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Welcome Church remembers winter's victims
You're invited to join The Welcome Church, an outreach to persons experiencing homelessness in Center City, for a service of remembrance and thanksgiving for those who lost their lives living on the streets during this brutal winter. The service is Tuesday, March 16 at noon at The Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion at 2110 Chestnut Street. If you are not able to attend, please keep the community and persons experiencing homelessness in prayer at that hour.
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Lutherans gather at Capitol April 14
Join Lutherans from across the commonwealth to raise a voice for justice in Harrisburg on Wednesday, April 14. Lutheran Day at the Capitol, sponsored by Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania (LAMPa), is a day full of speakers, workshops, and networking that will equip you for a face-to-face visit with your legislators or their staff. Join lay leaders, pastors, social ministry organization leaders, students, and bishops as we work together on behalf of Pennsylvania's most vulnerable citizens. Read on to register and download resources.
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Register now for 2010 Assembly
The 2010 Synod Assembly will meet on Friday and Saturday, May 7 and 8, at Franconia Mennonite Church in Telford. Registration is open now. Early (discounted) registration will end March 19, and all registrations are due by April 9. Read on to download registration materials.
Census Bureau seeks faith partners
The U.S. Census Bureau is looking to the faith community to be a partner as they prepare to collect data for the 2010 decennial census. The Pennsylvania Council of Churches is working as a partner with the Bureau to encourage education on the importance of participating in the census within congregations. Read on for links to materials for your congregation and community.
Presiding Bishop hosts second Town Hall
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), responded to a variety of questions about the economy, ecumenism, evangelism, youth and young adult ministries, decisions of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly and more at a "Town Hall Forum" here March 7. This was the second in a series of online forums hosted by Hanson.
ELCA finishes 2009 in the black
Despite the financial challenges of 2009, much of it the result of the downturn in the U.S. economy, the churchwide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) finished the year with net income of $3.9 million.
Reduce the risks of child abuse in your church
Diakon Family Life Services will sponsor a comprehensive workshop on preventing child abuse in the congregational setting on Thursday, April 15 at Trinity, Lansdale. Registration deadline is April 1. Read on for full information.
LDR Haiti Response Briefing
Congregations and individuals continue to respond in unique ways throughout Southeast Pa in response to the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Lutherans are raising funds, sending health kits, addressing immigration issues for Haitians, organizing Disaster Chaplaincy training, and more. Read on for details.
March 2010 Resources
The March 2010 packet of congregational resources includes: an invitation to the Chrism Service during Holy Week, the Parish Paper, Stewardship newsletter, and more. Click to download and print resources.
Mobilize against hunger with City Soup
Areas of Philadelphia are some of the hungriest in the nation. Recent statistics show that 1 in 4 Philadelphians are on the brink of hunger. It’s time for us to mobilize as a united community to fight this “silent crisis”. Join the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger any time starting March 1st, and participate in City Soup Philadelphia, an interfaith, interactive web-based tool and program designed to bring us up to speed on the issue of hunger in Greater Philadelphia. Share a bowl of soup with a community of your choice- your family, co-workers, neighbors, or religious congregation. Use the CIty Soup weekly resource/ educative guide to jump start conversation and learning about the issue of hunger and its hopeful/possible solutions.
Share your faith story on video
The 2010 Assembly will focus on the ways that God’s story revealed in scripture inspires and supports our faith. Your story is important, too, and we want to share it. Throughout the Assembly we will show a number of short testimonies from lay people around the Synod sharing how the Bible has formed their faith, driven them to action, connected them with others, or equipped them as disciples. Read on to learn how to participate.
Save June 4 for Lutheran night at the Phillies
Attention all phans of the phighting Phils! Lutheran night at the Phillies is scheduled for Friday night, June 4, at 7:05 when the two-time NL champs take the field against San Diego. Read on to download the order form. Hurry...Deadline is May 4.
Forever Connected in Christ
"The most powerful learning is my new understanding and appreciation for the oneness of God’s people in Christ," Bishop Burkat writes about her participation in the recent ELCA Ecumenical Journey to the seats of Anglican, Orthodox and Catholic communions. "Yes, there were differences in culture, in worship, in theology, and in current pressing issues as we traveled to four major Christian centers, and met with prominent Christian leaders in London, Istanbul, Rome and Geneva. However, the hospitality, love and respect for us, and us for them, and our common faith in Jesus Christ transcended the difficulties, which sometimes threaten to divide us and undermine the common Christian witness to the world."
