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Mission & Ministry

My take: Masculinity and the church

There’s a lot of talk these days about “toxic masculinity.” Every heartbreaking incident of domestic violence or sexual assault, every mass shooting or racially motivated hate crime perpetrated by men…

An act of grace and a life saved
Living Faithfully

An act of grace and a life saved

Few could have imagined the reunion that took place this past December between Christopher Rhoads and leaders of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lansdale, Pa. Early on Oct. 5, 2015, an…

Musical variety across congregations
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…

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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…

The hard work of deserving grace
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…

Bound together in Christ
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…

Dinner church shares international hospitality
Living Faithfully

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….

An affirmation of faith
Living Faithfully

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…

How do we select songs for all seasons?
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…