Each week Religion News Service presents a gallery of photos of religious expression around the world. View the slideshow here.
This week’s photo gallery includes Desmond Tutu's 90th birthday, Catholic church sex abuse in France and more.
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For faith formation teachers, leaders, and students in this new program year…
For those undergoing treatment or who are in remission for cancer…
For migrants detained in detention facilities and those awaiting asylum hearings…
For wildlife harmed and in danger due to the oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach, California…
For the work of the Supreme Court of the United States hearing significant cases this term…
In her letter introducing Stories of Faith in Action, Bishop Eaton notes that “the disciples in John’s Gospel approach ministry challenges with a scarcity mindset. Jesus shows us a different way: trusting in God’s awesome abundance.”
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This week’s Story of Faith in Action features San Gabriel Lutheran Church in Alvarado, Texas, built up by the generosity of others — church members, nearby ELCA congregations and, through Mission Support funds, the ELCA Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod.
Read the story in this post, view as a PDF resource, or visit our SOFIA 2021-2022 page for all resources.
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Risk levels in our synod’s counties remained the same: extremely or very high for unvaccinated people.
Extremely high risk counties for unvaccinated people in our synod include Gila, Greenlee, Graham, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pinal, Yavapai, and Washington counties.
Very high risk counties include Apache, Clark, Cochise, Coconino, Pima, Santa Cruz, and Yuma.
This week, the Office of the Bishop team attends the synod council meeting, prepares for and celebrates installations, and takes some time off.
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A 2010 study by psychologist Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton revealed that money did have an impact on how people evaluate their lives — people with more money feel better about their lives. The study showed when individuals reached an annual salary of $75,000, more money didn’t equate to more happiness.
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Northern-Texas Northern Louisiana Synod will be doing a series of free online Congregational Council trainings beginning on October 21, 2021 and running 5 consecutive Thursdays from 7-8:15pm. CST. We will have a variety of presenters through the course of the sessions. Each session stands alone individually. The registration link is here: tiny.one/ntnlleads.
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You're invited to meet California Lutheran University President Lori Varlotta for happy hour when she visits Scottsdale in October. Join fellow alumni, families, and friends to hear exciting campus updates and connect with your local Cal Lutheran & PLTS communities.
Saturday, October 16, 2021, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm at Barrio Queen - Scottsdale, 7114 East Stetson Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85251. Enjoy beer, wine, soda, light appetizers, and Cal Lu swag! RSVP Here by October 11, 2021.
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Pastor Robert Jones with shares a tv news report on a recent bike safety rodeo hosted by Santa Cruz Lutheran Church in partnership with the Drexel Heights Fire Department, the Pima County Sheriff's Office and the Living Streets Alliance. Twenty children received free helmets and got bike safety tune ups. Watch on kold.com.
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We pray for Rev. Tony Scheer and the people of Spirit of Hope Lutheran Church in Mesa, part of the Rio Salado Conference. Visit their site at spiritofhopelutheran.com, and their social media pages on Facebook and YouTube.
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The Finance Administrator reports to the Bishop and is responsible for the overall financial life of the synod, working with the Director of Administration & Events and the Treasurer. This is a part time hourly position, with compensation based on qualifications and experience. View the job description in Word or PDF.
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The Thriving Leadership Formation program from Cal Lutheran offers free and meaningful opportunities for ELCA rostered and lay leaders in your synod. TLF brings ELCA pastors, deacons and lay leaders together online to cultivate skills and networks of trust, support, spiritual practice and accountability.
This is the second round of cohort groups. Cohort groups meet on Zoom 12 times. At Large Cohorts and Synod Cohorts available.
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Lutherans and friends of Lutherans from across the state will gather at the Arizona Capitol Rose Garden for a day of advocacy on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 from 8:30 am - 10:30 am to learn, to witness, and voice our common needs in the public square, activating our faith in love.
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We pray for Rev. Scott Hove, Rev. Don Lorfing and the people of Good Samaritan Lutheran Church in Las Vegas, part of the Colorado River Conference. Visit their site at goodsamlv.org, and their social media pages on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
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Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Prescott Valley has several puppets from various VBS programs. If you or anyone else knows of a happy home for these adorable friends, please contact Emmanuel Lutheran, 928-772-4135, and they’ll pull some strings to get them to you.
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For folk musician Joe Troop, a 2019 visit to the U.S.-Mexico borderlands opened his eyes to the suffering experienced by migrants trying to enter the United States. Two years later, he returned to Nogales, to volunteer at a migrant shelter with Cruzando Fronteras.
The experience that inspired him to write a song, Mercy for Migrants, performed with Béla Fleck, Abigail Washburn and Trey Boudreaux. Read the article in Episcopal News Service and hear the song on YouTube.
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The initial push for the monument was supported by the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, but the two closest chapters of the Navajo Nation resisted the plans. At stake are two different visions of how to best protect sacred land. Read the article from Religion News Service here.
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In her new book, Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World, atmospheric scientist and evangelical Christian Katharine Hayhoe encourages her readers to talk to each other about climate change, to meet friends and family where they are. She hopes they will work to repair the atmosphere, in part, by repairing relationships. Read the article in Religion and Politics here.
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But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. —Matthew 6:3
Do you ever feel like neither your left or right hand know what to do about giving? Do you ever feel overwhelmed with all the needs in the world and all the requests for money and help that you get knowing you don’t have the resources to help them all?
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