The CDC released new guidance for vaccinated individuals May 13. Guidance has been changing over the last week, and this does not require immediate change by congregations. The CDC has not yet released updates for businesses, schools, or community gatherings. It is important to note that Governor Wolf has said that he will not end the...

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COVID Considerations for Church Leaders COVID is not going away, yet we now have effective vaccines and effectual therapies to reduce the incidences of infections and deaths, infectious disease specialist Dr. Tim Babinchak told SEPA leaders in a Zoom conference May 11. Dr. Babinchak, a  member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Phoenixville, and retired head...

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The Rev. Violet Cucciniello Little, pastor of The Welcome Church in Philadelphia, shares her thoughts with us. Not long ago I posted a prayer on Facebook that was written by a group known as @Brickhouseinthecity. I was looking for something to give me the words for what I was feeling after seeing the news clip...

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Message from Bishop Patricia A. Davenport to the 2021 Synod Assembly Dear Synod! I greet you with deep gratitude for your faithfulness and profound partnership as we have endured together the joys and challenges of this pandemic. We have experienced a year filled with anxiety, pain, change, challenge and death, and yet there have also...

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A gift from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod to our rostered ministers, musicians, tech teams, and other virtual worship leaders. This service is available for Sunday, April 11, and suitable for any Sunday after Easter.   Joy Complete – Easter Season Worship from Southeastern PA Synod, ELCA on Vimeo. Download bulletin

Reflecting on the power and purpose of this day, this scripture fell into my spirit. Please, let me share it with you. Romans 8:35-39 according to The Message:  St. Paul writes, “So what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on...

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I just finished reading Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson.  I would recommend this book as a must-read for those who want to expand their understanding about the pervasive sin of racism in America. She is brilliant and has opened up yet another reality for me.  From the book jacket: “Beautifully written,...

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This year marks the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre, which took place on May 31 to June 1, 1921. Mobs of white residents, many of them deputized and given weapons by city officials, attacked black residents and businesses of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, OK. It has been called “the single worst incident of...

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Lutherans are the least racially diverse denomination in America.  This is not an accusation, but a fact.  There are some legitimate historical reasons for that reality.  Our denomination was historically established as an immigrant church. When our congregations were created they preserved, not only the theology, but also the culture of “the old country.” Many...

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The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod sends its prayers to all who are affected by last night’s heinous shootings in Dallas, and with our Asian and Pacific Islander sisters and brothers who face an increasing number of violent attacks. Join Day of Lament Against Anti-Asian Violence The Asian and Pacific Islander Association of the ELCA recently issued...

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