Bishop Davenport continues to call on congregations to make safety a priority in determining whether to gather online, outdoors, or indoors. Loving our neighbors calls us to take care not to increase risks to our neighborhoods, our worshippers, or our worship leaders.    The latest guidance from the Ecumenical Consultation on Worship, Fellowship, and Sacramental...

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A child stays up to watch the late night news. She waits. Yes! They’re showing the lion dance. Firecrackers are set off. Drums and cymbals break out in joyful rhythms. The world knows it’s Chinese (lunar) New Year. She is happy.  She can now go to sleep. — A woman was doused with an acid-like...

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The department of Health and Human Services has a limited number of cotton face masks, in cartons of 500, available for faith-based organizations. Requests are due by March 5. Read this document for details, then Complete and return this spreadsheet

SEPA Synod members participated in a four-week discussion of Debbie Irving’s book “Waking Up White.”  In it, she shares the experiences that led her to a greater awareness of the role of race and the impact of racism.  An appendix to the book provides a list of suggested resources that readers can access to go...

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Although we are encouraged with overall declines in new COVID-19 cases, the counties of Southeastern Pennsylvania are still rated as having “very high” or “extremely high” risk of community transmission of the virus. Bishop Davenport continues to strongly recommend that congregations do not hold indoor worship until further notice. In addition, the bishop recommends that...

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I have participated in numerous anti-racism training events over the years, sponsored by either the synod or the churchwide organization. (For those events, I express a profound feeling of gratitude.) But I did not fully comprehend the reality of “white privilege” until I had an unexpected conversation with a fellow pastoral care resident at the...

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Dear friends: Bethany Friberg works as an ELCA missionary in Ketumbeine, Tanzania, but her definition of missionary service is much more expansive. She believes all Christians are missionaries. “I’m always struck by how wonderful it is when people have committed their life to the Lord and are praying, ‘Lord Jesus, show me how to live...

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Care for and by children of God in Black skin has a long history in the Lutheran church, despite the impression one might have of the ELCA as currently a predominantly “white” denomination. The Rev. Richard Stewart, associate professor emeritus of communications and parish administration at ULS, gives a glimpse of significant early Black Lutheran...

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SEPA sponsors a time of Virtual Support For Rostered Ministers with Steve Treat on Tuesday March 9 and Thursday March 25 from 11 am to noon. Dr. Treat will address various topics including but not limited to: ·   Self-Care ·   Challenges of Covid ·   Holding onto your Differentiation ·   Anxiety and Depression as we continue to pivot in Ministry...

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On a local community website, I read a post that said signs have been popping up in my community that say “No White Guilt”.  A lively discussion followed in replies to the post.  My mostly white neighbors had varied reactions, and some of them were apparently too much for the moderator of the site, because...

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