Pastor Kristin Engstrom, ELCA Global Missionary with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia, is glad to share with us her arrival in Zambia, “to begin my new call as an ELCA global missionary with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia (ELCZa). Thank you for all your prayers and support over these past months of waiting and anticipating my deployment to Zambia. I've written a new blog post about my first week in Zambia. You can find it here.”
Read MoreKrish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), writes: “The humanitarian implications of a full Russian invasion must be a central consideration in the U.S. and international response. Thousands could lose their lives, and millions more could lose the only home they have ever known. The U.S. and its allies must prepare to respond to the very real possibility of a mass exodus of Ukrainian refugees. Protecting the displaced cannot merely be an afterthought.”
Read the full statement in this post or on LIRS.org.
Read MoreAs we prepare to enter the season of Lent, we want to invite you to join ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving. At ELCA.org/40Days, you’ll find these downloadable resources to enrich the life of your congregation and family this season.
Read MoreAfter heads of churches in the Holy Land voiced their objections to a proposal to expand Jerusalem Walls National Park to include property owned by several churches in the city, Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority announced on February 21, 2022, that it was freezing the plan.
The text of the Feb 18 letter from Patriarchs about the Mount of Olives can be found here. The Feb 23 World Council of Churches article about the situation can be found here.
Read MoreThough we have been anxious about the recent growing tensions between Ukraine and Russia and between Russia and the NATO countries in recent weeks, we remain deeply concerned, as we have been since 2014, for the impact of this ongoing conflict on innocent civilians throughout Ukraine.
All our religious traditions call us to pray and work for peace. We join our voices and hands together. We must open our eyes to those who are suffering, and we cannot remain indifferent to the injustice this conflict has brought on the people of Ukraine and may bring on people of neighboring countries.
Read MoreIn the fourth and final episode of the “Talks at the Desk” video series, members of the African descent community share the many ways they work towards justice. They explore the deep connection between current events, politics and their faith.
Read MoreBold Women’s Day—observed annually on the fourth Sunday of February—celebrates all Lutheran women who have acted or are acting boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ.
How will you to plan to celebrate Bold Women's Day with others in 2022? Access Bold Women's Day resources here.
Read MoreOver the past two years of the pandemic, an increasing number of our congregants have come to the church for help with personal issues like depression, substance abuse, and domestic violence.
Our leaders minister to them and often need to refer them to others. View a list of resources in this PDF or in this post. Barbara Keller will host a one hour zoom workshop on this topic on Thursday, Mar 3, 2022 9am MST, 8 am PST. Register here.
Read MoreFor peace to prevail, especially between Russia and Ukraine…
For all firefighters working to contain destructive wildfires in Argentina…
For all members of the LGBTQIA+ community, especially beloved transgender women and girls at the heart of recent legislation…
For an end to rising, deadly violence against Asian American women…
For all who grieve the loss of loved ones to gun violence…
For all those living with mental illness…
Bishop Eaton shares Martin Luther’s last words in her latest video, showing how God’s strength is made more perfect in weakness.
Read MoreSince the beginning of the civil war, South Sudan has been gripped by a cycle of violent retribution. The Episcopal Church of South Sudan–Upper Nile Internal Province (ECSS-UNIP) is striving to break that cycle.
Through its Peace and Reconciliation project, which is funded by Lutheran Disaster Response, ECSS-UNIP is fostering peace and understanding in the Upper Nile Internal Province.
Read MoreThe 2022 Beijing Olympics wrap up this week. The last few weeks have been full of amazing moments: great displays of jaw-dropping talent, individuals and teams who are at the absolute top of their game, even heart-warming displays of camaraderie and sportsmanship.
Read MoreAfrican Descent Ministries of the ELCA celebrates Black History Month with “Talks at the Desk,” a four-part video series that will explore diverse expressions of the church. This week we share episode 3, Our Black Church.
A discussion guide full of great resources is available at ELCA.org/ADM.
Read MoreELCA Advocacy shares submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices (sppos) in the ELCA Advocacy Network this month, including U.N., Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. We also share Advocacy Connections from the ELCA Advocacy office in Washington, D.C.
In our post, we highlight the update from Solveig Muus, Director of Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA).
Read MoreBy building relationships with policymakers, taking joint action with values-sharing issue partners, writing comments and much more, we advocate to end world hunger and stand up for policies that create opportunities to overcome poverty, stimulate peace and dignity, preserve God’s creation, promote racial and gender justice, and promote good order in public life.
Shaped by the ELCA’s social teaching documents and the experiences of its congregations, ministries and partners, the following are policy priorities on the federal horizon for advocacy action in 2022. Also available as a downloadable pdf from ELCA advocacy resources page.
Read MoreLashresce Aird shared a few tips on what makes impactful advocacy. The three main things she shared were to share personal stories, to not be afraid of being the expert, and to focus on building relationships with delegates.
Read MoreLutheran Schools Week is March 6-12, 2022, and the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association (ELEA) shares information and resources on their website. In this post we also share a letter from Cory Newman, Executive Director of the ELEA.
Read MoreFor those impacted severely by climate change, especially parts of the Western United States experiencing “megadrought” conditions…
For the escalating situation at the Russia/Ukraine border…
For state and local leaders navigating ongoing decisions about Covid-19 response and mitigation efforts…
For all parents of children under age 5, continuing to wait for Covid-19 vaccine authorization for their children…
For the people of Tonga as they continue to deal with the destruction and trauma inflicted by January’s volcano and tsunami…
In gratitude for the generous and faithful stewardship of all who donated to ELCA World Hunger through the Big Game Challenge 2022…
Part two of the “Talks at the Desk” video series celebrates youth ministry and mentorship in the Black Church. Black men and boys speak about their connections across generations. They reflect on how their faith communities and mentor relationships have guided them and nurtured their passions. A discussion guide to help individuals and congregations engage with these conversations is available at ELCA.org/ADM.
Read MoreIn honor of Black History Month we celebrate the historic ministry and contributions of all members of the ELCA African Descent community who make up the American Lutheran tradition.
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