Posts tagged Living Lutheran
Shrewd Grace: When God’s Love Gets Practical
Shrewd Grace: When God’s Love Gets Practical

What happens when grace refuses to stay passive? In this thoughtful reflection from Living Lutheran, Pastor Ralen M. Robinson explores shrewd grace—a grace that is both tender and wise, compassionate and discerning. Drawing on Scripture and real-world complexity, Robinson invites readers to hold mercy and boundaries together, seeing grace not as weakness, but as God’s love actively at work in a broken world.

As we enter a new year amid ongoing injustice and division, this reflection challenges us to forgive without forgetting, to love boldly without enabling harm, and to embody Christ’s courageous, resourceful grace. Read the full article, “Shrewd Grace,” on Living Lutheran.

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ELCABrian FlatgardLiving LutheranComment
Faithful Witness Isn’t Optional: A Call for Lutherans Today
Faithful Witness Isn’t Optional: A Call for Lutherans Today

In a new Living Lutheran “Deeper Understandings” column, theologian Troy Troftgruben launches the ELCA’s 2026 theme by reexamining what faithful Christian witness looks like in an era of division, mistrust, and religious harm. Drawing on Scripture, the book of Acts, and Martin Luther’s image of the church as a “mouth house,” the article reminds Lutherans that witness belongs to all believers—not as coercion or salesmanship, but as humble testimony in word and deed.

Faithful witness, Troftgruben argues, begins with listening, honors people’s lived experiences, and trusts the Holy Spirit to work through authentic relationships that seek peace and justice. Read the full article in Living Lutheran to explore how Lutherans are called to bear hopeful, bridge-building witness in today’s challenging times.

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ELCABrian FlatgardLiving LutheranComment
Praying Together in 2026: How Prayer Ventures Connects Church and World
Praying Together in 2026: How Prayer Ventures Connects Church and World

As the new year approaches, Prayer Ventures offers a simple way to ground your daily life and ministry in prayer. These short, daily petitions—shared each day on Living Lutheran and available as monthly PDFs on the ELCA resource site—connect us to the global mission of the church and the needs of our neighbors.

Whether used personally or in congregational settings, Prayer Ventures is a timely and accessible resource for anyone looking to incorporate intentional prayer into 2026.

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ELCA, Leader Resources, PrayersBrian FlatgardLiving LutheranComment
We Are Called as Lutherans: Responding Faithfully to Federal Budget Cuts
We Are Called as Lutherans: Responding Faithfully to Federal Budget Cuts

Recent federal spending cuts to Medicaid, refugee resettlement, and disaster response are already impacting Lutheran ministries across the country. In this Living Lutheran Voices of Faith column, Debra Madaris Efird reflects on how these changes affect agencies like Lutheran Services Carolinas—and asks what it means for us, as Lutherans, to respond with compassion, advocacy, generosity, and prayer. This timely reflection invites congregations and individuals alike to discern faithful action rooted in our shared call to love our neighbors. Read the full article at Living Lutheran.

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ELCABrian FlatgardLiving Lutheran, Church and SocietyComment
God’s Love Knows No Bounds: Finding Home, Faith, and Belonging
God’s Love Knows No Bounds: Finding Home, Faith, and Belonging

What does God’s boundless love look like in everyday life? In this moving reflection from Living Lutheran, Augustana University campus pastor Shawna Day shares the story of Benedict Owusu, an international student from Ghana navigating culture shock, loneliness, and racism—and discovering God’s presence through community, care, and faith. Rooted in the conviction that God’s love knows no bounds, this story reminds us how the Holy Spirit works through human connection to create belonging and hope. Read the full reflection at Living Lutheran.

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ELCABrian FlatgardLutheran Campus Ministries, Living LutheranComment
Start Reading: Living Lutheran’s New Site Now Offers Free Digital Access
Start Reading: Living Lutheran’s New Site Now Offers Free Digital Access

The new LivingLutheran.org has launched, offering a free digital membership for readers across the Grand Canyon Synod. To create your free account, visit the direct sign-up link at https://www.livinglutheran.org/create-account the page is currently hard to find from the main subscribe screen.

A free account provides a personalized dashboard, members-only content, article-saving features, and customizable e-news options. Learn more about digital access and print subscriptions at livinglutheran.org/subscribe and stay connected to stories that strengthen us as one ELCA church.

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ELCA, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardLiving LutheranComment
Interfaith, Not Isolated: Campus Ministry as Home for a New Generation
Interfaith, Not Isolated: Campus Ministry as Home for a New Generation

On a spring-break service trip to New Orleans, Augsburg University students of many faiths (and none) discovered a deep sense of joy and belonging as they danced together in Jackson Square—until a fundamentalist campus ministry group turned the moment into an aggressive proselytizing effort. The experience opened rich conversations among the Augsburg group about faith sharing, respect, and what it really means to serve in Christ’s name.

University pastor John Rohde Schwehn reflects on this story through a Lutheran lens, drawing on theologian Samuel Wells to shift the focus from doing things for others to being with others, especially in a time of loneliness and isolation. Campus ministry, he writes, is called to form beloved community where Christ is present in shared life, not just in doctrinal correctness. Read the full reflection on Living Lutheran ›

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Brian FlatgardLutheran Campus Ministries, Living LutheranComment
A Palestinian Christian Calls the Church to Truth and Justice in Gaza
A Palestinian Christian Calls the Church to Truth and Justice in Gaza

In this powerful first-person reflection, Khader Khalilia, a Palestinian Christian and ELCA leader, names how life under occupation and the ongoing devastation in Gaza are inseparable from the silence and complicity of much of the Western church. He argues that “peace” without justice merely covers injustice, and that Christian Zionism—confusing the gospel with empire and military power—is a theological distortion that must be rejected.

Khalilia frames Gaza’s suffering as a spiritual and moral crisis for the global church, calling Lutherans to repentance, courage, and a public witness rooted in the Jesus who lived and died as a colonized, brown-skinned Palestinian. This is a challenging and deeply faithful word for our time. Read the full reflection on Living Lutheran ›

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ELCABrian FlatgardLiving Lutheran, Israel and PalestineComment
Faith Over Fear: Lutherans Pray for Evi and All Detained Neighbors
Faith Over Fear: Lutherans Pray for Evi and All Detained Neighbors

A small but resolute group of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Lutheran leaders and community members gathered outside the Adelanto ICE Processing Center to pray for the release of Evi Sarlita Sihomping, a longtime ELCA member detained since June 7. Led by Pacifica Synod Bishop David Nagler and organized alongside the API Leaders Migration Justice Training, the vigil lifted up Evi’s humanity, rejected the “model minority” myth, and insisted that immigration policy must be shaped by empathy, not punishment.

The article from Living Lutheran highlights the broader advocacy of API ministries, AMMPARO, and ELCA leaders who refuse to stay silent as families are separated. It also shares practical ways to support Evi—including sending cards and contacting elected officials. Read the full story on Living Lutheran ›

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ELCA, Region 2Brian FlatgardLiving Lutheran, Pacifica Synod, Immigration and Refugees, Church and SocietyComment
Good News Roundup: Generosity, Grace and Hope Across the ELCA
Good News Roundup: Generosity, Grace and Hope Across the ELCA

In a season that can feel heavy, Living Lutheran gathers a set of recent stories where hope and generosity are powerfully visible in ELCA ministries. From campus communities cultivating belonging, to congregations giving sacrificially to feed neighbors, to student-led pantries, prison ministry, and “God’s work. Our hands.” service projects, each story reveals ordinary Lutherans sharing Christ’s love in concrete ways.

This “good news roundup” is designed as a reminder that the Holy Spirit is at work in and through our church—on campuses, in rural communities, in correctional centers, and beyond. It’s a quick way to be encouraged and to spark ideas for ministry in your own context. Read the full good news roundup on Living Lutheran ›

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ELCABrian FlatgardLiving LutheranComment
Gratitude Around the Table: Five Faith-Filled Family Practices
Gratitude Around the Table: Five Faith-Filled Family Practices

As families and friends gather to share a meal, Living Lutheran offers five simple, faith-rooted activities to help all ages name blessings and practice gratitude together. Ideas include a “build-a-prayer” litany using everyone’s thanksgivings and hopes, kid-drawn illustrations of favorite family stories, a Scripture “gratitude hunt,” “compliment cookies” delivered to neighbors, and serving together through local ministries.

Each activity is designed to be low-cost, creative, and adaptable for home or congregation, helping us direct our thanks toward God and express love for one another and our communities. Find all five gratitude ideas on Living Lutheran ›

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ELCABrian FlatgardLiving LutheranComment
Advent Week One: Keeping Awake with a Wreath of Hope
Advent Week One: Keeping Awake with a Wreath of Hope

Living Lutheran launches its Advent series with a simple pattern for Week One: a prayer from Bread for the Day, a reading from Matthew 24:36-44, and an easy “Wreath of Hope” activity that can be done in congregations, homes, or small groups. Using paper plates, green paper, and words of hope written on each “leaf,” households and faith communities are invited to reflect on God’s presence in weary years and uncertain times.

This first week centers on Jesus’ call to “keep awake,” recognizing that we do not know the hour of his coming and yet trusting that God is with us in our waiting. Reflection questions help participants name where they have experienced grace, and how uncertainty shapes their faith. Explore the full Week One guide on Living Lutheran ›

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Brian Flatgard2025 Advent and Christmas, Living LutheranComment
I’m a Lutheran: Zander Hine, Young Leader for Food Justice and Creation Care
I’m a Lutheran: Zander Hine, Young Leader for Food Justice and Creation Care

Living Lutheran profiles Zander Hine, a high school senior and lifelong member of St. John Lutheran, Hagerstown, Md., whose faith has led him into deep engagement with food insecurity, environmental advocacy, and community service. From overseeing Micah’s Backpack and serving on local nonprofit boards to conducting research on food waste and hunger in his school district, Zander lives his baptismal call by “living grace through action.”

Be inspired by his story of service, leadership, and hope by reading the full “I’m a Lutheran” feature on Living Lutheran.

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ELCABrian FlatgardLiving LutheranComment
Seeing Our Neighbors: A Lesson in Compassion and Connection
Seeing Our Neighbors: A Lesson in Compassion and Connection

In this month’s Living Lutheran reflection, pastor and writer Kimberly Knowle-Zeller reminds us of the quiet holiness of being seen. When her son’s rough morning led to a classmate’s simple empathy—“I have mornings like that”—it became a lesson in bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). Families are invited to notice and pray for neighbors in need, send caring notes, and practice intercessory prayer as ways to live out God’s love in daily life. Read more at Living Lutheran.

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ELCABrian FlatgardLiving LutheranComment
“God’s Work. Our Hands.” Sunday 2025: Faith in Action Across the ELCA
“God’s Work. Our Hands.” Sunday 2025: Faith in Action Across the ELCA

From Maine to Texas, congregations across the ELCA joined in acts of compassion during this year’s “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday on September 7. Volunteers packed food kits, cleaned parks, visited seniors, and supported those in need—embodying service as worship. Some gathered in solidarity with immigrants and social service agencies facing budget cuts. “Being baptized into Christ’s life,” one volunteer reflected, “creates a whole new world of relationships … characterized by loving, liberated service.” Read more at Living Lutheran.

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ELCABrian FlatgardLiving Lutheran, God's Work Our Hands SundayComment
Crossing Borders, Sharing Faith: Trinity Community Lutheran Welcomes All
Crossing Borders, Sharing Faith: Trinity Community Lutheran Welcomes All

In Point Roberts, Washington—a U.S. enclave accessible only through Canada—Trinity Community Lutheran Church embodies faith without borders. Founded in 1913 by Icelandic immigrants, the congregation now includes U.S. and Canadian members who gather for music, potlucks, and interfaith worship. Through Jazz Vespers, shared holidays, and rotating clergy, Trinity continues to live out the message that “all are welcome,” even amid changing politics and border challenges. Read more at Living Lutheran.

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ELCABrian FlatgardLiving Lutheran, Immigration and RefugeesComment
ELCA Colleges Confront Food Insecurity Through Campus Pantries
ELCA Colleges Confront Food Insecurity Through Campus Pantries

Food insecurity affects nearly one in four college students nationwide. In response, campus ministries across the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities (NECU) operate pantries offering food, essentials, and compassionate support. These ministries reflect Christ’s call to feed the hungry and ensure all can flourish. Read the full article on Living Lutheran: That all may flourish — NECU pantries address food insecurity.

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ELCABrian FlatgardHunger, Living LutheranComment
Reformation: More Than a Day—A Call to Live Our Faith Boldly
Reformation: More Than a Day—A Call to Live Our Faith Boldly

Reformation is more than an annual celebration—it is a living tradition calling us to embody grace, justice, and courageous discipleship in daily life. In this reflection, Pastor Ralen M. Robinson invites us to remember that the Spirit continues to stir reform in our communities as we advocate for change, love our neighbors, and allow faith alone, Scripture alone, and grace alone to guide us year-round. Read the full reflection on Living Lutheran: My take: A living tradition — The Reformation was meant to be continued.

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ELCABrian FlatgardReformation Sunday, Living LutheranComment
ELCA Social Statement Reminds Us: Health Care Is Shared Vocation
ELCA Social Statement Reminds Us: Health Care Is Shared Vocation

This Deeper Understandings reflection revisits the ELCA’s 2003 social statement Caring for Health: Our Shared Endeavor, which calls Christians to affirm health care as part of our baptismal vocation to love our neighbor. The statement highlights the need for equitable access to care, support for providers, faithful decision-making, and compassionate community engagement.

Read this Living Lutheran article to see how this teaching continues to guide faithful health conversations—and action—today.

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ELCABrian FlatgardLiving LutheranComment
Wisconsin Lutherans Help Returning Neighbors Create Homes of Hope
Wisconsin Lutherans Help Returning Neighbors Create Homes of Hope

In Wisconsin, Share Our Best Furniture Ministry partners with Breaking the Chains Church to furnish homes for people reentering society after incarceration. By providing essential items—beds, tables, and home goods—local Lutherans help families rebuild stability and dignity during a vulnerable transition. Learn how congregations collaborate to embody Christ’s love in tangible and practical ways in Living Lutheran.

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ELCABrian FlatgardLiving LutheranComment