March 17, 2025 The Feast of St. Patrick March is here, and for many, that means college basketball. But I know that for most of you, this season brings a different kind of March Madness—the busyness of Lent. And at the synod office, our version of March Madness is the flurry of preparations for our...

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An Invitation to Make A Strong Impact 2025 has seen relentless attacks on civil rights, equal rights, refugee resettlement, and support for the most vulnerable globally and nationally. People of faith are sensing a call to embody the call of Amos: Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate (5:15).   As Lutheran...

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Information-for-Churches-Regarding-Executive-Orders-Related-to-Sanctuary Churches, Refugees and Immigrant Populations Know Your Rights Resources in Philadelphia What Should Employers Do When ICE Arrives A Guide for Immigrant Families in Pennsylvania – English Una guía para familias inmigrantes en Pensilvania – Spanish AMMPARO (Accompanying Migrants with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities) A list of immigration attorneys in Philadelphia can be...

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Resources from the Council Officers gathering are below. PowerPoint Slides: council officers gathering-2 Handout: Synod Council Officers Gathering-2

Dear Congregational Council Leader,  Are you stepping into a leadership role in your congregation? Perhaps you’re serving on your Church Council and want a clearer sense of what that entails. Or maybe it’s your turn to guide your congregation as President, Vice President, Treasurer, or Secretary. Whatever your role, we have an exciting opportunity just...

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Mission Support connects us! STORYTELLING ENGAGEMENT Unidad — Unity A story out of our Metropolitan New York Synod for our ELCA stewardship ministry, in celebration of the Peterman Award Have you ever met a person of faith who shines with the light of Christ even in the hardest of times and places? After meeting the...

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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,...

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December 23, 2024 Grace and peace to you this Christmas season. At the heart of the Christmas story is a journey—a journey of a young couple, Mary and Joseph, searching for a place to stay. When they arrived in Bethlehem, there was no room for them. Yet in the kindness of a stranger, they found...

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The PowerPoint Slides and the Handout from the Council Officers Gathering are below. Due to technical difficulties, we are unable to provide the recording. PowerPoint Slides: council officers gathering-2 Handout: Synod Council Officers Gathering-2  

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE BISHOP February 14, 2025 Beloved Siblings in Christ, As we enter the month of February, love is everywhere. Stores are filled with Valentine’s Day cards, roses, and heart-shaped chocolates. We see love celebrated in many forms—romantic love, familial love, and even the brotherly love that gives our great city of...

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