The Asian and Pacific Islander Association of the ELCA recently issued a statement, affirmed by the ELCA Conference of Bishops, calling on the church to declare a day of lament during Lent to express solidarity with, help in healing and support Asian American victims of violence.
Sunday, March 21, has been named as the common date, though worshiping communities may choose a different date as appropriate for their context. Worship resources are available in this PDF.
Read MoreThree cheers (and a gift) for LWR quilters! National Quilting Day is Saturday, March 20, and we have some special events planned for our quilting community, including an online gathering to show our thanks. Please make sure your fellow quilters see this so they can join in the festivities.
Read MoreLutheran Social Services of Nevada’s March, 2021 newsletter features the grand opening of their 3,000 square feet DigiMart, which opened on February 16, 2021. The expanded food pantry — made possible by a $490,000 Impact Grant awarded by Nevada Women's Philanthropy — enables LSSN to serve 5,000 additional households and capacity to store 80,000 pounds of food.
Read MoreYou are warmly invited to join a Zoom call for the ELCA Word and Service community scheduled for Wednesday, March 17, 2021, beginning at 10:30 am MST and PDT.
If you are a candidate, an active leader under call, on leave from call, or retired, you are welcome to participate in this online gathering!
Read MoreThis Lent, Bishop Eaton invites us to participate in the Global Survey on Being Lutheran (en Español: Encuesta Mundial Sobre lo Que Significa Ser Luteran). We also ask that you invite others in your churches to participate. The survey will be open through March 31, and responses gathered will help to shape the 13th LWF Assembly in 2023.
Read MoreIs your congregation eligible for a Paycheck Protection Program loan? The deadline for the second round of PPP loans is quickly approaching. Applications submitted by March 22, 2021, will be processed in time to meet the federal deadline on March 31, 2021. Learn more and apply now.
Read MoreJoin the National Lutheran Choir and guest artists, the Keith Hampton Singers, for a FREE virtual program blending spoken reflections, songs and familiar hymns of joy and hope with new music that speaks to our present time, inviting all people of faith to sing in joy together! Sunday, March 14 @ 1pm MST/PST @ NLCA.com.
Read MoreThe first and only program of its kind, the National Fund for Sacred Places is a matching grant program that offers technical assistance and financial support to actively worshiping faith communities who are working to preserve their historic houses of worship. Letters of Intent are due March 15, 2021. Apply here.
Read MoreAt the Office of the Bishop, we are blessed to be continually flooded: with prayers, with mission support from congregations and individuals, with unexpected fruits of the Spirt, with companionship from ministry partners, and with joyful work from so many volunteers and church leaders. On Sunday morning, we were finally flooded with actual water.
Read MoreFor those affected in our synod, Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 2:00 A.M.
On Saturday night, set your clocks forward one hour (i.e., losing one hour) to “spring ahead.” Sunrise and sunset will be about 1 hour later on Mar 14, 2021 than the day before. There will be more light in the evening.
Read MoreWe have watched with horror recent news reports of attacks on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders – fueled by racist rhetoric which has attempted to lay blame for the cause of the Coronavirus on Asian Peoples. The Conference of Bishops, meeting on March 4th, voted to affirm the “Statement on Anti-Asian Racism,” and to encourage the congregations and leaders of our synods to take action. A Day of Lament has been set for Sunday, March 21, 2021.
Please consider the points of encouragement in the statement as ways your congregation or ministry can stand in solidarity with our Asian and Pacific Islander brothers and sisters.
Read MoreLouise N. Johnson, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has been elected by the ELCA Church Council as the executive for administration, a position that is coterminous with the term of the presiding bishop. She begins in this role on March 15, 2021.
Read MoreThe Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has joined more than 500 ELCA rostered ministers and the CEOs of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) and Lutheran Services in America (LSA) in calling on Congress to support the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. In a March 4 letter, the leaders urge lawmakers to work collaboratively to advance legislation "around a long overdue solution that reflects our shared values as a nation."
Read MoreOn Saturday, March 13, Beth Gallen will be ordained into the Ministry of Word and Sacrament of the ELCA. The service will be live streamed on Saturday, March 13 at 10:30 am through Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church's YouTube channel. Her son will also be baptized in the service. Join the celebration!
Read MoreAs we approach the time last year when we ceased in-person gathering, we take time to lament: an opportunity to express deeply held grief and frustration. Through Scripture, music, and prayer, we invite you to allow yourself to lament our life under COVID.
This service premieres on March 14th, 5pm MST, and will be available on our Facebook, YouTube, and Vimeo pages. Featuring Bishop Hutterer, Rev. Alan Field, Diakonia participants, and music from Tanque Verde Lutheran in Tucson as well as Pastor Sarah Stadler.
Read MoreA reminder to rostered ministers to use the quick and easy online form to send in your report to the bishop. She’s only received a few dozen so far.
These constitutionally required reports are a great way to connect, and Bishop Hutterer looks forward to your feedback.
Read MoreThe Grand Canyon Synod is inviting you for an hour of conversation with Bishop Deborah Hutterer and Dr. Karen Kibler to review the year of Covid and where what might be in store for the coming months on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 at 6 pm.
This is open to congregation councils, pastors, and deacons. Please register here by March 21, 2021.
Read MoreNine scholarships are available for California Lutheran University’s Executive Skills for Church Leaders program, which runs July 19-23, 2021. Our partnership with the Lilly Endowment and the Rocky Mountain Synod enables these scholarships.
Contact Pr. Miguel Gomez-Acosta for more details on eligibility. More info on Cal Lutheran's site.
Read MoreThe Grand Canyon Synod is pleased to announce that the registration for the next cohort of Stewardship for All Seasons is now open. For more information and a brochure about the program, please visit gcsynod.org/stewardship-for-all-seasons.
If you have questions do not hesitate to contact Pr. Miguel Gomez-Acosta at miguel.gomez-acosta@elca.org. The deadline to sign up is April 5th, 2021. First meeting will be May 8th, 2021.
Read MoreCalifornia Lutheran University’s Fifty and Better program announces its March lectures and spring session classes, available to all.
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