The Synod staff and deans continue to work remotely until we can ensure that staff can return to the office safely.
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Resources for effective church leaders
+ July 8, 2020
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Feast of Justice Steps Up to Fight Hunger
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As food insecurity across the five-county SEPA area during coronavirus and the ensuing recession, congregations and agencies have expanded and in some cases started service to provide food to the hungry. Today's video (above) highlights one of these ministries:
Feast of Justice.
Since the pandemic almost everything has changed at the Northeast's Feast of Justice. Demand has jumped, volunteers and staff take new precautions, and they are partnered with the city to serve additional families.
Feast of Justice received a $6,000 grant as one of four key ministries involved in a grant sought by Lutheran Disaster Response-Eastern PA, our synod, and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod.
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Spirit Uses Technology To Launch New Ministry
So, what happens to a
yoga ministry
in the age of COVID-19?
Redeemer, Jamison’s
Yoga at Redeemer
started in March 2019, gathering at the church Sunday mornings for gentle, beginner-friendly yoga, meditation, and prayer. In its first year, Yoga at Redeemer drew 30 people to in-person classes and raised $610 and collected countless nonperishable items for St. John’s Food Pantry. In recognition of innovating a form of ministry that combines spiritual awareness, physical health, fellowship and support of mission partners, Yoga at Redeemer received an SEPA Synod “Forward Together in Faith” grant of $1,000 in January 2020.
When the pandemic struck, a new plan was needed. Using Facebook Live, the newly dubbed
Yoga at Redeemer – Virtual Edition
introduced “15 Minutes of Meditation.” Offered several mornings and evenings each week, the practice includes gentle seated stretches that can be performed on the floor, in a chair, or even in bed, followed by meditation and prayer focused on a theme from that Sunday’s readings. As always, participants are urged to generously support their local food pantries, especially in this time of dramatically increased need. At the request of its regular attendees, Yoga at Redeemer also resumed Sunday morning classes via Zoom thanks to the “Forward Together in Faith” grant funds! Participants include people as nearby as Doylestown and as far away as Texas and Iowa.
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Even before the 2019 Churchwide Assembly declared the ELCA a "sanctuary" denomination, congregations have been working out just what it means to be a "sanctuary."
For First English Lutheran Church in Columbus, OH, it means opening its doors to an undocumented immigrant who had lived in Columbus over a dozen years, held jobs, and paid taxes. Though Miriam Vargas has repeatedly been given extensions to stay in the country by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in May 2018 she was told she had 30 days to leave, and decide whether to take her two citizen daughters back to Hondouras, a very dangerous country, or give the girls up for adoption. First English decided to house Vargas and her daughters as she works to become a legal citizen.
For St. Peter Lutheran Church in New York City, sanctuary consists of providing individuals in fear of deportation with food, off-site housing, mental health support and other services. “You really have to define sanctuary in your context and what it means to accompany people,” said Christopher Vergara of St. Peter.
Elsewhare, some congregants escort undocumented immigrants to court appointments and asylum proceedings and help them check in with ICE. Congregations host English as a Second Language classes or hold discussions on what our faith says about immigration. Others answer the call in the streets, marching to advocate for just immigration laws.
Sanctuary can be many things, but most agree it’s not a solution to a broken immigration system. Usually, it’s a method of buying time to fight deportation on a legal front. Church leaders stress that the designation does not in any way encourage congregations to break the law.
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Last Call: Advocacy Tools For Loving Your Neighbor
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Our thoughts and prayers inform our actions. “Advocacy Tools for Loving Your Neighbor”
tomorrow, July 9 from 12:30-2 p.m. is an online training event jointly hosted by The Episcopal Church and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to equip you. Both Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, plus advocacy leaders from both denominations, will be part of this time of exploring the nature of faith-based advocacy, the issues to which we can speak, and the ways we can make our voices heard. Rostered ministers, Lutherans, Episcopalians and friends are welcome to the free webinar and will leave with tools and inspiration to make a difference. Registration:
https://bit.ly/advocacyforlove
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Mental Health Resources Webinar
Kairos Associates in response to the global pandemic, and recent national crisis around racial injustices has enlisted the support of three mental health experts from around the country to be our panelists for a Zoom Conference on
Monday, July 13th at 1:30 PM Central Time. Our panelists will be sharing from their particular experiences, as well as discussing some proactive ways faith communities can engage this need.
We have limited space for this conference so please register early.
Our panelists:
Lynne Silva-Breen is a Minnesota Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
- Lisa Goodwin is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and serves as a Senior Director at the Masonic Center for Youth and Families in the Los Angeles area.
- Emily Woodward is a Mental Health Therapist for Riverside Community Care in the Boston area.
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Help Local Kids Find Local Free Meals
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Summer Meals is a federally funded, state administered program for the five-county region. Given the unique challenges of feeding children and conducting outreach during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Greater Philadelphia Coalition on Hunger asks your help spreading the word about the Summer Meals program.
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Discussion Starter For Disaster Relief
It is especially crucial to be prepared for any disaster that could strike during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lutheran Disaster Response has created a Prezi (online presentation) outlining some suggestions about what to do in case of emergencies. This is not a definitive list of all disasters or of everything that needs to be done to prepare for one, but it is a starting point to think about how prepared you are for disasters in your area. Included are lists of other online resources that go into more detail about disaster preparedness.
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Last Call: 'America's Orginal Sin' Book Talk
Register for the last session (July 14) of the book study, "America's Original Sin" (led by the Anti-racism Team). Register by 12 noon Friday, July 10 to
antiracism@sepa.org. Focus will be on chapter 10, The Bridge to a New America: Having the "New Talk" in Our Schools, Communities, and Congregations. Open to all (whether you've read the book or not). We invite you check out Ministry Link and Facebook (SEPA Anti-racism) for upcoming events and how your congregation can learn more about anti-racism training
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Food Drop In Support of Pennridge FISH
Jerusalem, Sellersville is looking for your help with assisting the Pennridge FISH Food Pantry in keeping their shelves stocked to help those in need within the community.
Through the summer months someone will be onsite at Jerusalem every Thursday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. to accept donations.
Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church
733 Ridge Road
Sellersville, PA 18960
Pennridge FISH accepts donations of all “in date” non-perishable food items, paper products, toiletries, cleaning supplies, and laundry items.
See the full list of needed items on this
flyer.
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Help Churches Challenged in This Crisis
You can help SEPA churches struggling in this difficult time by giving to our new COVID-19 Relief Fund.
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Thank you
The Rev. Bob Fisher, assistant to the bishop for mission interpretation/communications
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