Category: Protestant

Prepare Luke is the only gospel in which we find the story of Zacchaeus. Luke often shares stories of people who are marginalized, oppressed, or looked down upon and shows how Jesus’s love changes them. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and would have been shunned by his own people because of his profession. In those days, taxes imposed by Rome took a large portion of people’s money, leaving many poor.  And as was the practice of tax collectors, Zacchaeus was likely skimming a little extra for himself too, aggravating people even more. Zacchaeus became wealthy through his position in…

“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 an end to war and conflict, and for places of political unrest or contention, especially Gaza,…

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month which is celebrated in the United States September 15- October 15, we share this message from the Associate of Latino Ministries of the ELCA. Credit: This image is from the October 10, 2024 Living Lutheran Magazine online post entitled “Thoughts for Thursday during National Hispanic Heritage Month” which can be found here. For more information on the Association of Latino Ministries of the ELCA:  AML de la ELCA For more on the Latino Community of the ELCA:  Latino For more on Hispanic Heritage Month from Living Lutheran, check out these recent articles:  2025,…

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month which is celebrated in the United States September 15- October 15, we share this message from the Associate of Latino Ministries of the ELCA. Credit: This image is from the October 10, 2024 Living Lutheran Magazine online post entitled “Thoughts for Thursday during National Hispanic Heritage Month” which can be found here. For more information on the Association of Latino Ministries of the ELCA:  AML de la ELCA For more on the Latino Community of the ELCA:  Latino For more on Hispanic Heritage Month from Living Lutheran, check out these recent articles:  2025,…

Prepare In Jesus’ day, the Jewish people lived under Roman rule. Even though Jews were allowed to worship Jehovah, the true God, life under an occupying empire often brought tension and resentment. Some Jews worked for the Roman administration, collecting taxes or overseeing trade. These tax collectors, often seen as collaborators who took more than what was due, were widely disliked and regarded by many as sinners or outsiders within their own community. At the other end of the spectrum were the Pharisees – Jewish leaders who devoted themselves on obeying not only the ten commandments, but also many ceremonial…

“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 an end to war and conflict, and for places of political unrest or contention, especially Gaza,…

By Zachary Olson, ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow ELCA Advocacy is excited to introduce the six new leaders in the 2025-2026 Hunger Advocacy Fellows cohort. These new Fellows bring a variety of skills, experiences and insights into their work for the upcoming year. This year-long fellowship combines professional development and faith formation as the Fellows tackle public policy issues on the state and national level. We look forward to the year ahead and our work to help create a more just world.   Garber, Daniella (Pennsylvania) Daniella Garber is the new Hunger Advocacy Fellow with the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry of Pennsylvania…

Prepare This well-known psalm is a song about the pilgrimage to Jerusalem the Israelites would have taken multiple times per year. I would caution leaders (including myself) against assuming that our youth/young adults know this psalm. Depending on the rhythms and practices of your congregation, they might. But, in my experience with youth/young adults, Psalm 121 is more of a “that sounds familiar” kind of recognition, not something they are able to recite all the way through. Nevertheless, this psalm is intended to carry one through a long and difficult journey, making it very helpful for any of us to…

“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 an end to war and conflict, and for places of political unrest or contention, especially Gaza,…

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month which is celebrated in the United States September 15- October 15, we share this message from the Associate of Latino Ministries of the ELCA. Credit: This image is from the October 10, 2024 Living Lutheran Magazine online post entitled “Thoughts for Thursday during National Hispanic Heritage Month” which can be found here. For more information on the Association of Latino Ministries of the ELCA:  AML de la ELCA For more on the Latino Community of the ELCA:  Latino For more on Hispanic Heritage Month from Living Lutheran, check out these recent articles:  2025,…