The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have resumed a bilateral dialogue that will define a new ecumenical relationship for common mission and ministry.
In a March 10 meeting, leaders from the two church bodies resumed the dialogue that had begun in 2004 but been put on hold due to leadership and staff changes at both churches.
Read MoreMarking the one-year anniversary of the pandemic, Bishop Eaton says there are many things we want to forget but there is much to remember, especially that God has been with us and will continue to be with us through it all.
Read MoreThe Asian and Pacific Islander Association of the ELCA recently issued a statement, affirmed by the ELCA Conference of Bishops, calling on the church to declare a day of lament during Lent to express solidarity with, help in healing and support Asian American victims of violence.
Sunday, March 21, has been named as the common date, though worshiping communities may choose a different date as appropriate for their context. Worship resources are available in this PDF.
Read MoreCreation care looks different at different stages of our lives. College is a transitional time for many of us. We are in the process of figuring out our independent adult lives outside of the family we grew up in. This means not only determining what values and ideas to prioritize, but also figuring out what resources we have to put towards those priorities.
Read MoreOur guest blogger picks up the 2021 IWD call, #ChooseToChallenge. Bringing Central European experience to helping forge a gender equal world, Rev. Dr. Marta Ferjová urges women to “start talking.” Coordinated with the Lutheran Office for World Community, Rev. Dr. Ferjová will take part in the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women taking place March 15-26, 2021.
Read MoreDuring Women’s History Month we honor and commemorate the many ways women have shaped history. In her message, Bishop Eaton reminds us that at this time we also recommit ourselves to the work of gender justice and working to seek justice and equity for all.
Read MoreThis Lent, Bishop Eaton invites us to participate in the Global Survey on Being Lutheran (en Español: Encuesta Mundial Sobre lo Que Significa Ser Luteran). We also ask that you invite others in your churches to participate. The survey will be open through March 31, and responses gathered will help to shape the 13th LWF Assembly in 2023.
Read MoreFuture Church: In her March column for Living Lutheran, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reflects on the meaning behind “evangelical” in our name and the future of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Read her column in English or in Spanish.
Read MoreIs your congregation eligible for a Paycheck Protection Program loan? The deadline for the second round of PPP loans is quickly approaching. Applications submitted by March 22, 2021, will be processed in time to meet the federal deadline on March 31, 2021. Learn more and apply now.
Read MoreA recent episode of NBC’s Zoe’s Extraordinary Playlist contained a conversation between Mo (Alex Newell) and Max (Skylar Astin) about the menu for their new restaurant. Mo asks Max to help decide on a font, saying the font needs to be something that both shows whimsy and strength. Max responds, “Like Cambria?”
Read MoreIn her weekly message, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton shares what she finds extraordinary about the ELCA Conference of Bishops.
Read MoreWe have watched with horror recent news reports of attacks on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders – fueled by racist rhetoric which has attempted to lay blame for the cause of the Coronavirus on Asian Peoples. The Conference of Bishops, meeting on March 4th, voted to affirm the “Statement on Anti-Asian Racism,” and to encourage the congregations and leaders of our synods to take action. A Day of Lament has been set for Sunday, March 21, 2021.
Please consider the points of encouragement in the statement as ways your congregation or ministry can stand in solidarity with our Asian and Pacific Islander brothers and sisters.
Read MoreLouise N. Johnson, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has been elected by the ELCA Church Council as the executive for administration, a position that is coterminous with the term of the presiding bishop. She begins in this role on March 15, 2021.
Read MoreThe Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has joined more than 500 ELCA rostered ministers and the CEOs of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) and Lutheran Services in America (LSA) in calling on Congress to support the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. In a March 4 letter, the leaders urge lawmakers to work collaboratively to advance legislation "around a long overdue solution that reflects our shared values as a nation."
Read MoreIn the spirit of accompaniment, ELCA companion church Igreja Evangélica de Confissão Luterana no Brasil (IECLB) sent a gift to Lutheran Disaster Response to support our response to the winter storms in Texas. The following excerpt is from a letter written by Mauro B. de Souza, the vice president of IECLB.
Read MoreAs vaccines continue to become available, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton encourages us to continue to be vigilant, be safe, and to trust the science of the vaccines.
Read MoreAs part of ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving, this post and accompanying video continue a series weekly reflections.
The direct service of providing filter pitchers and the organizing work of bringing demands to our alderpersons, health department and mayor all lead us back to the font, where we stand with people at the holy water that makes us God’s children and sends us out to serve God’s justice.
Read MoreBlack String Triage Ensemble, lead by Dayvin Hallmon, is “an all-volunteer ensemble composed of Black and Latinx string musicians who … deliver healing music shortly after a fatal shooting,” writes Erin Strybis in the January/February issue of Living Lutheran.
Read MorePastor Kwame Pitts believes a transfiguration moment occurred when George Floyd was killed last summer.
Here, she share what she believes the church is called to do in the wake of a time “when something broke open,” and how the future of the church is transformation.
Read MoreBeginning Feb. 14, a polar vortex descended over the United States, severely impacting states like as Texas, which lack the infrastructure to handle the freezing temperatures and record-setting snow and ice. This has led to power, food and water shortages throughout the region.
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