Category: Protestant

Rom Chan Oun, (Note the ELCA sticker on the tuktuk) Unlike many Cambodians who live near the border with Thailand, Rom Chan Oun decided not to migrate to Thailand to work. Instead, she joined the local Bour Samaki Meanchey Agricultural Cooperative.  The Bour AC, located in Battambang province in western Cambodia, is a initiative that supports farmers, creates employment opportunities, and improves access to essential goods and services within the community.  The cooperative is supported by Lutheran Hope Cambodia Organization, which in turn is supported by ELCA World Hunger. Before joining the agricultural cooperative, “I was just a housewife and…

Following are updates shared from submissions from ELCA-affiliated state public policy offices (SPPOs) this quarter (formerly shared monthly). Full list and map of SPPOs available. ARIZONA| KANSAS | PENNSYLVANIA | WISCONSIN   Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona Solveig Muus, Director This spring, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA), a ministry of the Grand Canyon Synod, has been helping Lutherans “voice our common needs in the public square” by connecting congregations, synod leaders, ELCA Advocacy and community partners around hunger, immigration, civic engagement, health care and housing. LAMA’s 2026 priorities center on food insecurity, voting, health care and housing/homelessness, rooted in ELCA social teaching and carried out through partnerships…

Refugees from Sudan in May 2023 | Photo credit: Henry Wilkins, Voice of America Across the globe, humanitarian needs continue to rise at an alarming rate. As of April 2026, millions of people are facing the compounded impacts of conflict, climate disasters, and economic instability. For communities already living on the margins, these overlapping crises, often called a “poly-crisis,” are stretching resilience to its limits. At Lutheran Disaster Response, we are witnessing how these interconnected challenges are reshaping the humanitarian landscape and deepening the urgency of our shared response. When Climate and Crisis Collide In many parts of the world,…

Issue 104 of Administration Matters Property insurance FAQ 2026 The ELCA Church Property Resource Hub, provided by the Office of the Secretary, offers insights to help you better understand the current property-insurance marketplace. >More Investing in what lasts: How one congregation connects savings and service How can your congregation’s savings serve today’s ministry and tomorrow’s needs? When Bethany Lutheran Church, Lemont, Ill., asked this question, it guided investment discussions. Seeking a financial partner with the same values, Bethany opened investment accounts with the Mission Investment Fund (MIF), a ministry of the ELCA. Interest accruing to the account supports the growing…

In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, ELCA Racial Justice Ministries invited Pastor Jill Rode to reflect on this topic. For more information on AAPI Heritage Month, visit Asian & Pacific American Heritage Month. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month brings me pride but also a complex mix of emotions. As a Korean American adoptee raised by a white Midwestern family, I have always felt my sense of culture, identity and belonging to be layered and, at times, uncertain. Though I celebrate this month, I also wrestle with where I fit within the broader Asian American narrative. I…

A home damaged by Hurricane Helene | Photo Credit the Southeastern Synod Almost two years following Hurricane Helene, communities across Georgia are still navigating the long and difficult road to recovery. From Augusta to the coastal counties, the Southeastern Synod’s Disaster Ministry Team continues to walk alongside survivors as they rebuild homes, restore stability, and reclaim hope. A Wide-Reaching Response While North and South Carolina have been the focus of much of the nationwide reporting about Hurricane Helen, the scale of devastation across Georgia has been immense. Sixty-two counties were declared disaster areas, with severe damage stretching from inland communities…

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. ELCA Worship also features resources from Augsburg Fortress Publishers in a monthly blog post. Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival Transforming and connecting lives through faith and music since 1981. All are invited to join fellow singers for a day of inspiring, community-centered music-making at the LSM Choral Gathering. Led by Dr. David Cherwien, LSM faculty member and former Artistic Director…

Racial Justice Ministries invites you to join us for the following events: Equipping the Church to Dismantle White Supremacy: A 5-part Webinar Series To register for this FREE webinar series, please visit: https://bit.ly/equipwebinars     Para reservar su espacio para estos seminarios web GRATUITOS favor de inscribirse aquí: https://bit.ly/equipwebinars    6th Angelversary of George Floyd To register in English: bit.ly/4s017Q7 En espanol:  bit.ly/4eis0f9 ELCA Blogs

Prepare: The Gospel of John has a very different character than the other three Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke, which are called “the Synoptic Gospels”). Whereas the Synoptic Gospels tell many similar stories about the life and ministry of Jesus, John emphasizes the mystic spirituality of Jesus’ life and mission. Together all four Gospels combine into a wonderful overlapping kaleidoscopic vision of Christ. The author of John especially wants their audience to understand that Jesus is God, and (for better or worse) they go about it with very circuitous, and sometimes confusing, language. Remember that this text is from an…

In honor of Arab American Heritage Month, ELCA Racial Justice Ministries will be elevating the voices of our Arab and Middle Eastern Descent peers and reposting their works from other sources around the ELCA. The following article is cross-posted from the Voices of Faith section of Living Lutheran online. The original post can be found here. Courtesy of Grace El-Yateem By: Grace El-Yateem | April 15, 2026 STEADY FAITH, STRONG TRADITIONS, LASTING IMPRESSION An Arab American Christian reflects on her community’s quiet but profound impact on the American Lutheran life April is Arab American Heritage Month in the United States. While this…