Click on Glorious Dei to view the most recent newsletter. Past issues: 24:11 The advent of Advent; 24:10 Returned, Rested, Ready; 24:09 And Now to Work; 24:07 Happy Hour Evangelism; 24:06 It's Pentecost; 24:05 Intro; 24:04 He is Risen; 24:03 Be Of Good Courage; 23:12 A Spiritual Exercise; 23:09 Getting to Know You; 23:07 Joy?; 23:06 Farewell; 23:05 Advice & Call; 23:04; 23:03 The Love of Christ Abounds; 23:02 Need to Find a Way to Love; 23:01 Love, the Universal Glue; 22:12 Advent & Hope; 22:11 Christ's Cycle; 22:09 A New Look at Matthew; 22:08 Perfect In Every Way; 22:06 Shooting; 22:05 A Number of Days; 22:04 Renewal; 22:03 The Transformational Path; 22:02 The Antonine Plague Lesson; 22:01 Chairs instead of pews?; 21:12 Living in Advent; 21:11 Cloud of Witnesses; 21:10 Biblical Basics?; 21:09 Slipping Into the Future; 21:08 We Belong to God; 21:07 It Takes More Than a Village; 21:06 Pentecost-Coming or Going; 21:05 A Return?; 21:04 A Season of Penance; 21:03 Lenten Reflection; 21:02 The Racist Lawyer; 20:12 Look to Fore; 20:10 Where are the Christians?; 20:09 Remember to Laugh; 20:08 The Bonding, the Blessing; To view, click on Welcoming Congregations above. ELCA News "I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing." —John 15:5 Dear siblings in Christ, Twenty-five years ago today, Catholic and Lutheran representatives gathered in Augsburg, Germany, to sign the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ), thereby resolving once and for all a central theological conflict of the Reformation. The JDDJ announced theological consensus on how Catholics and Lutherans understand justification by God's grace through faith in Christ, lifting 16th-century condemnations. After merely three decades of dialogue, what had divided us as Lutherans and Catholics for nearly 500 years no longer did. Many of us remember that day as if it were yesterday. Even more of us have experienced how the JDDJ paved the way for us to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017 differently, by doing so together. In recent years, three more world communions — Anglican, Methodist and Reformed — have affirmed the JDDJ. As we recall these significant milestones, let us remember that they were the God-given fruits of our theological dialogue together, harvested through the labors of our steadfast theologians and leaders. Our commitment is to abide in Christ and with each other, taking the long approach in a quick-fix world. We are now on the eve of the 60th anniversary of our U.S. Lutheran-Catholic dialogue. As we hope for all that is yet to be, let us pause to give thanks for all that has been on the way. Gracious God, we give you thanks for the promises you freely offer to us through the life, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Guide us in our journey together as a faithful response to your love. Amen. In Christ,
Resources: CHICAGO — The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has received a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish Curious Christian Children: Reimagining Kids in Worship, a new initiative of the ELCA's Ministry with Children. The Curious Christian Children: Reimagining Kids in Worship initiative will provide space for the best learning and integration of resources and research to help children and young people feel nurtured and supported within a worship community. The program is funded through Lilly Endowment's Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative, a national initiative designed to help Christian congregations more fully and intentionally engage children in intergenerational corporate worship and prayer practices. Curious Christian Children: Reimagining Kids in Worship will support leaders and faith communities that seek to create an inclusive and deeply spiritual space for the youngest of those in the church. Placing intentional emphasis on the needs of children living with disabilities and special needs, and on families of color and those within the LGBTQIA+ community, the initiative will both champion and create effective resources, provide supportive cohort groups for leaders, and share learnings and best practices with the broader church. "Children's ministries suffered during COVID, and this effort will bring much-needed energy, attention and love to our children and those who care for them, so that they may know the love of Jesus," said Phil Hirsch, executive director, ELCA Christian Community and Leadership. "This initiative will help ensure that the church will be stronger in the years to come." "Children have a spiritual yearning to be integrated into the worship and prayer lives of our faith communities. I'm excited to guide our denomination in reimagining children's roles in our congregations and seeing what emerges," said the Rev. Janelle Rozek Hooper, grant project director and program manager for Ministry with Children. "We are extremely grateful for this grant from Lilly Endowment that will provide resources for congregations to support the youngest in their communities, especially those from marginalized communities or those who have special needs, who too often find worship to be a challenging space," said Ed Kay, senior director, ELCA discipleship and inclusive communities. "Children are not only the future of the church, but they are the church right now. Helping them to grow as disciples and live into the promises made in baptism is at the core of our collective responsibility to be the church and to follow Jesus together." The ELCA is one of 91 organizations to receive funding through the latest round of the initiative. They represent and serve congregations in a broad spectrum of Christian traditions, including Catholic, mainline Protestant, evangelical, Orthodox, Anabaptist and Pentecostal faith communities. Several organizations are rooted in Black Church and Hispanic and Asian American Christian traditions. "Congregational worship and prayer play a critical role in the spiritual growth of children and offer settings for children to acquire the language of faith, learn their faith traditions and experience the love of God as part of a supportive community," said Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment's vice president for religion. "These programs will help congregations give greater attention to children and how they can more intentionally nurture the faith of children, as well as adults, through worship and prayer." - - - Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders' wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. The principal aim of the Endowment's religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of diverse religious traditions by supporting fair and accurate portrayals of the role religion plays in the United States and across the globe. About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: CHICAGO — The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will celebrate World Food Day and the 50th anniversary of ELCA World Hunger during a special online event, Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. The event will be hosted by the Rev. Amy Current, bishop of the Southeastern Iowa Synod, and Imran Siddiqui, ELCA vice president. "ELCA World Hunger is a great example of how we are church together and church for the sake of the world," said ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton. "I have witnessed firsthand the impact of ELCA World Hunger on communities around the world. During a trip to the Yunnan province of China, I had the opportunity to visit with the Lisu people at a farm where they grew crops to help support their families with food and clothing. The partnership with ELCA World Hunger changed traditional farming methods to help lift people out of poverty." "ELCA World Hunger is one of the best things we do as a church," Siddiqui said. "For 50 years, we have embodied 'God's work. Our hands.' by feeding those who are hungry around the world, and we have made a real difference. I look forward to 50 more years — and beyond that — of feeding the hungry and fighting poverty in our country and the world." During the event, participants will hear stories from ELCA World Hunger partners — including Educación Popular en Salud (EPES), a community health organization in Chile founded over 40 years ago, and more recently established ministries including Tapestry Farms, a Midwestern urban farm system in the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois. These partners will talk about their work with ELCA World Hunger and the impact of their ministries on the communities they serve. "We are grateful for the ministry of welcome and dignity Tapestry Farms provides the refugees who make the Quad Cities their home," Current said. "The partnership with World Hunger strengthens their capacity to invest in the lives of the refugees and their families as they seek to build meaningful lives in our community." The world has experienced a decline in hunger since ELCA World Hunger was founded in 1974, but now, 50 years later, the number of people affected by hunger globally is increasing because of rising costs, global conflict, the effects of climate change and the lingering effects of COVID-19. "We are grateful for the generosity of ELCA members and others who have responded to God's promise of a just world where all are fed," Eaton said. "We look forward to the next 50 years of transformational work through ELCA World Hunger." Register here to receive reminders, event information, World Food Day resources and the event recording. - - - The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 3 million members in more than 8,700 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther. |
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"I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing." —John 15:5 Dear siblings in Christ, Twenty-five years ago today, Catholic and Lutheran representatives gathered in Augsburg, Germany, to sign the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ), thereby resolving once and for all a central theological conflict of the Reformation. The JDDJ announced theological consensus on how Catholics and Lutherans understand justification by God's grace through faith in Christ, lifting 16th-century condemnations. After merely three decades of dialogue, what had divided us as Lutherans and Catholics for nearly 500 years no longer did. Many of us remember that day as if it were yesterday. Even more of us have experienced how the JDDJ paved the way for us to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017 differently, by doing so together. In recent years, three more world communions — Anglican, Methodist and Reformed — have affirmed the JDDJ. As we recall these significant milestones, let us remember that they were the God-given fruits of our theological dialogue together, harvested through the labors of our steadfast theologians and leaders. Our commitment is to abide in Christ and with each other, taking the long approach in a quick-fix world. We are now on the eve of the 60th anniversary of our U.S. Lutheran-Catholic dialogue. As we hope for all that is yet to be, let us pause to give thanks for all that has been on the way. Gracious God, we give you thanks for the promises you freely offer to us through the life, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Guide us in our journey together as a faithful response to your love. Amen. In Christ,
Resources: CHICAGO — The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has received a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish Curious Christian Children: Reimagining Kids in Worship, a new initiative of the ELCA's Ministry with Children. The Curious Christian Children: Reimagining Kids in Worship initiative will provide space for the best learning and integration of resources and research to help children and young people feel nurtured and supported within a worship community. The program is funded through Lilly Endowment's Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative, a national initiative designed to help Christian congregations more fully and intentionally engage children in intergenerational corporate worship and prayer practices. Curious Christian Children: Reimagining Kids in Worship will support leaders and faith communities that seek to create an inclusive and deeply spiritual space for the youngest of those in the church. Placing intentional emphasis on the needs of children living with disabilities and special needs, and on families of color and those within the LGBTQIA+ community, the initiative will both champion and create effective resources, provide supportive cohort groups for leaders, and share learnings and best practices with the broader church. "Children's ministries suffered during COVID, and this effort will bring much-needed energy, attention and love to our children and those who care for them, so that they may know the love of Jesus," said Phil Hirsch, executive director, ELCA Christian Community and Leadership. "This initiative will help ensure that the church will be stronger in the years to come." "Children have a spiritual yearning to be integrated into the worship and prayer lives of our faith communities. I'm excited to guide our denomination in reimagining children's roles in our congregations and seeing what emerges," said the Rev. Janelle Rozek Hooper, grant project director and program manager for Ministry with Children. "We are extremely grateful for this grant from Lilly Endowment that will provide resources for congregations to support the youngest in their communities, especially those from marginalized communities or those who have special needs, who too often find worship to be a challenging space," said Ed Kay, senior director, ELCA discipleship and inclusive communities. "Children are not only the future of the church, but they are the church right now. Helping them to grow as disciples and live into the promises made in baptism is at the core of our collective responsibility to be the church and to follow Jesus together." The ELCA is one of 91 organizations to receive funding through the latest round of the initiative. They represent and serve congregations in a broad spectrum of Christian traditions, including Catholic, mainline Protestant, evangelical, Orthodox, Anabaptist and Pentecostal faith communities. Several organizations are rooted in Black Church and Hispanic and Asian American Christian traditions. "Congregational worship and prayer play a critical role in the spiritual growth of children and offer settings for children to acquire the language of faith, learn their faith traditions and experience the love of God as part of a supportive community," said Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment's vice president for religion. "These programs will help congregations give greater attention to children and how they can more intentionally nurture the faith of children, as well as adults, through worship and prayer." - - - Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders' wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. The principal aim of the Endowment's religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of diverse religious traditions by supporting fair and accurate portrayals of the role religion plays in the United States and across the globe. About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: CHICAGO — The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will celebrate World Food Day and the 50th anniversary of ELCA World Hunger during a special online event, Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. The event will be hosted by the Rev. Amy Current, bishop of the Southeastern Iowa Synod, and Imran Siddiqui, ELCA vice president. "ELCA World Hunger is a great example of how we are church together and church for the sake of the world," said ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton. "I have witnessed firsthand the impact of ELCA World Hunger on communities around the world. During a trip to the Yunnan province of China, I had the opportunity to visit with the Lisu people at a farm where they grew crops to help support their families with food and clothing. The partnership with ELCA World Hunger changed traditional farming methods to help lift people out of poverty." "ELCA World Hunger is one of the best things we do as a church," Siddiqui said. "For 50 years, we have embodied 'God's work. Our hands.' by feeding those who are hungry around the world, and we have made a real difference. I look forward to 50 more years — and beyond that — of feeding the hungry and fighting poverty in our country and the world." During the event, participants will hear stories from ELCA World Hunger partners — including Educación Popular en Salud (EPES), a community health organization in Chile founded over 40 years ago, and more recently established ministries including Tapestry Farms, a Midwestern urban farm system in the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois. These partners will talk about their work with ELCA World Hunger and the impact of their ministries on the communities they serve. "We are grateful for the ministry of welcome and dignity Tapestry Farms provides the refugees who make the Quad Cities their home," Current said. "The partnership with World Hunger strengthens their capacity to invest in the lives of the refugees and their families as they seek to build meaningful lives in our community." The world has experienced a decline in hunger since ELCA World Hunger was founded in 1974, but now, 50 years later, the number of people affected by hunger globally is increasing because of rising costs, global conflict, the effects of climate change and the lingering effects of COVID-19. "We are grateful for the generosity of ELCA members and others who have responded to God's promise of a just world where all are fed," Eaton said. "We look forward to the next 50 years of transformational work through ELCA World Hunger." Register here to receive reminders, event information, World Food Day resources and the event recording. - - - The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 3 million members in more than 8,700 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther. CHICAGO — The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met Sept. 24-28 at the Lutheran Center in Chicago. The conference, an advisory body of the ELCA, comprises 65 synod bishops, the presiding bishop and the secretary. In her report to the conference, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton described the work of the churchwide organization framed by God's Love Made Real. Eaton emphasized the vision guiding this work — a world experiencing the difference God's grace and love in Christ make for all people and creation — and its two distinct strategies, the church that is and the church that is becoming. "Some people might think that the wave of the future is no more buildings, no more congregations, but I don't think that's true," said Eaton. "We're going to work with our congregations, but at the same time — and we found this out during COVID — there are some people who will not set foot in one of our buildings or anything that is recognizable as church. Those people need to hear the liberating good news of the gospel." Eaton asked the assembled bishops, "How can we here at the churchwide expression walk alongside you as people start to realize that they are never out of God's sight and that God is at work with them, through them and in them?" To learn more about this work, the conference heard from the Vision team, led by the Rev. Louise Johnson, executive for Vision, and the Rev. Ernie Hinojosa, associate executive for Vision. Eaton established the team in 2024, and its work is guided by the ELCA's vision statement. In conversation with the conference, Johnson and Hinojosa shared ideas for the church to work together to help more people learn about Jesus' love. In key business, the conference issued a statement stressing the need to speak the truth and refusing "to accept the ongoing normalization of lies and deceit. "We, the members of the Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, speak with one voice to condemn the hateful, deceptive, violent speech that has too readily found a place in our national discourse," the statement reads. "We recommit ourselves to speaking the truth and pointing to the one who is truth." In other business, the conference:
- - - The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 3 million members in more than 8,700 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther. In a perfect garden, created by God for the sake of humanity, evil entered in the form of deception and lies. Christians refer to this story, found in the biblical book of Genesis, as the fall of humanity. This foray into human sin began when Adam and Eve, the first humans created in the image of God, were deceived. Humans have contended with the powers of deception ever since. Yet we are a people who know and proclaim the power of God at work in the world. We proclaim the power of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, the one who said, "I am the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6). We know that the power of truth is greater than the power of deceit. We, the members of the Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, speak with one voice to condemn the hateful, deceptive, violent speech that has too readily found a place in our national discourse. We lament the ways this language has led to hate-fueled action. We refuse to accept the ongoing normalization of lies and deceit. We recommit ourselves to speaking the truth and pointing to the one who is truth. We find courage in our collegiality and implore the members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, as well as our partners and friends, to join us as we:
Emboldened by the Holy Spirit, may we resist deception and lift up the truth that all members of humanity are created in the image of God. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all as we respond to the Spirit's invitation into this intentional commitment against deception and for truth. In Christ, The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt Dear church, The recent national spotlight on Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, clearly has fanned flames of hate and stoked threats of violence. The rhetoric has created discord and mistrust of people who have already suffered civil unrest in their nation and been granted legal protection in the United States. History shows us that this kind of hatred often carries negative national and global consequences. Our church teaches that immigrants are children of God, made in God's image and worthy of respect and lives of dignity. God calls us to witness boldly to this truth when people tell dehumanizing lies that perpetuate racist tropes and support white supremacist narratives. As people of faith, we and others look to God's command to "not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16). Martin Luther explains: "We are to fear and love God, so that we do not tell lies about our neighbors, betray or slander them, or destroy their reputations. Instead we are to come to their defense, speak well of them, and interpret everything they do in the best possible light" (Martin Luther, Small Catechism, Eighth Commandment; Book of Concord, page 353). Recognizing historic discriminatory policies and treatment of African descent immigrants, the ELCA has specific commitments to strengthen advocacy, protection and accompaniment of Black migrants. The ELCA participates in and promotes the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent. We stand in solidarity with the Haitian community in the United States. We pray alongside Bishop Suzanne Darcy Dillahunt and the Southern Ohio Synod, Wittenberg University and Springfield area congregations responding to hateful speech and threats of violence in their communities. Please pray and take action to stop the spread of hate. As followers of Christ, we are called to love neighbors. Below are resources to support this call. In peace, For more information and resources see: Explanation of the Declaration of the ELCA to People of African Descent |