As the United States pauses to honor and celebrate the Indigenous people who first settled on the land thousands of years ago, the Evangelical Church in America (ELCA) has released "A Declaration of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to American Indian and Alaska Native People." The declaration is a direct result of the social policy resolution "Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery," which was passed by the 2016 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Read the declaration in this post.
Read MoreOn Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we celebrate the heritage and contributions of Indigenous members of our church and society. Bishop Eaton also invites us into a time of confession and commitment.
We confess the church’s failure to address the racism that has so damaged Indigenous communities. We commit to working cooperatively to promote justice for Indigenous people, participating in acts of advocacy, practicing land acknowledgements and taking seriously the experiences of our Indigenous neighbors. Together we are all children of God, redeemed by Jesus, sustained by the Spirit.
Read MoreThe 2022 Gathering theme song was co-written by Sam Noble and Faith Bartelt while serving on summer staff at Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp in Hillside, CO in 2019.
Read MoreFor faith formation teachers, leaders, and students in this new program year…
For those undergoing treatment or who are in remission for cancer…
For migrants detained in detention facilities and those awaiting asylum hearings…
For wildlife harmed and in danger due to the oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach, California…
For the work of the Supreme Court of the United States hearing significant cases this term…
In her letter introducing Stories of Faith in Action, Bishop Eaton notes that “the disciples in John’s Gospel approach ministry challenges with a scarcity mindset. Jesus shows us a different way: trusting in God’s awesome abundance.”
Read MoreThis week’s Story of Faith in Action features San Gabriel Lutheran Church in Alvarado, Texas, built up by the generosity of others — church members, nearby ELCA congregations and, through Mission Support funds, the ELCA Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod.
Read the story in this post, view as a PDF resource, or visit our SOFIA 2021-2022 page for all resources.
Read MoreA 2010 study by psychologist Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton revealed that money did have an impact on how people evaluate their lives — people with more money feel better about their lives. The study showed when individuals reached an annual salary of $75,000, more money didn’t equate to more happiness.
Read MoreFor the people of Germany in the wake of a national election…
For the witness of LGBTQIA+ persons in the church and for all allies and advocates…
For equitable and affordable access to healthcare for all…
For the work of the ELCA’s AMMPARO (Accompanying Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Representation, and Opportunities) initiative and for the safety of migrant minors…
For the work of the 2022 Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) planning team…
In thanksgiving for the life and witness of Francis of Assisi…
Blessed Are the Peacemakers: Mediation and Reconciliation Skills for the Church is a new publication created by Lutheran World Federation leaders after years of experience in dealing with church conflicts across the Americas. The resource is published in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Read MoreStories of Faith in Action is a free, annual publication highlighting how God is changing lives through the ministries funded by your congregation’s Mission Support offering, shared with your synod and ELCA churchwide. Visit our SOFIA 2021-2022 page for all resources.
How can you inspire ELCA members with this publication? View this how-to PDF resource or this post which has: links for the digital and print PDF; one-page stories for printing; three videos for social media or mission moment with your congregation (1, 2, 3); and prompts for devotional time.
Read MoreMy father taught me how to pray the Lord’s Prayer when I was a little girl—much too young to understand what trespasses or forgiveness meant.
Forgiveness is an inescapable aspect of the human condition, touching nearly every facet of our lives. Yet it seems as if the concept of God’s forgiveness has been co-opted by pop culture, which has left it somewhere between a buzzword and a spiritual practice.
Read MoreThis week’s Story of Faith in Action features our very own Living Christ Lutheran Church in Flagstaff, where grants from the Grand Canyon Synod, funded by ELCA Mission Support, helped sustain Living Christ’s ministry.
Read this story and view the video in this post, view as a PDF resource, or visit our SOFIA 2021-2022 page for all resources.
Read More“boundless love” was written and performed by Sam Noble and Faith Bartelt to serve as the Official Theme Song for the 2022 ELCA Youth Gathering. The music video was filmed and edited by Ankos Films. For more information about the 2022 Gathering, visit: elca.org/Gathering.
Read MoreThe Hunger Advocacy Fellows program is a year-long transformative experience that combines leadership development, faith formation, and impactful advocacy that moves us toward an end to hunger and a just world where all are fed. Hunger Advocacy Fellows are placed with different ELCA-affiliated state public policy offices across the country. We are excited to introduce our 2021-2022 Hunger Advocacy Fellows.
Read MoreOur church teaches that, as a matter of dignity for all people, the U.S. has an international and moral responsibility to honor the human rights and dignity of migrants, and to not be silent in the face of racial injustice against people of African descent.
Read MoreThe morning after the 2016 presidential election, Bruce MacKenzie had a line from the “Prayer of St. Francis” running through his mind: “Seek as much … to be understood as to understand.”
He came across an article that mentioned Braver Angels (formerly “Better Angels”), an organization trying to bridge the partisan divide and depolarize America, and signed up for a “Red/Blue Workshop,” which brings together an equal number of conservatives and liberals to discover common values.
Read MoreIn this video, Presiding Bishop Eaton and Presiding Bishop Curry of The Episcopal Church share their experiences at the White House advocating for children and families through a series of bills before Congress right now.
Visit The Episcopal Public Policy Network and ELCA Advocacy or more ways to get involved.
Read MoreBishop Eaton joins three other bishops in North America to invite us to to commemorate September 30, 2021 (www.orangeshirtday.org) as a day for truth and healing.
We encourage you to learn about residential and boarding schools for Indigenous People, honor survivors, and remember those who never made it home from the schools.
Read MoreMeet Selena Wilkes, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Williamsport, Md: Entrepreneur with several businesses, CEO of Elmwood Farm Hospitality Group and Port 44, retired Ladies Professional Golf Association Futures Tour golfer, motivational speaker, former council president of Zion, board member on several community nonprofits including the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Read MoreReflecting on the early church, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton writes: “They were one body. We are one body. We are the body of Christ.” Despite cultural and political differences, she reminds us that we can’t dissolve this bond. Read her September column for Living Lutheran in English at https://bit.ly/3hMNz9G and in Spanish at https://bit.ly/3tVcAUM.
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