What We Do
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod encompasses about 140 communities of faith, more than 300 rostered leaders, and 70,000 baptized Lutheran Christians in Philadelphia and Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties.
Bishop Penman has said, “Creating a more connected and diverse church that values everyone’s gifts has long been a core value for our synod, and we continue to strive to make this a lived reality.” He adds, “…and we are beginning to live into our core values of justice, healing and joy.
Justice
Justice is not a trend or a cultural moment. It is a core biblical mandate, woven through the prophets, embodied in Jesus’ ministry, and central to our baptismal promise to “strive for justice and peace in all the earth.” For us, justice means actively helping people get what they need to thrive—materially, spiritually, and communally. It means confronting systems that harm and building “beloved community” where every one's dignity is honored.
Our synod equips congregations to practice cultural humility, deepen anti-racism commitments, and engage their neighborhoods in meaningful, mutual relationships. Justice is not an abstract idea—it is the work we do together for the sake of God’s renewing love.
Healing
Healing the church—and healing our communities—requires intentional, courageous work. We acknowledge that the church has caused harm: through exclusion, silence, colonial practices, and the misuse of spiritual authority. Healing begins with truth-telling, repentance, and the commitment to unlearn the patterns that created this harm.
The synod works with congregations in rediscovering the heart of the baptismal covenant: to live among God’s people in ways that restore, reconcile, and repair. By listening deeply, practicing accountability, and creating spaces where all may belong, we become a church shaped not by fear or defensiveness but by God’s boundless mercy.
Joy
“The joy of the Lord is our strength.” Yet for many, the work of the church has become marked by exhaustion, anxiety, and scarcity. We believe that joy is not optional—it’s a spiritual resource, a form of resilience, and a sign of the Spirit’s presence. Joy is what happens when people come alive again in purpose, community, and hope.
Part of our synod’s work is helping congregations rediscover that joy—rekindling imagination, celebrating the gifts of the Spirit, and encouraging practices that cultivate delight in God’s mission. Working with our congregations, the synod encourages leaders to explore their spiritual gifts, reconnect with their sense of call, and embrace ministry as something life-giving again.
We Equip Our Congregations And Leaders For Mission And Service In The 21stCentury, Fostering Passionate Spirituality, Vital Congregations, Adaptive Leaders, Effective Storytelling, And Faithful Generosity.
To that end, the Synod team organizes its ministries around these priorities:
Congregational Vitality
Vital congregations have strong relationships with God and with each other, and maintain a strong presence in their community. Our Director for Evangelical Mission and the Congregational Vitality Team work to empower and equip rostered and lay leaders to navigate and lead healthy change, encourage “Holy Innovations” in the form of new ministries within congregations and starting new communities of faith, provide ideas for effective care of buildings and facilities, and coordinate the distribution of grants and financial resources for innovative and effective congregations. We also focus on faith formation (including a pilot project in Cross+Gen ministry), new forms of leadership development, and strengthening youth and young adult ministries.
Communicating Our Stories
In today’s culture, people are drawn to the story of what a Synod or congregation does, and how it makes a difference for people. Synod communications tells the stories of synod and congregational ministries through this website, our email newsletter, videos, images, and social media. We also curate news and resources and track church trends to help our leaders be well informed and more effective.
Vocations And Leadership
A large number of clergy are expected to retire over the next decade, and the ELCA as a whole is experiencing a shortage of rostered ministers. Our Synod is proactive at identifying passionate and missional leaders to help lead us into the next generation and beyond. We do this by raising up future leaders from our congregations under the care of our Candidacy committee, and the mobility process by which we recognize and attract rostered ministers serving elsewhere in the church. We also provide support and resources for congregations in the midst of pastoral transitions.
Administration
The bishop’s call is to provide oversight and pastoral care for the rostered ministers and congregations of the Synod. In this work she is assisted by pastoral and lay staff members who establish and maintain relationships with clergy, lay ministers, and congregation leaders. The Finance office manages the financial resources that your congregation entrusts us with, and that are shared 50/50 with the ELCA churchwide organization. The Synod Assembly is the highest policy-setting body of the Synod. Between annual assemblies, the Synod Council provides oversight.
Sustaining these important ministries requires:
Mission Support
The majority of the financial support for Synod ministries comes from Mission Support contributions from congregations. One-half of these funds are passed on to support the work of the ELCA churchwide organization. Mission Support is augmented by extra-mile donations by congregations and individuals to special appeals, including our annual It Takes All the Saints drive. Other funding streams include income on investments, registration for self-sustaining events, and grants from the ELCA and other organizations.