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Knowing the numbers for hunger and poverty can go a long way to helping us talk about the issues accurately and craft effective, forward-looking responses. For those who share with their congregation information about hunger and poverty, these numbers can also be helpful in putting together presentations or workshops. There are several sources for data that are particularly reliable and useful[1]: The World Bank’s poverty report; The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO) annual “State of Food Security” report; The US Census Bureau’s annual reports on poverty and income; and The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) annual…

The following message is shared on behalf of Vance Blackfox (Cherokee), Interim Senior Director, Ministries of Diverse Cultures and Communities. During September, we remember the survivors and descendants of U.S. Indian Boarding Schools. On Saturday, Sept. 30, we observe the National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools. You can participate by wearing an orange shirt and posting a photo of yourself or members of your congregation or community on social media. Use the hashtags #ELCA #TruthAndHealing and #DayOfRememberance. If you would like to support the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS), you can purchase an orange shirt with their logo. However, any…

When engaging the theologians, it is an important exercise to broaden out the frame, every now and then, in order to get a greater, even critical understanding of just who we might be engaging with. This holds true for any of the theologians, including Karl Barth and Thomas Torrance (the two modern theologians who, of course, have had the greatest purchase in my life over the last, almost, two decades). In an effort to expand the scope on the way we might respectively approach Barth and Torrance, I wanted to offer some words from ecclesial intellectual historian, the late, Steven…

“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 gatherings and conversations of interfaith partnerships and community groups dedicated to fostering dialog and understanding… For…

“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 those facing the immense grief of natural disasters and their devastation: flooding in Libya, earthquake in…

The LORD is beautiful. He alone is Immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. He who has this hope purifies himself. The glory of the LORD covers the earth as the waters cover the seas. The LORD’s Will will be done, and has been done. Jesus cried out God’s Will for the world, and said: “it is finished!” He made this cry in perfect tense. This is God’s beauty finished for the world in His dearly beloved Son. He has dwelled in this a se beauty, this plenitudinous pleroma before the foundations of the world; yea, before the foundations of the…

Issue 89 of Administration Matters Register Sept. 15 for the 2024 Youth Gathering and related events! Registration opens at noon on Sept. 15 for the ELCA Youth Gathering and Young Adult Gathering, taking place in New Orleans, La., July 16-20, 2024, and for the two pre-events: the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) and the tAble, for youth living with disabilities, both July 13-16, 2024. We’re thrilled to be back in such a vibrant city, filled with history, great food and inspiring music. This cycle we’re excited to announce that we will waive the pre-event registration fee for the first 1,000…

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. Association of Lutheran Church Musicians ALCM nurtures and equips musicians to serve and lead the church’s song. One-day local workshops for church musicians to learn new skills, share best practices, build relationships and support systems, and introduce others to the ALCM Community. Workshops are scheduled all across the country.  Sign up for upcoming events.   Lutheran Summer Music Academy and…

Out of curiosity: is anyone interested in more posts on classical Calvinism and Arminianism, and how they contrast with Evangelical Calvinism and/or Athanasian Reformed theology? I haven’t written those types of posts very much lately; I’m not even promising I will. But just curious if there is any interest in that, since that used to be the mainstay of what I engaged with. Athanasian Reformed

by Rev. Jonathan Vehar Every three years in the days leading up to the ELCA Youth Gathering a unique event takes place that gathers young people together for worship, service, and fellowship. And if you’re thinking, “isn’t that what the Youth Gathering does?”, you’d be right. But what makes The tAble exceptional is that it brings together youth who have a shared experience of living with a disability. We know that every youth who comes to The tAble brings their own story, struggles, triumphs, and ways that they experience the world around them. But they also share an identity as…