The 2008 Assembly passed a resolution that directed the Synod Council to hold a special day of offering to help defray the anticipated 2009 budget deficit. It included a provision for the Synod Council and Finance Committee to include resource development as a part of the synod mission strategy that is currently being planned. (more…)

Addressing a concern for generational diversity at future synod assemblies, the 2008 Assembly passed a resolution encouraging congregations to elect one additional voting member under the age of 25 to their annual delegations. The resolution was presented for consideration to the assembly by the Synod Council.

“Our voices deserve to be heard, too,” said Melissa Valentine. “We’re very much a part of the church.”

“There is room at the cross for all of us,” said Pastor Andrena Ingram, “There is room at the Table for all of us. There is certainly room for youth at this Assembly.”

Saying that she had just come from a youth lock-in event, Pastor Susan Montgomery added: “If we could harness half of the energy that I saw there, there would be no stopping us!”

S7.21.10 In addition to the congregation’s election of voting member(s) of the Synod Assembly as established by S7.21.c, each congregation may elect one additional voting member of the Synod Assembly who shall be a voting member of the congregation up to the age of 25.

The 2008 Assembly of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod passed a resolution to ask the ELCA to begin the process of developing a social statement concerning individuals with disabilities. (more…)

The Assembly passed a resolution urging rostered leaders of the Synod to take the Health Care Assessment available online through the ELCA Board of Pensions.

Pastor Larry Smoose explained that the ELCA, in cooperation with the Mayo Clinic, is working at health management and the prevention of illness. Rostered leaders have been asked to voluntarily participate in an online health assessment. Every congregation could get a discount of 2% towards health care costs if 75% of the rostered leaders covered in our synod take the assessment. (more…)

A resolution asking the ELCA to establish a minimum continuing education requirement for pastors was defeated, 266-177.

“As people in ministry we should have the same kind of accountability as those in other professions when it comes to continuing education,” said Pastor Larry Smoose, who submitted the resolution to the assembly. (more…)