The Rev. Dr. Phyllis Blair Milton, Portsmouth, Va., was elected June 11 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Virginia Synod of the ELCA.
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The Rev. Pedro M. Suárez was reelected June 8, 2023, to serve a second six-year term as bishop of the Florida-Bahamas Synod.
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In honor of World Refugee Day on June 20, the ELCA and LIRS advocacy networks invite their members to a national day of advocacy, intended to build urgency for robust support for refugees, immigrants, asylum seekers. We urge all to learn more about refugee admissions in the United States, join LIRS's 125 Watch campaign, accompany migrants through AMMPARO, and advocate through prayer and action for our neighbors in need.
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In remembrance of the martyrdom of the Emanuel 9, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and National Council of Churches President and General Secretary, Bishop Vashti McKenzie, urge us to study, pray and act so that we can make a real difference in our communities and country to end the scourge of racial, economic, and social injustice and violence. For more info, go to: ELCA.org/Emanuel9 and nationalcouncilofchurches.us.
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For the completion of all ELCA synod assemblies, for rest for pastors and synod staff members, and for newly elected and reelected bishops…
For parents who identify as fathers, and for those for whom their relationships with their fathers are difficult…
For those struggling with dangerous air quality conditions, especially children, elderly adults, and other vulnerable populations…
For safe and joyful celebrations on the holiday of Juneteenth, and our collective work against the injustices of racism and discrimination….
For those marking the 7th anniversary of the tragic deaths at the Pulse in Orlando….
For all victims and wounded in mass shooting events, especially this week in Denver, Colorado; Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland…
For all affected by the bridge collapse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania…
For those grieving victims of the city attack in Nottingham, UK…
For those who have died or who remain missing in a boat capsize in northern Nigeria…
For those displaced by the Mayon volcano activity in the Philippines…
For refugees around the world, and especially Afghan families facing imminent homeless in the United Kingdom…
The May, 2023, bimonthly e-newsletter for ELCA congregational and synodical leaders is here, featuring: ELCAdvantage Program; inflation’s effect on houses of worship; what’s love got to do with it; operational ethics policy for congregations; three steps to stronger passwords; five ways to demonstrate good church stewardship.
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Congratulations to the five recipients of the ELCA Disability Ministries grants for 2023! We have invited each to offer a snapshot of the project their grant will be funding.
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At the beginning of May, five Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) staff members attended the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) conference in St. Louis, Missouri.
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In recognition of the enactment of the ADA, July is designated Disability Pride month. The continued work of advocacy by and for the disabled continues to make life for many safer and better.
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Showing up and speaking out in support of transgender siblings include several ELCA bishops, ELCA-affiliated state public policy offices, and lay and rostered congregational leaders from many parts of the United States.
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Watch this documentary, produced in 2008 and remastered in HD in May 2023, from the National Council of Churches and the IBC.
“It was a turbulent time. Amid social unrest, American Indian activists and organizers struggled for sovereignty, justice, and civil rights. Standing together, Native nations and the National Indian Lutheran Board emerged to speak out with a unified voice.”
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The Rev. Greg Busboom, Springfield, Ill., was elected June 3 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Central/Southern Illinois Synod of the ELCA.
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We are pleased to announce that Sarah Morris, of Our Saviour's Lutheran in Phoenix, was appointed to serve on the ELCA's Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church. Read more about the process here.
Please join us in congratulating Sarah and extending our heartfelt thanks to her for stepping up to represent our Synod in this pivotal role. Learn more as Sarah shares her thoughts on undertaking this role in this blog post.
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Is your congregation ready to take some steps (even small steps) toward renewal or revitalization?
You are invited to attend the 2023 Summer Session of the ELCA Vital Congregations Training, Part 1. This will be a four-session training. The training sessions will be held two times per day from 1:30-3:00 p.m. (eastern time) and from 7:30-9:00 p.m. (eastern time) on Thursdays June 15th, June 29th, July 13th, and July 27th. Register here.
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For victims of recent gun violence, especially in Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Arizona, Washington, New Mexico, California, Georgia, and Washington D.C….
For victims of the apartment building collapse in Davenport, Iowa…
For renewed humility and cooperation among government leaders and across political parties…
For protection for all people facing threats of violence, abuse, and harassment, especially marginalized communities…
For peace among nations, especially between Ukraine/Russia, Israel/Palestine, and Serbia/Kosovo, Syria, Israel, Palestine…
For nations in leadership transition and nations finishing elections, including Turkey, Nigeria, Spain, and Alberta, Canada…
For the ELCA and all leaders, congregations, and members who gather for Synod Assemblies this season…
For safety and joy at upcoming Pride celebrations across the nation…
ELCA World Hunger provides an update on countries in southeastern Africa which were hit by one of the most powerful cyclones in memory. Read the update at ELCA.org, or visit their Malawi Virtual Tour.
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For our 2023 synod assembly, Bishop Elizabeth Eaton invites us to join the church on a future-focused journey to widen our welcome and break down the barriers that keep people from engaging with the church. Together, we can help people experience the difference God’s grace and love in Christ make for all people and creation. View in this post, or read as a PDF in English or Spanish.
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In New Orleans, there is a Lutheran congregation shining this resurrection hope of Jesus in their community. Founded in 1888, Bethlehem is a remarkable church with a rich history of service that goes deep into the community. Bethlehem is a beacon of light on a hill in a weary world.
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Creation Care Ambassadors (Ambassadors), trained through a certification program of Lutherans Restoring Creation (LRC) with ELCA collaborator Blessed Tomorrow, empower themselves to make a difference with tools, resources and networking to act and advocate for climate solutions. Reach out to an Ambassador to help support local congregational and synod creation care activities using the 🗺️ LRC locator map, and consider taking the free training.
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Each year the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) asks congregations to provide information about their people and activities. The process to do so closes on May 31, 2023.
Find all the resources you need at the ELCA’s Annual Congregation Report page, including FAQs, online Form A & C Parochial Reports as well as ways to update your ELCA Congregational Leadership Directory.
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