Seven springs ago, I encountered for the first time the hymn Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil. “Lord, let my heart be good soil, open to the seed of your word,” we sang. “Lord, let my heart be good soil, where love can grow and peace is understood.”
The song came to mind again recently when I saw films about two people whose lives and work were good soil. Neither was Lutheran, but both embodied the core ideas of Hanson’s hymn: Henri J. M. Nouwen and Fred Rogers (aka Mister Rogers).
Read MoreThis Lent, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reflects on Paul’s stormy journey to Rome and the Lord’s Supper. In her March column, she reminds us that our Lord’s holy meal is an act of faith, trust, love, strength for the journey, forgiveness and resistance—it’s an intimate communion with God and each other. Read her column in English at https://bit.ly/3cKxNIc and in Spanish at https://bit.ly/2xnTn54.
Read MoreAs our nation responds to COVID-19 with public health measures to test and contain the outbreak, we are also confronted by an outbreak of xenophobic attacks on Asian Americans, adults and children, with reports of similar aggressions around the world.
Read MoreHarriet Tubman (1822-1913) and Sojourner Truth (1797-1883) were born into slavery but emboldened by their convictions of justice, equality, faith and concern for others to fight against slavery and to advocate for women’s rights. Ask God to grant us a similar boldness to live our faith and serve our neighbors who suffer injustice, poverty, oppression and hunger.
Read MoreWe lift up in prayer Pastor Lowell Nelson and the people of American Lutheran Church in Sun City.
Read MoreThe ELCA Church Council voted today to remove "Vision and Expectations" from use in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Disciplinary standards for rostered ministers are outlined in "Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline."
The council encourages people to read the document, which states: "As an expression of its life in the gospel of Jesus Christ, this church embraces disciplinary processes of counseling, admonition and correction, with the objective of forgiveness, reconciliation and healing. Simultaneously, out of deep concern for effective extension of the gospel, this church remains alert to the high calling of discipleship in Jesus Christ."
Read MoreAt every ecumenical and inter-religious meeting or event I attend, the conversation invariably turns to the rapidly changing ecumenical and inter-religious landscape. At times it is raised as a caution: we cannot continue down the same path because it will no longer lead us to where we thought we were going.
At other times, the conversation itself feeds circular thinking: we cannot effectively engage in new ways until we have a clear view of our new context.
Read MoreFrom Scott Cormode and Fuller Studio comes a good article on the subject of changing church. “The church as we know it is calibrated for a world that no longer exists.
Almost everything about the current experience of church was established in a bygone era: the way we worship, the passages of Scripture we cherish, and who we expect to see. The basic contours of church have not changed, even as the world has been transformed. The church as we know it is calibrated for a world that no longer exists.”
Read MoreThank God for our special relationship with the United Church of Christ, a full communion partner with the ELCA since 1997; pray for the church, its diverse ministries and its members and leaders; and pray that together we will find mutual support, new partnerships and new resources for the work of sharing the gospel and serving our neighbor.
Read MoreIn 1527 the plague returned to Wittenberg, Germany. Two hundred years earlier the plague had swept across Europe killing up to 40% of the population. Understandably, people were anxious and wondered what a safe and faithful response might be.
In answer to this, Martin Luther wrote "Whether One May Flee From a Deadly Plague." In it, he emphasized the duty to care for the neighbor, the responsibility of government to protect and provide services to its citizens, a caution about recklessness, and the importance of science, medicine and common sense.
Read MoreWhen the economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton first published their research on “deaths of despair” five years ago, they focused on middle-aged whites.
As Case and Deaton continued digging into the data, it became clear that deaths of despair have been surging for people without a four-year college degree. Also in the finding, people without college degrees are less likely to attend church.
Read MoreTalk with God. Ask your questions even though some feel deep and perplexing, and trust that God will listen and respond as a loving, concerned parent.
Read MoreThe first full class of International Women Leaders scholarship recipients graduated in 2019. Today, in this video, we celebrate their dreams and accomplishments. Learn how you can support this program at ELCA.org/SupportIWL. See all the graduates messages in full on the ELCA Youtube page.
Read MoreCANCELLED: American Ev. Lutheran Church, Tucson, has cancelled the spring block party on Saturday, March 28, 1-5PM.
Read MoreFrom 1991 through 2019, photographer Deanna Dikeman took a photo of her parents waving goodbye after each visit to their home in Sioux City, Iowa. This portrait series doubles as a family album, compressing nearly three decades of her parents’ adieux into a deft and affecting chronology.
Read MoreProspective seminary students from across the metro Phoenix area gathered to learn first hand about our ELCA seminaries. We spent 2 hours with PLTS, LSTC, hearing about course options, community engagement, and scholarship availability. We hope the event expands across the GCS and eventually all 7 seminaries will be easily represented to prospective leaders for our church.
Check out Elcaseminaries.org for more info.
Read MorePastor Tony Scheer, Spirit of Hope Lutheran, Mesa, invites us to travel to the Holy Land, January 21-31, 2021.
The registration website for the Spirit of Hope Israel Trip is now available, http://www.cvent.com/d/9nq7ms. Please follow this link, register, and pay your deposit as soon as possible so you can reserve your spot on the trip.
Read MorePray for peace, reconciliation and healing in the world wherever there is conflict or war, especially in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and parts of Africa. Ask that the Spirit of God will guide and inspire political leaders, diplomats and mediators, soldiers and peacekeeping forces to be persistent and unified in seeking peaceful, just and compassionate solutions and treaties.
Read MoreGive thanks for the gift of grace we have in Jesus Christ, which sets us free to live our faith with boldness and to serve our neighbor.
Read MoreOur communities are significantly shaped by census data, and Census 2020 will update these numbers for the first time in 10 years. The ELCA is an official partner of the 2020 Census to encourage the most accurate count possible.
Posters placed in your congregation’s common areas and social ministry locations can raise awareness and encourage all to follow-up when their invitation to complete the census arrives by National Census Day on April 1, 2020. A toolkit with additional tools and bulletin inserts as well as the posters can be downloaded from the “Civic Engagement” tab at ELCA.org/resources/advocacy.
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