As the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, lockdowns and quarantines intended to prevent the virus from spreading halted travel, leaving many stranded. Among those stuck en route to their destinations…
University Lutheran Church and the Islamic Society of Greater Lansing, both in East Lansing, Mich., have a relationship that extends back to the 1970s. The congregations provide spiritual and religious…
Gary Heard’s previous congregation, Advent Lutheran in Manhattan, decided to try selling Christmas trees in the mid-1990s as a fundraiser to bolster the church budget. “We were struggling at the…
Move over, inflatable yard Santa and giant, illuminated snowman! Here comes Jesus. That’s how retired pastor Luther Swicegood, a member of Mount Tabor Lutheran Church, West Columbia, S.C., talks about…
Ina Goetzinger loves to knit. A maker of shawls for parishioners who are ill or hospitalized, she says a prayer for healing with every stitch. But her pastor, Edwin Weber,…
A few years ago, we received an early Christmas gift—a musical snowman with a carrot nose and a trumpet snug in his hands. It’s a decorative piece that connects to…
When many people picture the holidays, their family comes to mind, even if it’s accompanied by commentary about having to tolerate certain members’ irritating qualities. And then there is the…
Focal verse To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is the Messiah, the Lord (Luke 2:11). Reflection Tucked in a closet with all…
The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to many alarming statistics this year—among them are reports showing food insecurity in the United States at an all-time high, with 1 in 8 households…
Focal verse Praise the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. —Psalm 106:1 Reflection I heard the stomping of feet…
When Elizabeth Platz entered seminary nearly six decades ago, things were different in the Lutheran church—and the world. Platz earned acceptance into several schools, one of which admitted that it…
When I was 10, I came to the dinner table one night to find my family’s special red plate at my usual seat. I smiled wide. I had told my…
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