Testimonial

Voices of Faith

A conversation with Pastor Jua Jay Her

As we near the end of May, we are speaking with Lutherans who are and identify as Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Island heritage. We are honored to share the…

Voices of Faith

I’m a Lutheran: Deanna Branch

Hephatha Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, Wis. Author of Aidan: The Lead-Free Superhero, Coalition on Lead Emergency organizer, lead awareness advocate. I have been a member of Hephatha Lutheran Church since I…

Voices of Faith

Grace for the parenting journey

My 8-year-old daughter recently started horseback riding lessons. One afternoon I walked behind on her trail ride. Earlier that morning, I’d lost my patience with the kids while getting ready…

Voices of Faith

From rest to activity

I live in a town of 2,000 in southeastern South Dakota that is surrounded by farmland. It’s the first week in March as I write this. The surrounding fields are…

Voices of Faith

A conversation with Margarette Ouji

As we near the end of April, we are speaking with Lutherans of Arab and Middle Eastern decent to amplify voices of our siblings in Christ and celebrate Arab and…

Voices of Faith

I’m a Lutheran: Fuad Nijim

Editor’s note: As we near the end of April, we are reposting Fuad Nijim’s “I’m a Lutheran” column to celebrate Arab and Middle Eastern heritage. See also “A conversation with…

Voices of Faith

My faith journey: Creation does comfort

Editor’s note: Carol Soderholm, a retired ELCA pastor, and her husband, Paul, own restored prairie land in Northern Illinois. This is their home and a place of living worship that…

Voices of Faith

My faith journey: Glimpsing God’s mind

“[Science] is glimpsing God’s mind and being in awe of it.” —Francis Collins, to the Templeton Foundation For most of my life I had no interest in science. I considered…

Voices of Faith

Quakes, fear and joy

I’d always skimmed over the earthquake in Matthew’s resurrection story (28:1-10) until I was in “a big one.” I live in Alaska. There hadn’t been “a big one” in my…

Voices of Faith

Bearers of joy

Recently, I’ve delved into the word, the experience, the meaning of joy. It’s not so easy to define, actually: joy isn’t happiness, and it certainly isn’t a platitude such as…

Voices of Faith

My faith journey: A welcoming church for a transgender woman

I am a transgender woman. I’m also a person of faith—an active member of and leader in my ELCA congregation. I’m sure the Lord guided my journey toward becoming a…

Voices of Faith

The bemusing board-game beauty of the Bible

My middle daughter, Marta, is 4 feet, 11 inches tall. In 1988 my wife and I adopted her from a Roman Catholic orphanage in San Salvador when she was 11…