Prompts for Prayers of Intercession: 11/13/2022

ELCA worship invites you to give feedback on prayers of intercession by 11/23/2022.

Intercession prompts:

For newly elected and re-elected public officials and a willingness to reach across party lines for the well-being of all people, especially the most vulnerable…
For deepening political divisions within our communities, nation, and families…
For those who are unemployed or underemployed…
For residents of Florida and the Bahamas, as Tropical Storm Nicole makes landfall and intensifies…
For an end to the continued war in Ukraine and all places of war and conflict…

ELCA, PrayersBrian FlatgardNovember 10, 2022ELCA Worship, For What Shall We PrayComment

Why “Created to Be?”

A message from the Director of the ELCA Youth Gathering, Deacon Tammy Jones West, on how the upcoming ELCA Youth Gathering theme was chosen.

ELCA, Letters, NewsBrian FlatgardNovember 9, 20222024 ELCA Youth Gathering, ELCA Youth Gathering, Youth and Young AdultComment

Faith Lens: Apocalypse Now?

The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all have sections where Jesus makes dramatic predictions about things that will happen in the future. Because these things seem to be hidden from general knowledge and are being revealed as special information to Jesus’ followers, they are called “apocalyptic” sayings. These terms “apocalypse” and “apocalyptic” are Greek words meaning “uncovering” or “revealing.”

ELCA, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardNovember 9, 2022Youth and Young Adult, Faith LensComment

Erik Olson: Known and seen

One of my favorite Sunday school songs is “Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man” (“And a wee little man was he”). I love teaching the actions to kids and watching them light up at the seeming silliness of the story—from pretending to climb the tree to peering down at Jesus as Zacchaeus to looking up at Zacchaeus as Jesus.

ELCA, LettersBrian FlatgardNovember 9, 2022Living LutheranComment

Comment on the ELCA Earth’s Climate Crisis social message by 12/2/2022

In line with standard ELCA protocol, the project to create a new social message on Climate Care is being shepherded by the ELCA Director for Theological Ethics, working with a lead writer in collaboration with a group of reviewers.

The draft social message is now available for public feedback! Read the social message draft here and then use this survey to share your input by Friday, December 2, 2022.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardNovember 8, 2022Climate ChangeComment

Rostered ministers invited to participate in PRRI survey on U.S. religious leadership

Rev. Louise Johnson, Executive for Administration with the ELCA, invites rostered ministers to participate in a survey being conducted by Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and the Duke Endowment. The survey, open through November 2022, is part of a major national study on the health and future flourishing of mainline Protestant clergy and churches.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardNovember 8, 2022Comment

Welcome to “Where Your Heart Is,” ELCA's new stewardship newsletter

Welcome to the first issue of “Where Your Heart Is,” the new stewardship newsletter of the ELCA (subscribe here).

In the coming months and years, I hope we not only dig into some of the things valued in our lives, both personal and collective, but also highlight the important and honest fact that all of life is an act of stewardship, from our first breath to our last. How do we use our days?

ELCA, News, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardNovember 8, 2022Where Your Heart Is, StewardshipComment

Three book recommendations about Martin Luther and Lutherans

In this Living Lutheran article, 1517 Media’s Dawn Rundman recommends three books: The Wit of Martin Luther; Baptized, We Live: Lutheranism As a Way of Life; and Luther the Reformer.

ELCA, News, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardNovember 8, 2022Martin Luther, Augsburg Fortress, 1517 MediaComment

YAGM applications are now open

The ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program is ready for new volunteers! Applications are now open, and you can invite young adults on this journey abroad for the 2023-2024 program year.

If you know young adults aged 21 to 29, this is the time to reach out. Encourage them to apply for YAGM by the deadline of Feb.1, 2023. (Priority deadline is Jan. 15, 2023.) YAGM volunteers will begin in August 2023. Learn more at ELCA.org/YAGM.

ELCA, Global Church, NewsBrian FlatgardNovember 8, 2022Young Adults in Global Mission, Youth and Young Adult, Global MissionComment

Bishop Eaton’s Election Day message and prayer

As you vote early or make your plan to vote, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton offers this message in advance of Election Day. Thank you for making informed and faithful decisions for your community, and congratulations to the first-time voters!

Bishop Eaton, ELCA, Letters, PrayersBrian FlatgardNovember 7, 2022Elections and Voting RightsComment

Courageous Leadership: PTSD and Companionship

Join ELCA Coaching every Wednesday at noon MST, 11am PST, as we practice Courageous Leadership. Log in info is on the ELCA Coaching website.

Join us on Wednesday, November 9, 2922, as we hear from Rev. Adam Stockton regarding his personal experience with PTSD, recommendations for companionship, and how it has changed the way he leads and teaches (and more recently, how he coaches).

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardNovember 3, 2022Coaching, ELCA CoachingComment

Worship resources for Veterans Day

A worship resource for Veterans Day includes prayers, hymn suggestions, and other ideas. Both PDF and Word versions are available at elca.org/Resources/Worship#Liturgy.

The resources may be used and adapted as needed for Veterans Day observances or in weekly worship on the Sunday closest to November 11. To learn more about caring for returning veterans, resources are available from the ELCA Federal Chaplaincy Ministries.

ELCA, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardNovember 3, 2022Worship Resources, VeteransComment

Worship Resources for a National Election

The ELCA provides this PDF resource, provided to assist congregations in this time surrounding a national election. The readings, prayers, and assembly song suggestions could be used in settings such as prayer vigils, as part of Morning or Evening Prayer, as part of regular weekly worship in the weeks preceding or following an election, or devotions at home or in other settings.

ELCA, News, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardNovember 2, 2022Elections and Voting RightsComment

Prompts for Prayers of Intercession: 11/6/2022

For the global missionaries of our church, including pastors, educators, medical personnel, and Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM)…
For our nation’s veterans, all who have experienced the violence of war, and those who strive for peace…
For an end to the continued war in Ukraine and all places of war and conflict…
For those injured and those grieving loss of life in the aftermath of the tragic Halloween festivities in Seoul, South Korea…
For those grieving loss of life following the bridge collapse in Morbi, Gujarat, India…
For our national and local elections and those who will be elected to public office this week…

ELCA, PrayersBrian FlatgardNovember 2, 2022ELCA Worship, For What Shall We PrayComment

Bishop Eaton: Christians against Christian Nationalism

Christian Nationalism identifies human-made governments as lockstep with God’s will and seeks to privilege Christians, typically only white Christians. This type of ideology is not only dangerous but distorts the difference between holding government accountable to God as opposed to identified strictly with God’s will. We must stand against Christian Nationalism and as that you join us in signing the petition and sharing your stance by visiting the Christians Against Christian Nationalism site.

ELCA Global Mission: November, 2022 Global Links

ELCA Global Mission shares their November, 2022 Global Links, featuring: Young Adults in Global Mission Welcomed Around the World; News Around the World; Mission Personnel; and how to get involved.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardNovember 2, 2022Global Mission, Young Adults in Global MissionComment

The theme for the 2024 Gathering is “Created to Be”

We're excited to announce the theme for the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering is "Created to Be" centered on Psalm 139:14 — "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well."

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardNovember 2, 20222024 ELCA Youth Gathering, Youth and Young Adult, MYLEComment

New Horizons for Episcopal-Lutheran Relations

2022 marks two decades of full communion between the ELCA and The Episcopal Church—a pioneering decision for Christians in the United States that now bears fruit in about two hundred ministry sites including combined church plants, shared facilities, joint camping ministries and governmental advocacy, food pantries, campus ministries, archival work, very regular exchange of pastoral care and preaching, and collaboration in educational initiatives.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardNovember 1, 2022The Episcopal Church, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment

Faith Lens: Across the Divides

I’ve lived in both cities and in the country–and in a few different states. There are commonalities among people everywhere I’ve lived. Most people want the best for themselves, their families, and the world. But we disagree on what that looks like and how we can bring it about.

ELCA, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardNovember 1, 2022Youth and Young Adult, Faith LensComment

Bishop Eaton: Happy Reformation Day!

On Reformation Day and in this video from Bishop Eaton, we celebrate the five hundred and fifth anniversary of the Reformation! Over five hundred years later, the Lutheran movement is alive and well, as the good news is proclaimed in languages and places Martin Luther never knew existed.

Bishop Eaton, ELCA, LettersBrian FlatgardNovember 1, 2022Martin Luther, Reformation SundayComment

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