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 SEPANews Update / July 1, 2015 |
Synod office summer hours July 6-September 4: Monday-Thursday 8 am-5:30 pm. Closed Fridays.
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Breaking News: Law Clarifies Child Protection Reforms
 According to the Center for Children's Justice, Gov. Wolf today signed into law child protection reforms approved by the General Assembly this week. Highlights of HB 1276's changes: - Establishes Aug. 25, 2015 as the date by which new volunteers must have background checks
- Permanently waives fees for volunteers completing state background checks
- Extends to 60 months (vs 36 months) the time frame by which employees and volunteers must have their background checks updated.
Learn more in this summary from the Center for Children's Justice.
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Check Out Our Improved Online Resource Library
 The Resource Library (also on the Resources menu) has been sorted into more categories to help you find documents and links for specific ministry areas, including Communications, Finance, Global Vision, Spirituality and Stewardship. Visit the resources section often, and let us know at sepanews@sepa.org if there are resources you would like to see us include.
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Pastoral Messages on Supreme Court Marriage Decision
 "This decision affects each of us, some profoundly, and we are not of one mind," ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton writes to the church. "Let us continue to accompany one another with prayer, love and mutual respect as we reflect on this new reality and remember Paul's words in 1 Corinthians about the enduring power of God's love." More.
 The decision "knocks the power out of long-standing assumptions that most but not all people are equal," Bishop Claire Burkat writes in a pastoral message. "let us reflect on the true equality and freedom that is ours, and has always been ours in the Gospel of Jesus Christ - no exceptions." More.
Last summer, when same-sex marriage became legal in Pennsylvania, the bishop wrote that because "in the ELCA we are not of one mind" on this subject, "our commitment to one another is to be respectful of various perspectives, and accepting of differing practices. ...We seek through this guidance to see these differences as a gift to be celebrated as we live out that which unites us: the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ who leads us into mission and ministry in the world."
The synod provides a helpful set of frequently asked questions to help congregations and leaders respond to this possibility in their local context.
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| The Rev. Patricia Davenport, director for evangelical mission, prays with POWER organizer Cecily Harwitt, who was in the middle of a 10-day fast for a moral state budget.
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Lutherans from around the state raised their voices in Harrisburg at a rally for fair education funding June 23. Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania (LAMPa) started the day by leading a prayer service on the steps of the capitol, joining other faith groups fasting there to protest Pennsylvania's distinction of being the least equitable state in the country for education funding.
"We have come to our State Capitol to demand a moral budget that fully funds public schools" said the Rev. Carlton Rodgers of Tabernacle Evangelical Lutheran Church in West Philadelphia, in his stirring sermon on the capitol steps. "We are here today because chronic underfunding of some schools is having an adverse long-term impact on many communities in Pennsylvania and on our overall economy as well. Sadly, we are here today because even after receiving national attention regarding the plight of our schools and a mandate for more education funding from voters, the legislators in Harrisburg still don't seem to be getting the message."
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The Rev. Carlton Rodgers preaches to Lutherans gathered on the steps of the Capitol.
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Did you know that about 500 youth and adults from our SEPA Synod representing 39 congregations will be among 30,000 Lutherans at the ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit July 15-19? A group of about 20 will also attend the Minority Youth Leadership Event prior to the Gathering.
Please keep these young people, their adult leaders, and all involved in the Gathering in your congregation's prayers.
Can You Help Sponsor Gathering T-Shirts?
 Due to the logistics of this large event, our Synod group will be separated for some of the time. To help SEPA people find each other, we have purchased high-visibility T-Shirts so they will stand out among the crowd.
We've purchased and paid for the shirts, but the expense was not planned for. And not all participants can pay an additional $10 for a shirt. So we're asking you and other supporters of the Synod to sponsor shirts for youth.
Consider a Gathering "Watch Party"
The ELCA is providing a live video stream from the "Rise Up Together" Youth Gathering in Detroit July 15-19. Programming will feature a daily morning show hosted by youth, and evening praise, worship and speakers from Ford Field. "Getting Ready" materials can also be resources for adult education, inter-generational events or youth group. You'll find links for the stream and resource materials at http://elca.org/youthgathering.
Click here for more ideas to share the Gathering in your congregation
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Congratulations to our companion Synod, the North Eastern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, on its 125th Jubilee. Today Bishop Burkat and Assistant to the Bishop Joanne Carlson arrived safely in Tanzania, where the bishop will preach at a Jubilee worship service on July 6. Please lift up our Tanzanian companions in prayer this week, and pray for safe travels for the bishop and Joanne.
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Celebrating Joanne Carlson
Colleagues, friends and family gathered at St. Luke, Devon June 19 to honor Ms. Joanne Carlson, assistant to the bishop for global vision and events, on her upcoming retirement. Here Joanne receives retirement gifts from Bishop Burkat (right) and Ms. Yvonne Curtis, director of operations. (Photos by the Rev. Jesse Brown)
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September 13 -- God's work. Our hands. Sunday day of service.
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In Brief
Giving Magazine Offers Stewardship Ideas
Looking for resources to stimulate your plans and thoughts about Stewardship in 2015? Download a copy of the Giving magazine here. This resource is filled with ideas, and provocative articles related to the theme "Living Free": we believe we are freed in Christ to love and serve our neighbors. Take a look at these helpful articles: Life That Really is Life; What is Freedom?; Financial Freedom: A Journey to Transformation; and more!
Augsburg Fortress Music Clinic Aug. 6 Augsburg Fortress, the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is hosting a hymn festival at 7:30 pm on Thursday, August 6, 2015, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Ardmore, Pa., that is free and open to the public. For more information about the Augsburg Fortress Summer 2015 Music Clinics and to register, visit AugsburgMusic.org/music-clinics.
LCS Golf Outing Aug. 10
Lutheran Congregational Services' 17th annual golf outing will be held on August 10, 2015 at Silver Creek Country Club in Hellertown, with a shot gun start at 11 am. The cost is $125 which includes golf, cart, lunch, and buffet dinner. Please call Kathy Reyher at 610.770.9205 or email kathy@lutherancongregationalservices.org to register.
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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 "Join Our Mailing List" 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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