Tag: Devotional

by Emily Ahern, ELCA Advocacy [About the Author] As a young person, I am more than familiar with the concept of living in unprecedented times. In fact, I yearn for times which are precedented. As the prior U.S. presidential administration has left, and the new administration takes hold, the future feels uncertain. In my personal life, I am blessed to live in what I lovingly call a bubble – a pocket of peace and wholehearted acceptance. In my public life, such peace and acceptance feel wavering, and can feel like a precipice of something foreboding. In the past few weeks…

by Sagi Rudnick, Kansas Interfaith Action [About the Author] I am a Jewish progressive young adult who immigrated to the United States from the Holy Land as a child. Since my teenage years, I have felt a particular draw to political activism as a path for goodness to prevail. I also knew from that point that I wanted to build my career around that path. Since then, I have been fortunate to be able to lend my talents to a variety of causes. Last summer, about a year after graduating from undergrad, I found myself looking for an opportunity where I…

by Joey Chin, Hunger Advocacy Fellow – ELCA Advocacy Communications [About the Author] A remarkably powerful windstorm known as a bomb cyclone devastated parts of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California about a week before Thanksgiving this past year. As I saw videos on the news of trees falling and power lines collapsing in the area I call home, I contacted family and friends to see if they were safe. Many people I knew were without power for almost a week but thankfully did not experience anything worse. Nevertheless, many homes, families and communities had to contend with the irreversible damage…

by Tomo Duke, Faith Action Network in Washington [about the author] I visited the Washington State Capitol a few times this legislative session to advocate with our elected officials. I walked through buildings filled with elegant marble and golden interiors and observed many people dressed in fancy suits. I thought the grandeur created an illusion about elected officials’ status and power. In a culture that tempts us to fall into idolization of elected officials or political apathy, what kind of power and accountability do we share?   POWER IN A UNIFIED COMMUNITY In his Epistle to Ephesians, Paul reveals a…

by Frances Dobbs, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin [about the author] I believe it is important to look to Scripture for values that our leaders should inhabit. The third chapter of Ephesians explores how Christ perfectly embodies leadership, making a clear example for worldly leaders. When reading the story of salvation history, I believe we are reminded that God has a role in appointing leaders, but that leadership also comes with guidelines for how they act. Micah 6:8 states: “He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to…

by William Milner, ELCA Witness in Society [about the author] As I consider candidates vying for public office, it’s crucial that their discussions align with my values and concerns. In a world inundated with political discourse, I find myself among young voters seeking leaders who address the issues that matter most to us. I envision a political landscape where leaders prioritize values that resonate with our generation’s aspirations. “In 2024, Gen Z youth alone will make up over 40 million potential voters—including 8 million youth who will have newly reached voting age since 2022—making up nearly one fifth of the…

by Autumn Byars, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Arizona [about the author] There is so much noise around the federal election cycle. Op-eds, debates, primaries, public feuds, scandals, caucuses, social media exchanges, exclusive interviews and on and on take up so much of our time and attention. As often as not, public discussions around pressing issues devolve into arguments about rhetoric and attempts to assert the superiority of any given campaign. Even though this is only the second presidential election I am able to participate in, I, like most people, find myself exhausted at the thought of going through it all…

by Erin Brown, Lutheran Office for World Community [about the author] Since October, the Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC) has participated in weekly prayers for peace at the Church Center for the United Nations. At every service, we lift up prayers for all people impacted by violence and destruction caused by the numerous conflicts happening worldwide. At a recent service, members of an organization called Flame of Hope led the reflection, bringing with them a lantern illuminated with a flame recovered from the aftermath of the atomic bomb drop in Hiroshima in 1945. This flame has traveled across the…

By Jillian Russell, Hunger Network Ohio [about the author] I have always known myself to be a “self-doubter.” I am constantly doubting myself – my ability to lead, my ability to be a good friend, but especially my ability to lead God’s people. I have been a self-doubter when it has come to God’s plan for me. How was I supposed to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with my God if I didn’t even believe I could do so? As much as I have tried to change this aspect of myself in recent years, I constantly…

By Kayla Zopfi, 2022-23 Hunger Advocacy Fellow [about the author] They were prodded by a desire to know. The magi who journeyed to baby Jesus were likely some of the only people who noticed this bright new star in the sky, and they took off with excitement and energy even still. Story of the Magi This past Sunday at my young adult and queer-led Synodically Authorized Worshiping Community (SAWC) in Northeast Minneapolis, Tree of Life Lutheran, we did Lectio Divina on the story of the magi. I couldn’t help but reflect on the virtue of curiosity. Curiosity about an anomaly…