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Mission & Ministry

Lessons in reconciliation

Living and serving in a country that has experienced genocide can change one’s opinion, career path and life. Just ask the 11 volunteers who’ve participated in the ELCA Young Adults…

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Living Faithfully

God’s heartbeat

Have you ever cried so hard, been so upset, that you couldn’t catch your breath? Have you been so overwhelmed by life—violence … inequality … death … brokenness—that you couldn’t…

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Mission & Ministry

Praises sing to God the king

One  of the best presents at Christmas is often  taken for granted—the gift of music. Unlike other churches that rely on cantors, choirs or singers to lead worship music, Lutherans…

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Living Faithfully

The face of the church is changing

Here is the church and here is the steeple. Open the door and see all the people. This well-known nursery rhyme, complete with hand motions, has likely been taught in…

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Mission & Ministry

‘It can happen to anyone’

What do Women of the ELCA, two Catholic sisters, a human trafficking survivor and a police lieutenant have in common? On Nov. 12, 2016, they all came together to fight…

Parish delivers meals to farmers during harvest
Living Faithfully

Parish delivers meals to farmers during harvest

This year’s “God’s work. Our hands.” event extended to October when the four congregations of Cross Roads Lutheran Parish of the Northeastern Iowa Synod delivered meals and prayers to farmers…

Lessons in gratitude
Living Faithfully

Lessons in gratitude

Now that I’m a parent I get it. Or at least now I laugh at myself more because I think I get it—I have some semblance of how God feels…

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Mission & Ministry

A lasting legacy

Three lives became unexpectedly intertwined when Alaska native Inger Hanson received a scholarship from the ELCA Fund for Leaders. It started with an act of love from 3,000 miles away…

Better together
Mission & Ministry

Better together

In October the Catholic and Lutheran churches came together in Sweden in an unprecedented celebration of an event that has historically commemorated their separation—the Reformation. This gave girth to the…

Ask them about their stories
Mission & Ministry

Ask them about their stories

Ask veteran Michael Gonzalez what he’d like his fellow citizens to know about him and he’ll say: “A lot of people think veterans are broken or have PTSD (post-traumatic stress…

Lutheran institutions lead the way in innovative senior care
Mission & Ministry

Lutheran institutions lead the way in innovative senior care

The baby-boom generation began turning 65 in 2011, ushering in a period of rapid growth in the aging of America. The 65 and older group is projected to hit more…