This week we observe Ascension Day – a time to consider Jesus’ transition from earth to heaven. We are living during a time of transition - in the life of our church, in our personal lives and in a rapidly changing world. But as Bishop Eaton emphasizes, what is steady and certain is God’s presence with us always.
Read MoreIn this video, Bishop Eaton asks for people to write President Biden and members of Congress urging they send a message to Israel to halt the illegal removal of East Jerusalem families from their homes and respect the Status Quo agreement and holy sites in Jerusalem. To show your support, go to: http://bit.ly/ELCASupportPeace
Read MoreThe Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod invites all ELCA members to join the May 26-29, 2021 John Hope Franklin Annual Symposium: The Future of Tulsa’s Past: The Centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre and Beyond.
A post-symposium event on May 29 is sponsored by the Synod, the African Descent Lutheran Association and the ELCA Racial Justice Ministries. Bishop Eaton and Vice President Bill Horne will be participating in the May 29th event.
Read MoreYour congregation is invited to apply for an Open Doors grant to support your ministries as we resume in-person worship and gatherings.
May 14, 2021: Deadline to register in ELCA GrantMaker in order to fill out an application. May 19, 2021: Grant application closes.
Read MoreDear church, God loves us all. No matter how we are grappling, we are not alone; God is with us. Throughout May and beyond, we must seek ways to erase the stigma surrounding mental illness and continually love everyone compassionately as a child of God.
Read MoreAs part of the Faiths4Vaccines initiative, prominent faith leaders, including Bishop Eaton, explain how receiving the vaccine is an expression of love for one's neighbors. Learn more at faiths4vaccines.org.
Read MoreIn her May column for Living Lutheran, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton notes that music, like God’s love, is at the same time deeply personal, sounding deep within an individual’s soul, and universal, ringing out to an entire community. Read her column in English at https://bit.ly/3uBnRJy and in Spanish at https://bit.ly/3ty0oYb.
Read MoreELCA World Hunger and Lutheran Disaster Response are ministries deeply rooted in the identity of the ELCA, and the mission to which God calls this Church.
So, we are happy to share with you that these two ministries are now joined together on a single team within the Service and Justice home area of the ELCA churchwide organization: the Building Resilient Communities Team!
As we introduce this new structure within the churchwide organization of the ELCA, we are excited to introduce, too, the members of Building Resilient Communities Team.
Read MoreThis week, Bishop Eaton shares an experience of witnessing true hospitality and generosity from her neighbor.
Read MoreThe Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer (they/their), San Francisco, Calif., was elected May 8 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Rohrer is the first transgender bishop in the ELCA, and noted as such in this New York Times article.
Read MoreIn the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the EPES Foundation initiated a project with community health promoters and nutrition teams to cultivate home gardens. Learn more in this video and blog post.
Read MoreAbide in my love … you shall bear much fruit. It was the theme of this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and in turn, became an echo for this year’s National Workshop on Christian Unity (NWCU). After last year’s workshop in Houston was canceled due to the global pandemic, focus turned to 2021, and with it questions of how best to move the work of the NWCU forward.
Read MoreAs Lutherans we believe that science and religion come from the same source and that source is God. Religion and science are both ways of knowing God’s creation. Receiving the COVID-19 vaccine does not mean we are being less than faithful by trusting science rather than God.
Read MoreThe at-home guide for ELCA World Hunger’s “River of Life” Vacation Bible School program for 2021 is now available for download.
This at-home guide is a supplemental resource for the full “River of Life VBS leader’s guide and includes modified activities, suggestions for online and at-home VBS, links to new videos and tips for parents, caregivers and other adults leading VBS with children at home!
Read MoreLutheran Disaster Response and Lutheran World Relief are responding to the devastating situation in India.
Lutheran Disaster Response shares a situation update and Lutheran World Relief asks for help to deliver oxygen, ventilators, pulse oximeters and personal protective equipment to hospitals across India.
Read MoreThe ELCA Christian Community and Leadership Congregational Vitality Team invites you to a series of webinars for pastors, lay leaders, and congregational teams. There is no cost for this training.
The first online webinar will begin on May 27th at 10:30 am - 12:00 pm MST/PDT. This is a four-part training. Additional dates are June 10, June 24, and July 8th at 10:30 am - 12:00 pm MST/PDT. Please register by May 24, 2021.
All courses will be led by Rev. Nancy Nyland, Rev. CeCee Mills and Rev. Jason Adams in partnership with the ELCA Christian Community and Leadership Congregational Vitality Team.
Read MoreELCA Advocacy shares updates in their UN & State Edition and Connections updates from the ELCA Advocacy office in Washington, D.C.
Read MoreThe ELCA is a founding organization and sponsor of Ecumenical Advocacy Days, attended annually by many Lutherans for skill building and experience. Rev. Paul Benz, co-director of Faith Action Network in Seattle, WA, highlights central learnings for him about effective and meaningful faith-centered advocacy.
Read MoreBishop Eaton encourages us to take time to reflect on this comforting passage from Psalm 46: Be still and know that I am God.
Read MoreOpen Doors, the new grant opportunity to support congregations, has a “Support Crew” site on Sway for colleagues who are assisting with emails and calls.
The ELCA is also offering Padlet as an idea-sharing platform for people to add their comments, photos and videos.
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