There are an endless number of apps and tools available for digital ministers to reach their people online, but which ones are really worth your time? In this week’s presentation Sammy Kelly and Michele Barra, co-owners of Digivangelism, explored some of the most effective FREE methods to connect with your people and with others online. Tools included Facebook Groups, Facebook Pages, Canva, LinkTree, Tiny PNG/JPG, GoogleMyBusiness, Marco Polo, TikTok/IG Reels, and more.

How will the availability of vaccines for 5 to 11-year-olds impact church activities for Advent and Christmas? What about travel and gatherings for the holidays, and the onset of colder weather? Join Dr. Tim Babinchak, an infectious disease specialist, for our regular COVID update for congregations and leaders.

Need a gift that both honors your recipient and offers hope? Give the gift of a Sanctuary Village donation. You gift will help to build a tiny house - and a big opportunity - for a person experiencing chronic homelessness.

Sanctuary Village is a non-profit organization that is building a community of tiny houses in the Holmesburg section of Philadelphia. This community will provide safety for the residents – both physically and emotionally. A home with others who know their struggles, but with the ability to lock their own door. This will provide residents with the security they need to begin rebuilding their lives, and preparing to successfully transition back into community and a permanent place to live.

Sanctuary Village's mission of building tiny houses for people experiencing homelessness is a challenge. The city has never permitted tiny homes before – so we are facing lots of hurdles – but we are slowly but surely plowing through the red tape. Your help is truly needed.

A benefit concert is being held at Christ Lutheran Church, Kulpsville (and as a livestream) on Sunday, November 28 (Thanksgiving Weekend). The artist is an accomplished and professionally trained singer, who experienced homelessness in Philadelphia some years ago.

Christ Lutheran Church is located at 2211 Mainland Road, Harleysville, PA. For more information, download this flyer.

The Rev. Matthew Ollikainen 

The Southeastern and Northeastern Pennsylvania synods are sponsoring a hybrid Generosity event on Saturday, January 22, 2022, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lansdale. Keynote speakers for “Stewardship and Vitality in the NOW Normal” are Louise Johnson and Soong-Chan Rah, with workshops featuring Dave Daubert, Ryan Burge, Doug Powe Jr., and others.

The cost is $40 in-person or virtual. Visit ministrylink.org for more information. 

If you know young adults aged 21 to 29, this is the time to reach out. Encourage them to apply for YAGM by the deadline of Feb.1, 2022. (Priority deadline is Jan. 15, 2022.) Talk to them personally about what this opportunity will mean for their faith, identity, career and understanding of God’s work in the world. You can share these videos about the YAGM experience. 

From the Lewis Center for Church Leadership: Are virtual meetings and work-from-home staff part of the new normal in your church? Ann A. Michel interviews John Wimberly about best practices for working with staff and volunteers in a hybrid era. Read more

Lutherans Restoring Creation is holding a Connections Call on Tuesday, Nov. 23, at 8 pm EST. The topic is gratitude. Come to the “table” with what and who you are grateful for in preparation for the work ahead. Zoom link for 11/23.

Continue to pray for world leaders and those who lift their voices amongst these decision-makers. COP26 in Glasgow is nearing a close. Take these prayers seriously and share them widely: Light for Glasgow Prayers

CHICAGO (Nov. 9, 2021) – Working alongside the United Nations’ “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” campaign, the four member churches of Churches Beyond Borders have compiled a 16-day devotional focusing on the campaign’s theme opposing intersectional violence against women.

The devotional — an annual tradition for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), The Episcopal Church, the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada — dives into each of the 16 days in the U.N. campaign, which begins with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on Nov. 25 and ends on Human Rights Day, Dec. 10. This year, Mary’s Magnificat — found in Luke 1:46-55 — was selected as the guiding text for the booklet in recognition of the campaign’s alignment with Advent. 

Readers of “Churches Beyond Borders Joint Devotions 2021” are encouraged to utilize the writings throughout the year. The devotional can be found here.

Adult Lutherans Organized for Action is offering a workshop, “Legacies of Faith & Belonging: Turning Discipleship into Relationship” on February 8, 2022 in Chicago. Speakers Rich Bimler and Roland Martinson will discuss the role aging ministry plays in creating a congregational legacy of belonging and hope. Discover how to best utilize storytelling and intergenerational relationship building in your congregation. Learn more and register.

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Ms. Cynta Outterbridge, communications assistant

ministrylink@sepa.org / 267.323.3742