Category: Protestant

Opening Activity Place a large piece of soft cloth on each table for this activity. It’s best if the cloth is blue to match the Advent season. As participants find their seats, invite them to touch the piece of soft cloth. What thoughts, feelings, or memories stirred as they touch it? Some examples might include: a memory of a soft blanket that is special to them a thought given to those who have made the fabric a feeling of being safe and warm in a coat, etc. Before reading, invite participants to listen for Jesus’ words about people who wear…

Note from the Editor: This week on Faith Lens, we’re revisiting a post from the archive. Originally published several years ago, the article still speaks with quiet strength and hope today. As Advent draws to a close, this reflection offers a grounding reminder at just the right moment: Emmanuel, God is with us. In a season that invites us to name our fears and watch for God’s nearness, this piece remains a faithful word for young people and leaders alike. One more note: in partnership with ELCA Children’s Ministry and ELCA Youth Ministry, the ELCA Youth Gathering is launching a…

By: Kate Parsons Migration Policy Advisor   The Bible writes of one human family, honored and elevated through the image of God that each of us bears. As a Christian community, we are grieved when we hear language about human beings that does not honor the deep love Christ holds for them or the imago Dei — the image of God — that each of them carries. One group of people who have frequently had their dignity denied is immigrants and those who have been forcibly displaced. Dehumanizing language dishonors the dignity of human beings. It divides people into an…

“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, conflict, and violence especially in Gaza, South Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine, Eastern Congo,…

Prepare Since Luke 9:51, Jesus has had his face set toward Jerusalem, meaning he is moving intentionally toward the events of the cross and resurrection. Now, in Luke 23:33-43, Jesus has, in the understated language of Luke, been “crucified” between two criminals. Below him, soldiers callously cast lots for his clothing. Religious leaders jeer and mock him. The Roman Empire taunts him and his fellow Jews by nailing a sign above his head: This is the King of the Jews. In the words of the prophet Isaiah: He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted…

When Dr. Paul Mmbando was in medical school 20 years ago, AIDS was generally a death sentence. Nowadays with better drugs, when the conditions of good nutrition and sticking to the daily meds are met, it’s a disease like others that can often be managed. Dr. Paul leads the health department for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT). Daudi Msseemmaa, ELCA Regional Representative to East Africa talked to him on Nov. 17, 2025 about how the church’s role in making sure those conditions are met as World AIDS Day observance approached. What has the church been doing in supporting…

“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,…

  They are hard to miss. “Invasion“, “Animals“, “Illegals” … We hear these words all the time, whether on the news or in the comment section, used to describe migrants and other marginalized groups. These words are used for a reason. They are designed to make us afraid, to make us numb, and to make us see a “problem” instead of a person. They build walls between “us” and “them.” As people of faith, we have to be honest: this isn’t just a political debate. It’s a spiritual one. The way we talk about and treat the marginalized is a…

After a record-setting 43 days of shutdown, the federal government resumed operations with a bill signed by President Trump on the evening of Nov. 13, 2025, which funds most federal agencies through Jan. 30, 2026. A message was sent to U.S. House and Senate representatives expressing gratitude for the reopening. This message, which follows, also noted prayer in our ELCA communities for our elected leaders and public servants and encouraged “lawmakers at all levels of government to prioritize consistent and good governance in the future.”   November 14, 2025 Gratitude for Reopening of Government The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America…

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.   Florida | Kansas | New Jersey | Pennsylvania | Texas | Wisconsin   FLORIDA COUNCIL OF CHURCHES – The Rev. Russell Meyer, Executive Director Florida Faith Advocacy Days, Sowing the Harvest, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, will be Jan. 15-16, 2026. We’ll gather at the Florida People’s Advocacy Center for issues training on Jan. 15 and make legislative visits on Jan. 16. High on the list of proposals is ending property taxes, a move…