Posts in ELCA
ELCA Youth Gathering: Where I Belong
ELCA Youth Gathering: Where I Belong

I am an ordained pastor and serve on staff at a Lutheran Church, but I am not an ordained ELCA pastor. My background is Presbyterian. My first Gathering experience was in New Orleans for the 2009 Gathering, Jesus Justice Jazz. I didn’t know what to expect. I’d never been to Louisiana before, I’d never attended such a large youth event before, I was afraid of what it would be like to lead a group of a couple dozen youth and adults around a city that I had never visited. Why did I agree to do this anyway?

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ELCABrian FlatgardComment
Bishop Eaton: We are broken
Bishop Eaton: We are broken

In the February issue of Living Lutheran, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reminds us of our uniquely Lutheran understanding of the gospel and renews her call for studying Martin Luther’s Small Catechism. “Luther said he needed to study it every day—and he wrote it! Let’s do the same.” Read her column in English at https://bit.ly/2uhqshX and in Spanish athttps://bit.ly/2vXv90F.

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Bishop Eaton, ELCA, LettersBrian FlatgardComment
Faith Lens: Going Viral
Faith Lens: Going Viral

Currently, the Wuhan coronavirus is one of the biggest stories in world news. At the time of this writing, the number of confirmed cases in China has surpassed 20,000, with at least 207 other cases being reported in over two dozen countries. Doubtless ,by the time you are reading this, many more people will have been sickened by this potentially deadly disease.

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ELCABrian FlatgardFaith LensComment
MYLE 2021 Theme
MYLE 2021 Theme

We’re excited to share the theme for the 2021 Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE): “Made Free.” The theme is based on 2 Corinthians 3:17: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

MYLE is a pre-event to the Gathering and the largest gathering of people of color within the ELCA. MYLE empowers young people of color and those whose primary language is not English to claim their story as a part of God’s story. For more information about MYLE, visit elca.org/MYLE. 

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ELCABrian FlatgardComment
Bishop Eaton issues statement on new travel ban
Bishop Eaton issues statement on new travel ban

Dear Church: Last week, on the third anniversary of the original executive order, the administration extended the travel ban to the United States from seven majority Muslim countries to thirteen. The ban suspends the issuing of immigrant visas that can lead to permanent residency for those from Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar and Nigeria, as well as visas available through a diversity lottery for applicants from Sudan and Tanzania.

As Lutherans, these actions should concern us. Through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God has set us free from ourselves to serve our neighbor.

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Bishop Eaton, ELCA, Letters, Z AdvocacyBrian FlatgardComment
ELCA expands efforts to increase inclusivity of outdoor ministry programs 
ELCA expands efforts to increase inclusivity of outdoor ministry programs 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has announced a new initiative entitled Total Inclusion!: Widening the Welcome at ELCA Outdoor Ministries.

The new program is designed to equip and empower outdoor ministry organizations as they move toward more intentional welcome of people who historically have been marginalized in the church — especially people of color, people with disabilities and people who identify as LGBTQIA+. 

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ELCA, Disability MinistryBrian FlatgardComment
2020 ELCA Advocacy Federal Policy Priorities
2020 ELCA Advocacy Federal Policy Priorities

Looking ahead, 2020 is likely to be an eventful year. In the midst of societal shifts and opportunities, ELCA Advocacy has identified areas of priority for our work together on the federal level. “These priorities reflect ELCA Advocacy commitments for faithful and timely attention to pressing concerns that affect our neighbor’s well-being and the wholeness of creation,” says the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Director of ELCA Advocacy.

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ELCA, Z AdvocacyBrian Flatgard Comment
ELCA Youth Gathering: Made Free
ELCA Youth Gathering: Made Free

In October of 2019, the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event leadership team, including youth, young adults and adults, gathered at Luther Seminary to discern a theme for MYLE 2021. Before we began our conversations as a group, we took the time to learn about and understand the history of the land. This was led by an effort from Healing Minnesota Stories, to bring healing between people of faith and the Native American people who call Minnesota home.

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ELCABrian FlatgardComment
Faith Lens: Everyday Heroes
Faith Lens: Everyday Heroes

We all know that heroes rule the box office, but did you know they now rule the internet? Throughout 2019, Google analytics data showed a global increase in searches centering around “heroes.” Google even aired a YouTube video on New Years featuring a montage of all the “everyday heroes” videos that circulated the internet during 2019. 

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ELCABrian FlatgardFaith LensComment
In memoriam: Presiding Bishop Emeritus Herbert W. Chilstrom
In memoriam: Presiding Bishop Emeritus Herbert W. Chilstrom

Herbert W. Chilstrom, 88, the first presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), died Jan. 19 at his home in Green Valley, Ariz.

There will be two services. At both services, clergy and all rostered leaders of the ELCA, together with clergy of all ecumenical partners, are invited to robe and process, and asked to RSVP to Desert Hills at jhoward@dhlc.org and to Christ Chapel at this online form. The Minnesota service will be live-streamed.

Thursday, February 13, 2:00 pm: Desert Hills Lutheran Church, Green Valley, Arizona
ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton will bring a greeting, Bishop Deborah Hutterer will preach, and Pastor Martin Overson will preside. Reception to follow. 

Saturday, February 15, 1:00 pm: Christ Chapel, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN
ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton will preside and bring a greeting, Presiding Bishop Emeritus Mark Hanson will preach, and Bishop Jon Anderson will bring a greeting. Reception to follow. View live-stream.

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In Memoriam, Prayers, ELCA, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardHerb Chilstrom Comment