“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Ask God to help us proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and salvation, that all who hear will believe, be saved and enjoy the blessings of being a sibling in Christ with believers throughout the world.
Read MoreLutherans Restoring Creation is preparing a creation focused video worship service utilizing the lectionary texts for Pentecost 16 that congregations can download and use, available by Monday, 9/14/2020.
Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, The Rev. Dr. Barbara Rossing, Rev. Lenny Duncan, Rebekah Bruesehoff, and others will participate, with music provided by Marty Haugen, the Rev. Dr. Leah Schade, and John Tirro.
Read MoreTom Cunniff, ELCA General Counsel, gives some guidance on inquiries about church employees (particularly ministers) taking leave to care for children.
Read MoreBecause of the pandemic, the Congregational Vitality Training Conference is online and free, and runs August 2020–January 2021 (view PDF brochure). With the registration deadline coming up, contact Miguel Gomez-Acosta to get the registration link as soon as possible.
Read MorePray that we will listen carefully to God and be receptive to the ways God speaks to us each day, especially when we least expect it or are slow to recognize God’s voice amid the noise and competing voices in the world.
Read MoreRev. Paul Gehrs writes: “I write to you from Treaty 1 Territory: the land of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation. I acknowledge that from time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples have lived as stewards and defenders of this land; this work is ongoing.”
Read MoreGive thanks to God for leaders — paid and volunteer — who serve in youth, young adult and family ministries in our congregations and synods. Pray for the ELCA Youth, Young Adult and Youth Gathering ministries and the ELCA Youth Ministry Network, that their collective work of supporting, equipping and nurturing faith and of connecting leaders and young people will yield abundant fruit.
Read MoreWhen we gather for worship, we gather to be sent. One need that surfaced as part of the development process of All Creation Sings was a desire for more hymns and songs connected to the Sending.
Learn more by reading the full article here; viewing a list of the contents of All Creation Sings as well as a digital preview, or listening to a sample song, Let Us Enter In, recording by Bread for the Journey.
Read MoreMany rostered ministers have said that financial stress can stand in the way of satisfaction and effectiveness in ministry. Resourceful Servants has developed programs and gathered resources which specifically address the financial needs of rostered ministers.
Program begins 8/18/2020. View this PDF and the Resourceful Servants website for more info.
Read MoreJust as Jesus calmed and reassured his disciples in a boat crossing a stormy sea, we pray for protection, comfort and renewal of faith in these difficult, uncertain times and in future ordeals.
Read MorePray for the Spirit to stir within us humility, wisdom, empathy and a commitment to dismantle the barriers between people who live in wealth and people who live in poverty. Pray that all will have sufficient resources for daily life and self-sufficiency but also will develop a deeper commitment to mutual care and will value one another and our interdependence.
Read MoreSmart planning can help you keep your organization running if disaster strikes. The chances of your congregation requiring an emergency plan may be greater than you think. This one page resource from the ELCA is a great start.
Read MorePray for the leaders, voting members and others gathered for the Southeastern Iowa Synod Assembly and
participating in online sessions, that the Spirit will strengthen, guide and encourage them in choosing leaders, proclaiming the gospel, growing the church, serving our neighbor and doing God’s work in an ever-changing world.
Minnesota Public Radio provides an interview with Dr. Michael Osterholm. A message he’s been repeating lately is the importance of aerosol transmission and good circulation in buildings. Listen or read here.
We also encourage you to listen to his weekly podcasts. In the latest episode, "No Time to Rest," Dr. Osterholm highlights vaccine safety, face shields, and how to respond effectively to misinformation. His two-part series on reopening schools has resonance to reopening churches (parts one and two).
Read MoreCreating an environment with financial controls and best practices ensures that the resources entrusted to the church are handled in the best possible ways.
The presentation “Financial Best Practices for Congregations” highlights key aspects of separating financial duties, safeguarding offerings and handling expenditures.
Read MoreThe Weekly Online Gathering for ELCA Leaders continues every Wednesday, 1 pm Central, 11am MST. Links to the meeting at elcacoaching.org as well as archives.
Pastor Mary Martha Kannass with young adults of Hephatha Lutheran, Milwaukee joins us in this Wednesday’s online gathering, Wednesday, August 12, 2020.
Read MoreAsk the Spirit to help us be bold and articulate in sharing who God is, what God has done and what God is doing in the world for the sake of all people.
Read MoreFor your individual or group devotion, you may choose to listen to the following choral recordings made available through Augsburg Fortress: “An Irish Blessing,” “Praise, Praise You Are My Rock,” “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen.”
Read MoreWorship in the Home: Sunday, August 9, 2020. Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 19.
“We and all our world also know the threat of death and chaos. But then, listen. God comes to Elijah not in wind, earthquake or fire, but in the sound of sheer silence and in a voice that gives him a mission. Those sounds may be little in the world, but they are the very presence of God.”
Read MoreDue to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Young Adults in Global Mission program will not be sending out volunteers this year. Give thanks for young adults who have volunteered for global service over the years, and pray that the Spirit will guide the Young Adults in Global Mission program as it prepares to continue its work and ministry alongside our global companions.
Read More
