May 29, 2020
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has called on the church to join with faith communities across the United States in lament and remembrance, and on our elected leaders to observe Monday, June 1, as a day of mourning to honor the more than 100,000 people...
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May 29, 2020
May 29, 2020 What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8). The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) reaffirms its commitment to combating racism and white supremacy following the recent murders of Black Americans. Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna...
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May 27, 2020
As part of the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, voting members adopted a resolution designating June 17 as a commemoration of the martyrdom of the Emanuel 9—the nine people shot and killed on June 17, 2015, during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C. Resources are available on the ELCA website...
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May 13, 2020
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. — I Corinthians 12:12 May 13, 2020 Dear church, Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia! During the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am encouraged by your...
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April 14, 2020
April 2020 Sin and captivity, manifest in threats to the environment, are not the last word. God addresses our predicament with gifts of ‘forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation’ (Luther, Small Catechism). By the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God frees us from our sin and captivity, and empowers us to be loving servants...
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March 31, 2020
April 1, 2020 is National Census Day. By this date, every home will have received their invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. When you respond to the Census, you tell the U.S. Census Bureau where you are living as of April 1, 2020. Every household can respond to the 2020 Census online, by mail,...
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March 31, 2020
On March 27, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, H.R. 748 (CARES Act), a third economic aid package to help bring direct relief to families, reinforce struggling industries and the healthcare sector, and extend assistance to vital state and federal support programs. Members of Congress and their staff worked intensely to...
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March 28, 2020
Dear church, The last couple of weeks have been trying ones for everyone across this church. Our synods, congregations and ministries are facing challenges that they’ve never faced before. Being church together means more now than ever before. The churchwide office is launching a comprehensive Covid-19 response across the ELCA beginning today. We have three...
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March 26, 2020
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in American (ELCA) has shared The First Draft of the Social Message on Government and Civic Engagement: Discipleship in a Democracy. The development of this message on government, civic engagement, the relationship of church and state and related matters, was called for by the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. This is not...
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March 24, 2020
March 24, 2020 Dear Church, The Evangelical Lutheran Church America, as part of the body of Christ, is united with other Christians in our communities, in our country and around the world. This unity takes many forms, including prayer. I am writing to extend an invitation we have received from Pope Francis, through the Lutheran...
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