We celebrate the contributions of Asian and Pacific Islanders in the ELCA and reaffirm our commitment to the Asian and Pacific Islander communities in the United States.
Read More
Our hearts grieve for those who have been killed and our souls cry out against more lives lost to the hatred birthed by racism. As we mourn those lives lost as a result of the racially motivated killings in Buffalo, we ask God to ease the continued suffering and trauma of our Black siblings throughout the nation and in our church. We are one body in Christ, so when one part suffers, we all suffer.
Read More
On May 18, 2022, ELCA Presiding Bishop Eaton and 44 ELCA synod bishops, including Bishop Hutterer, wrote to Congress about their concerns related to the funding of Augusta Victoria Hospital. Read the full letter here: ELCA Bishops’ letter to Congress concerning US funding for Augusta Victoria Hospital.
Ask your Members of Congress to restore funding for Augusta Victoria Hospital and the other East Jerusalem hospitals (This form will give you a sample letter you can personalize and send).
Read More
Presiding Bishop Eaton wrote to Secretary of State Antony Blinken to express her “profound shock and sadness concerning the death of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in Jenin, the West Bank, on May 11 and the deplorable disruption of her funeral procession on May 13.”
Read the letter from Bishop Eaton to Secretary of State Blinken on the killing and funeral of Shireen Abu Akleh and join Bishop Eaton in taking action by writing to Secretary of State Blinken here. (The action alert will give you sample language that you can edit and personalize).
Read More
We pray for interim pastor Philip Gustafson, Rev. John Maroni, and the people of Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church in Sun City, part of the Cactus Conference. Visit their site at shepherdofthedesertelca.org, and their Facebook page.
Read More
As part of our assembly, we’ll be approving our proposed 2023-2024 Mission Spending Plan. Visit this page to explore the plan in depth as we provide different ways of seeing this data.
If you missed our Q-&-A Zoom presentation of the plan, hosted by Synod Treasurer Erik Rehms, you can view a recording of the session here. You’ll also need this passcode to view: 5DDUcJ=V
We pray for Rev. Paul Block, Rev. Lourdes Olson and the people of New Song Lutheran Church in Henderson, part of the Colorado River Conference. Visit their site at newsonganthem.com, and their social media pages on Facebook, YouTube, and Vimeo.
Read More
The 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly will take place Aug. 8-12 in Columbus, Ohio. Under the theme “Embody the Word,” the assembly will meet around word and water, wine and bread, to carry on its work on behalf of the entire church.
A key action during the assembly will be electing a vice president. Live video of worship and plenary sessions will be accessible at Churchwide Assembly — Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (elca.org).
Read More
5/27/2022 update: more info from Heidi’s father, Paul, and links a GoFundMe page and to CaringBridge health updates for Justin and Katherine.
We lift up in prayer the friends and family of Heidi Gerrish. Heidi died at the scene of an automobile accident Saturday morning, May 21, 2022, while traveling to her sister Julie’s graduation from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. Also in the car were her partner Justin, and her brother and sister-in-law, Stephen and Katherine.
Read More
After numerous Covid-thwarted attempts to arrange a visit, we are blessed that our 2022 Synod Assembly features a visit from Rev. Roberto Trejo Haager, Pastor President of the Mexican Lutheran Church (Iglesia Luterana Mexicana, ILM).
We look forward to worshipping with Pastor Trejo Haager and hearing updates on our companions in Mexico.
Read More
Friday, May 27, 2022 is your absolute final day to register for our synod assembly. Click here to register.
We thank you for respecting our Covid safety precautions:
Only registered voting members may attend.
No in-person visitors. Visitors can view via livestream at no cost.
No tables or vendors will be at the in-person assembly.
The coronavirus has claimed nearly one million lives in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic, a once-unimaginable loss.
According to the CDC’s COVID-19 Community Levels, all of our synod’s counties remain low level: Apache, Clark, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Washington, Yavapai, and Yuma.
Read More
This week we celebrate the following ordination anniversaries:
Rev. Richard Glover, who celebrates 63 years on May 20.
Rev. Phillip Hausknecht, who celebrates 59 years on May 20.
Rev. Mel Soderberg, who celebrates 55 years on May 21.
Rev. Patricia Reed, who celebrates 21 years on May 21.
Deacon Laura Book, who celebrates 12 years on May 21.
Rev. Daniel Olson, who celebrates 59 years on May 22.
Rev. Raymond Stiffler, who celebrates 62 years on May 22.
Rev. Carl Zimmermann, who celebrates 45 years on May 22.
Rev. Wallace Klandrud, who celebrates 67 years on May 23.
Rev. Keith Lingwall, Abounding Grace, Tucson, who celebrates 55 years on May 23.
Rev. Richard Jessen, who celebrates 59 years on May 24.
Rev. Ronald Koplitz, who celebrates 53 years on May 25.
Rev. David Swanson, ,who celebrates 58 years on May 26.
The Office of the Bishop staff continue to prepare for our 2022 Assembly. We also share photos from the Installation of Rev. John Maroni at Shepherd of the Desert in Sun City.
Read More
Sometimes it feels like my whole life revolves around the question “what’s next?” There’s this notion that “next” is a jump, one thing to another, and that the next thing must be substantially different from the thing before in order to be “new.” I’m starting to think that’s not the case.
Read More
ELCA Advocacy shares updates shared from submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices (sppos) in the ELCA Advocacy Network this month.
Read More
Pastor Clay Bates, chair of the North/West Lower Michigan Synod Task Force for Disability Ministry, shares how his vision of a synodical task force to promote ministry with people with disabilities began with the conviction that people with disabilities belong in worship and the life of a congregation as full participants, and every person with a disability has a right to access the sacraments, Christian learning, and spiritual guidance.
Read More
In this post, meet the wonderful group of colleagues who serve on the ELCA Disability Ministries advisory team.
Read More
For victims of the Tops grocery store shooting in Buffalo, NY and for their loved ones…
For victims of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church shooting in Laguna Woods, CA and for their loved ones…
For all who live in fear of racially or politically motivated violence, that they will be safe from harm…For people, families, and communities affected by gun violence…
For the loved ones of the one million Americans who have died of COVID-19 and the six million people who have died of COVID-19 globally…
The Rev. William J. Gohl Jr., Baltimore, was reelected May 12 to serve a second six-year term as bishop of the Delaware-Maryland Synod.
Gohl has served as bishop of the Delaware-Maryland Synod since 2016. Prior to becoming bishop, he served as pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church of Baltimore from 2007 to 2016, as evangelism coordinator for the synod from 2004 to 2010, and as pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Glen Burnie, Md., from 2000 to 2007.
Read More