Resources for effective church leaders
+ April 13, 2023
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Vitality Check-In Saturday
Join the Vitality Team Saturday April 15th at 10:30am for a conversation around helping your congregation deepen its sense of vitality. Members of the vitality team will be present to talk about vitality and present ideas on ways your congregation can focus on the work of growing relationships. Share with appropriate people in your congregation. All are welcome as we wonder together about ways God is calling us to be church in this new day. Join us as we discover the church we are becoming.
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Transformed to Serve in Your Community
How is your congregation being transformed to serve? At Assembly we want to share how your congregation is making a difference. We want to tell your story in pictures and video. Here are some suggestions:
- Email us links to stories on your website or Facebook page.
- Upload pictures and text captions, or images of Facebook posts
- Record and upload a short video (less than 2 minutes) describing how you are serving and the impact of your ministry.
Email: Send to comms@sepa.org with “Transformed” and the name of your congregation in the subject.
Uploads: Add your congregation name to your photos, videos, and documents and upload them here.
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Like to sing? Then join the Assembly Choir!
The Synod Worship Team invites you to assist in providing musical leadership for the Assembly’s opening worship on Friday, May 5. You’ll support the hymns and liturgy in addition to singing during the Offering. You do not need to be a voting member of the Assembly to participate. Rehearsal will begin at 1:30 pm at the Meeting House, room location to be determined.
Please indicate your interest by emailing the choir director, Deacon Tom Snyder, Director of Music at St. John’s Phoenixville ftsiii@gmail.com. Be sure to include your voice part. You’ll receive a link to the music and further information as it becomes available.
We look forward to you joining us in song!
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Learn About Synod Finances And Budget
Treasurer Janet Neff, CPA, and finance committee chair Albert Glenn will host a pre-assembly Zoom meeting to review synod financial reports and the proposed 2024 budget. All voting members are strongly encouraged to attend. This will be a time to learn and ask questions of our fiscal leaders.
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ELCA Truth & Healing Movement
The ELCA’s Truth & Healing Movement is an opportunity for this church to increase our understanding of our colonizing impacts on Indigenous people in the past and present. Over the next several months, there will be opportunities to learn, raise awareness and engage in other ways to impact hearts and lives across this church. We believe that the truth, and our knowing and embracing it, is the first step toward healing for all of us.
More information will be shared in the coming days and weeks. Stay tuned to our ELCA and Living Lutheran social media channels and this page to learn about ways to get involved and share with others.
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Bishop Eaton Issues Statement on Anti-Transgender Legislation
“As bishop of this church, I am concerned that the rights of transgender and nonbinary Americans have been targeted all over this nation,” writes Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton in a public statement. “Nearly 400 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills were introduced across the United States in 2022, most of them targeting trans youth. The language in many of these bills attacks the humanity of trans and nonbinary people, often erasing the dignity that should be afforded to everyone.”
“While members of our church hold various convictions regarding gender, the teaching of our church supports legislation and policies to protect every person's human dignity and civil rights. (Human Sexuality, p. 19),” she writes. “Our church teaches that we affirm transgender and nonbinary siblings as God's children, who are loved unconditionally.”
“We must stand together, dear church, faithfully advocating for the full humanity and dignity of all people,” including our transgender and nonbinary siblings. “Let us continue to be guided by God's love and compassion as we seek justice and equality for everyone.”
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Lay Eucharistic Visitor Training
Spring & Fall 2023 Dates:
- April 29th Good Shepherd Lutheran Church -- 4201 Stouts Ferry Bridge Rd, Reading, PA 19605
- June 3rd St. Michael Lutheran Church -- 25 E Church St, Sellersville, PA 18960
- October 7th Good Shepherd Lutheran Church -- 190 S Main St, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
- October 21s Advent Lutheran Church -- 1601 Green Ln, West Chester, PA 19382
Training runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $30.00/ per person
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Learning Never Ends: New from Kindling Faith
If you missed Rev. Dr.Pamela Cooper-White’s lecture on Christian Nationalism, here’s the YouTube link.
Coming up:
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Beginning ASL Class In Mt. Airy
The Deaf-Hearing Communication Centre is offering an in-person Beginner ASL 1.1 class in collaboration with the Mt. Airy Learning Tree (MALT)! These classes will take place at the United Lutheran Seminary campus in Philadelphia on Wednesdays beginning April 26, and will run for ten weeks through July 12, 2023.
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What Every Nurse Needs to Know About Spiritual Care
The intentional care of the spirit is foundational to faith community nursing. Yet, many FCNs feel unprepared to identify spiritual needs and provide care in complex situations with diverse clients in a rapidly canging world. This workshop provides information on assessing spiritual needs, spiritual care barriers and interventions.
OBJECTIVES: As a result of attending this workshop, participants will be able to:
1. Define spiritual care and reasons why it is important.
2. Differentiate between spirituality and religion.
3. Identify three barriers to providing spiritual care.
4. Use a spiritual assessment tool.
5. Describe practical spiritual care interventions for nurses.
- Date: May 11, 2023
- Time: 4-6 pm PT, 5-7 pm MT, 6-8 pm, CT, 7-9 pm ET; via ZOOM
- Registration fee: $20 for LFCNA members/ $ 30 for non-members
- Contact hours provided upon successful completion of the event: 2.0
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Have stories, events, or resources to share?
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Thank you
The Rev. Bob Fisher, assistant to the bishop for mission interpretation/communications
Ms. Cynta Outterbridge, communications assistant
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