calendar January 29, 2025 in Bishop, Bishop messages

Equipping our Synod for the work of ministry..

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE BISHOP

Dear SEPA Family and Friends, 

Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I am writing to share some important updates about staffing changes within our Synod. When I began my term as bishop this past September, I committed to holding off on staffing changes until after February 1. Now, the time has come to make some shifts to our staff configuration, aligning our resources and team to better equip our Synod for the work of ministry.

These staffing changes are supported by various funding sources: our regular budget, the Fund for Mission, and grants from Lilly Endowment, Inc. for our Love Revolution and Faith Alive initiatives. While these changes represent a small increase in our operating budget, I believe they will significantly enhance our Synod’s ability to work effectively with congregations.

The needs of ministry today are evolving, and our Synod staff must adapt to meet these new challenges. Supporting congregations in developing vitality and purpose must remain central to our mission. With that in mind, I’d like to outline the changes and additions to our staff structure:

New Staff Positions Funded by Lilly Endowment Grants 

The grants we received from Lilly Endowment are enabling us to create several new roles:

Love Revolution Initiative: 

  •  The Rev. Rick Summy joined us this past fall as Director of Love Revolution (part-time).
  •  The Rev. Kayla Sadowy serves as Grant Evaluator (part-time).
  •  Ms. Loretta Green serves as Administrative Assistant for Love Revolution (part-time).

Faith Alive Initiative: 

  •  The Rev. Annmarie Hartner Cook began as the Program Director for Faith Alive (full-time). This initiative will support congregations in fully welcoming children into worship and congregational life.

All these roles are fully funded by Lilly Endowment grants.

 Changes to Current Synod Staff 

After much prayerful discernment, I am making the following adjustments to our current staff:

Assistant to the Bishop for Congregations: 

  • Pastor Sease’s role will shift to focus on rostered leader mobility and congregations in transition.
  • Candidacy work will transition out of her portfolio, and a part-time Assistant for Formation position will be created. This new role will also develop a process for credentialing Synod Authorized Ministers (SAMs). Splitting these responsibilities will allow us to provide better support for congregations in transition and enhance their vitality.

Assistant to the Bishop for Youth and Young Adult:

  • This position will move to part-time as we discern its future direction. The pandemic has shifted the needs of youth ministry, and I plan to engage with Synod youth leadership to chart the best path forward. As a result, Pastor Stacey-Kyle Rea will conclude her call with the Synod at the end of the month. I remain committed to equipping congregations to welcome and disciple young people and will take time to develop a new vision for this ministry.

Director for Evangelical Mission (DEM) and Assistant for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging: 

  • This reimagined full-time position will integrate congregational vitality with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) work. Our Synod has long been committed to these values, and this role will deepen that commitment while continuing to support congregational growth. I am excited to announce that we have a candidate for this position and will share more details soon.

Assistant for Mission Interpretation: 

  • The Rev. Paula Lebo will join us in February as the new Assistant for Mission Interpretation (three-quarters time). Pastor Lebo, a former bishop of the Allegheny Synod, brings extensive experience in publishing and Synod leadership. She will also collaborate with United Lutheran Seminary’s Kindling Faith programs for lifelong learning.

Assistant for Database Management: 

  • Mrs. Cynta Outterbridge will continue to work on database management and event registration as well as picking up the management of our IT services for the synod office that were previously in Pastor Fisher’s job description.

Other Current Staff

These positions remain with no changes.

  • Mrs. Yvonne Curtis – Director of Operations and Executive Assistant to the Bishop
  • The Rev. Dr. Moses S. Dennis – Co-Director for Evangelical Mission
  • Mr. Martin Schwab – Senior Accountant

Future Plans 

We are in the early stages of planning for the part-time Assistant for Formation and part-time Youth and Young Adult positions. While these roles are yet to be finalized, I imagine they will involve two different individuals. Job descriptions and interviews will follow in the coming months.

As your Synod team, we are here to support your ministries. I believe these staffing adjustments will enhance our ability to serve you effectively. During this time of transition, with staff coming and going, we ask for your prayers and patience. Please note that the staff did have knowledge of these changes before we made them public to the synod.

Thank you for your partnership in ministry as we continue to seek new ways to love Jesus, serve others, and build God’s beloved kingdom.

In Christ,

Bishop Bryan J. Penman

Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America