The Rev. Virginia S. Aebischer, Columbia, S.C., was elected during an online assembly to serve as bishop of the South Carolina Synod. The Rev. Herman Yoos has served as bishop of the South Carolina Synod since 2008 and will retire Aug. 31.
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In their Camp Without Campers, Rocky Mountain Synod’s Sky Ranch shares life in quarantine for their staff, which is using the opportunity to work on the physical property and dig deep into their own worship.
If you would like to access any of their other virtual resources, you can find them here: https://skyranchcolorado.virtual-camp.org/
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Many 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.
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The Rev. Amy Current, Dubuque, Iowa, was elected Aug. 7 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Southeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during an online synod assembly.
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Just 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.
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We continue out 50·40·10 celebration with a video from Pastor Connie Mentzer, Advent Lutheran, York, Pennsylvania. She shares her story of Bishop Eaton’s influence on her ministry.
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August 8th marked one year since the ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopted “A Declaration of Inter-Religious Commitment: A Policy Statement of the ELCA.” Next year will be the 30th anniversary of the church’s first declaration: “A Declaration of Ecumenical Commitment: A Policy Statement of the ELCA” (1991).
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As an intern with the Lutheran Office for World Community, I have the incredible opportunity to “sit-in” on virtual meetings to observe the UN and civil society members actively wrestle with the world’s greatest challenges.
An intersectional lens is largely maintained in conversations, making it clear that existing inequalities like racism and xenophobia create differentiated experiences within a crisis.
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Pray 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.
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Smart 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.
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In this video from Lynden, Wash., we see Hope Lutheran Church’s Backpack Buddies ministry increase its work to ensure children and families had enough to eat during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. An ELCA World Hunger Daily Bread Matching Grant supported this work.
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On March 2-3, 2020, Tennessee was battered by a series of tornadoes. Inspiritus, an affiliate social ministry organization of Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR), was one of the first response groups to arrive on the scene in Cookeville, TN, which was devastated by an EF2 tornado.
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Pray 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).
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For quick comparison, we are using New York Times 7-day average graphs for each state in our synod: Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.
Arizona: This week: 182,230 cases, 3,933 deaths. Last week: 170,905 cases, 3,628 deaths.
Nevada: This week: 53,569 cases, 900 deaths. Last week: 47,034 cases, 805 deaths.
Utah: This week: 42,478 cases and 330 deaths. Last week: 36,178 cases and 271 deaths.
Navajo Nation: This week: 9,195 cases and 467 deaths. Last week: 9,019 cases and 404 deaths.
Hopi Nation: This week: 425 cases. Last week: 415 cases.
We offer prayers of health and renewal for Nan Nelson, wife of Pastor Paul Nelson, as she begins treatments for the early stages of breast cancer.
O Lord, your compassions never fail and your mercies are new every morning. We give you thanks for giving our sister Jan both relief from pain and hope of health renewed. Continue in her the good work you have begun; that she, daily increasing in bodily strength and rejoicing in your goodness, may so order her life and conduct that she may always think and do those things that please you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Dj McCoy and Kristen Theile write to us from Community Lutheran Church, in Las Vegas, where their youth ministry is a diverse group located on the East side. Their youth have been wanting to speak out about the sin of racism and where we are called as a church to respond.
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Creating 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.
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The 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.
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Ask 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.
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