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SEPANews Update / January 5, 2015
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Connecting the Web of Faith Feb. 7
The Upper Bucks Conference will host "Connecting the Web of Faith," a learning day for church leaders, on Feb. 7 from 9 am to 3 pm at St. John's Lutheran Church, 19 10th St., Quakertown. Keynote speaker is Keith Anderson, author of the forthcoming book "The Digital Cathedral" and co-author of "Click2Save: The Digital Ministry Bible." Workshops include a discussion of collaborative ministries with leaders from three synods, "Ministry in Daily Life," "Coming Together Around Homelessness," and an update on the new Lutheran Charities. Download a flyer and poster at http://ministrylink.org/weboffaith |
St. John, Pottstown To Hold Final Service
St John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pottstown will hold its final service of Holy Communion along with the Order for the Closing of a Congregation on the Feast of the Epiphany on Tuesday, January 6 at 7 PM. St. John's is located at 75 East Main Street, Pottstown, PA 19465.
Your prayers for Pastor Susan Folks and the people of St. John's are requested as they gather to give thanks for 72 years of ministry and witness to the gospel.
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King Day Service Opportunity
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Farewell Party for Molly Beck Dean
All are invited as we celebrate more than 12 years of youth ministry with Molly Beck Dean on Sunday, January 11, 3 to 5 pm, at St. Luke, Devon and say "Farewell!" to her and her family as they leave to begin a new life in Chicago and Molly's position with the ELCA Youth Gathering. Dessert and light snacks will be served.
We invite you to wear your favorite Youth Ministry event shirt from over the last 12 years. If you would like to contribute a picture, memento, or personal note to add to Molly's guest book, please bring it with you to the party.
If you would like to make a donation to the SEPA Synod Youth Ministry Scholarship Fund in honor of Molly, you may do so via credit card via this link or by sending a check with YM Scholarship in the memo to SEPA Synod, Finance Office, 7241 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia PA 19119.
Follow this LINK to RSVP by January 6 so we can have a head count for food.
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Temporary Youth Ministry Assistant
Carrie Johnston has been invited to serve as youth ministry assistant on a temporary basis, beginning Jan. 5. She will be working two days a week.
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 Bishop Eaton on New Year and Baptism Happy New Year! It's that time of year when many people make -- and soon break -- resolutions. In her January column for The Lutheran, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton says go ahead and make those resolutions, but she asks readers to remember that "in baptism God has given us new life, a new year, a new day." Read her column at http://www.thelutheran.org/article/article.cfm?article_id=12377
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Adult Learning Opportunity - Americans, the Bible and the "Middle East"
 American Christians have always looked to their Bibles for answers to their questions about this region of the world. Come spend five sessions as we explore the "Middle East." We will explore five important areas:
- The "Middle East": Our American Cultural and Political Frame of Reference
- Americans "Rediscovering" the Middle East and its People: The Bible as a Middle Eastern text
- The Armageddon Factor: 1967 and its effects on the people of the Middle East
- "The locusts from the abyss" or "the Children of Ishmael": American views of Islam in the Middle East
- The Promised Land or the Land of Promise: Israel/Palestine and American Christian Perspective
Attend live or online starting January 17, 2015. Learn more and register today here.
For more information on these and other learning opportunities, contact Kathleen A. Afflerbach, Coordinator, 215.248.6324 or kafflerbach@Ltsp.edu
Hunger, Education Top LAMPA Agenda
You told us what you feel God is calling us to act on together as public church in 2015, and our bishops and policy council spent a morning of discussion and prayerful discernment to set our agenda for the coming year. Improving access to healthy food and to better learning outcomes for Pennsylvania students top the list. See the complete agenda at http://www.lutheranadvocacypa.org/2015-16-policy-agenda/
Congregational Leadership as Spiritual Practice
"Congregational leadership involves seeing the holy in the congregation's members...and trying to bring that holiness out in partnership with God and others," Bruce Epperly writes at Alban.org. "The challenge of congregational leadership is to see the angels in the boulders with which we work and enable our congregants to see the holiness in themselves and one another." Read more at http://bit.ly/1IvWG64
Lutherans Help With Central American Drought
 A drought impacting 2.5 million people across El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua is causing concerns for food security and livelihoods. Lutheran Disaster Response and the Lutheran World Federation are assisting in early recovery though the installation of farm plots and irrigation systems. Learn more at http://bit.ly/1yz7JmF
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Vice President/Mission Advancement
Financial Administrator
Director of Music/ Organist
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Jan. 8-11: Project Connect Young Adult Retreat
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Save the Dates!
 Global Church Connection Patricia Cuyatti from Peru is an International Leader whose journey of faith has been shaped by wonder and discovery. Today she has an impact on Lutherans throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Read and share her inspiring story, which includes an ELCA scholarship provided by you! See www.ELCA.org/resources/globalchurch . IRS Sets 2015 Mileage Rates The Internal Revenue Service has announced that the mileage rates for deducting business and charitable mileage. For 2015 the business mileage rate rises to 57.5 cents per mile. The rate for driving in the service of a charitable organization is 14 cents per mile. Full info at http://1.usa.gov/1qwNI2D
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Thank you!
for taking the time to read this edition of MinistryLink. We hope you find this electronic newsletter a valuable resource in our shared ministry. If you know of anyone who could benefit from the information in this newsletter, please forward it to them using the link below and encourage them to sign up to receive MinistryLink directly.
 Bob Fisher
Assistant to the Bishop, Mission Interpretation and Communication
267.323.3743
sepanews@sepa.org
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