LWF Vice President Astrid Kleist reflects on the meaning of the Crucifixion for those suffering in our strife-ridden world
LWF Vice President Astrid Kleist reflects on the meaning of the Crucifixion for those suffering in our strife-ridden world

In this year’s message for Good Friday, Lutheran World Federation’s vice president for the Central Western European region, Pröpstin Astrid Kleist, reflects on the Gospel of Luke’s account of the Crucifixion, as Jesus is nailed to the cross to die between two criminals. Read the Good Friday Message in English, in Spanish, in French, or in German.

Kleist, a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany, reflects on the meaning of Jesus’ death for those killed, injured, uprooted and bereaved by Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian towns and cities.

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Global Church, LettersBrian FlatgardLutheran World Federation, 2022 Holy WeekComment
Lutheran World Federation newsletter: April 14, 2022
Lutheran World Federation newsletter: April 14, 2022

Stories

Resources

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News, Global ChurchBrian FlatgardLutheran World FederationComment
Bishop Hutterer: Good Courage
Bishop Hutterer: Good Courage

In my life, the amount of hope I find Easter morning has always been related to the depth of the Lenten journey before. The glorious Sunday morn is not possible without the nights of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

Two Easters ago, the reality of the pandemic truly hit the church. And if you look at Lent through the lens of giving something up, it can feel as if we’ve had two years of Lenten fasting from normalcy.

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Bishop Hutterer, Letters, Grand Canyon SynodBrian Flatgard2022 Holy Week, Bishop Hutterer Letters Comments
Earth Day is Friday, 4/22/2022
Earth Day is Friday, 4/22/2022

Earth Day is Friday, April 22, 2022! We encourage you to review ELCA’s social statement on Caring for Creation (in English or Spanish), and visit the Environment Advocacy page and resource pages at ELCA.org. And Lutherans Restoring Creation is a grassroots movement promoting care for creation in the ELCA.

Our friends at the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona have also compiled a great set of Earth Day events that you may interest you.

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Grand Canyon Synod, News, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardEpiscopal Diocese of Arizona, Lutherans Restoring Creation, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, Climate ChangeComment
Prompts for Prayers of Intercession: April 17, 2022
Prompts for Prayers of Intercession: April 17, 2022

  • For loved ones of the six million people who have died of Covid-19 around the world…

  • For our Jewish neighbors, siblings in God’s covenant, observing Passover…

  • For the people who have been displaced by the war in Ukraine and for refugees seeking safety everywhere…

  • For victims and loved ones of those affected by the subway shooting in New York…

  • For people living in poverty and all who are struggling to pay their bills…

  • For farmers and farmworkers as they plant their fields for the coming season…

  • For the preservation and renewal of the earth, God’s creation entrusted to us…

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ELCA, PrayersBrian FlatgardELCA Worship, For What Shall We PrayComment
Learn & Act: Voting Integrity zoom event
Learn & Act: Voting Integrity zoom event

Phoenix Fusion presents a Zoom event entitled “Learn & Act: Voting Integrity,” on Thursday, 4/28/2022, 6:30pm MST/PDT, 7:30 MDT. Click here to join Zoom meeting. View info PDF or read more in this post.

As Lutherans, many of us feel that voting is a sacred right and that we have a calling to be civically engaged in supporting the common good, but with so much happening on this front, it can be hard to keep up or know how to make your voice heard.

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Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardPhoenix Fusion, Capital Conference, Advocacy, Elections and Voting RightsComment
Prayers for Rev. Dr. Jerry Schmalenberger and family
Prayers for Rev. Dr. Jerry Schmalenberger and family

Pastor David Brandfass, with Christ Lutheran Church in Sedona, writes that Rev. Dr. Jerry Schmalenberger is now under the care of hospice at Sedona Winds Assisted Living, a memory care facility. Brandfass writes, “Since he was the President of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in the 1990’s, many of our synod pastors might know him.“

Anyone wanting to send a card can contact the synod office for the address.

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Prayers, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardHigh Country Conference, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Sierra Pacific Synod, Region 2Comment
Lutheran World Federation newsletter: April 8, 2022
Lutheran World Federation newsletter: April 8, 2022

General Secretary visits Uganda

Stories

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News, Global ChurchBrian FlatgardLutheran World FederationComment
Bishop Eaton's Easter message: I know my Redeemer lives
Bishop Eaton's Easter message: I know my Redeemer lives

As we enter the third year of this pandemic, we see the signs of stress and incivility, even the signs of war and disease in Ethiopia and Sudan, in Europe. It might seem like death still has sway, but Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reminds us to declare confidently on this Easter and all times "I know that my Redeemer lives.”

View in this post, on YouTube, or download the video here. Read the message as PDF in English or Spanish.

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Bishop Eaton, ELCA, LettersBrian Flatgard2022 Holy WeekComment