The LYO board recognizes an outstanding youth of our synod each month. We ask you to consider nominating youth that are making a positive impact on their community through church, school or other organizations. Nomination forms can be downloaded below or by contacting Jessica at jmcalister@sepa.org or 267.323.3757. Please send nominations to the synod office, 7241 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia PA 19119 or jmcalister@sepa.org or fax - 267.323.3777

February Youth of the Month

SEPA Synod Youth Ministry Network

Spending time with other youth ministers is an invaluable support in our work with young people.

You are invited to join other youth workers from our synod for a time of fellowship, food, networking, prayer, conversation, a devotion and renewal.

Join us!

Thursday, March 4th

Wednesday, April 7th

Thursday, May 6th

at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 132 E. Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, PA

12:30 – 2:00 p.m.

Lunch is provided, however we are asking for a donation of $6 a person to cover the costs. Please email Jessica at jmcalister@sepa.org  if you will be with us so we can get an accurate head count for food.

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Fuller Inclusion of Youth and Young Adults

There have been some exciting steps our Church has taken recently towards fuller inclusion of youth and young adults in the decision making bodies of our ministries. Many of our congregations elect their voting members to Synod Assembly and their new Congregational Council members in the winter and so I wanted to be sure you had this information before those things took place.

First, in May of 2008 our SEPA Synod Assembly voted overwhelmingly to pass the following resolution (shown here in part) –

WHEREAS the Southeastern PA Synod Assembly has historically had a very low number of voting members who were under the age of 25; and

WHEREAS young people are not just future leaders of our church, but present leaders; and

WHEREAS participation in the Synod Assembly may affirm the gifts of our youth and motivate young people to be a more active part of the church’s mission;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that in addition to the voting members to Synod Assemblies established by the constitutional provisions, each congregation may send as one additional voting member a confirmed youth/young adult up to the age of 25 who is a voting member of their congregation;

So as your congregation elects or appoints members to serve at Synod Assembly 2010, please remember that you may send a youth or young adult in addition to the voting members already set for your congregation. At the 2009 Synod Assembly we had 53 youth/young adult voting members (compared to less than ten the year before!) and we’re hoping that even more congregations take advantage of this opportunity for 2010.

The second item is a very exciting decision made by the 2009 Churchwide Assembly that affects the Churchwide and Synod constitutions directly and provides strong language for congregations to use in their constitutions that encourage youth and young adult leadership.  The recommended change to congregational constitutions is as follows -

To amend:  C12.01. The voting membership of the Congregation Council shall consist of the pastor(s)[, the officers of the congregation,] and [___ members] [not more than ___ nor fewer than ___ members] of the congregation, at least one of whom shall be a youth and at least one of whom shall be a young adult. Any voting member . . . [the rest unchanged].

I encourage you to share these two items with your congregational council and to discuss how your community of faith will live into them in the next year.  If you already have young people in such leadership positions that’s excellent – how can you teach congregations near by to embrace such leadership?  If you do not have young people in such leadership positions, please have the conversation with your leaders about how you would raise up these young people to serve with you.

It is my hope that the Southeastern PA Synod and its congregations can be the example for the rest of the ELCA in living out these important changes in our culture of leadership.

I offer myself as a resource to each of you.  If I can be of help in having a conversation with your council or congregation, I am happy to come and speak with your leaders and help imagine a plan to put the wheels in motion. Please do not hesitate to contact me!

Molly Beck Dean, Assistant to the Bishop – Youth Ministry Specialist, mbeck@sepa.org, 267.323.3762

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YOUTH MINISTRY COMMITTEE

The Youth Ministry Committee serves adults who work with youth and children by helping to provide them with their needs of training, faith development, fellowship with other youth workers, and support including resources and networking.

Members of the SEPA Synod Youth Ministry Committee are:
Cindy Hane, St. James, Limerick
Elise Seyfried, Christ's, Oreland
Jerry Faust, Immanuel, Norwood
Ray Hopkins, Upper Dublin, Ambler, Chairperson
Marty Schmidt, St. Paul, Exton
Molly Beck Dean, Synod Staff


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All adults registered to attend a synodical overnight youth ministry events must complete national criminal and child abuse background checks and submit the results to the synod BEFORE the event is to take place.  For more information on this and other safety policies of the synod, contact Molly Beck Dean at mbeck@sepa.org or 267.323.3762.

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Scholarship Fund

A scholarship fund is established to help youth and adults attend educationally and spiritually enriching youth ministry events.  The need for financial assistance in our synod is great, for youth and adults alike.  We would like every youth who wants to attend a retreat or adult who desires further training to have that opportunity. 

Any donation is deeply appreciated and is tax deductible!  If you, your congregation, youth ministry program, Foundation committee or another source are able to contribute to this fund, please send a check made payable to SEPA Synod to:

SEPA Synod Office
Attn: Molly Beck Dean
7241 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19119