Lutherans Together. Loving God. Loving Neighbor.
Our Mission
Equipping the saints for the work of ministry.
Reconciling In Christ
Our Core Values
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.”
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.
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.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod consistently works toward our mission of equipping the saints for the work of ministry and recognizes that within that mission, we are centered around three core values: Justice, Healing and Joy.
Reconciling in Christ
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod is a Reconciling in Christ synod.
The 2022 Synod Assembly adopted this welcome statement to express our continuing commitment to welcoming and including all people in Synod ministries:
We, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA, rooted in Jesus' gospel of liberation, unconditional love, and hospitality, welcome all into fellowship and community. This welcome includes those who have traditionally been marginalized in society inclusive of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, racial and ethnic backgrounds, physical and mental abilities, and stations in life. As God’s beloved, we are guided by the Holy Spirit, committed to the work of racial equity, and called to the pursuit of justice throughout our communities. We encourage all of our congregations to engage in this work of the gospel, creating safe spaces for all people to bravely be their full selves. We celebrate and affirm all of God’s children just as they are with all of their differences and gifts.
Bishop Bryan Penman
The Rev. Bryan J. Penman earned his Master of Divinity with a concentration in Metro Urban Studies from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia (now United Lutheran Seminary) in 2012. He was called to serve as Pastor of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Conshohocken, PA, in 2013, where he faithfully ministered until his election as Bishop of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod in 2024.
In addition to his parish work, Bishop Penman joined the synod staff in 2022 as a Director of Evangelical Mission, focusing on congregational vitality. He chaired the synod’s Vitality Team, playing a crucial role in developing and sustaining vital ministries throughout the synod.
Originally from Virginia, Bishop Penman grew up as a lifelong Lutheran at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Stafford, VA. His formative years in the Virginia Synod’s youth ministry programs inspired him to attend Lenoir-Rhyne University, an ELCA institution in Hickory, NC, where he graduated with a degree in English and Religious Studies in 2004.
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Before discerning a call to ministry, Bishop Penman worked with his mother in real estate, where they built an award-winning business. Bishop Penman currently resides in Conshohocken, PA, with his devoted husband, Matt, and their adopted son.
