As language continues to evolve around the way we identify ourselves and others, so has the ELCA’s style guide. The most recent shift involves use of gendered language regarding our siblings in Christ, with a focus on ways to ensure that we represent everyone in the church, emphasizing gender-inclusive terminology and using titles and pronouns to reflect and honor nonbinary identities. Download the newest version at ELCA.org/brandmark.
Read MoreTo plan and plant a garden is an act of faithful preparation. To nurture and tend to tiny stems is to have hope for a time when those same stems may grow into something large enough to nourish another being.It’s a practice that can bring us closer to the divine.
Read MoreEvery congregation requires a secretary. The secretary is arguably the most important officer, responsible for organizing, assimilating and disseminating information within and without the organization. They need to be organized, hardworking and intelligent, with excellent writing skills. In this post (or view as PDF), your congregation’s secretary can find some recommendations/guidelines for performing their duties efficiently.
Read MoreELCA World Hunger will host a Zoom webinar April 6 at 10am MST/PST to review granting priorities and cover the basics of applying for ELCA World Hunger’s 2023 Domestic Hunger Grants. To join us for this virtual event, please register here for a Zoom link. The webinar will be recorded and accessible via the Domestic Hunger Grant FAQ page.
Visit the Domestic Hunger Grants page and this FAQ page about applying.
Read MoreHello world. My name is Tammy Jones West. I am a Deacon in this church, from North Carolina, and I am serving as the Program Director for the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering. I am honored to have been asked to serve in this way and a little terrified at the responsibility and scope of the work.
Read MoreCredit card fraud is a common identity crime. If you are like most people, you own, carry and use a number of credit cards. Please consider the following tips in this post or this PDF, which may apply to your unique needs and situation. Though not every risk can be controlled, there are a few things you can do to prevent and manage credit card fraud.
Read MoreIn this letter, former Bishop Lowell G. Almen encourage pastors, deacons, and congregations to remember with gratitude the 35th birthday of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) on April 30, 2022.
Read More“For those of you who are wondering about the particulars of the process to address the issues that arose in the Sierra Pacific Synod, I want to give you an update on the ways in which we are moving forward.” (This update is provided in English and en español.)
Read MoreLarge or small, congregations are often easy prey for would-be thieves. An offering-plate theft can be devastating for a congregation’s reputation, regardless of its size. Ministry leaders can strengthen their ability to protect their property and contributions by taking a fresh look at current procedures. Read more in this PDF or in this post.
Read MoreAs of Mar. 23, over 3.5 million people are estimated to have left Ukraine, most of which are women and children. The refugees are primarily fleeing to Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova. According to UNHCR, another 2 million people are displaced within Ukraine.
Lutheran Disaster Response has committed over $2 million to companion churches and ecumenical partners that are accompanying refugees and other impacted by the conflict in Ukraine.
Read MoreLutheran Men in Mission invite you to attend their virtual Bold Gathering, “Stories from the Heart,” April 22, 9-11am MST/PDT, 10am-noon MDT.
BOLD GATHERING is a day for men to come together to learn, to network, and be equipped to BOLDY live out their faith! For more info, visit the Bold Gathering website or this PDF, and register here.
Read MoreFor Kyiv, for Mariupol, for all places where violence rages, for all who have been driven from their homes, for all whose lives and livelihoods are endangered, for love to vanquish hate…
For all who grieve the deaths of loved ones onboard the China Eastern flight that fatally crashed in southern China…
For all impacted by tornadoes and severe storms, especially in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Mississippi…
For farmers making difficult decision in the wake of increased fuel prices and supply shortages…
For an international commitment to combating racism and white supremacy, especially in the church…
With gratitude for the 66th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, which included a delegation from the Lutheran World Federation…
Many congregations have new council members starting at this time of year, so make sure your organization’s contacts are up to date in Portico’s EmployerLink. Portico sends important notifications to those in your organization that are registered on the site.
Read MoreAfter 106 years of searching, a ship lost miles below the icy water near Antartica was recently found! Explorer Ernest Shackelton’s ship, Endurance, was exploring these frigid waters when it became trapped by ice and could no longer move. Scientists say that because it sank in such cold water the ship is almost perfectly intact, as if it sunk yesterday! Such a discovery!
Read MoreWe share advocacy updates from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C. as well as the UN and state edition, including U.N., Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.
In this post we feature and highlight the update from Solveig Muus, Director of Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA).
Read MoreYour church might already offer livestreaming, but this Lenten season you can take your virtual ministry up a notch with Vanco. During this important season, discover how to build on your existing online ministry to drive engagement and generosity (without breaking the bank).
Read MoreEcumenical Advocacy Days (EAD) is an annual gathering of Christian advocates and activists. Lutherans in attendance have denomination-specific opportunities to get to know one another and vision what we can do together!
#EAD2022 is a virtual gathering, held Wednesday through Friday, April 25-27, 2022. Scholarship opportunities are in this post and more info is at advocacydays.org.
Read MoreELCA World Hunger shares a five point blog post series on the many ways that violent conflict impacts hunger. Learn more how the war in Ukraine will affect food security, food production, food access, food utilization, and stability in the short and long term.
Read MoreThe Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), in recognition of the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, reaffirms its commitment to combat racism and white supremacy. This day is set as a recommitment in remembrance of the day police in South Africa killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid in 1960.
Read MoreOn March 25, 2022, we commemorate the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, declared by the United Nations in 2007. As we remember the victims of what has been called the “the worst violation of human rights in history,” Bishop Eaton calls us to “learn more about the inhumane history of the transatlantic slave trade and examine the paths that will lead us towards racial healing and justice.”
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