From Mosaic’s Jim Fruehling, Vice President of Behavioral and Spiritual Supports: Looking back over a career inevitably prompts some nostalgia – not necessarily because the “old days” were always that good, but because of colleagues, friends and coworkers who came alongside to cast a light on the path. It’s these relationships that many of us recall the most, the content of which made life meaningful, as they continue to do, even today.
Read MoreFrom Becca Ehrlich comes a personal journey of building faith through minimalism: No one expects to have their lives completely changed while watching Netflix. But that’s exactly what happened to me.
On a nondescript day in December 2017, I sat down on my couch and turned on Netflix. One of the suggested documentaries was Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things. I checked to see how long it was, and I saw that it was relatively short. “Well,” I thought, “If it stinks, at least it’s only an hour and 15 minutes of my life.”
Read MoreDo you have goals, plans, hopes and ventures for this new year? Give thanks and take comfort and courage in the promise of God’s love, forgiveness, renewing Spirit and acceptance of us just as we are — in all our human endeavors.
Read MoreIn the most recent issue of Living Lutheran, Robert C. Blezard writes about friendship, and quotes Linda Staats, a member of Faith Lutheran Church, Phoenix, who recalls The Message translation of Proverbs 18:24: “Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.”
Staats finds that to be true for a lifelong group of seven girls who grew up in the same small town in Iowa. Now scattered across five states, they stay in touch by email, text and videoconferencing, and gather once a year. “Faithful, lifelong friends—a very rare treasure, indeed!” Staats said.
Read MoreWorking remotely or working from home has become one of the biggest workplace trends. Allowing staff to work remotely gives employers more options in hiring the best employees. For the employee, working from home eliminates the stress of commuting and creates more time to focus and be productive.
Read MoreThe good news of Jesus Christ embodying God’s love, forgiveness and promise of eternal life is for all humanity; no one should be excluded from this good news and mystery of grace. Ask that the Spirit fill and inspire us to speak enthusiastically about our faith and serve our neighbor — every neighbor — in the name of Christ.
Read MoreThe Office of the Bishop has learned that some of the mail addressed to us over the holidays may not have reached us. If you mailed us something in late December and have not received an appropriate response, please let us know so we can look into it.
Read MoreELCA Advocacy is very excited to offer “Ready and Real: ELCA Young Leaders in Advocacy” – a pre-event to plus participation in 2020 Ecumenical Advocacy Days.
Turn-around time is quick. We need applications by January 15, 2020 for the April 2020 event which is a great opportunity for skill building, experience and networking.
Read MoreI do not, and will not ever, own a cat. Instead, I own a dog. In fact, as I type this, Lucy, my 7-pound Yorkshire terrier, is snoring next to me on my office chair.
Why do I prefer dogs to cats? It could be because — along with being a social scientist — I am an American Baptist pastor. And like many other Christians in the United States, I’m more likely to own a dog than a cat. My friends who skip church, however, prefer cats.
Read MoreSpirit in the Desert Retreat Center is honored to welcome Bishop Jim Hazelwood, from the New England Synod ELCA! He has just published a new book, Everyday Spirituality...Discover a Life of Hope, Peace and Meaning. He will be using this book as the basis for leading the retreat, February 18-20, 2020. Download the flyer or visit the website for more info.
Read MorePray for the ministries that have received ELCA World Hunger Big Dream Grants, which support domestic ministries as they pursue innovative and sustainable approaches to ending hunger. Ask God to help their work flourish and inspire others to seek new ways of ending hunger and lifting the human family.
Read MoreIntense wildfires have brought catastrophic fire conditions for the majority of Australia.
The Lutheran Church of Australia has distributed food and non-food items to families affected.
Read MoreOn December 31, 2019, heavy rainfalls caused severe flooding and landslides in the greater Jakarta area.
Huria Kristen Batak Protestan, a companion church of the ELCA, was there to help.
Read MoreWe pray for the people of Resurrection Lutheran Church in Scottsdale, AZ. We lift up: John Geske, Senior Pastor; Matt Wiswall, Associate Pastor: Matt Robards, Family Pastor; Anita Elco, Senior Director of Children's Education & Ministry; Andrea Salgado, Preschool Director ; John Burritt, Director of Worship; Valerie Cooksey, Worship Leader/Accompanist; Emily Cooksey, Worship Leader/Technology; Lawrence Jones, Director of Operations; and Patti Wiese, Pastoral/Program Support.
Read MoreRetired pastors Ron Rude and John Kautz are hosting southern Arizona ELCA pastors in a discussion on books which uncover important racial accord challenges and implications for Christ’s ministry.
The main book is “Dear Church: A Love Letter from a Black Preacher to the Whitest Denomination in the U.S” (Fortress Press, 2019). The writer is Lenny Duncan, recently ordained ELCA pastor serving Jehu’s Table congregation in Brooklyn.
Read MoreIn the January 2020 issue of Living Lutheran, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reflects on white privilege (reprint of her June 2108 column): “We aren’t free until all of us are free.” Read her column in English at https://bit.ly/36BvljB and in Spanish at https://bit.ly/39UNISW.
Read MoreReformation Lutheran Church in Milwaukee serves its neighbors through youth work programs, a community garden, a store for low-cost children’s and household items, Strong Babies fairs and other ministries. The Strong Babies program is supported in part by your gifts to ELCA World Hunger.
Read MoreA doctor should not perform surgery if she is tired. A pilot should not fly if he is tired. And clergy who counsel and take on the audacious task of sharing something of God should not attempt these fearsome duties when we are tired. But we do. In many places, the institutional culture demands it.
The church must develop a culture that allows for rest without shame. A few months ago, an Orthodox priest confessed to me his weariness and his fear of leaving ministry if something did not change. As we talked I could hear that the very idea of a sabbatical was foreign to this person. The pastor asserted, “In my corner of the church, the only time a pastor takes a leave from ministry is when they’ve gotten in trouble.”
Read MoreDo our names determine our destiny? Researcher Steve Levitt has dedicated decades to this question. Different cultures have different naming patterns and trends. Our names sometimes suggest something about us. Every student has had this experience when a teacher calls the roll in a classroom for the first time and and looks up with an expectation.
Read MoreThe Gospel readings that frame January locate God in darkness. Understanding this prepares us to be blown away by the Gospel writers’ testimony. Darkness is where God chooses to arrive. Darkness is where Jesus appears. Darkness is where the good news begins.
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