Tag: March

Catalyst Question What was the last trip that you went on? How did it feel to come home after being away? A Surprising Homecoming After nine months, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are home. These two are the astronauts who were originally supposed to spend a week at the International Space Station. What was meant to be a short, joyous journey toward the stars became a months-long stay in the vacuum of space. They returned to great fanfare and, of course, to some well-deserved time off. This week’s Gospel tells of another homecoming. Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 includes the parable we often…

from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C. – the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Senior Director Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: March 2025 FEDERAL STAFF WORK REDUCTIONS | BUDGET RESOLUTION CUTS IN ENERGY PROGRAMS | U.S. FOREIGN ASSISTANCE FREEZE | AUGUSTA VICTORIA HOSPITAL | IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ROADMAP   FEDERAL STAFF WORK REDUCTIONS: The Trump administration is implementing widespread workforce reductions across federal agencies through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk. Not only are many in ELCA congregations who have been employed in public service positions reeling from changes, these cuts directly impact vulnerable populations served…

Catalyst Question Share about a time when, even after you made a mistake, someone gave you a second chance. Repentance as the Fertilizer of Faith  This week, the annual NCAA basketball tournaments begin. Dubbed “March Madness,” two tournaments seek to crown the respective men’s and women’s team champion for Division 1 basketball. While there’s plenty of controversy coming for missed foul calls questionable decisions from coaches and players alike, controversy always begins with Selection Sunday. On this day, when the teams are chosen to participate in the tournament, there’s always someone left out. This year, both West Virginia and Indiana had…

Issue 98 of Administration Matters 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly The 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly will take place July 28–Aug. 2 in Phoenix, Ariz. Under the theme “For the Life of the World,” the assembly will meet around word and water, wine and bread, to carry on its work on behalf of the entire church. Key actions during the assembly will be electing a new presiding bishop and secretary, considering a new social statement on civic life and faith, edits to the social statement Sexuality (2009) and recommendations from the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church. Live video of worship and…

Catalyst Question What words come to mind when you think of Lent? Confession and Protest In Luke 13:31-35, we hear Jesus lament about Jerusalem. It’s quite an odd thing for the Messiah of Israel to lament about Israel’s capital. How strange for the Son of God to weep over the city of God. Yet, it’s Jesus’ love for Jerusalem, for God, and for God’s people that leads him to cry out. Simply put, Jesus is saying that Jerusalem is not living up to its promises. Rather than be a city where the voice of God is welcome, the religious leaders…

Catalyst Question Describe a time when something out of your control was happening in your life. What did it feel like? A God We Can’t Control People often like to feel in control. Sometimes that’s for their own sinful reasons, like wanting unfair influence over others’ lives. At other times, people try to take charge because they’ve been hurt by someone they trusted.  And surely, there are things in our lives that we should control. How we treat other people, how we choose to use money, and how we spend our time are all appropriately within our control. This week,…

Following are updates shared from submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices (sppos) in the ELCA Advocacy Network last month. Full list and map of sppos available. U.N. | ARIZONA | CALIFORNIA | MINNESOTA | OHIO | PENNSYLVANIA | WASHINGTON | WISCONSIN New York Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), U.N. – ELCA.org/lowc Christine Mangale, Director As our Lutheran Office for World Community colleagues conclude vigorous activity during the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), no March update is available. Arizona LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY ARIZONA (LAMA) lamaz.org Solveig Muus, Director LAMA hosted its 3rd…

Kelsey Green, Baltimore MD  Warm-up Questions  In a world plagued with violence and death, what does resurrection in our current time and place look like to you?  How do you know “Jesus lives”?  What You See, Isn’t Always the Truth  Friends, I’m tired. I don’t know if I’m the only one, but the current state of the world has me shuffling between images of pure terror and mind-numbing silence most days. I’m worried about my neighbors, worried about the future, worried about what to say to you. I’m sitting here hoping that this reflection might bring you whatever it is…

from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C. – the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Senior Director Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: March 2024 FEDERAL BUDGET | YES IN GOD’S BACK YARD ACT | RECOVERING AMERICA’S WILDLIFE ACT | UYGHUR POLICY ACT OF 2023 | CALLS FOR CEASEFIRE, RESTORATION OF UNRWA FUNDING | SOLIDARITY WITH ANNUNCIATION HOUSE FEDERAL BUDGET:  The House and Senate passed the first tranche of 2024 spending bills, including funding for agriculture and housing programs. The bipartisan deal reached in both chambers in time to avoid a shutdown of many key federal agencies would fully fund core…

Sarah Fryman, Bayonne, NJ Warm-up Questions What has it looked like for you when the anticipation of an event was better than the event itself? Worse than the event itself?  What about when the event doesn’t even end up happening? An…wait for it…ticipation! I am notorious for putting the cart before the horse (or maybe the cart before the donkey???). I get really excited about new things or adventures. I build up all this anticipation. And then the Thing happens…and it wasn’t what I expected. Or, even worse, the Thing doesn’t happen at all.  The past couple of years have…