The ELCA Rostered Ministers Gathering 2017, the first of its kind, brought together more than 900 pastors and deacons, to Atlanta, Aug. 7-10, under the theme “On the Way ……
“Our Lutheran Life” invites and encourages ELCA members to tell contemporary stories inspired by the Reformation about how the power of God’s grace plays out in the complexities of daily…
When you pull into the church parking lot on a Sunday morning, you see remnants of the scuffle on the car bumpers: “I’m With Her” alongside “Make America Great Again,”…
As seminaries rework the ways they train new pastors, congregations may have to alter their “image” of a pastor. “We look at the world around us, and the church, as…
This was the final newsletter column of my pastoral career. I was part of four parishes in 31 years. They are all different, but they share common challenges as Christianity…
While deployed as a Marine in Iraq in 2005, Nathan Huffman received a visit from a chaplain that would ultimately change his life. “He came to me and he asked…
For those serving the ELCA as a diaconal minister, deaconess or associate in ministry, names—specifically name changes—have been a hot topic for nearly a decade. After discussion and deliberation, the…
When asked what she did for fun outside of church, Karol Hendricks-McCracken, pastor of New Salem Lutheran Church, Turtle River, Minn., couldn’t answer. “Well, teach confirmation,” was her response to…
Starbucks barista. Pharmacist. Substitute teacher. Nanny. Animal handler. Roller derby announcer. These seemingly unrelated professionals have one thing in common—they’re all leading “double lives” as church workers, most as pastors….
Here are some ways for congregations to help bring the level down.
Editor’s note: In observance of Women’s History Month in March, we remember the ELCA’s predecessor bodies that made history in 1970 when they ordained the first Lutheran women pastors. This…
When Tom Stutelberg, East Union Lutheran Church, Carver, Minn., developed a heart condition called cardiomyopathy he was told not to drive for six months. The congregation asked for volunteers to…
You have attempted to access a feature of this website that is only available to members of livinglutheran.org.
A free membership gives you a customized dashboard for curated content based on your interest, the ability to like and save articles, an optional subscription to a weekly email digest “LL Stories”, and more.
Already have an account? log in
If you are a subscriber to the LL Stories email digest from before the introduction of the new website in December 2025, your account is intact, but your password will need to be reset unless you have a login for another ELCA website.
If you have a login for another ELCA website like community.elca.org, directory.elca.org or others you can use the password associated with that login.
Logout
