as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America — one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor. On...
May 23, 2013
Post-Modern Church Videos Online
People at the 2013 Synod Assembly were inspired by Jay Gamelin’s two presentations on “The Gospel in a Post-Modern Era.” Now you can watch Jay’s presentations online in the MinistryLink Video Library. The first presentation covers how emerging generations are wired, and what that means for the Church. In the second, Jay shares his faith...
May 23, 2013
Ground Broken for Thrivent Builds in Hatfield
Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans broke ground April 27 for construction of a Thrivent Builds duplex home on Penn Avenue in Hatfield. David Enlow of St. Andrew, Audubon, David Ochocki of St. John Center Square, and the Rev. William Vanderslice of St. Paul’s, Red Hill and dean of the...
May 10, 2013
See Through “Jesus Colored Glasses”
At the opening worship of the 2013 Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, Bishop Claire Burkat challenged the assembly to focus on God-sight as Philip did in the gospel of John. After having been invited by Jesus to follow him, Phillip saw things through “Jesus-colored glasses.” The bishop urged SEPA Lutherans to be Philips – and our congregations...
May 9, 2013
Show Jesus Fearlessly
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Phillip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” (John 12:20-21 NRSV) “The Greeks noticed something about Jesus,” said Bishop Claire Burkat in her address to the 2013 Southeastern Pennsylvania...
May 9, 2013
Balanced Budget Approved
The 2013 Assembly approved a balanced budget for fiscal 2014 that includes sending 50 percent of partnership support received to the churchwide organization. “We are committed to being a robust, changing church, but not a diminished one,” finance committee chair Rev. Christopher Weidner told the Assembly. Weidner called his presentation “Being the Church with Dollars...
May 8, 2013
Gamelin: Go With Boldness
Jay Gamelin, pastor and discipler at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Lexington SC, illustrated how one can show Jesus by sharing his faith story during his keynote to the 2013 Assembly of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod. He began by sharing his thoughts about Jesus’ disciple, Thomas, whom he prefers to call “Curious Thomas” or “Honest Thomas” because...
May 8, 2013
Malaria Fundraising Exceeds Goal
Our Synod’s Malaria Campaign, led by our youth, has exceeded its goal for the 2012-13 school year by more than $20,000 – and the school year isn’t over yet. Bishop Claire Burkat introduced the Malaria Team’s report to the Assembly Saturday morning by pledging $1,500 over three years to the Synod’s malaria eradication fundraising. So...
May 6, 2013
Mission Continues Despite Giving Decline
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod invested nearly $300,000 in mission programs in 2012, despite the continued decline in partnership support from congregations. This figure included youth and young adult congregations, planting and revitalizing congregations, global relationships and other mission programs in 2012, Treasurer Janet Huber Neff told the Assembly. In many areas the Synod held the...
May 3, 2013
‘We Are Being Watched’
“I went to seminary for four years to do this,” said Jay Gamelin (@JayGamelin), pastor of Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Lexington, SC, as he raised his arms. The second time he did it some people in the assembly stood, recognizing a common pastoral signal in worship. He said he felt uncomfortable for a long time because...
May 2, 2013
Youth Lend Helping Hands
More than 360 youth from SEPA and New Jersey Synods helped clean up beaches and homes affected by Hurricane Sandy on April 27. Get a glimpse of their work in a video published by Liberty Lutheran Services and a photo slideshow, after the jump.
November 2, 2012
Bucks Lutherans Cook Up a Storm for Hurricane Shelter
Despite being without power since Monday night, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Ferndale, Bucks County has been cooking up a storm. Pastor Bill Rex and a crew of volunteers have been cooking hot dinners each evening for upwards of 225 people at an emergency Red Cross shelter established at the nearby Palisades High School.
“We’ve been cooking for more than 200 people with two gas stoves, sometimes by flashlight,” Pastor Rex reports. The congregation’s small kitchen has kept operating with a Red Cross supplied generator to power the ovens but light, and space, are limited. “People at the shelter ask me why we do this,” Rex says. “I just tell them that Jesus tells us to.”
