May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Bishop Eaton reminds us that caring for our mental health is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of courage, faithfulness and hope.
Greetings to you for a joyous Eid al-Fitr.
On this blessed occasion, I write to share "A Declaration of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to the Muslim Community." Through this message to you, we recommit ourselves to the heart of both our theological traditions: love of God and love of neighbor.
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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will observe its 35th anniversary on April 30, 2022. On this date in 1987, the ELCA constitution was adopted during the opening session of the Constituting Convention in Columbus, Ohio.
To symbolize the formation of the new denomination, the bishops from the three predecessor church bodies poured water from separate containers into one baptismal font.
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Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton shares her letter to 2022 assemblies. View as PDF in English or Spanish, and also read in this post.
“Theresa of Avila talked about the church as the hands and feet of Christ in the world, the very way God will work to engage new people.”
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April is Fair Housing Awareness Month and Bishop Eaton encourages us to continue the Lutheran tradition of being advocates for fair housing legislation and “tackle the legacy of segregation, housing discrimination, and ongoing disparities of homeownership for persons with disabilities, or based on race and gender.”
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As we return to a post-pandemic world, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reminds us that we will need the “word of the Lord—the Word that calls us back to our center, which is the steadfast love of God, law and gospel, judgment and promise.” Read her April column for Living Lutheran in English and in Spanish, or download as PDF or Word document.
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As we enter the third year of this pandemic, we see the signs of stress and incivility, even the signs of war and disease in Ethiopia and Sudan, in Europe. It might seem like death still has sway, but Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reminds us to declare confidently on this Easter and all times "I know that my Redeemer lives.”
View in this post, on YouTube, or download the video here. Read the message as PDF in English or Spanish.
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As we prepare to celebrate Earth Day later this month, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton shares some examples of how Lutherans are caring for creation and addressing climate justice.
God calls us to be stewards of the earth, and to fully integrate creation care into our love of God, neighbor and everything in our environment. Learn more at https://elca.org/environment.
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“For those of you who are wondering about the particulars of the process to address the issues that arose in the Sierra Pacific Synod, I want to give you an update on the ways in which we are moving forward.” (This update is provided in English and en español.)
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On March 25, 2022, we commemorate the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, declared by the United Nations in 2007. As we remember the victims of what has been called the “the worst violation of human rights in history,” Bishop Eaton calls us to “learn more about the inhumane history of the transatlantic slave trade and examine the paths that will lead us towards racial healing and justice.”
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In her March column for Living Lutheran, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reminds us that “over and over again humankind has betrayed the hope God has for us.” She suggests that this is a “time for a reset.” Read her column in English at https://bit.ly/361wmXp and in Spanish at https://bit.ly/3wgluj2.
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Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton shares some of the ways the ELCA, Lutheran Disaster Response and our partners in ministry are responding to the growing humanitarian crisis in eastern Europe by providing support for refugees and internally displaced people. Please keep our companions in your prayers during these turbulent times. God of life, give us your peace.
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“I am appointing a listening panel of three people to review the interactions of Bishop Megan Rohrer with Misión Latina Luterana, particularly on December 12, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and to make recommendations to me.” Read more in English and Spanish in this post.
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Bishop Eaton provides a prayer as we enter Lent, and invites us to explore Now Is the Time: A Study Guide for ELCA Declaration to People of African Descent and ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving at ELCA.org/40Days.
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Though we have been anxious about the recent growing tensions between Ukraine and Russia and between Russia and the NATO countries in recent weeks, we remain deeply concerned, as we have been since 2014, for the impact of this ongoing conflict on innocent civilians throughout Ukraine.
All our religious traditions call us to pray and work for peace. We join our voices and hands together. We must open our eyes to those who are suffering, and we cannot remain indifferent to the injustice this conflict has brought on the people of Ukraine and may bring on people of neighboring countries.
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Bishop Eaton shares Martin Luther’s last words in her latest video, showing how God’s strength is made more perfect in weakness.
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In honor of Black History Month we celebrate the historic ministry and contributions of all members of the ELCA African Descent community who make up the American Lutheran tradition.
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It’s game time! The Big Game Challenge has kicked off, and our church is racing toward the goal of ending hunger! While you are cheering on your team and celebrating with family and friends— let’s help tackle hunger together!
From kickoff to the final whistle, Team Cincinnati and Team Los Angeles will seek to outdo one another for the sake of the gospel. The fans that donate the most through their team page to ELCA World Hunger by midnight Central time on February 13th will help their synod take home the title of ELCA World Hunger Champion.
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Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton speaks to youth and their leaders about the cancellation of the 2022 Youth Gathering. As we grieve this disappointment, we cling to the assurance of a God who gives us more than we can ever ask or imagine through the boundless grace of Christ.
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As we witness an increase in anti-Semitic actions in this country and around the world, Bishop Eaton reminds us of the words from A Declaration of the ELCA to the Jewish Community.
“We recognize in anti-Semitism a contradiction and an affront to the Gospel, a violation of our hope and calling, and we pledge this church to oppose the deadly working of such bigotry, both within our own circles and in the society around us.”
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