The ministry of cartooning
Living Faithfully

The ministry of cartooning

Steve Thomason faced a massive blank canvas, his back to the congregation, and opened his arms wide, lifted his head and prayed. He was preparing to accept whatever God wanted…

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Living Faithfully

Stillness and appreciation

I often find myself longing for life to be simpler, especially after our family has had a chance to get away for a bit. Being away from the usual chores…

Ministry ramp-up
Living Faithfully

Ministry ramp-up

In 2008, members of Good Shepherd Lutheran in Columbia, S.C., built their first wheelchair ramp as a project during a congregation-wide service day. Member Mike Weaver was part of that…

A farmer’s prayer
Living Faithfully

A farmer’s prayer

A wet spring that complicated—or prevented—planting in the Midwest and an expanding trade war with China are contributing to what “Bloomberg” calls “the worst agricultural downturn since the 1980s.” Combine…

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Living Faithfully

Inspiring generosity

Sharing God’s gifts with one another through stewardship is an integral part of the Lutheran faith. But sometimes the idea of stewardship gets misunderstood, equated simply with monetary giving rather…

Memory connections
Living Faithfully

Memory connections

Tom McCann and his wife, Kathleen, who lives with Alzheimer’s disease, were still able to dance together every once in a while before her health declined. They would take to…

Piece by piece
Living Faithfully

Piece by piece

A church in the Upper Midwest is enriching itself through the spiritual power of all-community murals, artworks that breathe fresh life into a congregation’s rich tapestry of faith with the…

ELCA Conference of Bishops welcomes greater diversity
Living Faithfully

ELCA Conference of Bishops welcomes greater diversity

The Conference of Bishops of the ELCA met at the Lutheran Center Sept. 26–Sept. 30 under a theme from 2 Corinthians: “We have this treasure in clay jars.” The conference…

“A message of love”
Living Faithfully

“A message of love”

Since 1879, Wicker Park Lutheran Church has been an anchor of faith in its Chicago neighborhood. After two recent crimes, members of this diverse, dynamic and growing congregation responded with…

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Living Faithfully

Assembly recap: Eaton calls the church “back to the center”

Addressing the Churchwide Assembly, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reported on the ELCA’s missional identity and goals for the future. “We are church,” she declared, naming the assembly theme and the…