This October, ELCA Coaching offers free events and trainings for leaders, including sessions on mental health, right relations, beloved community, and decolonizing worship. Registration is required for some opportunities. Visit elcacoaching.org/events for details.
Read MoreKathy Lueders, retired NASA associate administrator and member of Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Florida, reflects on her career in human spaceflight, her commitment to community service, and her grounding in faith. Her story highlights how vocation and discipleship intertwine in surprising ways. Read her story in Living Lutheran,
Read MoreFive years after its release, All Creation Sings continues to shape worship across the ELCA, offering prayers and songs that reflect diverse voices and expansive images of God. David Sims, Augsburg Fortress’ senior music editor, shares how ACS serves congregations and inspires faithful action. Read the full interview in Living Lutheran.
Read MoreELCA Sumud now offers a rich collection of resources for Advent and Christmas 2025: a four-week adult devotional series, a Biblical Botany guide, and a children’s Christmas book. An instructional video will launch October 15 to introduce each resource. Download Advent and Christmas resources here.
Read MoreThis week’s Faith Lens reminds us that even the smallest measure of faith is enough for the work God calls us to do. In Luke 17, Jesus uses exaggerated, even humorous, images—uprooting trees, masters serving servants—to teach that faith is already present within us and sufficient for the tasks ahead. Habakkuk, Paul, and Jesus all echo the same truth: though the work of discipleship can be difficult and even seem impossible, God equips us with the gift of faith to endure, serve, and trust in God’s promises.
Read MoreFor an end to war and conflict, especially in Gaza, South Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine…
For all victims of gun violence, especially in Grand Blanc, MI and Dallas, TX…
For rescue and recovery efforts following an earthquake in the Philippines…
For rescue and recovery efforts follow a school collapse in Indonesia…
For safety amidst protest in Morocco and Madagascar…
For all migrants and global travelers…
For access to affordable and reliable health care, clean water, and sufficient food…
For those who serve in the military…
For the health and flourishing of creation…
In thanksgiving for the ministries of Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and Bishop Yehiel Curry…
September 30 is the National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools, also known as Orange Shirt Day. This annual observance honors Indigenous children taken from their families and placed in U.S. and Canadian boarding schools, where many suffered abuse and cultural erasure. The day is named for Phyllis Webstad’s story of surrendering her orange shirt on her first day at a residential school.
The ELCA invites us to join the Truth and Healing Movement, a commitment to confronting this painful history and standing with Indigenous siblings in Christ. Learn more at Living Lutheran: Orange Shirt Day article.
Read MoreAdvocacy is a grateful response to God’s grace and a way of living out our baptismal call. In the Southeastern Synod, congregations across Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee engage, equip, and empower communities to stand with vulnerable neighbors. From disaster preparedness to immigrant support, advocacy reflects Christ’s love in action. Read more ›
Read MoreWe give thanks for Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and the twelve years she spent leading the ELCA. Take a look back on these fun and meaningful moments from her ministry. Download at https://bit.ly/47JSnaw or watch on YouTube.
Read MoreThe Rev. Yehiel Curry will be installed as presiding bishop of the ELCA on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, at 2 p.m. Central (12 p.m. MST) at Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis. Curry, the first Black presiding bishop of the ELCA, was elected during the 2025 Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix. The service is open to the public, with livestream access available here: ELCA Installation of the Presiding Bishop.
Read MoreThis October, ELCA Coaching offers free events and trainings for leaders, including sessions on mental health, right relations, beloved community, and decolonizing worship. Registration is required for some opportunities. Visit elcacoaching.org/events for details.
Read MoreThe Rev. Yehiel Curry will be installed as presiding bishop of the ELCA on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, at 2 p.m. Central (12 p.m. MST) at Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis. Curry, the first Black presiding bishop of the ELCA, was elected during the 2025 Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix. The service is open to the public, with livestream access available here: ELCA Installation of the Presiding Bishop.
Read MoreFor an end to war and conflict, especially in Gaza, South Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine
For all victims of gun violence, especially in Dallas, TX, and other acts of violence, including Pittsburgh, PA…
For all in the path of Typhoon Ragasa…
For the work of the United Nations as they meet in assembly…
For political transition in Malawi…
For those managing brush fires in Hawaii…
In gratitude for the diversity of human gifts, experiences, and abilities that all reflect God’s image…
In Luke 16:19–31, Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, urging his listeners to heed “Moses and the prophets” rather than wait for extraordinary signs. As Lutherans, we trust that salvation comes by grace alone, yet this story challenges us to consider where we act like the rich man, Lazarus, or the brothers—and how repentance calls us back to God’s Word. The parable reminds us that we already have what we need to live faithfully: Scripture, community, and the gift of Christ.
Read MorePrayer is more than spoken words—it’s relationship with God. In this Café article, Sarah Carson explores varied approaches to prayer, from silent meditation to journaling, from walking in nature to creative expression. Each practice offers new ways to listen, respond, and rest in God’s presence. Prayer is less about performance and more about authenticity. Read more in Café →
Read MorePrayer doesn’t always require words. In A Prayer without End, Sarah Carson explores how prayer can flow through music, art, daily habits, and even silence. Drawing on Scripture and Lutheran teaching, she reminds us that prayer changes us—helping us see God in all things. Could our actions, creativity, and relationships also be forms of ceaseless prayer? Read more in Café →
Read MoreThe ELCA’s social statements are not political add-ons, but expressions of Lutheran faith lived in the world. Kristin Johnston Largen explores the statement The Church and Criminal Justice: Hearing the Cries, highlighting its call for dignity, equity, and a transformed mindset. As Lutherans, we are invited to move beyond vengeance and violence, embodying God’s mercy in criminal justice and in all relationships. Largen, who is also one of the featured speakers at our 2025 Bishop’s Fall Gathering, brings these insights into conversation with our synod life. Read more in Living Lutheran →
Read MoreFrom the ocean depths to the farthest galaxies, creation invites us to marvel at mysteries we cannot solve. Writer Elise Seyfried reflects on faith, humility, and wonder in an age of scientific discovery. She reminds us that while our striving for knowledge is good, God also calls us to rest in questions that remain unanswered. We are cradled, like children, in the vast love of the Creator who holds both ocean and sky. Read more in Living Lutheran →
Read MorePastors are often pulled in many directions, juggling meetings, preaching, teaching, and community care. But what if the most essential task of ministry is prayer itself? Pastor Mindy Roll reflects on the biblical story of Mary and Martha, the neuroscience of prayer, and her own renewal through contemplative practice. She invites congregations to support their leaders in rhythms of prayer—so that ministry flows not from busyness, but from Jesus’ presence. Read more in Living Lutheran →
Read MoreELCA Disability Ministries has released its Fall 2025 updates, including a free Nov. 17 webinar on creating accessible church spaces on a budget. You’ll also find a recap from the Churchwide Assembly, reflections on mental health and disability, new teaching tools, and upcoming awareness events. Learn how your congregation can take faithful, practical steps toward greater inclusion and hospitality. Read the full newsletter here.
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