Category: Protestant

Eric Luke, Saint Paul, MN Warm-up Question When you get overwhelmed, where do you turn (or what do you turn to) to regain your focus? I Swear It’s a common television courtroom image to see a witness raise their right hand, put their left hand on the Bible, and  swear an oath to tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” This tradition goes back generations and is intended to indicate the individual’s degree of commitment to the truth when making their oath. It’s common, as well, for elected officials to place their hand on a Bible…

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is upon us once again. To commemorate this time of collective witness we’ve compiled a list of ecumenical and inter-religious opportunities for you and your congregation to connect with throughout the year!   Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Traditionally the week of prayer is celebrated between 18-25 January, between the feasts of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, though it can be celebrated at any point throughout the year. Each year ecumenical partners from a particular region are invited to produce a liturgical text based on a specific Biblical theme. This year’s theme…

What is COP? COP28 took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from Nov. 30 – Dec.12, 2023. LWF/Albin Hillert COP stands for the Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It is “the supreme decision-making body of the UNFCCC.” What is the UNFCCC? The UNFCCC is an international environmental treaty drafted in 1992 and enacted in 1994 among 198 parties. Both the Kyoto Protocol and the subsequent Paris Agreement are implementation measures of the UNFCCC. The purpose of UNFCC is “to combat dangerous human interference in the climate system.” Who from the ELCA attended…

by Erin Brown, Lutheran Office for World Community [about the author] Since October, the Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC) has participated in weekly prayers for peace at the Church Center for the United Nations. At every service, we lift up prayers for all people impacted by violence and destruction caused by the numerous conflicts happening worldwide. At a recent service, members of an organization called Flame of Hope led the reflection, bringing with them a lantern illuminated with a flame recovered from the aftermath of the atomic bomb drop in Hiroshima in 1945. This flame has traveled across the…

Issue 91 of Administration Matters Registration for the 2024 Gathering, MYLE, the tAble, and Young Adult Gathering is currently open! The ELCA Youth Gathering and Young Adult Gathering will take place in New Orleans on July 16-20, with MYLE and the tAble taking place immediately before on July 13-16. We’re thrilled to be back in such a vibrant city filled with history, great food and inspiring music. We’re also excited to share that the first 1,000 people to register for the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) and the first 200 to register for the tAble, our pre-event for youth living…

As you are planning for Lent, the Three Days, and Easter, All Creation Sings provides several resources for your assembly’s worship. Lent Explore the collection of “short songs” in All Creation Sings. These could be incorporated into a weekly Service of Word and Prayer (ACS pp. 42-25) for a Lenten midweek service or during communion, gathering, or other times in Sunday worship. This blog post provides video links and tips for using these songs in ACS.  Enrich your use of Setting 12 in All Creation Sings with the Ensemble Setting arranged by Anne Krentz Organ. You don’t need a full…

Each month ELCA Worship highlights resources and events from other organizations and institutions. These Lutheran and ecumenical partner organizations work alongside the ELCA to support worship leaders, worship planners, musicians, and all who care about the worship of the church. Music that Makes Community Music that Makes Community (MMC) practices communal song-sharing that inspires deep spiritual connection, brave shared leadership, and sparks the possibility of transformation in our world. Music that Makes Community announced a leadership transition in November.  After 8 years of serving as MMC’s Executive Director, Paul Vasile discerned it was time for a new adventure. We are…

The following is cross-posted from Living Lutheran. The original post can be found here. The inaugural cohort of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary’s (PLTS) Theological Education for Indigenous Leaders (TEIL) launched on Oct. 9 with an opening ceremony and shared celebration attended by leaders from across the ELCA. Photos: Courtesy of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary Larry Thiele, a pastor in the Eastern North Dakota Synod, teaches a TEIL course as one of the program’s wisdom keepers. Some of the Indigenous leaders and wisdom keepers of the TEIL program with Moses Paul Peter Penumaka, director of Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (far…

Alex Zuber, Harrisonburg, VA Warm-up Question What is the most urgent or pressing thing in your life right now?  (It could be a good thing or a challenge) Tear It Open! For all the build-up, Christmas just flies by too fast!  Some of us (me included) may have been singing along with Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” since November 1, but Christmas is still over too soon. I know I could slow down and savor the moment more, but I’m always far too delighted by the frenzied rush of Christmas morning.  It doesn’t seem to matter…

“For what shall we pray?” is a weekly post inviting individuals, groups, and congregations to lift up our world in prayer. This resource is prepared by a variety of leaders in the ELCA and includes prayer prompts, upcoming events and observances, and prayer suggestions from existing denominational worship materials. You are encouraged to use these resources as a starting point, and to adapt and add other concerns from your local context. More information about this resource can be found here.   Prayer prompts: For peace among nations, especially between Israel and Palestine, Russia and Ukraine… For victims of and responders…