SEPANews / Oct. 8, 2007

October 8, 2007 | Vol. 8, No. 71
In This Issue TABOR teach-in Oct. 10 Partnering with congregation’s elected lay leaders Misconduct prevention workshop Dec. 4 Abington’s Latin Night benefits New Creation Managing your SEPANews subscription ELCA News Quick Links MinistryLINK Synod website ELCA.org SEPAYouth website SEPA Calendar SEPA job listings SEPANews blog SEPANews archive A communications service of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA copyright 2007.		Local Lutherans look at preventing terrorism Lutherans in Pennsylvania recently participated in a course on recognizing and preventing terrorist activity in places of worship. Considered “soft targets” by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “churches can be considered easy targets because people meet at very predictable times and under very low security conditions,” according to Julia Menzo, Lutheran Disaster Response coordinator for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod.  “The impact of an attack in a religious setting can also be great because it goes to the heart of many Americans’ core values,” Menzo said.  Read more on our website. TABOR teach-in Oct. 10 A TABOR Teach-in & Strategy Session, organized by the Coalition for Common Sense Priorities, is being held on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.  at the AFSCME Conference Center in Harrisburg.   TABOR is a state tax and expenditure limit that includes the following elements: it is a constitutional amendment; it restricts revenue or expenditure growth to the sum of inflation plus population change; and it requires voter approval to override the revenue or spending limits. Read more on our website. The event is free and lunch is provided.  For a complete agenda and to register e-mail Kathleen Daugherty or call the PA Budget and Policy Center at 717.255.7156.
Partnering with congregation’s elected lay leaders   About 80 council presidents and vice presidents turned out for conversation with Bishop Claire Burkat and to begin networking our congregations’ key elected lay leaders. In the 21st Century, the church will benefit from “empowering and connecting our key lay leaders,” the bishop told the gathering. The leaders talked about ways of forming a more cohesive network and leveraging technology to keep lay leaders in touch, and also heard about the 2008 Mission Support consultation and resources available to interpret the mission of the larger church in their congregations. Learn more and view images on our website. Misconduct prevention workshop Dec. 4 As part of our Synod’s commitment to making church a safe place for all, a workshop for rostered leaders on preventing misconduct will be held Tuesday, Dec. 4 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1141 West Chester Pike, Havertown PA 19083. This program is required for all rostered leaders new to the Synod and any leaders who have not yet attended such a workshop. The program runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and covers a review of theological foundations, understanding the dynamics leading to sexual misconduct and its impact, and a review of synodical policy. Download a flyer and directions at our website. Register by Nov. 30 by calling Trinity Church at 610.446.6398 (ask for Janet) or email Pastor Dee Littleton Abington’s Latin Night benefits New Creation  Experience Latin worship, food and dance at “Noche Latina” (Latin Night) Saturday, Oct. 13, 5-8 p.m., at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 2086 Parkview Avenue, Abington PA 19001. A free will offering will be collected for New Creation Lutheran Church, one of our Synod’s recent mission plants in the West Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. Download a flyer on our website. Reservations required. RSVP by Oct. 11 by calling New Creation at 215.426.0903 or Holy Trinity at 215.659.2642. Managing your SEPANews subscription Your subscription to SEPANews is a connection to more information about ideas, events and resources in our Synod. And you can manage all aspects of your subscription yourself.   Use the “Update Profile/Email Address” link at the bottom of each and every email from us to manage your preferences. This will bring you to a web page where you can manage: Your Email Address: Click the Edit Email link to change your address for all email from us. Your Interests: In addition to SEPANews we have targeted lists which will receive additional information about issues and programs related to your interests. Please take a minute to visit this page and check off your areas of interest. Your Information: In this section you can update your name, your congregational affiliation and your mailing address. If you were a subscriber to our old SEPANews list,  your congregational information is not listed. Please take a minute to visit this site and provide your congregational information so that we can better serve you. Ministry Resources Skits to teach stewardship Is your Fall Stewardship plan still in the planning stages? Are you looking for a way to educate, inspire and enlighten your congregation this year?  Margaret D. McGee, an Episcoal writer of devotional literature shares the congregational stewardship program her congregation used last year on her her web site.  The skits are simple to stage, thought provoking and inspiring.  They are written for an Episcopal context, so they would require some slight alterations (substituting “pastor” for “rector”, and “synodical mission support” for “diocesan assessment” for example) but are easily adapted. Increasing awareness in your congregation about faithful stewardship does not have to be complicated, and it could be fun! Read more.   Celebrate Bread for the World Sunday Oct. 21 Join with churches and worshipping communities across the country as they rededicate themselves to ending hunger in God’s world.  Bread for the World Sunday is an opportunity for congregations to give thanks for the work of Bread for the World, which has enabled so many to be effective advocates for hungry people.  It is a chance to pray for those in need and to renew our commitment to share our abundance with others. Bread for the Sunday is officially October 21st but can also be celebrated any Sunday between World Food Day (October 16) and Thanksgiving (November 22). Devotions are available online written by ELCA Seminarian Emily Kuhn. Visit their website to download resources.   Bear Creek Camp Rolling Stones Days October 27 and November 10 to gather stones for finishing the walls and fireplace of the new Sanctuary outdoor chapel.  Work on both days begins 9am, providing refreshments and lunch, with supper option available. Trucks and trailers are needed for hauling.Workers please RSVP 570.472.3741 and bring gloves.      Tabernacle celebrates 100 years Tabernacle Evangelical Lutheran Church invites you to attend it’s “100th Anniversary” banquet, which will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2007, at the Airport  Philadelphia Renaissance Hotel, located at 500 Stevens Drive, Philadelphia, Pa 19113.  The reception will begin at 5 PM and dinner will be served promptly at 6 PM. The cost to attend is $50 per person.  To order a ticket, please call the church office at 215.748.5533, or visit their website for more information.   LDR needs volunteers in Western PA There is an opportunity to serve with Lutheran Disaster Response in western Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Aliquippa is a community that was hit with severe flooding earlier this year. There are approximately 125 homes and businesses that need to be assessed for damages. There are a number of homes that need to be cleaned and that are under repair. If you could volunteer, pull together a few volunteers, or coordinate a larger team to help with cleanup and repairs, it would be a blessing to families in the area. Please call Linda Frey at Lutheran Disaster Response Southeastern Pennsylvania, 610.847.5775 or 610.657.4730 or email her to arrange for service opportunities. ELCA News LTSP holds prospective student day Oct. 25 On Thursday, October 25, 2007, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP) will host a Prospective Student Day, which is open to anyone interested in degree, certificate, or lay theological education opportunities. To find out more or to register for this event, visit their website or contact the LTSP Admissions Office at 215.248.7302 or via email. LTSP is located at 7301 Germantown Avenue in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia.   Women of the ELCA MIF challenge The Mission Investment Fund (MIF) and the Women of the ELCA are still promoting the MIF Challenge to all member of W/ELCA organizations.  New investments are being sought from members.  In return MIF will provide major sponsorship of the 2008 W/ELCA convention in Salt Lake City.  Investments in MIF provide a competitive rate of return to investors.  Invested monies then become mortgages for congregations and ministries of the ELCA to borrow.  Materials for the challenge can be downloaded from the MIF website or by contacting Pr. Mark Wimmer: 267.203.1137 or via email.   LTSP lectures on evolution and faith On Tuesday, October 16, 2007, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at  Philadelphia will present guest lecturer, Dr. John F. Haught. Dr. Haught  will present two lectures on the controversies surrounding evolution and  faith.  11:30 a.m. - “Science, Theology and the Origin of Life” 7:00 p.m. - “Evolution and Faith: What is at Stake?”  Both are free and open to the public. The lectures will be presented in  Benbow Hall at The Brossman Learning Center at LTSP.  Dr. Haught is a Distinguished Research Professor from Georgetown  University’s Theology Department and director and founder of the  Georgetown Center for the Study of Science and Religion. For more information, please visit their website.