A sacrifice is giving up something valuable to gain a greater treasure. As a child, I sacrificed my precious free time to participate in park district programming, which afforded me enriching experiences like pony league baseball.
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A familiar Easter hymn calls Jesus the “risen conqu’ring Son.” In Romans 8 Paul says we are “more than conquerors” through Christ. In a world which has much tragedy and suffering, what does Paul mean? Are we really more than conquerors? How? Read more»
Faith Lens features weekly bible studies that engage youth and young adults in connecting world events with the Bible, faith, and everyday life.
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Jesus “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).
Scripture makes clear that God’s will is for each of us, and the entire planet, to have health, wholeness and longevity. But how we secure these things for ourselves and others can be a lot less clear.
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Bishop Hutterer joins Lutheran leaders to advocate on Capitol Hill. Join them in taking action!
Over 80 ELCA bishops, ministry leaders, and advocates from across the nation visited Capitol Hill speaking about critical disaster recovery and environmental needs in our communities. Send your legislators a customizable letter at the ELCA Action Center to illustrate specific disaster concerns with your legislators today!
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In mid-2018, the ELCA Advocacy team decided to focus the 2019 ELCA Advocacy Convening, an advocacy gathering for bishops and key community and ELCA leaders, on disasters intensified by climate change. The earth is groaning as our warming climate intensifies drought, floods, wildfires and sea level rise, each in turn accelerating hunger, conflict, migration and the well-being of every inhabitant of our planet. Read in English, en Español.
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These petitions are offered as guides to prayer for the global, social and outreach ministries of the ELCA, as well as for the needs and circumstances of our neighbors, communities and world. Thank you for your continued prayers for the life and mission of this church. Download a Word doc, or PDF for letter size printout or legal size printout, or read on the GCS news blog.
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On March 28, 2019 the ELCA joined other US churches and Christian organizations in a statement rejecting President Trump’s recognition of Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights. Read the full statement here.
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Today’s post is by Linda Witte Henke, an artist specializing in liturgically purposed art for congregation, synod, and churchwide settings (See three new collections of print-on-demand banner fabrics at www.lindahenke.com). This is Linda’s third post offering designs and templates for using visuals to enrich worship.
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To most of us in the United States, mosquitoes are nothing more than a pest. But in many places around the world, just one bite from an infected mosquito could transmit malaria. Every two minutes, a child dies from malaria – a preventable and curable disease. In a recent report, the World Health Organization warned that progress against malaria has stalled. World Malaria Day is a special time to remember our neighbors at heightened risk for this disease – and the ways God is working through and with them to reduce risk and build resilience.
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The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem shared an Easter message: read it here.
You can find the Easter message from Bishop Ibrahim Sani Azar, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land here.
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This Ministry Check-In was submitted by Neil Bullock, Stewardship Project Coordinator, Domestic Mission, ELCA. Sometimes ministry cohorts arrange to go off site as part of their experience at ELCA Congregational Vitality Training Events. Read on to learn more about the workshop which took place during the training event held at Reformation Lutheran Church in Las Vegas.
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An “Ingathering” is the collection of quilts and kits, in one central location, for Lutheran World Relief. Quilts and Care Kits send a message that the world has not forgotten individuals and families in need. But they need to be collected! If you have quilts and kits assembled according to instructions from www.lwr.org, join us at the truck for an "Ingathering" of items as LWR collects our gifts of quilts and kits.
Saturday, May 4, 2019, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran, 1500 W. Maryland Ave, Phoenix AZ 85015.
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Leave no one behind.
This was the ambitious commitment in the creation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a set of universal goals “unique in that they cover issues that affect us all. They reaffirm our international commitment to end poverty, permanently, everywhere. They are ambitious in making sure no one is left behind” (undp.org background). These 17 goals, such as zero hunger, are for striving toward by developed and developing countries.
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As these words are written, the fire in Notre Dame, the historic cathedral in the heart of Paris, has finally been brought under control. Memorable scenes of the day include the silhouette of the church against the towering flames, the tall spire collapsing, and mourners praying as they watched in horror. Read more»
Faith Lens features weekly bible studies that engage youth and young adults in connecting world events with the Bible, faith, and everyday life.
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The April "I'm a Lutheran" feature, Martin Kaste, is a National Public Radio (NPR) correspondent, the son of a Lutheran pastor, and a member of Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, Seattle.
If you’d like to nominate someone for “I’m a Lutheran,” email megan.brandsrud@elca.org.
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The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met at the Lutheran Center in Chicago April 4-7. The council, which serves as the ELCA's board of directors, took action on a variety of matters designed to help move the church's mission and ministries forward.
Council members voted to recommend to the 2019 Churchwide Assembly adoption of the proposed social statement "Faith, Sexism, and Justice: A Lutheran Call to Action" and the related implementing resolutions. They expressed appreciation to the task force and churchwide staff for their six years of service in development of the social statement. The ELCA 2019 Churchwide Assembly will meet in Milwaukee Aug. 5-10.
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It is easy to think of malaria prevention as simply providing mosquito nets for prevention and medicine to those who have fallen ill. But there’s much more to it than that.
Burure is in the Gokwe Region of Zimbabwe, bordered by rivers that are notoriously difficult to cross during the rainy season. It is an area that has been plagued by outbreaks of malaria in the past. It is one of the most remote areas served by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ).
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In 2019, ELCA World Hunger is proud to be partnering with 77 ministries across 63 synods and 33 states (plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.) through its Domestic Hunger Grants program. Domestic Hunger Grants are again available to groups that are working through and with ELCA congregations to address the root causes of poverty and hunger.
The application window for 2020 ELCA World Hunger Domestic Hunger Grants will open April 15! Visit ELCA.org/domestichungergrants to learn more about the grants and how to apply.
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