The Mission Investment Fund (MIF) of the ELCA partners with congregations, colleges, seminaries, and individuals across the country, providing investment vehicles and loans to them as they grow and prosper. Rev. Mark Wimmer of the MIF presented a video about financial ministry that asked the question, “With your one life, how will you let your...
May 2, 2014
MIF Partners with Congregations
The Mission Investment Fund (MIF) of the ELCA partners with congregations, colleges, seminaries, and individuals across the country, providing investment vehicles and loans to them as they grow and prosper. Rev. Mark Wimmer of the MIF presented a video about financial ministry that asked the question, “With your one life, how will you let your...
May 2, 2014
Social Ministry Leaders Installed
After the sermon given Friday morning by Rev. Dr. Mark S. Hanson, former Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, The Rev. Claire Burkat, Bishop, asked Sister Jane Roper and Pastor Jennifer Ollikainen to come forward. Reading from Romans, which mentions the church as having one body but many members, Bishop Burkat installed Sister Jane Roper to...
May 2, 2014
Mission Support Stabilizes
Financial support from the 159 congregations within the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod was up slightly in 2013, to $2.139 million, allowing for continued support of the new faith communities and programs that are at the core of SEPA’s mission. After almost a decade of declining giving, Mission Support grew slightly, yet noticeably, last year, drawing praise...
May 2, 2014
Constitutional Clarification
Just as the congregations of the Synod are encouraged to keep their congregational constitutions in alignment with the ELCA’s Model Constitution for Congregations, so too the synods keep their constitutions aligned with that of the ELCA. Amendments adopted at the 2013 Churchwide Assembly became effective immediately and were reported, as a matter of information, to...
May 2, 2014
Watch Rev. Hanson’s Sermon Online
The morning sermon by the Rev. Dr. Mark Hanson, former presiding bishop of the ELCA, is now available online. Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTVMGNhDPo
May 2, 2014
Look at Your Selfie
“Take out your imaginary cell phone and take an imaginary selfie,” the Rev. Dr. Mark S. Hanson, former Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, challenged the assembly. Dr. Hanson was preaching the sermon at opening worship on May 2 for the 2014 Assembly of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran...
April 2, 2014
Share Your Mission Story
Share Your Congregation’s Story in Video! God’s work. Our hands. SEPA congregations live into this vision of the ELCA week after week, year after year. “God’s work. Our hands.” is the theme of this year’s Synod Assembly. We’d like to feature some of your stories of bringing this vision to life through community service, faith formation,...
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...
