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2021 August recess opportunity

2021 August recess opportunity

U.S. representatives regularly return to their home districts to stay engaged with their constituents. Lawmakers are likely busy during this period with Town Halls, arranged meetings, and other contact points that give you a window to raise your experiences and policy concerns while they are local.

Bring your own questions to policy makers or raise the ones in this post about hunger, housing and homelessness, infrastructure and climate change, Covid-19 vaccine access, reimagining US asylum and immigration policy, and tribal/US government relations.

News, ELCABrian FlatgardJuly 19, 2021Advocacy, ELCA AdvocacyComment

Presiding Bishop Eaton calls on Congress to pass HR40

Presiding Bishop Eaton calls on Congress to pass HR40

Bishop Eaton joined faith leaders from many traditions during a National Council of Churches press conference urging Congress to bring HR40 to the House floor before the summer recess.

HR40 is a bill that would establish a federal commission to study the lasting impacts of slavery in the U.S. and develop a set of recommendations for advancing reparations for affected people of African descent.

ELCA, LettersBrian FlatgardJuly 15, 2021Racial Justice, AdvocacyComment

Open Doors Initiative update

Open Doors Initiative update

The Open Doors initiative was launched to support ELCA congregations interested in meeting new people during this time of transition and re-gathering in physical spaces. ELCA congregations were invited to share their concrete, actionable ideas for meeting new people during this critical time.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJuly 15, 2021Open Doors, ELCA Innovation Lab, InnovationComment

A Step Along the Journey from Conflict to Communion

A Step Along the Journey from Conflict to Communion

On June 24-25, 2021, a delegation of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) visited the Vatican as part of the journey from conflict to communion, that began over 50 years ago.

The visit of the LWF delegation in Rome launched the next stage of the journey, looking ahead to the 500th Anniversary of the Augsburg Confession.

ELCA, LettersBrian FlatgardJuly 13, 2021Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment

ELCA Schools and Learning Centers Survey

ELCA Schools and Learning Centers Survey

The Evangelical Lutheran Education Association (ELEA) is collecting information from all ELCA Schools and Learning Centers that will become a powerful resource tool. Through this survey, ELEA will gather accurate student, administration and staff demographics, budgetary and general information. Take the survey here.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJuly 7, 2021Evangelical Lutheran Education Association (ELEA)Comment

ELCA Coaching: Courageous Leadership

ELCA Coaching: Courageous Leadership

You are invited to join ELCA Coaching at 11 am MST/PDT on the third Wednesday of July and the first and third Wednesday of August to learn some possibly surprising, and some definitely humorous, things about Courageous Leadership.

The schedule (starting July 21) and login information can be found on the ELCA Coaching website.

News, ELCABrian FlatgardJuly 6, 2021ELCA CoachingComment

Applications are open for the Congregations Lead Initiative

Applications are open for the Congregations Lead Initiative

The Congregations Lead Initiative is a new, two-year program that will gather a cohort of 50 congregations from across the ELCA to unleash and harness their collective genius and discover new and useful ministry innovations. Beginning on July 8, 2021, your congregation is invited to apply to join the Congregations Lead Initiative. Learn more at ELCA.org/CongregationsLead or this PDF flyer.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJuly 6, 2021Congregation Leads InitiativeComment

Bishop Eaton: We are Lutherans

Bishop Eaton: We are Lutherans

This week, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton introduces us to some of our Lutheran family from across the globe.

Bishop Eaton, ELCA, LettersBrian FlatgardJuly 5, 2021Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment

ELCA Growing Younger “Train The Trainer” Virtual Gathering

ELCA Growing Younger “Train The Trainer” Virtual Gathering

Join the ELCA Growing Younger “Train The Trainer” Virtual Gathering, August 11-12, 2021, 9am-3:30 pm MST/PDT. Leaders will learn to increase the number of youth and young adults involved in the life and leadership of the church.

Synodical leadership is invited: Bishops, Assistants to the Bishops, Youth and Young Adult leaders, Evangelism, SYMBOL, DEM’s and others. Register here by 8/1/2020 and contact Pastor Jacqui Pagel for questions and if you plan to attend. View this post or this PDF for more info.

ELCA, News, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardJuly 1, 2021Youth and Young Adult, ELCA Faith Formation, Fuller Youth Institute, Growing Young, Fuller Seminary Comment

Advocacy Update: June 2021

Advocacy Update: June 2021

ELCA Advocacy shares its two monthly updates: the UN and State Edition and Advocacy Connections from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJune 30, 2021Advocacy, ELCA AdvocacyComment

Child Tax Credit Hunger Policy Podcast June 2021

Child Tax Credit Hunger Policy Podcast June 2021

In this conversation for the ELCA World Hunger blog, John Johnson, director of domestic policy for the ELCA, joins Ryan Cumming, program director for hunger education with ELCA World Hunger, to talk about the expanded Child Tax Credit, a huge step forward in addressing child poverty in the US this year.

ELCA, LettersBrian FlatgardJune 30, 2021Hunger, ELCA World Hunger, Advocacy, ELCA AdvocacyComment

Presiding Bishop issues pastoral message on Fulton v. City of Philadelphia

Presiding Bishop issues pastoral message on Fulton v. City of Philadelphia

As children of God, we give thanks for all of the LGBTQIA+ people who experience God's calling to the holy work of parenting. In particular response to the June 17 Supreme Court ruling on Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, the ELCA stands with our LGBTQIA+ siblings in Christ and reaffirms our commitment to equal protection, opportunities and responsibilities under the law (Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust, p. 33).

Bishop Eaton, ELCA, LettersBrian FlatgardJune 30, 2021Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, LGBTQIA+Comment

Bishop Eaton: Greetings from the Vatican

Bishop Eaton: Greetings from the Vatican

Bishop Eaton greets us from the Vatican, where, promoting Christian unity, she participated in Lutheran World Federation meetings with the pontifical council and Pope Francis. As we gather in our own congregations, the bishop asks us to remember that we are part of a large Lutheran family and an even larger Christian one.

Bishop Eaton, ELCA, LettersBrian FlatgardJune 28, 2021Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment

Rev. Albert Starr Bible Study and PowerPoint presentations

Rev. Albert Starr Bible Study and PowerPoint presentations

We give thanks to God for the presence of Rev. Albert Starr, our visiting churchwide representative. Rev. Starr led our Bible study and gave a churchwide report. We share his presentation files in this post, and you can view his sermon for our worship service here.

ELCA, Letters, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardJune 18, 20212021 AssemblyComment

Bishop Eaton: Remembering the Emanuel Nine

Bishop Eaton: Remembering the Emanuel Nine

The ELCA has designated June 17 as a day of commemoration of the martyrdom of the Emanuel 9. On June 17, 2015, nine people were shot and killed during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Bishop Eaton reminds us to mark this day of penitence with study and prayer.

Bishop Eaton, ELCA, LettersBrian FlatgardJune 17, 2021Emanuel 9, Racial Justice, Bishop Elizabeth Eaton Comment

How to Build a Congregational (or Campus) Anti-Racism Team

How to Build a Congregational (or Campus) Anti-Racism Team

Faithful Steps: A Step-by Step Guide for Congregations Starting to Engage in Racial Justice is a presentation by Brenda Blackhawk, Congregational Organizer for Racial Justice for the Minneapolis Synod to help congregations get started on doing racial justice work.

Join this Zoom event on Tuesday 6/22/2021, 4 pm MST/PDT. Click here to register and receive the Zoom link. Facebook event.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJune 16, 2021Racial JusticeComment

Portico’s New Podcast: Being Here

Portico’s New Podcast: Being Here

Being Here is a podcast that explores real world issues and topics important to professionals in the faith community. Hosted by the Rev. Melissa Pohlman.

Check out three episodes so far: Protecting Yourself from Burnout, Overcoming Compassion Fatigue, and Personal Finances for Faith Professionals.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJune 16, 2021PorticoComment

Lead Well Employer Webinars

Lead Well Employer Webinars

Our Learn to Live mental health benefit partner has created these quick half-hour sessions for employers. Learn to recognize the signs of mental distress in others, and how to talk about mental health, create a culture of well-being, and lift the stigma about mental health in the workplace. View PDF.

Register and attend together as a leadership group. Access code: PORTICO.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJune 16, 2021PorticoComment

Retirement Readiness Series debuts June 21, 2021

Retirement Readiness Series debuts June 21, 2021

Fidelity has partnered with Portico to offer a virtual webinar series – exclusively for ELCA Retirement Plan members – that addresses the question: what does it take to be retirement ready?

Register for and view all the dates in the Retirement Readiness Series here. Sessions from June 21 through July 19, 2021. You’ll need to have your Portico login ready.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJune 16, 2021PorticoComment

ELCA & LIRS: World Refugee Day letter

ELCA & LIRS: World Refugee Day letter

With so many lives in danger, we will continue to honor the Lutheran legacy of generous and compassionate welcome for those who seek refuge in our communities. How would we respond if the refugee on our doorstep were Jesus himself? As Jesus taught, “Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40).

ELCA, LettersBrian FlatgardJune 16, 2021Immigration and Refugees, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS)Comment