In July of 2021, the American Indian/Alaska Native Lutheran Association (AIANLA) asked the whole ELCA to remember and lament the children who died in Indian boarding schools in the United States and residential schools in Canada.
As the church observes the Feast of the Holy Innocents*, the Saint Paul Area Synod, the Minneapolis Area Synod, and the Advocates for Racial Equity offer this service of prayer and lament (on Vimeo) for use by individuals and congregations.
Read MoreThe Lutheran World Federation’s Hymns of Advent and Christmas continues with offerings from around the world: Evangelical Lutheran Church in Botswana, "Re tsamaya Lesedingla Modimo" ("Walk in the Light of God"); Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana, "Come O Come, Emmanuel"; The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia, "How Beautiful"; Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony, "Veni, veni Emmanuel"; Evangelical Lutheran Church in Colombia, "Bella María"; Bangladesh Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church, "E Dhorom Isại Hoṛ"; Malagasy Lutheran Church, "Fa zaza no teraka" ("A child is born to us"); Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine, "Il est né le divin enfant" ("A Divine Child is Born").
Read MoreWe are nearing the end of Advent and the start of that special holiday, Christmas. In the United States, stores have been filled with seasonal music for six months now (it feels that way, at least), garlands and lights are draped over homes and lampposts, and pine trees are adorned with baubles of all shapes and sizes. In many countries, Christmas markets have taken over city squares. As the old carol says, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.”
Read MoreChances are you are looking at these words on a screen or that you looked at them on a screen prior to printing them out. According to a study released by the JAMA Pediatrics in November 2021, screen time for teenagers has increased during the pandemic from 3.8 hours per day to 7.7 hours per day. The 7.7 hours per day is for recreation (gaming and videos) and social interaction (social media and texting). That does not include online schooling, which can represent another 5-7 hours per day.
Read MoreRight off the bat we see why Hallmark has a robust industry in Christmas cards and not Advent cards. “Happy Advent, You Brood of Vipers” might not sell too well as a holiday card, but these words are certainly a wake-up call for the audience of John the Baptizer.
Read MoreThe Protestant Christian Batak Church presents "Give Thanks", featuring the Protestant Christian Batak Church (HKBP) Department of Diakonia, Indonesia.
Read MoreThe Christian Lutheran Church of Honduras presents "Tiempo de Esperanza" ("Time of Hope").
Read MoreThe Nepal Evangelical Lutheran Church presents "Wake and look toward the new star," featuring the Biratnagar Congregation.
Read MoreThe Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren presents "Boha Otce všichni chvalme" ("All praise God the Father"), featuring Ladislav Moravetz.
Read MoreThe Lutheran Church in Chile presents "Gloria a Dios" ("Glory to God"), featuring Santiago Synod Iglesia Evangélica Luterana El Redentor.
Read MoreThe Evangelical Lutheran Church in Romania presents "Krisztus Urunknak áldott születésén" ("On the birth of our Lord Christ") featuring the Mátka Folk Group.
Read MoreThe Protestant Church in the Netherlands presents "De nacht loopt ten einde…" ("The night comes to an end…") featuring the Lutheran Parish in Amsterdam.
Read MoreTwo years after the original projected date of completion, the Minoru Centre for Active Living in Richmond, VA is open. It’s not every day that a community gets a new center for events with indoor swimming facilities. It’s also not every day that such community centers win international prizes for their accessibility.
Read MoreAll Creation Sings, the worship and song supplement to Evangelical Lutheran Worship, released in late November 2020.
The ELCA Worship Staff would like to know how you’ve gotten to know All Creation Sings since its release last Advent. What is a newly discovered hymn or song that has worked very well in your assembly? Have you used elements of Settings 11 or 12 over this past year?
Read MoreZechariah’s prophecy in the first chapter of Luke, our reading for this second Sunday in Advent, is sometimes overlooked in favor of the Magnificat of Mary in the same chapter. Mary’s song, which we will read later in Advent, is a theological ode to God, who “lift[s] up the lowly” (Luke 1:52).
Read MoreThe Lutheran Church in Singapore presents Come Let us Adore Him, featuring the Queenstown Lutheran Church in Singapore.
Read MoreThe Salvadoran Lutheran Church presents Tras Hermoso Lucero. Featuring the Children Choir in the Lutheran Church Pueblo de Dios, Calderitas.
Read MoreThe Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada presents There is no Child by vocalists from the Eastern Synod.
Read MoreThe Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi presents Alimkudza wasoni munthu (He is Coming, The Man of Sorrows) featuring the ELCM Praise and Worship Team, Lilongwe Cathedral.
Read MoreThis Advent brings several reasons for hope: children can soon receive vaccinations for COVID-19, many congregations are gathering again in person, families look forward to holiday celebrations. Yet humanity grieves losses and experiences great suffering and forms of oppression, as does the planet itself.
Two new hymns in All Creation Sings that address this, see “Can You Feel the Seasons Turning” and “Abba, Abba, Hear Us” among others in the “Lament” and “Creation” sections.
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