Bulletin of Reports for the Thirtieth Annual Assembly Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America MAY 5 - 6, 2017 Franconia Mennonite Church 613 Harleysville Pike Telford, PA 18969 Welcome to the Synod Assembly ******************* IMPORTANT INFORMATION ******************* For Those Staying Overnight: Directions to Homewood Suites by Hilton Lansdale, 1200 Pennbrook Parkway, Lansdale, PA 19446. Turn left out of Franconia parking lot onto Harleysville Pike/PA-113. Go 0.4 of a mile to first traffic light. Turn right onto Allentown Road. Go 7.4 miles on Allentown Road, which will end at an intersection. Turn left onto Sumneytown Pike (Route 63 West). Get into left lane. Go only 0.3 mile on Sumneytown Pike. Turn left onto Church Road. Go 1 mile on Church Road (Traffic Light /Shopping Center/ Clock Tower on right). Turn left onto Pennbrook Parkway and keep toward right as drive will take you directly into hotel parking lot. Hotel check-in will not be available until after 4:00 p.m. and since we will be in Assembly session then and throughout the evening, you should plan to check into the hotel following the recess of the Assembly at about 9:00 p.m., Friday. You must check out of the hotel before the beginning of the Assembly session on Saturday. PLEASE NOTE: The Assembly begins with registration from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on Friday, May 5th . The program begins at 9:30 a.m. Friday morning. We will conclude by approximately 3:45 p.m., Saturday, May 6th . Note first time attendees are invited to a pre-assembly orientation beginning at 8:30 a.m. If you have any questions prior to the Assembly: Registration questions: Cynta Outterbridge, Registrar 267-323-3742 or [email protected] All other questions: The Rev. Susan Lang, Events Planner 267.323.3756 or [email protected] . FRANCONIA MEETING HOUSE WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU AT THE ASSEMBLY 613 Harleysville Pike (Route 113) Telford, PA (215) 723-3220 Conveniently located 30 miles South of Allentown and 30 miles North of Philadelphia … From Allentown – South on Route 309, exit at Souderton Route 113, turn right. Follow Route 113 approximately 3 ½ miles through the town of Souderton and Franconia. The church is on the right side of the road. From Philadelphia – Take the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Route 476 North to Exit 31. After exit at traffic light turn right onto Route 63 Sumneytown Pike, follow Route 63 approximately 3 miles through the town of Harleysville and turn right onto Route 113. Follow Route 113 approximately 1 ½ miles, the church is on the left. Note: directions to the Homewood Suites Lansdale are located on the prior page. Table of Contents Program…………………………………………………………… .…………… .…i Rules of Procedure ………………………………………………………………….v Report of the Bishop ……………………..…………………………………… .BR-1 Anniversary Celebrants………………………………………………………..AC -1 Report of the Secretary. ………………………………………………………...SR -1 Report of the Synod Council. …………………………………………………. .SC-1 Report of the Nominating Committee.. ………………………………………….A -1 Report of the Constitution Committee ……………….………………………..… B-1 Report of the Treasurer and Budget Proposal……………………….………..… C-1 Report of the Statistician ………………………………………………….…..… D-1 Reports of Committees and Task Forces....……….………………………….. ....E-1 Reports of Social Ministry Organizations.….….……………………………..…F-1 Reports of Colleges and Seminaries.. ……..……………………………………. .G-1 Reports of Agencies.……………………...………….………………….………H-1 SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SYNOD PROPOSED PROGRAM FOR THE THIRTIETH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASSEMBLY MAY 5-6, 2017 FRANCONIA MENNONITE CHURCH 613 HARLEYSVILLE PIKE TELFORD, PENNSYLVANIA 18969 FRIDAY, MAY 5, 2017 8:30 a.m. Registration Refreshments in Upper Fellowship Hall 8:45 a.m. Orientation (optional) to Assembly Proceedings The Rev. Dr. Larry V. Smoose, Parliamentarian 9:30 a.m. Service of Holy Communion Commemoration of the Faithful Departed Installation of Rostered Ministers called to Specialized Ministries Order for the Opening of Assembly 10:50 a.m. Welcome and Introductions 11:05 a.m. Report of the Registrar – Ms. Cynta Outterbridge 11:10 a.m. Report of the Secretary – The Rev. Karl Richard Presentation of the Program Rules of Procedure Reception of Reports Constitution Committee i 11:25 a.m. Report of the Nominating Committee The Rev. Laura Tancredi, Chairperson Nominating Committee 11:40 a.m. Address by The Rev. Claire S. Burkat, Bishop 12:10 p.m. The Rev. Dr. J. Jayakiran Sebastian Dean, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia 12:20 p.m. Portico Benefit Services – Ms. Barbara Debski, Regional Representative 12:25 p.m. Prayer 12:30 p.m. Lunch and Mission Center 1:25 p.m. Prayer 1:30 p.m. Balloting The Rev. Rebecca Schanely, Chairperson Committee on Elections 1:50 p.m. Report of the Treasurer – Ms. Janet Huber Neff Report of the Finance Committee – Ms. Sue Massey, Chairperson 2:10 p.m. Keynote – Ms. Judith Roberts ELCA Program Director, Racial Justice 3:40 p.m. Recognition of Anniversary Celebrants Recognition of Congregational Anniversaries 3:55 p.m. Prayer 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Forums Mission Center Dinner 7:00 p.m. Prayer 7:05 p.m. Report of the Committee on Elections and Balloting The Rev. Rebecca Schanely, Chairperson 7:20 p.m. First Report of the Committee on Reference and Counsel The Rev. Raymond Miller, Chairperson 7:40 p.m. Introduction of Candidates Deacon Allison Wilcox, Director of Candidacy Mr. Fred Renigar, Chairperson of Candidacy Committee 8:00 p.m. Evening Prayer Adjournment of Friday Session ii SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2017 8:30 a.m. Refreshments in Upper Fellowship Hall 9:00 a.m. Worship Ingathering Send Off 9:45 a.m. Second Report of the Committee on Reference and Counsel The Rev. Raymond Miller, Chairperson 10:00 a.m. Report of the Vice President of SEPA Synod Ms. Tracey A. Beasley 10:15 a.m. SEPA Anti-Racism Team 10:45 a.m. ELCA Churchwide Representative-- Ms. Judith Roberts ELCA Program Director, Racial Justice 11:15 a.m. Report of the Committee on Elections and Balloting The Rev. Rebecca Schanely, Chairperson 11:30 a.m. Forward Together in Faith Campaign Update 11:50 a.m. SEPA Anti-Racism Team 12:25 p.m. Prayer 12:30 p.m. Lunch 1:40 p.m. Prayer 1:45 p.m. Report of the Committee on Elections and Balloting The Rev. Rebecca Schanely, Chairperson 2:00 p.m. 50 th Anniversary Celebrants 2:20 p.m. Third Report of the Committee on Reference and Counsel The Rev. Raymond Miller, Chairperson 2: 45 p.m. Final Report of the Registrar -- Ms. Cynta Outterbridge Announcement of 2018 Assembly Dates 2:50 p.m. Recognition of Outgoing Synod Council Members Installation of Synod Council Members 3:30 p.m. Order for Closing of Assembly Adjournment iii RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE SYNOD ASSEMBLY OF THE SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SYNOD Chapter 7 SYNOD ASSEMBLY +S7.01. This synod shall have Synod Assembly, which shall be its highest legislative authority. The powers of the Synod Assembly are limited only by the provisions in the Articles of Incorporation, this constitution and bylaws, the assembly’s own resolutions, and the constitution and bylaws of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. +S7.11. A regular meeting of the Synod Assembly shall be held at least triennially. S7.11.01. A regular meeting of the Synod Assembly shall be held annually. S7.12. Special meetings of the Synod Assembly may be called by the bishop with the consent of the Synod Council, and shall be called by the bishop at the request of one-fifth of the voting members of the Synod Assembly. a. The notice of each special meeting shall define the purpose for which it is to be held. The scope of actions to be taken at such a special meeting shall be limited to the subject matter(s) described in the notice. b. If the special meeting of the Synod Assembly is required for the purpose of electing a successor bishop because of death, resignation, or inability to serve, the special meeting shall be called by the Synod Council after consultation with the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. S7.13. Notice of the time and place of all meetings of the Synod Assembly shall be given by the secretary of this synod. S7.13.10. Notice of the time and place of the regular meeting or of an adjourned meeting of the Synod Assembly shall be sent by the secretary not less than four weeks preceding the meeting. Notice of the time and place of a special meeting shall be sent by the secretary not less than two weeks preceding the meeting. S7.14 One-half of members of the Synod Assembly shall constitute a quorum. iv †S7.21. The membership of the Synod Assembly, of which at least 60 percent of the voting membership shall be composed of laypersons, shall be constituted as follows: a. All ministers of Word and Sacrament under call on the roster of this synod in attendance at the Synod Assembly shall be voting members. b. All ministers of Word and Service, under call, on the roster of this synod shall be voting members in the Synod Assembly, in addition to the voting membership of lay members of congregations provided in item †S7.21.c. c. A minimum of one lay member elected by each congregation with fewer than 175 baptized members and a minimum of two lay members elected by each congregation with 175 or more baptized members related to this synod, normally one of whom shall be male and one of whom shall be female, shall be voting members. The Synod Council shall establish a formula to provide additional lay representation from congregations on the basis of the number of baptized members in the congregation.