Have you heard of Sumud (formerly Peace Not Walls)? Learn more in this introductory video. Share about this new initiative from the ELCA for justice in Palestine and Israel. Stay connected by LIKING and FOLLOWING us on Facebook (ELCA Sumud) and Instagram (@ELCASumud).
Read MoreCelebrate Earth Day this April with Blessed Tomorrow. Dive into the joy and sacredness of spring as we recommit to creation care and climate justice. Discover three powerful ways to engage your congregation and community in meaningful climate action, from participating in the National Faith + Climate Forum to joining One Home One Future and becoming a Climate Ambassador. Let's honor Earth Day and ensure the beauty of our planet for future generations.
Read MoreMark your calendars and get ready to be part of a life-changing faith journey! The 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering, MYLE, the tAble, and Young Adult Gathering are your opportunities for growth, service, and worship. Ensure your congregation is part of this transformative experience by registering before the April 15 deadline.
Read MoreIn the April 2024 edition of "Go & Do News," Lauren Smith, Director at Building Resilient Communities Education and Networks, celebrates the 50th anniversary of ELCA World Hunger. This issue invites readers to reflect on the half-century milestone of tackling hunger and poverty through ELCA's dedicated ministry.
It highlights the release of 50th-anniversary resources, a special video, and inspiring stories of partnership and action across the globe, including domestic spotlight on the Allegheny Valley Association of Churches and international focus on FLD-COMIN-CAPA's work in Brazil.
Read MoreIn Living Lutheran’s "Beyond Evangelism: Sharing What Matters," Anthony Bateza explores a nuanced approach to sharing the gospel, focusing on the therapeutic aspects of Lutheran theology rather than conventional evangelism.
Dr. Bateza reflects on the discomfort with traditional evangelist roles and the fear associated with being perceived as coercive. He suggests a shift from a caricatured evangelism to sharing theological depth and substance, emphasizing love, justice, and humility in faith communities.
Read MoreStay informed and engaged with ELCA Disability Ministries in their latest update. Look forward to a new grant opportunity aimed at supporting and enhancing the work of disability ministries across our community. Additionally, consider joining their advisory team to play a pivotal role in guiding and expanding our ministry efforts.
Read MoreAs you make plans to celebrate the festivals of Pentecost and Holy Trinity and look ahead to summer worship, consider the following ways to explore All Creation Sings.
Read MoreDiscover the profound impact of biases and power dynamics in shaping our communities and relationships. Join ELCA Coaching for an enlightening one-hour session with anti-bias consultant Janelle Scales on Wednesday, 4/10/2024, 11 am MST/PDT. Login information on the ELCA Coaching website.
Delve into the intersectionality of power, the unique adult-child dynamic, and the path towards using radical compassion to foster deeper connections. Whether you're an educator, parent, or anyone committed to social justice, this session promises insights into practicing more inclusive community care.
Read MoreIn this week’s Faith Lens, Mariah Mills explores the post-Easter contemplation of "What now?" after celebrating Jesus’ resurrection. As followers grapple with witnessing ongoing injustice and evil in the world, the story of the disciples and Thomas post-resurrection provides a reminder of Jesus' peace amidst fear and doubt. Mills encourages us to recognize the "marks of the resurrection" around us as signs of hope and to live as Christ's body in the world, embracing our role in spreading this hope amidst challenges.
Read MoreFor justice and peace among nations where war and violence rage, especially Palestine and Israel, Myanmar, Iraq, Haiti, Russia and Ukraine, and South Sudan…
For relief and recovery efforts following the earthquake in Taiwan, and for those injured and those grieving the loss of family members and friends…
For all aid groups who risk their own safety as they deliver food and supplies, especially World Central Kitchen as they grieve the killing of 7 workers in Gaza…
For health care workers and epidemiologists as we continue to understand, treat, and prevent COVID, bird flu, and other diseases…
For high school and college seniors as they discern where God will lead them after graduation…
For all people in recovery from alcohol abuse in this Alcohol Awareness month…
For all communities grieving gun violence, especially Vantaa, Finland, after a school shooting…
For journalists in places where the press’s freedom is threatened, and for consumers of the news in places where misinformation is rife…
For our praise to rise at the wonders of creation, especially for the solar eclipse this week…
As part of our Creating Space for Conversations series, we share this video from the ELCA’s "Study Curriculum on Civic Life and Faith." Watch the video as a standalone resource, or explore the full set of the curriculum, including leader’s guides.
Read MoreELCA Advocacy shares their March 2024 updates. Our post focuses on Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona’s highlights. Read the full post here at ELCA.org.
Read MoreJoin beloved 1960s TV icons Davey and Goliath for their Easter special. We hope you enjoy this full episode.
Read MoreThis month's "Where Your Heart Is" newsletter from the ELCA Stewardship team emphasizes the importance of slowing down amidst the busyness of life, especially during the Holy Week and tax season.
The newsletter also introduces valuable stewardship resources and invites engagement with stewardship themes in upcoming lectionary readings, underscoring stewardship as a holistic approach to living out our faith.
Read MoreThe 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering is making an exciting move to the Smoothie King Center, right next door to the initially planned Caesars Superdome, due to ongoing construction. Deacon Tammy Jones West assures that faith formation and participant experience remain the top priority, and this venue change presents a unique opportunity to fill the arena to capacity for the first time in Gathering history.
Read MoreIn this week's Faith Lens, Kelsey Green from Baltimore, MD, offers reflections for Easter Sunday amidst the tiredness and worry of the world's current state. She explores the assurance that nothing is too big for God, drawing from Paul's words to the Corinthians about the cross's power. The discussion centers around personal powerlessness, the need for reminders that death does not win, and the joy of resurrection as seen through the women at the tomb in Mark's Gospel. This post encourages readers to find joy, share the good news, and support those in grief with the message that death does not have the last word.
Read MoreFor victims of the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in Baltimore, MD and for emergency personnel, government agencies, and all organizations offering services and support
For the family and loved ones of the Moscow Concert Hall attack in Russia…
For justice and peace among nations where war and violence rage, especially Palestine and Israel, Myanmar, Iraq, Haiti, Russia and Ukraine, and South Sudan…
For aid and food to successfully enter Gaza, along with a permanent ceasefire…
For the thoughtful and compassionate discernment of our courts…
For resurrection hope this Holy Week as we move toward Easter…
For the eradication of racism and hate crimes; may we learn to celebrate one another…
For new immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in the United States…
In her Easter message to the church, Bishop Eaton focuses on three words that describe what the women at tomb experienced when the angel announced that Jesus had been raised from the dead: fear, amazement and being seized or possessed.
“These three words really say something about the women, and I think about us and, most especially, about Easter…I think it's very important to take time to be a little amazed, to be standing in a different place, to have a sense of this awe and trembling before the Lord, and to allow ourselves to be possessed by the Spirit, who will give us power and courage in these times.”
Read MoreThe ELCA commemorates 50 years of dedicated service through ELCA World Hunger, introduces a new initiative for justice in Palestine and Israel named Sumud, celebrates the recognition of Lutheran Eagle Scout Samuel L. Jones after 60 years, and highlights important updates including calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, registration reminders for the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering, and insights into Lutheran-Catholic dialogues in "Seeds Monthly" March 2024.
Read MoreReflect on the insights shared by Rev. Aimée Appell on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, as she discusses the vital work of the European Descent Lutheran Association for Racial Justice. Appell highlights the transformative power of action-love observed at the George Floyd Global Square and emphasizes the importance of standing in solidarity with marginalized communities. Through personal experiences and scriptural wisdom, she inspires us to embody God's active love in our efforts to dismantle racism and white supremacy.
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