Pray that during Lent we will carve out time in our busy lives to pause and reflect on our faith, our baptismal journeys and the life and suffering of Christ, who sacrificed himself for us that we might enjoy a new life, reconciled to God and full of love, mercy, hope and a spirit of service.
Read MoreWith the outbreaks of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States, congregations and houses of worship need to be well-informed and well-prepared. According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19 is now a pandemic. A step-by-step approach to prepare for a serious outbreak can be useful. View the Congregational Planning Checklist for Public Health Concerns (updated 3/11/2020).
Read MoreThe ELCA has updated its “Worship in times of public health concern” document, available as a PDF document (updated March 12, 2020). Specifically addressed are best practices during passing of the peace and Holy Communion.
Read MoreBrad Munroe of the Phoenix presbytery would like to invite pastors and lay leaders to a Leading Emotional Systems Training (LEST) to be held at the presbytery office in Phoenix the week after Easter, April 13-17. See brochure.
The LEST training covers communication and family system dynamics the first three days and then divides into separate tracks for interim training and conflict reconciliation the final two days.
Read MoreBe glad and shout for joy! Trust in God’s love and mercy, which strengthen and preserve us in our every need and circumstance.
Read MoreGive thanks for the witness and work of the Rev. Lancelot Themba Mkhabela and Kwena Mkhabela, regional representatives for Madagascar, West Africa and Central Africa; the Rev. Kirsten Laderach, YAGM country coordinator for Madagascar; and the seven volunteers serving alongside our companions in that country as part of the Young Adults in Global Mission program.
Read MoreGive thanks for the contributions and impact of women of all ages and abilities who shape our society and communities, share their faith and wisdom, serve our neighbors in need and respond to God’s call to serve as lay and rostered leaders in our congregations and church.
Read MoreDuring the 40 days of Lent we recall how Jesus, the Son of God, withstood temptations even in a weakened state. Pray that we will find confidence and courage through faith in Jesus and will draw on the strength of God to endure the temptations and distractions of daily life.
Read MoreGive thanks for ELCA missionaries and young people serving in the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission programs in Egypt, Israel, Jerusalem/West Bank and Palestine. Pray that God will bless and further their work with our companions in the Middle East and North Africa, especially in finding nonviolent paths to peace and justice.
Read MoreThese petitions are offered as guides to prayer for the global, social and outreach ministries of the ELCA, as well as for the needs and circumstances of our neighbors, communities and world. Thank you for your continued prayers for the life and mission of this church. Download a Word doc, or PDF for letter size printout or legal size printout, or view the ELCA resource page.
Read MoreCreation, humanity and nature are knitted together intricately by our Creator in ways that sustain all life and enable the earth to thrive. Pray that we will repent for what we have done to harm or unbalance creation, and that God will grant us wisdom and insight for restoring creation and treating it with care and respect.
Read MoreGod is great and awesome, forgiving and a lover of justice. Give glory and praise to God!
Read MorePray that we will always be attentive to the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in the world and that we will be moved by the Holy Spirit to be bright, shining witnesses, bearing the hope and promises of God.
Read MoreGive thanks for the Deaconess Community of the ELCA and for women who have responded to God’s call in a variety of roles and settings in the church and world, proclaiming the gospel through ministries of mercy and servant leadership.
Read MoreRemember in prayer the thousands of people left homeless after Hurricane Dorian struck the Bahamas this past September. Pray for the long-term relief and recovery of people impacted, and for the extensive rebuilding of their communities and infrastructures by Lutheran Disaster Response in partnership with the Florida-Bahamas Synod, its congregations, and other agencies.
Read MorePray that the Spirit will sustain our awe, gratitude and reverence for our savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our true source of hope and life.
Read MoreContinue to pray for immigrants and refugees, who often experience daunting challenges and loneliness as they pursue sanctuary and a welcoming place to rebuild their lives in this country. Give thanks for the work of congregations, synods, individuals and agencies in welcoming and accompanying immigrants and refugees as part of the ELCA’s AMMPARO strategy (Accompanying Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities).
Read MoreLive from Omaha, Neb., it’s Sunday worship from Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church! Since 1962, this congregation has broadcast its Sunday service on cable TV.
Not all congregations can have a TV program, but many have technology ministries, whether they have purchased equipment and fully wired the church, project the hymns on big screens or post simple videos to a Facebook page.
Read MoreWe are “God’s servants, working together” for the sake of the world, sharing the gospel and growing the church. Pray that we will be of one mind and spirit as God’s humble servants, and that we will see accomplishments, growth and change as the result of God’s presence and power working through us.
Read MoreHow does the digital era both help and hinder our spiritual development? How can Lutherans leverage digital technology’s attributes—and respond to its challenges?
These were the questions Living Lutheran put forward to three ELCA experts on the topic, who guide us through the complex relationship between our spiritual lives and technology by offering their responses here.
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