| Conferences: | Bishop Burkat is holding conference conversations across the Synod at the invitation of the conferences. Rostered leaders, council members and all interested congregation leaders are encouraged to attend. Upcoming conversations include:
Upper Bucks Conference: Tuesday, Sept. 18, 7 pm at Peace-Tohickon Lutheran Church, 100 Old Bethlehem Road, Perkasie, PA 18944 Lower Montgomery Conference: Wednesday, Sept. 19, 7 pm at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 570 Welsh Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 Upper Montgomery Conference: Wednesday, Oct. 17, 7 pm, location to be announced. | |
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| SEPANews | A communications service of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA.
© 2012 SEPA Synod.
Send information for publication three to four weeks in advance of desired publicity to:
sepanews@sepa.org.
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Introducing: A Word from Our Deans
In a new feature, "A Word from our  Deans," the Rev. Serena Sellers of Upper Bucks Conference reflects on the gifts God has given us to share ideas and support each other to help congregations nurture the seeds faith, service and outreach. "Each of our congregations has areas where we are strong. We also have areas where with some additional focus and attention, we could build our capacity in ministry," she writes. "The way to make the Synod strong is to make the congregations strong. The way to make our congregations strong is to focus on the things that matter so that we grow our faith in the place that we are planted."
Read the full message and Bishop Burkat's introduction
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Don't Miss These Opportunities!
During the summer our Synod and our partners have been busy readying a number of events designed to equip you and other leaders of your congregation. Scroll down for more information on these equipping events:
- Fall Gatherings with Bishop Burkat
- Council workshop: Financial Administration - A Spiritual Gift
- Hearing on ELCA Criminal Justice Social Statement
- Courage to Connect workshop
- Bishop's Convocation: Church and the Public Square
- Family Systems training
- Mutual Ministry workshop
- Junior High Youth Gatherings (JYG)
- Parish Secretaries' Seminar
- Wonderfully Made Camp
- Ministry Staff Development
- Conflict Resolution training
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 "Plant it. Water it. Watch it grow!" is the theme for the fall 2012 gatherings with Bishop Burkat, which will be held on Sunday, Oct. 21 at Trinity, Lansdale's Hyson Hall and on Sunday, Nov. 18 at the Brossman Center on the LTSP campus. The events, which run from 3 to 5 pm both dates, give you opportunities to learn about and share how seeds of God's mission are being planted and nurtured across the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod. Both events are free and open to all clergy, lay leaders and members of SEPA congregations. Mark your calendar and plan to bring a team from your congregation.
Read More.
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Bishop Burkat and Synod Treasurer Janet Neff invite you to "Financial Administration - A Spiritual Gift," a special workshop for congregation council leaders that will give you useful financial tools and better equip you for church leadership. The workshop will be Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012, from 3 to 5 pm at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia's Brossman Center. Please RSVP by September 24 to Carol Ann Murray, Assistant to the Bishop for Finance and Development, at camurray@sepa.org or 267-323-3745.
Read More.
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Explore and discuss the ELCA's proposed social statement on criminal justice at an open hearing on Sunday, September 9 from 3 to 5 pm at the Brossman Center on the campus of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. The hearing is open to people from the Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey synods and the Seminary community.
- Printed copies of the "Draft of a Social Statement on Criminal Justice" are available from the ELCA online resource catalog at: http://www.elca.org/resources
- Download a Bulletin Insert to share with your congregation here.
- Read about the social statement and download the draft from the ELCA website.
The Rev. Patricia Davenport, Director for Evangelical Mission at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod. invites you to join the synod and the ELCA's Congregational and Synodical Mission unit for a Churchwide Summit for Leadership and Evangelical Justice.
The Courage to Connect: Tools for Making Change Happen in Our Community Summit will be held in Philadelphia September 17-19, 2012. This summit will encourage our relationship with people who are not like us by strengthening our connection with those different from ourselves.
Please join Bishop Claire Burkat, Rev. Stephen Bouman, Executive Director of Congregational and Synodical Mission Unit, ELCA, Rev. Violet Little, the Welcome Church and leaders from across the church for this exciting ELCA Churchwide event. Please click here to download the brochure and registration form. Click here to register online.
 Registrations are now being received for Convocation. The 2012 Southeastern Pennsylvania Bishop's Convocation for rostered leaders begins the day after Election Day this year. Nov. 7-9 we as church leaders will gather at the historic Hotel Bethlehem to listen, learn and discuss how we can faithfully support engagement in the public arena from a Lutheran faith perspective. How does our theology of government, of citizenship, of Christian identity, and of neighbor love inform our piety and practice in the "The Parish and the Public Square"? Our three presenters, Jessicah Krey Duckworth, Andrew Genszler, and Amy Reumann will identify areas and opportunities for engaging faith formation, faith in action, connecting and advocating, as we explore ways to equip the saints for the work of ministry today. |
Members of the SEPA Upper Bucks Clergy Conference have arranged a continuing education opportunity open to all rostered leaders, chaplains, pastoral counselors, andleaders of religious organizations of all faiths. The Princeton Family Center for Education will be offering a training program in Perkasie, PA. It is a year long program in Bowen family systems theory offered as a series of eight one day seminars from September to May. The curriculum includes both theory and coaching.
Download a brochure for more information. Questions may be directed to Rev. Julie Bergdahl at 215.257.6040 or stmikesrev@verizon.net In October 2012, Pastor Dick Bruesehoff, of Portico Benefit Services and Pastor Sue Lang, of RevWriter Resources, LLC, two of the co-authors of Pastor and People: Making Mutual Ministry Work (Augsburg Fortress, 2003), will offer two workshops guiding participants through an exploration of mutual ministry and its exciting ministry possibilities for your congregation. There are two opportunities to attend: - Saturday, October 13, 2012 9: 30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Allegheny Lutheran Church, 1327 Alleghenyville Road, Mohnton, PA 19540
- Sunday, October 14, 2012, 2:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church, 222 Niantic Road, Barto, PA 19504
Questions? Contact Sue Lang at sue@revwriter.com or 215-453-8128. Read more. Junior Youth Gatherings  The 2012 Junior High Youth Gatherings will be held October 12-13 and 13-14, 2012 at Refreshing Mountain Camp in Stevens, PA. To aid our congregations in their confirmation/affirmation of baptism ministry, the JYG planning team has decide to focus themes for the next several gatherings around core ideas and concepts in the catechism. This year's theme is "Creatures of the Kingdom" and our curriculum centers around discipleship and stewardship of the earth through diving into stories of the Bible that feature animals.
Go to http://www.sepayouth.org/2012/08/01/jyg-registration-information/ for all the info.
 Parish secretaries and administrators from all denominations are invited to "Chicken Soup for the Secretary's Soul," the annual Parish Secretaries Seminar Oct. 16-17 at the DoubleTree/Willow Valley Resort in Lancaster, sponsored by Lutheran Congregational Services.
Workshops will be interspersed with devotions, meals, and free time. Our workshops this year include Soupersized Mail, where we will learn about postal regulations for bulk mailing and upcoming changes; What's All the Clucking About where we will learn about different social media outlets and how to utilize them to benefit our congregations; and Don't Lose Your Noodle!, where we will learn psychodynamic skills to prevent burnout, use coping strategies, understand motivations and behaviors, and improve relationships. Read more.
Wonderfully Made Camp Wonderfully Made Camp is a weekend retreat for high school students who are lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender or questioning and their allies. Held at Bear Creek Camp, participants spend time with other teenagers and staff in fellowship, worship, games, and Bible Study, discussing and understanding sexuality alongside their own spirituality. WM Camp will take place November 16-18, 2012. Check out all the info at http://www.sepayouth.org/2012/08/06/wonderfully-made-camp/ Ministry Staff Development Augsburg College's Center for Faith and Learning, along with Spirit in the Desert and Portico Benefit Services, are sponsoring a number of ministry staff development events to support staff teams, heads of staff, and individuals beginning a new ministry. A new Staff Formation Event is being held Nov. 12-15, 2012 at Spirit in the Desert, Carefree, AZ, to develop healthy, mission-oriented staff teams, followed by a Head of Staff Event Nov. 15-18. In 2013 several events will be held at Duncan Retreat Center in Delray Beach, FL, including the Ministry Staff Seminar Jan. 26-29, the Transition Seminar Jan. 29-30, and the Head of Staff Seminar Jan. 31-Feb. 3. Improve Conflict Resolution Skills SEPA's Interim Ministry Network is sponsoring "Transforming Difficult Conversations in Congregations," a three-day workshop January 15-17, 2013. The workshop, led by Alban Institute Senior Consultant Susan Nienaber, is helpful for pastors looking to add to their conflict resolution skills, small teams of lay leaders from congregations, interim pastors, consultants and spiritual directors. Read more.
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