Reimagining faithful witness

Reimagining faithful witness

Series editor’s note: This article kicks off the 2026 theme for “Deeper understandings”: faithful witness in challenging times. In the coming year, various authors will explore what it means for…

Waiting with hope
From The Presiding Bishop

Waiting with hope

I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? (Isaiah 43:19). What does it mean to wait with hope? The upcoming months…

Faith in action: The social teachings of this church
Faith in Action

Faith in action: The social teachings of this church

Series editor’s note: In 2025, “Deeper understandings” is focusing on the ELCA social statements. We hope to reintroduce them to readers as a means of provoking fruitful, enriching conversation between…

Fresh perspectives
Voices of Faith

Fresh perspectives

Editor’s note: The stories of ELCA pastors Mamy Ranaivoson and Joseph Boko are shared by the ELCA Ministries of Diverse Cultures and Communities team. This team works within the ELCA…

Good news roundup: Community, collaboration and commitment
Voices of Faith

Good news roundup: Community, collaboration and commitment

Even in the heaviest seasons, hope has a way of showing up—in persistent faith, courageous leadership, quiet acts of care and the witness of people living out the gospel in…

Good news round-up: Hope Shared
Voices of Faith

Good news round-up: Hope Shared

Even in the heaviest seasons, hope has a way of showing up—in quiet acts of care, courageous leadership, persistent faith, and the witness of people living out the gospel in…

An organ renaissance
Voices of Faith

An organ renaissance

When two noted Lutheran organists were asked whether traditional organ music was a dying art today, they replied with a resounding, “No!” The ancient instrument is alive and well, enjoying…

Safe at home base
Voices of Faith

Safe at home base

All of life is a series of daring explorations from a secure base. I read the above quote from journalist David Brooks of the New York Times and immediately thought…

I’m a Lutheran: Keith Christensen
Voices of Faith

I’m a Lutheran: Keith Christensen

St. Peter Lutheran Church, Greene, Iowa Principal gifts officer, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. St. Peter has a long history with my wife’s family. Her parents grew up in Greene, and…