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Mission & Ministry

Shared gifts

Randall Tallent was looking for a way to give back. Hannah Jensen-Reinke had a deep interest in Asian culture and mission history. And Jennifer Jarvie was following her destiny. While…

Mission & Ministry

Musical variety across congregations

Editor’s note: Martin Luther famously said, “Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise” (Luther’s Works, Vol. 53). The ELCA still holds tightly to Luther’s understanding. This…

Mission & Ministry

Finding grace in prison—and beyond

Editor’s note: As Lutherans, grace is at the heart of our faith understanding. But what does it look like to actually live out grace? This is the final article in…

Mission & Ministry

Spiritual support for public service

For Linda Muhly, ministering can take place in the rugged terrain of the West Virginia mountains during a search and rescue mission. Jeff Crim’s spiritual workplace is a tiny ship…

Mission & Ministry

The hard work of deserving grace

Editor’s note: As Lutherans, grace is at the heart of our faith understanding. But what does it look like to actually live out grace? In this series, we explore what grace means and…

Mission & Ministry

Bound together in Christ

What it means to live in community differs from culture to culture. For Julie Gerrish, her understanding of community was totally transformed after a year of service in Senegal through…

Faith in Action

Dinner church shares international hospitality

St. Lydia, a congregation of about 50 members in Brooklyn, N.Y., has been making news with its unconventional dinner church for a decade, including features inThe Wall Street Journaland The Atlantic….

Faith in Action

An affirmation of faith

Confirmation came a little late for my daughter. My husband and I were deployed to serve as missionaries in Jerusalem, which interrupted her final year of confirmation class. It took…

Mission & Ministry

How do we select songs for all seasons?

Editor’s note: Martin Luther famously said, “Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise” (Luther’s Works, Vol. 53). The ELCA still holds tightly to Luther’s understanding. In…

Mission & Ministry

“I know I am welcome”

At St. Andrew’s United Church of Cairo, worship happens on Fridays. The holy day in Islam and a day off for most Egyptians, Friday draws Christians of many tongues to…

Mission & Ministry

Hope in the courtroom

The ELCA, through its strategy for Accompanying Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities (AMMPARO), supports compassionate care for those crossing the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum. The Lutheran attorneys…

Faith in Action

Led by the Spirit

In a changing world, the ELCA is now focusing on congregational vitality, which the ELCA Conference of Bishops described by saying vitality is found in communities of Jesus that nurture…