Rostered Leaders Update / Jan 14, 2010

January 14, 2010

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Confidential Reports Due Feb. 28

"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always, in every prayer of mine..."
~Philippians 1:3-4"

I pray this season of Epiphany finds you well and looking forward to a new year in Christ's service together. In this season of awakenings, the New Year reminds us it's time to share news of our ministries, time again for the Annual Confidential Reports to the Bishop. These reports are now available online at: http://tinyurl.com/bishopreport. Please take some time to complete the report and email it to me for the bishop's review at jniwinski@sepa.org. The deadline for reports is February 28, 2010.

Our next Synod Assembly will be held at the Franconia Mennonite Meetinghouse, Friday, May 7 to Saturday, May 8, 2010. Please mark your calendars and register early. May God continue to bless you, your family, and your ministries.

Peace be with you,

Janine Niwinski
Director of Operations

Council Presidents/Vice President's Gathering Feb. 27

Please remember to update the Synod office when your congregation elects a new president and/or vice president.

Please pass the following information on to your 2010 officers:

The next council presidents' and vice presidents' event with Bishop Claire Burkat and Janine Niwinski will be held Saturday, February 27, 2010 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon in Benbow Hall of the Brossman Center at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia located at 7301 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19119. Please RSVP by email or by phone at 267.323.3747 to Janine Niwinski, Director of Operations, if you will attend.

Please Share: LDR Mission Trip to Ocean Springs in March

Liberty Lutheran Services and Lutheran Disaster Response-SEPA will be organizing teams from across Southeast Pa to travel to Ocean Springs MS from March 13 to March 20, 2010 to continue rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Although Hurricane Katrina struck over 4 years ago now, housing advocates say there are still 4,000 residents looking for long-term housing in Mississippi alone.

Consider organizing a team at your congregation, or joining up with a team from another congregation. Please indicate you interest in joining the southeast Pennsylvania efforts by January 24, 2010 because space is limited and registrations must be filed in advance.

Volunteer training and registration forms are available. Both skilled and those willing to learn are very welcome. There are a variety of ways to serve!

For more information contact Linda Frey at lwfrey@epix.net or at 610.847.5775.

Save 2% on Health Premiums in 2010

We have the opportunity again in 2010 to all earn a 2% discount on ELCA health contributions. Each congregation and organization in our synod will receive a 2% discount on contributions for all of 2010 if 65% of the ELCA-primary plan members and eligible spouses in our synod complete the online Mayo Clinic Health Assessment by April 30.

Each congregation and organization in our synod will receive a 2% discount on contributions for all of 2010 if 65% of the ELCA-primary plan members and eligible spouses in our synod complete the online Mayo Clinic Health Assessment by April 30. If we do not reach 65% participation by April 30, we will not receive the discount. Our estimated collective savings for 2010 is $37,016.

Last year, 52% of our plan members completed the health assessment. The assessment is confidential, and you earn a $150 credit to your personal wellness account just by completeing it.

The 2010 health assessment opened Jan. 1. If you have ELCA-primary health benefits, please plan to take 30 minutes before April 30 to complete the assessment. If your spouse has ELCA-primary benefits, she or he should make plans to complete the assessment too. Like the past 2 years, those completing the assessment will receive a $150 credit in their personal wellness account.

Completing the assessment is an act of stewardship for you and this church.

Learn more online!

Explore Mutual Ministry Possibilities

How do you tend the relationship of pastor and people as you engage in ministry, together? How can you keep a mission focus and broaden the vision for ministry? Consider attending one of two mutual ministry seminars to be held in the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod in March 2010.

Pastor Dick Bruesehoff, of the ELCA Vocation and Education unit and co-author of Pastor and People: Making Mutual Ministry Work (Augsburg Fortress, 2003), will guide participants through an exploration of mutual ministry and its exciting ministry possibilities for your congregation.

There are two opportunities to attend:

Pastor Dick Brusehoff

Saturday, March 20, 2010, 9:30 am-3:00 pm at Holy Communion Lutheran Church Parish House at 2111 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA OR
Sunday, March 21, 2010, 2:00 pm-7:30 pm at Grace Lutheran Church, 660 North Charlotte Street, Pottstown, PA

The cost of the event is $20 per person. Each person registering will receive a copy of Pastor and People. A free will offering will be taken for the meal. Pastor Bruesehoff asks that congregations bring 3-4 leaders as you will be engaging in small group work during the seminar. These should include the pastor and members of a mutual ministry committee and can also include council members and officers so that they might renew their understanding of mutual ministry and what it means to be the church, together.

Nominations deadline Extended to Feb. 15

The Synod's Nominating Committee is seeking your help in identifying gifted and qualified persons to serve as nominees for election at the 2010 Synod Assembly.

This year we will elect members of Synod Council, the Committee on Discipline, and voting members of the 2011 Churchwide Assembly. To ensure a full slate of nominees the deadline has been extended to Feb. 15, 2010.

For Synod Council we will elect three clergy, one lay male at large, one lay female at large, one or more youth and young adult representatives, and female lay representatives from Delaware, Northeast Philadelphia and Upper Bucks conferences and a male representative from Upper Montgomery.

For the Committee on Discipline we will elect two clergy, a lay man and a lay woman for six-year terms. This committee "specifically considers the discipline of rostered leaders, officers, congregations, and members of congregations" according to our constitution.

Our Synod will also elect 17 voting members to the Churchwide Assembly: four lay female, one lay female youth, five lay male, one lay male young adult, and six clergy.

Get full information on the Synod web site.

Please use the linked nominating form (PDF format) to suggest one or more persons for the positions under consideration for the Synod Council, the Churchwide Assembly, and/or the Committee on Discipline. (You may make additional copies of the nominating form if necessary.) Please submit names of prospective nominees as soon as possible, but before February 15, 2010.