The Lutheran Church in Singapore presents Come Let us Adore Him, featuring the Queenstown Lutheran Church in Singapore.
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When scientists look at coronavirus mutations, they worry about three things: Is the new variant more contagious? Is it going to cause people to get sicker? And how will the vaccines work against it?
The Omicron variant is a greatest hits of all three. But we don’t yet know enough to panic. Listen for free on The New York Times Daily podcast page.
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Each week Religion News Service presents a gallery of photos of religious expression around the world. View the slideshow here.
This week’s photo gallery includes preparations for Christmas and Hanukkah, major trial verdicts in the United States and more.
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It’s your final week to create and submit a video that shares a story of generosity that offers hope for the new year! Visit our film festival page for info and submission guidelines (web page or PDF).
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In response to the verdicts in the trial of Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William Bryan in Brunswick, Ga., for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, we offer a word of prayer and healing.
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The Salvadoran Lutheran Church presents Tras Hermoso Lucero. Featuring the Children Choir in the Lutheran Church Pueblo de Dios, Calderitas.
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Annual report covers are now available online for congregations that are preparing for their annual meetings. The document includes a letter from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, a hymn and litany and a story about how change and creativity have helped shape congregations this past year. The digital covers are available as pages or as spreads and can be found at ELCA.org/SOFIA#relevantresources.
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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada presents There is no Child by vocalists from the Eastern Synod.
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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi presents Alimkudza wasoni munthu (He is Coming, The Man of Sorrows) featuring the ELCM Praise and Worship Team, Lilongwe Cathedral.
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We are witnessing the rampant criminalization of faith, enabled by the smartphones in our pockets. Read the article from Religion News Service.
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These past two years have exposed how the science vs. faith discourse isn’t an abstract ideological debate but a false dichotomy that has disastrous real-world consequences. Read the article from the New York Times.
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For many, the relationship between birds and Christianity does not stray farther than seeing a dove carrying an olive branch on a banner at church. However, for Christian birdwatchers, this link is alive. Read the article from Religion News Service.
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All but two counties in our synod continue to have extremely high levels of risk for unvaccinated people. 45% of our synod remains unvaccinated.
Extremely high risk counties for unvaccinated people in our synod include Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Washington, Yavapai, and Yuma counties.
We’re compiling our news and events for Advent and Christmas on one page on our site. Visit gcsynod.org/advent to see it all, and let us know if we’re missing anything.
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This Advent brings several reasons for hope: children can soon receive vaccinations for COVID-19, many congregations are gathering again in person, families look forward to holiday celebrations. Yet humanity grieves losses and experiences great suffering and forms of oppression, as does the planet itself.
Two new hymns in All Creation Sings that address this, see “Can You Feel the Seasons Turning” and “Abba, Abba, Hear Us” among others in the “Lament” and “Creation” sections.
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“And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.” 1 Chronicles 29:13
With prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving for all who share in our ministry together throughout the Grand Canyon Synod. —Bishop Deborah Hutterer and the Office of the Bishop staff
Read this post for the what’s and where’s of the team in the coming week.
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For all who face adverse weather with inadequate shelter or protections…
For the victims of the Christmas parade tragedy in Wisconsin…
For safe holiday travel…
For all who seek justice in the face of unjust systems
For our Jewish siblings as they begin Hanukkah celebrations…
As both a member of the Cherokee nation and a first-generation Mexican American, news stories from the southern border in 2018 were more than just headlines for me.
These stories tap into the deep, largely unacknowledged, pain that Indigenous peoples in the United States have carried for generations around the governmental and the church practice of forcefully removing Native American children to send them to residential boarding schools. The philosophy of one of these institutions, The Carlisle School in Pennsylvania, was “Kill the Indian, save the man.”
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During this Advent season, Lutheran World Federation (LWF) member churches are sharing hymns from their congregations to show how the Lutheran communion regions prepare for Christ’s coming into this world.
The first hymn will be shared on 28 November which is the First Sunday of Advent and the last one on 24 December, Christmas Eve.
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In Worcester, Mass., the secondhand goods sold at Emanuel’s Closet represent the first step of a reinvigorated congregation looking for new ways to serve.
“Jesus told us we have a responsibility to our neighbors—feed the hungry, clothe the naked and be a place of shelter,” said Tom Houston, the licensed lay minister of Emanuel Lutheran Church, which houses the thrift store. “We want to be more of a factor in our community, and Emanuel’s Closet is a starting point.”
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