My 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 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 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.
Read MoreWe share a letter from the directors of ELCA Mission Support about the inspiration to be found in Stories of Faith in Action.
Through your generosity, God is at work across the ELCA.
Read More“My life changed the day I was told that my son has autism. The journey has been full of ups and downs, but through it all God has been actively working to show us beauty and grace in the autism world. Because of the journey with our son, I am honored to serve as the team leader for the tAble planning team.”
Read Jamie’s letter in this post, and view a tAble Webinar she participates in as well.
Read MoreTell Congress to pass H.R. 2590. Send a message to your lawmaker through the ELCA Action Center.
Read MoreSeptember is National Suicide Prevention Month, a month where the fight to end suicide is recognized on a national platform.
Here at the Suicide Prevention Ministry, an Independent Lutheran Organization, suicide prevention is the driving force of our daily work and the focus of our call to love our neighbor, care for the sick, and carry each other’s burdens.
Read MoreBishop Eaton invites us to an online benefit for ELCA World Hunger, Thursday, Oct. 14, 5:30 p.m. MST/PDT, via Zoom. Register here.
Join Bishop Eaton and Rick Steves, guidebook author and travel TV host, as they celebrate World Food Day!
Read MorePresiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton encourages us to celebrate and pray for the new bishops being installed in our region and throughout America.
Read MoreThe 2021-2022 Stories of Faith in Action resources are available at ELCA.org/SOFIA. Dive into the latest issue, which is now available in its digital edition or print edition, and includes:
A special message from ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton.
Nine inspiring stories from around the country and the world.
Your 2020 financial report on Mission Support — the portion of your offering your congregation shares with your synod, and your synod shares with the churchwide organization.
A story-based devotional for use at Bible studies or committee meetings.
Stephen Bouman was bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod at the time of the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. He shares his faith journey in this article in Living Lutheran.
Read MoreAs we observe the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, tragedies, Bishop Eaton invites us to remember, reflect and pray. Let us never forget the many lives lost or that many still carry the burdens of grief, trauma, and illness. As we remember the trauma of 9/11 and its aftermath, may we reflect on and hold fast to the promise that God has given us a future of hope.
Read MoreIn September, Living Lutheran is looking at some of the topics that may be hard to handle and how we engage with those we disagree with They start with one of our newest synod bishops, Megan Rohrer of the Sierra Pacific Synod, who says regarding the difficult topics they encounter, “All I have to do in the conversation is to be faithful.”
Read MoreAs this time of pandemic carries on, sometimes it’s easy to forget that we’re still living through something major and global. In the midst of anxiety and fear, Bishop Eaton shares the words of Jesus, “Come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
Read MoreIn the August newsletter of the Navajo Lutheran Mission (NELM), Kate Adelson writes, “Blessed with resources and generous donors, the Mission’s potential is enormous…and we have the equally enormous challenge to listen for the true need, consider consequences before we act, serve without dominating, love unconditionally.”
Read MoreIn Madagascar, the current infant and maternal mortality rate is 353 per 100,000 live births. The Malagasy Lutheran Church (MLC) is helping to work toward the country’s goal of reducing that rate to 70 per 100,000.
In this post, Dr. Rivosoa Nasoloniaina shares the Remafi program, which connects traditional birth attendants in rural areas with hospitals and clinics. Remafi offers trainings, facilitates collaboration and encourages traditional birth attendants to prepare mothers for hospital births.
Read MoreGenerosity is not just about our money. It is an attitude. It is a way of viewing the world. I was sitting watching the news and bemoaning the fate of the Afghans who had supported the US and their possible fate. Like for most people it brought me memories of the fall of South Vietnam and the plight of those who had aided the US.
Read MoreFor nearly a century, Lutherans have been helping to resettle those fleeing harm. As we pray for Afghanistan, we are called to support those arriving in the U.S. by becoming a part of the long welcome for these families.
Support LIRS’ Neighbors in Need: Afghan Allies fund, which will provide food, housing assistance, clothing, and other basic needs for our Afghan friends as they await the official services available to them by visiting LIRS.org/HelpNow.
Read MoreIn this season of Labor Day and “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday, our nation and the ELCA focuses on the nature of work. As the pandemic and natural disasters continue, our call to do God’s work becomes clearer, louder, and more urgent.
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