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Lectionary Blog
Lectionary blog: Sharing a ‘poor-man’s dinner’
Scripture calls us to have the faith to share what we have.
Faith in Action
Annual rummage sale supports seminarians
The rummage sale at St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church, Davenport, Iowa, provides more than an opportunity to buy a 25-cent vase. It supports those in need, makes neighbors aware of…
From The Presiding Bishop
There is no curtain obscuring plots
At a Conference of Bishops meeting a few years after the 2009 Churchwide Assembly, bishops shared some of the most outrageous suspicions they had heard about the churchwide office. One…
Mission & Ministry
Justice
Ask a friend to define justice, and chances are good you will hear some words about fairness. If you press further, you are likely to hear an exposition of what…
Mission & Ministry
Mercy
You gotta be kidding. Jack is dating Mindy? Oh, mercy me. She’s young enough to be his daughter!” Call that a casual use of the word that is our all-purpose…
Mission & Ministry
Adages
Solomon is reported to have composed 3,000 of them (1 Kings 4:32). Daily we see them on Instagram posts, coffee cups, bumper stickers, tweets and T-shirts. Ninety years ago one…
Faith in Action
Nice is not enough
Across the ELCA, congregations are wondering how to better connect with people and find renewal and avenues to growth. But when asked, “What is the best thing about this place…
From The Presiding Bishop
Unglamorous yet vital
A church in the Northeastern Ohio Synod describes itself as a “50/50” congregation. It gives away half of offerings received. A significant portion goes to mission support, but the congregation…
From The Presiding Bishop
Luther’s quote got it right
The account of the Ascension in Acts has two great questions. The disciples ask Jesus, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” (1:6). Then,…
Mission & Ministry
Generosity
There’s an old tale of a monk who found a precious gemstone. He picked it up and put it in his knapsack and carried it with his few other belongings….
From The Presiding Bishop
Worship is the heart of all we do
There is a Seattle-based caffeinated beverage company that goes to great lengths to provide excellent customer service. Its campaign is to make itself everyone’s “Third Place.” “First Place” is home,…
From The Presiding Bishop
Coming to terms with the times
When I’m out and about in the church, I’m often asked what I plan to do to save small congregations, reverse the decline in membership, bring young adults back to…