For What Shall We Pray? 3/1/2023

For survivors, victims, and loved ones of those involved in the train crash in Greece…
For victims of school gas poisonings in Iran…
For all affected by tornados, blizzards, and other significant weather events across the United States…
For safety and protection for all migrants…
In lament over the significant death toll and casualties on both sides of the Russia/Ukraine conflict…
For all those forced into war, conflict, and violence; and in fervent hope that all war should cease…
For all affected by the COVID-19 virus in the United States and around the world, and for continued mitigation and treatment efforts…
For those facing food insecurity, and for compassionate policies to address hunger…
In thanksgiving for the contributions of women to politics, the arts, science, education, advocacy, technology, medicine, administration, and the church; especially for women serving as bishops, pastors, chaplains, and deacons…

ELCA, PrayersBrian FlatgardMarch 2, 2023ELCA Worship, For What Shall We PrayComment

ELCA World Hunger's 40 Days of Giving 2023: Week One

“You are a hiding place for me.” —Psalm 32:7

Psalm 32 is a fitting way to begin the season of Lent. The season has most commonly been understood through the centuries as a time of fasting and preparation for Easter, a time when new Christians were often baptized.

ELCA, News, ResourcesBrian FlatgardFebruary 27, 2023Hunger, ELCA World Hunger, 2023 LentComment

Bishop Eaton: A pastoral message in support of our Jewish neighbors

For many months we have seen an alarming spike in anti-Jewish, anti-Muslim and white supremacist hate. It has been reported that extremist groups are planning a national "Day of Hate" tomorrow, targeting Jews. This evening, as the sun sets and Shabbat begins, our Jewish neighbors are living in fear.

As Christians, we are called to love our neighbors and to be peacemakers.

Bishop Eaton, ELCA, Letters, NewsBrian FlatgardFebruary 27, 2023Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment

What are the objectives of democracy in the United States?

The ELCA invites you and your congregation to explore this and other questions by using "A Study Curriculum on Civic Life and Faith." View a video on this question in this post, along with a PDF guide.

ELCA, News, ResourcesBrian FlatgardFebruary 24, 2023Advocacy, ELCA AdvocacyComment

A shared sense of global Lutheran identity

In this article in Living Lutheran, a Colombian camp counselor reflects on serving in South Dakota.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardFebruary 24, 2023Outdoor Ministry, Living LutheranComment

Getting started on your taxes early?

The Richard R. Hammar Clergy Tax Guide and the Federal Reporting Guide for Churches are both available on myPortico at no cost to you.

ELCA, Grand Canyon Synod, Resources, NewsBrian FlatgardFebruary 24, 2023PorticoComment

SOFIA: A Blessing for a Pastor and a Church

As part of the latest Stories of Faith in Action, we share a story about the United Evangelical Church in Cuba Lutheran Synod (view online or as PDF). “Yamilka Hernández Guzmán always loved education and had a talent for teaching. A psychologist in an oncology hospital in Cuba, she looked for answers to the daily struggle for life she witnessed.”

View all the Stories of Faith in Action here, and how your offering becomes mission support.

For What Shall We Pray? 2/23/2023

For continued relief and recovery efforts in Turkey and Syria…
For continued clean-up efforts following the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment…
For all who are digging out and warming up following winter storms in the Midwest…
For the families and loved ones of the Orlando shooting victims…
For an end to gun violence across our nation and our world…
For the loved ones of those killed in a plane crash near Little Rock, Arkansas…
For those injured and killed during violent raids in the West Bank…
For peace in our world, especially at the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine…
For recovery efforts after an open pit mine collapse in China’s northern Inner Mongolia region…
For all facing unemployment, job insecurity, or financial instability…

ELCA, PrayersBrian FlatgardFebruary 23, 2023ELCA Worship, For What Shall We PrayComment

This Far By Faith: Talks at the Desk, Episode 4 - Season 2 (2023)

Welcome to Episode 4 of Talks at the Desk, season 2. We travel to Ghana and hear from students attending the All Africa Youth Congress. We visit a slave castle and hear about the what enslaved ancestors endured. Also, Pastor Nicolette Penaranda sits down with three legends of Black Lutheran theology.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardFebruary 23, 2023Talks At the Desk, Racial Justice, 2023 Black History Month, African Descent MinistriesComment

ELCA World Hunger: Go & Do News, February 2023

The February, 2023 edition of Go and Do News, a newsletter from ELCA World Hunger, is available. This edition features 40 Days of Giving, a new vacation Bible school program, The Dwelling, The Legacy of Martin Lutheran King Jr. event, partner spotlight Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), and featured resources.

ELCA, News, ResourcesBrian FlatgardFebruary 22, 2023Hunger, ELCA World HungerComment

An ancient ELCA church in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Founded less than 150 years after Martin Luther’s 95 Theses, Frederick Lutheran Church has witnessed more change, growth and conversation on the lives of African descendants than any other church in the Western Hemisphere.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardFebruary 22, 20232023 Black History Month, African Descent Ministries, Living LutheranComment

ELCA Advocacy: U.N. & state updates, February 2023

We share updates from the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices (sppos) in the ELCA Advocacy Network for February, 2023.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardFebruary 22, 2023ELCA Advocacy, AdvocacyComment

Retirement on the horizon?

Increase your confidence and peace of mind by learning more about developing a withdrawal strategy, utilize Social Security, plan for health care costs, and more. Watch the recordings of the Retirement Readiness workshops whenever it works for you. Learn more, or sign up to participate, on myPortico.

ELCA, Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardFebruary 22, 2023PorticoComment

Café: February, 2023

The February, 2023 version of the Women of the ELCA’s monthly newsletter Café is available. View all posts at boldcafe.org.

ELCA, Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardFebruary 22, 2023Women of the ELCA (WELCA), Café, 2022 Advent and ChristmasComment

SOFIA: A Kin*dom for Everyone

As part of the latest Stories of Faith in Action, we share a story about the “kin∙dom community,” an ecumenical partnership between the ELCA Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod and the Presbyterian Church (USA) (view online or as PDF). When Pepa Paniagua felt called to a job that didn’t exist, she set about creating it. What resulted was the “kin∙dom community,” a new approach to a term adopted nearly 40 years ago.

View all the Stories of Faith in Action here, and how your offering becomes mission support.

Double your congregation’s impact for International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is March 8, 2023. The ELCA celebrates this day by uplifting the International Women Leaders (IWL) program.

On the following Sunday, March 12, we encourage your congregation to take a special offering for IWL. In honor of International Women’s Day, all gifts to IWL will be matched dollar for dollar until we reach $50,000 — your gifts will go twice as far! Read more here.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardFebruary 22, 2023International Women Leaders (IWL) programComment

Volunteer at the 2023 Rostered Ministers Gathering

Rostered ministers are heading to Phoenix in July, 2023! If you like to welcome people, help with registration, or have the gift of hospitality, please connect with Pastor Doug Dill: pastordoug@centrallutheranaz.org or 402-235-6969. Click here to register as a volunteer at elca.org.

Learn more about the gathering at elca.org/rmg.

ELCA, Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardFebruary 22, 20232023 Rostered Ministers GatheringComment

Observing Ash Wednesday in Unexpected Circumstances

After perhaps a year or more of not gathering on-site for Ash Wednesday services due to the COVID-19 pandemic, worshiping communities across a large swath of the US are dealing with or expecting severe weather that would prevent gathering on-site.

Conversations on social media have begun, as fellow worship planners ask one another what they are doing when assembling for worship on-site will not be possible.

ELCA, Resources, Worship Resources, NewsBrian FlatgardFebruary 22, 2023ELCA Worship, 2023 LentComment

Seeds Monthly: February, 2023

The February, 2023 edition of Seeds Monthly is available here, featuring articles, events, and resources.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardFebruary 21, 2023Seeds MonthlyComment

ELCA Worship News: February, 2023

ELCA Worship shares their news for January, 2023.

Don't forget to visit ELCA.org/worship and click on "Worship Resources" for a library of liturgical and formational resources for use in your context. You might find something new (or new to you) and share it with others who help plan worship in your context. Blessings as we approach Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent.

ELCA, Resources, Worship ResourcesBrian FlatgardFebruary 21, 2023ELCA WorshipComment

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