- Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod and it participating parishes are blessed with many assets and resources. We first and far most give thanks and praise to our Lord and Savior.
Our ministry assets includes:
• SEPA’s leadership
• Our diversity
• Our collective years of experience among our pastors
• Our congregational membership and their parishes
• Worship facilities and properties
- While it is true that we are blessed with many assets, congregational members of the participating parishes, like many other urban areas and congregations of color around the US, have experienced:
• White flight
• And economic abandonment starting in the late 50s and accelerated during the 60s & 70s
• Shortage of pastoral leadership
We recognize that in some instances pastoral leadership did not transition to address the many complex changes that was visited upon their ministries. - Phase I: STFS shall in the coming 9 months of 2024/25 employ the following strategies:
1. Tri-Listening: beginning in July 2024, a team comprised of representatives from each congregation will Listen to God through scripture, Listen to each other, and Listen to the communities;
2. Preliminary reports from pastors have reported that in the decades of their ministries, they have never had the privilege to go on Sabbatical. This is a critical need in order that our pastoral leadership is renewed to move forward with their ministry;
3. Further, pastors have reported decades of inadequate compensation/benefits disparities, and they fear that they will not be able to retire and will have to work until their health prevent them further ministry;
4. Conduct a comprehensive assessment of each church property to determine structural viability, needed revenue to repair/replace operating systems; and
The Stronger Together. - Phase II: STFS shall in of 2025/26 employ the following strategies:
a) Request that the SEPA Synod Council adopt and approve the multi-year Forward Together Ministry Plan
b) Congregational Church Councils will adopt, approve, and sign-off on the multi-year Forward Together Ministry Plan
c) In the second half of 2025, begin implementing the strategic plan for pastoral sabbaticals
d) In the second half of 2025, begin implementing strategic priorities for addressing church properties, repurposing, and ministry consolidations;
These efforts will be made possible with critically needed Innovation Grant Funds, SEPA Funding, and external funding from sources i.e. Hud, Foundations, etc.
