Prayers for the Fulfillment of King’s Dream by Rev. Dr. Andrea L. Walker

I was 4 years old when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. I was too young to understand the import of his words while he lived. Yet I remember the importance of those words, his struggles and his assassination to the Black community as I grew up in Chester, Penn. The community felt he was one of theirs. Not only was he a marvelous young African American preacher and civil rights leader, but he was also educated at Crozer Theological Seminary, just up the road in Upland, Penn.

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Faith Lens: The Moment Your Life Changes

Nelly Chiboi grew up in Mogotio, Kenya in an impoverished village. “I know the pain of poverty,” says Cheboi, now 29.  “I never forgot what it was like with my stomach churning because of hunger at night.” Her mom ensured that despite their poverty Nelly received an education. Nelly worked hard in school and received a full scholarship to attend college. She graduated from the ELCA’s Augustana College in 2012.

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Training Opportunity: Revitalizing your congregation's preaching ministry

If your congregation is open to a more collaborative preaching model (perhaps even developing a cadre of lay preachers), consider this opportunity with the Rev. Dr. Shauna Hannan (preaching professor at PLTS in Berkeley, CA). Congregational teams consisting of 4-5 lay people and a rostered minister who will journey through the program together, which runs April through June of 2023.

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Season 2 of Talks at the Desk continues February, 2023

African Descent Ministries of the ELCA celebrates Black History Month with “Talks at the Desk,” a four-part video series that will explore diverse expressions of the church. Watch the trailer here or in this post.

A new video will premiere each Wednesday in February at 6:30pm MST, 5:30 PST. Watch them live on Facebook, stream them on YouTube or download them at https://ELCA.org/ADM.

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National Fund for Sacred Places is now accepting applications

The National Fund for Sacred Places is a grant-making program that provides capital grants ranging from $50,000 to $250,000+ as well as wrap-around support services to congregations undertaking once-in-a-generation preservation projects. To learn more, visit undforsacredplaces.org.

View an introductory webinar on Wednesday, February 1st, 2023 at 12:00 PM EST to learn more about the National Fund for Sacred Places and whether your sacred place (or the sacred places in your community or judicatory) may qualify. Register here!

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40 Days of Giving Lent Resources available

The 40 days of Lent are a season to reflect and remember, to look forward and ahead. We invite you to continue your work by connecting your congregation to the church’s global work to end hunger and poverty during ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving, which begins on Ash Wednesday, February 22.

To prepare, visit ELCA.org/40Days and download or order resources from ELCA World Hunger today.

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Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church nominations are open Jan. 9 – March 9, 2023

Read more about the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church at ELCA.org. The nomination process is open until March 9, 2023. More information about the commitment and expectation of serving on the CRLC can be found here. Interested individuals who wish to be nominated or to nominate another person should complete and submit the nomination form.

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The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2023

Join Bishop Hutterer along with other Arizona judicatory heads for the statewide celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU) 2023. This Prayer Service will be held Friday, January 20, 2023 to celebrate the Annual WPCU, and we are delighted to welcome everyone back to our first in-person gathering in 3 years.

Arizona’s statewide gathering for the celebration will take place at 6:00 p.m. Friday, January 20, 2023, at Phillips Memorial Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, 1401 E. Adams St., Phoenix, AZ 85034.

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YAGM priority deadline is 1/15/2023

The priority deadline to apply for Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) is Jan. 15, 2023. The final application deadline is Feb. 1, 2023.

Now even more communities are ready to welcome you. The YAGM team recently announced that the Mexico and Central Europe country programs will be reopening in 2023. Volunteers will have the opportunity to serve there and in four other country programs. Learn more at ELCA.org/YAGM.

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