On the night of May 30, a series of storms, including tornadoes, swept through the Central Great Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley. In Minnesota, heavily affected communities included Eagle Bend, Clarissa and Browerville, where over 100 buildings were damaged. In South Dakota, a tornado impacted the area around the city of Brandon, severely damaging Beaver Valley Lutheran Church in Valley Springs.
Read MoreMore than three months since Russian troops invaded Ukraine, fighting continues to intensify as humanitarian conditions deteriorate. The United Nations’ OCHA Ukraine: Humanitarian Report estimates that 6.6 million people have fled the country and 8 million are displaced internally.
Read this situation report from Lutheran Disaster Response, including partner updates with Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary (ELCH) and Lutheran World Federation.
Read MoreThe following reflections are the foundation of comments shared at the “Interfaith Vigil and Rally: Faith Acting on Gun Violence” by the Rev. Amy E. Reumann on June 8, 2022, hosted by Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Washington, D.C.
Read MoreAs part of the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, voting members adopted a resolution designating June 17 as a commemoration of the martyrdom of the Emanuel 9—the nine people shot and killed on June 17, 2015, during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C.
Our relationship to the shooter, as well as two of the slain, reminds us of both our complicity and our calling.
The resources at elca.org/emanuelnine are provided to help synods and congregations mark this commemoration.
Read MoreThis June, inspired by a request from an AME congregation we asked the congregations of the ELCA South Carolina Synod to study the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4, to substitute it as their Gospel reading for Sunday, June 19, and to include the names of the Emanuel Nine in the prayers of intercession.
Read MoreThe Rev. Daniel G. Beaudoin, Findlay, Ohio, was reelected June 3 to serve a second six-year term as bishop of the Northwestern Ohio Synod of the ELCA.
Read MoreThe Rev. Scott Alan Johnson, Fremont, Neb., was elected June 4 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Nebraska Synod of the ELCA.
Read MoreCybercriminals don’t just focus on “the big guys.” Whether you have 10 employees or 10,000, human error is easily exploited by cybercriminals, and in fact a large percentage of cyberattacks are caused by human error or behavior.
Therefore, employees need to understand why protecting sensitive information is important and how to recognize threats. Here are four things you can do to keep your organization cyber-safe. Learn more at cisa.gov.
Read MoreThe Four S’s That Keep Church Leaders Awake at Night, a new e-book by Kenneth Q. Tan, a partner at CapinCrouse, delves into four key topics — sustainability, succession, structure and security — that leaders must address to prepare their churches for the challenges and opportunities presented by this ever-changing landscape. This free e-book includes checklists, best practices and discussion questions for your leadership team.
Read MoreThe Conference of Bishops (COB) met Sunday evening; Bishop Megan Rohrer chose not to attend. I shared that I am initiating the discipline process immediately, including suspension of Bishop Rohrer, based on additional information that has come to light. The COB strongly affirmed this decision. This process will take time, and I will provide updates as appropriate. I ask for your continued prayers for this church.
Read MoreFor rescue, recovery, and cleanup efforts in Mexico following Hurricane Agatha…
For survivors, victims, and loved ones affected by recent mass shootings across the United States…
For safety, justice, and freedom from fear for all who live with the threat of gun violence in their communities…
For homes, communities, nations, and international relationships to be filled with peace and understanding…
For our Jewish neighbors as they celebrate Shavuot and the gift of God’s law to Moses…
With thanksgiving for the gifts of LGBTQIA2S+ people in the church and across our society…
For an end to homophobia, transphobia, and gender-based discrimination…
Fund for Leaders alum Meredith Kesely has served as the head pastor at Abiding Presence in Burke, Va. since 2010. In 2021, the congregation called Kelsey Kresse, another Fund for Leaders alum, to serve as its associate pastor. Both pastors reflect on their leadership journeys and the ways Abiding Presence is fostering future leaders. Your support for Fund for Leaders will allow more pastors like Meredith and Kelsey to say “yes” to God’s call. ELCA.org/FundforLeaders25
Read MoreThe Rev. Rachel Eskesen, Area Desk Director for Europe, introduces three people she met on her travels in Eastern Europe. They represent the work of ELCA partners in the region that are accompanying refugees from Ukraine. For more information about Lutheran Disaster Response and the ELCA’s work in Eastern Europe, visit: ELCA.org/Ukraine.
Read MoreThe Rev. David C. Nagler, San Diego, was elected May 20 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Pacifica Synod of the ELCA.
Read MoreRecent research about Gen Z from the Springtide Research Institute suggests that a combination of three things leads to young people, aged 13-25, feeling like they belong in school: being noticed, named, and known by a community. Paying attention to someone, noticing rather than ignoring them, increases that person’s sense of connectedness. Greeting someone, holding the door for them, blessing them after a sneeze—all are simple ways to notice.
Read MoreNew treasurers or congregation members responsible for paying their church’s monthly Portico bill should check out three new videos available on EmployerLink to illuminate our billing process. Look for these updated videos in the “What to Do” tab on the “How to Work With Us” page.
Read MoreWe share a video highlighting Fund for Leaders scholar Wanda Frenchman, who helps lead the Native American Urban Ministry in Phoenix, Ariz. which was founded by her mother, Mary Louise Frenchman.
Wanda is participating in the TEEM program at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. This allows her to pursue rostered ministry while she continues to lead her community in Phoenix.
Read MoreAfter listening to the concerns of this church, careful review of the report of the Listening Team and other accompanying documents, consultation with outside legal counsel, and prayerful reflection and discernment, I have decided not to bring disciplinary charges against Bishop Rohrer.
While I am not inaugurating formal disciplinary processes at this time, there remain enough serious concerns that influence Bishop Rohrer's ability to remain impactful in their role that I have asked Bishop Rohrer for their resignation, which I believe to be in the best interest of all parties involved. Leer también en español…
Read MoreIn the wake of mass shootings, Lutheran Disaster Response shares how LDR, the Upstate New York Synod and the Southwest Texas Synods, and other organizations, are responding. Ways to be part of the response are also shared.
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