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SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SYNOD | ELCA
Resources for effective church leaders
+ November 10, 2022
Our Gift to You:
Christmas Day Worship
As a thank-you to the rostered ministers, musicians, worship assistants, and tech teams in our congregations, we are making available a pre-recorded Service of the Word for Christmas Day. If you so choose, this service can be used so that your congregations' leaders can spend Christmas Day with their families. Links to the recorded service will be available in early December.
Registration is Now Open For:
Engage with two outstanding church leaders in plenary presentations and question and answer sessions. Louise Johnson will speak on change leadership; while The Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah will talk about how the church can express generosity and vitality in the midst of our broken reality. Plus, 10 practical workshops!
Corrected:
Save the Dates: Anti-Racism Education for Rostered Ministers
The SEPA Anti-Racism Team’s next educational event for rostered ministers is coming soon. It begins with a 90-minute Zoom meeting to introduce the curriculum on Thursday, January 12, 2023, 7 to 8:30 p.m. The series will complete with an in-person day-long final session covering Connections and Conversations on March 9, 2023, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., at ULS/Philadelphia. In between, participants will compete historical context modules at their own convenience.

Please register through the Anti-Racism Team email, antiracism@sepa.org. The registration deadline is January 5, 2023. This educational program, required by a Synod Assembly resolution, is free to all participants
Worship Honoring Rev. Jehu Jones Jr. on December 4
A worship service honoring the Rev. Jenu Jones Jr. (1786-1852), who established the first African American Lutheran congregation in 1834, will be held on Sunday, December 4, at 3 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church, 7240 Walnut Street, Upper Darby, PA 19082. Sponsored by the African Descent Lutheran Association Philadelphia Chapter.

Guest preacher is the Rev. Cornelius D. Eaddy of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Philadelphia. Guest choir from Grace Lutheran Church, Philadelphia. Musician: Rev. Diane Gilbert/
Read and Comment on New Social Message on Climate
In November 2021, the ELCA Church Council authorized the development of an ELCA social message on climate care. Drawing from existing social teaching, social messages provide theological rationale and social analysis to foster discernment and engagement on a relatively narrow social issue. This project was authorized in light of the grim contemporary situation affecting our global home and the need for fresh action on the part of this church. It draws its framing themes from several social statements, particularly Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice.

The draft social message is now available for public feedback! Read the social message draft here and then use this survey to share your input by Friday, December 2, 2022.
ELCA Young Adults Advent Pilgrimage in Palestine
Advent Pilgrimage in Palestine is a four-week virtual pilgrimage from the ELCA’s Peace Not Walls and Young Adult Ministry teams featuring young adult voices from the ELCA and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.

In Palestine and around the world, Advent is a time to prepare for Christmas—not only in our hearts and minds, but in embodied traditions that involve all our senses. Decorations, food, music, and gifts can not only express the rich cultural diversity of the church and connect us to our own histories; these traditions can also invite us to practice the joy, abundance, peace-making, and generosity that is the liberative way of Jesus in the world.
Applications Open For Young Adults in Global Mission
The ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission program invites ELCA young adults ages 21-29 into a transformative, year-long journey in international service. As they offer themselves in service, ELCA young adults are shaped by the witness of our global neighbors. They share in the journeys of companion churches and organizations in one of nine countries around the world.

Applications for the 2023-2024 YAGM service year will be open from Nov. 1, 2022 through Feb. 1, 2023. Priority will be given to those who apply before Jan. 15.
RIC Sunday Worship 2023
Attention Reconciling in Christ congregations:
ReconcilingWorks wants to celebrate with your faith community and is excited to offer these resources. Many RIC communities celebrate RIC Sunday on the last Sunday in January. This year, that lands on January 29, 2023. ReconcilingWorks encourages you to celebrate on a date that is meaningful for your community. Be sure to use this day as a time to recommit to your partnership as a RIC faith community, discern ways to live into your RIC partner commitments, and set new milestones for the year to come
How Should We Respond to Christian Nationalism?
The Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields hosted a presentation about Christian Nationalism by Dr. Philip Gorski, a sociologist at Yale University, and co-author of the new book “The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy.” Watch the video.
Ordinations and Installations
Mr. Ethan Doan will be ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament and installed as pastor of Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, Montgomeryville, on Saturday, November 19, at 11 am at the church (615 Cowpath Road, Montgomeryville, PA 18936). All clergy are invited to vest and participate in the procession.

There will be a reception after worship. If you are planning to attend please RSVP to faithmont@verizon.net so adequate food can be prepared.
The service will also be broadcast on Zoom:

Join Zoom Meeting
Ms. Maeve Elizabeth Schurz will be ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament on Saturday, December 10th, at 10 am EST at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church (1000 W. Main St Lansdale, PA 19446). A brunch reception will follow. Maeve has been called to serve as Pastor of St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in Feasterville. The service will be live streamed at: https://www.trinitylansdale.com/livestreaming/
In Case You Missed It...
Holy Closure: Bethany, Roxborough on Nov. 20
Bethany Lutheran Church, a congregation of the Central Philadelphia Conference, will hold their final worship service on Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 3 p.m. with Bishop Davenport presiding. Bethany Lutheran Church is located at: 401 Martin Street, Philadelphia, PA 19128.

Rostered ministers and members of the SEPA Synod are welcome to attend the final service at Bethany as we celebrate the life, witness and service of this congregation to the Roxborough-Manayunk community since 1845.  Rostered ministers not participating in worship leadership are invited to sit in the congregation.
Since 1846
Volunteers Needed:
Eastwick Flood Relief
On Saturday, Nov. 12, you can volunteer to help families who still need home repairs after Tropical Storm Isaias brought devastating flooding to the Eastwick neighborhood of Philadelphia in August 2020. Lutheran Disaster Response and partners are seeking volunteers, skilled in general construction/carpentry, as well as those willing to learn. We also are looking for licensed and insured contractors. Full funding is available for all materials and contractor labor.
  • Volunteer on Saturday November 12, 2022! 
  • Indicate your interest in volunteering on other days that become available. 
  • Insured and Licensed Contractors: Please contact us for opportunities related to general construction. 
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator, Sharon Sgriccia isaiasrecoveryvolunteers@gmail.com

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The Rev. Bob Fisher, assistant to the bishop for mission interpretation/communications
rfisher@sepa.org / 267.323.3743

Ms. Cynta Outterbridge, communications assistant
ministrylink@sepa.org / 267.323.3742