Bishop Eaton: A Statement on the Killing of Tyre Nichols

As the nation watches another video exposing police violence against a Black man after a traffic stop, there will be great suffering and despair emerging from across the United States. In just over a week we have witnessed mass gun violence in California – twice – and the shooting of a protester at a future police training site in Atlanta.  Each of these tragedies inspires grief, not only for the lives lost and forever altered but also for our loss of confidence in a system that continues to fail us, over and over.

Bishop Eaton, ELCA, Letters, NewsBrian FlatgardJanuary 29, 2023Racial JusticeComment

New Study Curriculum on Civic Life and Faith available

How are we as Lutheran Christians called to civic engagement, including in the arenas of government and political life? What is the proper relationship of the church with government, and what is not?

The ELCA invites you and your congregation to explore these questions and more by using "A Study Curriculum on Civic Life and Faith."

ELCA, News, ResourcesBrian FlatgardJanuary 27, 2023Advocacy, ELCA AdvocacyComment

Administration Matters: January, 2023

The January, 2022, bimonthly e-newsletter for ELCA congregational and synodical leaders is here, featuring: Stories of Faith in Action; New year checklist for Portico financial and health benefits; Risk control technologies; and IRS issues standard mileage rate for 2023.

ELCA, Resources, NewsBrian FlatgardJanuary 27, 2023Administration MattersComment

Prompts for Prayers of Intercession: 1/29/2023

For the continued influx of asylum seekers entering the United States …
For the victims of shootings in California and Georgia, and for all victims of mass shootings and gun violence…
For all grieving amidst celebrations of the Lunar New Year…
For all affected by blackouts in South Africa…
For those suffering acute or long infections with Covid-19, especially as cases surge in China…
For those grieving victims of a worship bombing in the Democratic Republic of Congo…
For protesters in South America…

ELCA, PrayersBrian FlatgardJanuary 25, 2023ELCA Worship, For What Shall We PrayComment

ELCA Worship News: January, 2023

ELCA Worship shares their news for January, 2023, featuring: Sundays and Seasons, Compelling Preaching Initiative, Call for Songs for the Global Achtliederbuch, All Creation Sings , Resources for multi-religious ministry, Music that Makes Community, Invitation to join the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, Finding our Rhythm, in Fullness of Time Valparaiso University April 17-19, Worship resources from Augsburg Fortress, and more.

ELCA, Resources, Worship ResourcesBrian FlatgardJanuary 25, 2023ELCA WorshipComment

I’m a Lutheran: Peyton Lindmark

My home congregation is the same church my parents grew up in and got married in. I was baptized and confirmed there. I went to Sunday school after services there for as long as I can remember, and I really got involved in the youth group program there in middle school. I also have been on multiple mission trips with my church to different locations out of state.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJanuary 25, 2023Luther College, Living LutheranComment

Seeds Monthly: January, 2023

The January, 2023 edition of Seeds Monthly is available, featuring: Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church nominations; Living Lutheran’s top five Storie of 2022; Talks at the Desk; featured resources; bulletin blurbs, and more.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJanuary 25, 2023Seeds MonthlyComment

YAGM final application deadline is 2/1/2023

The final deadline to apply for Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) 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.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJanuary 25, 2023Youth and Young Adult, Global Mission, Young Adults in Global MissionComment

Webinar: Understanding Donor Motivations in These Days

ELCA is offering a webinar with practical stewardship tips on Wednesday, 2/1/2023, 5pm MST, 4pm PST. Click here to join via Zoom.

In this increasingly post-pandemic world, rostered and congregational leaders might well explore some of the nuances of giver motivation with the upcoming webinar “Practical Stewardship Tips,” which is free and open to all.

ELCA, News, ResourcesBrian FlatgardJanuary 25, 2023StewardshipComment

ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellows Devotional: Stretching past self-doubts

I have always known myself to be a “self-doubter.” I am constantly doubting myself – my ability to lead, my ability to be a good friend, but especially my ability to lead God’s people. I have been a self-doubter when it has come to God’s plan for me. How was I supposed to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with my God if I didn’t even believe I could do so?

ELCA, Worship ResourcesBrian FlatgardJanuary 25, 2023Advocacy, ELCA AdvocacyComment

Faith Lens: Clash of Values

At the beginning of this month, the U.S. House of Representatives elected a new Speaker. Typically, electing a new Speaker occurs rather quickly, needing only one vote, but this time the situation was different. While Representative Kevin McCarthy (Republican from California) was the early favorite, it took fifteen votes for him to be elected Speaker. This is the first time in 100 years that the election for Speaker took more than one vote.

Worship Resources, ELCA, ResourcesBrian FlatgardJanuary 24, 2023Youth and Young Adult, Faith LensComment

Lutherpalians: Combined Lutheran-Episcopal worship communities are on the rise

More than two decades after the ELCA and The Episcopal Church became full communion partners, congregations from both denominations are joining forces in arrangements that many see as the way of the future.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJanuary 24, 2023The Episcopal Church, Living Lutheran, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment

ELCA Advocacy State updates: January, 2023

ELCA Advocacy shares updates from state public policy office in the ELCA Advocacy Network for January, 2023.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJanuary 24, 2023Advocacy, ELCA AdvocacyComment

Lutherans in the 118th Congress

The 118th U.S. Congress convened on January 3, 2023. Following finalization of House speakership, the official swearing in took place January 7, 2023. In this post are some of the legislators with Lutheran affiliation who will serve the country in this new session.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJanuary 23, 2023Advocacy, ELCA AdvocacyComment

Lutheran Disaster Response: 2022 in Review

2022 was a full year for Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR). The highest profile event is the ongoing war in Ukraine.

In addition to the war, LDR worked with partners to respond to a wide range of other disasters, including Hurricanes Fiona and Ian, tornadoes, flooding, wildfires and gun violence. Internationally, some examples of responses in 2022 include monsoon flooding in south Asia, migration in Central America and refugees in the Middle East.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJanuary 23, 2023Lutheran Disaster Response, Russia and Ukraine WarComment

ELCA Foundation Announces Partnership with Fund Evaluation Group LLC

The ELCA Foundation is pleased to announce a new partnership with the investment consulting firm Fund Evaluation Group LLC (FEG).

Previously, the Foundation worked with Graystone Consulting to provide reporting and oversight of three core portfolios — the Ministry Growth Fund, Charitable Gift Annuities and Charitable Trusts.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJanuary 23, 2023ELCA FoundationComment

ELCA Receives Lilly Endowment Support to Adapt Youth Faith Formation

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has received a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish the Formation Lab Project.

The goal of the project is to help congregations move past prescriptive, outdated models of youth ministry that often separate youth from the vital faith practices they need if they are to embrace God as the center of their life in today's world.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardJanuary 20, 2023Lilly Endowment, Youth and Young Adult, Formation LabComment

Bishop Eaton and Abrahamic Leaders Condemn Anti-Christian Hate in the Holy Land

We stand together as Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders in the United States to condemn the recent rise in anti-Christian hate in the Holy Land, including the vandalism of a Protestant cemetery on Jan. 1, and graffiti threatening "Death to Christians" that appeared last week both in and near the Armenian quarter in Jerusalem.

These and other actions taken to erase the presence of Christians in the Holy Land, which would be devastating to us all. May the God of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar comfort our Christian siblings in the place we all believe is holy and give us courage as we speak with one voice against religious bigotry.

Bishop Eaton statement on the ordination of the first female Palestinian pastor in the Holy Land

On Sunday the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) will for the first time ordain a woman into pastoral ministry, Sally Azar. I invite you to join in the celebration by watching this short documentary about what women’s ordination means for the ELCJHL, and the livestream of the ordination service, which will begin at 7 a.m. Central time.

Katie Langston: Operation Cookie Conversations

Pastor Katie Langston, pastor of mission and outreach at New Promise Lutheran Church in St. George, Utah, shares her adventures in delivering cookies to the church’s neighbors.

“Operation Cookie Conversations” was the product of the question, “What would happen if we tried to talk to the neighbors near us?”

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