Meeting Jesus at the truck stop
Living Faithfully

Meeting Jesus at the truck stop

Before Matthew Best even set foot in St. Stephen Lutheran, New Kingstown, Pa., on his first day as pastor, he saw what would become an important mission for the congregation:…

God’s vision for a healthy masculinity
Living Faithfully

God’s vision for a healthy masculinity

One of my 4-year-old son’s favorite pastimes is putting together his jumbo jigsaw puzzle depicting a dramatic NFL touchdown. On any given day, you’ll likely find him splayed out on…

New bishops herald new life
Living Faithfully

New bishops herald new life

Most of the people who founded Lutheran churches in the U.S. hundreds of years ago were white men who’d emigrated from Northern Europe. But the cultural homogeneity that once defined…

“We are church”
Living Faithfully

“We are church”

Next month, voting members will convene Aug. 5-10 for the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee. This will be the 15th gathering of the assembly, the…

Synods meet for education and business
Living Faithfully

Synods meet for education and business

Editor’s note: Synod communicators were asked to share a highlight from their assemblies. What made a difference to participants? What was the most important part of the assembly? Responses from…

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Living Faithfully

Good news for parents not in church

Sometimes it seems like all we do is shush them, or maneuver snacks to avert a meltdown during worship, send “the look” or a pointed finger at them during a…

A commitment to service
Living Faithfully

A commitment to service

For First Lutheran, St. Paul, Minn., caring for people who don’t have a safe place to live or who are living in poverty is as important to its mission as…

Immersed in one beat
Living Faithfully

Immersed in one beat

Everyone may march to their own beat, but one ELCA congregation is fostering an exquisite togetherness through the ancient, spiritual and meditative practice of the drum circle. “Music can create…

Perspective: Our promise to baptized children
Living Faithfully

Perspective: Our promise to baptized children

Here’s a familiar Sunday scene: Before worship begins, a baby wearing a white gown is passed around between parents, grandparents and godparents. Noticing the baptismal party, parishioners check the bulletin…

Faith on the stage
Living Faithfully

Faith on the stage

Mark Erson’s complex and innovative ministry can best be understood by a single photo he took in Edinburgh, Scotland, during a visit to the city’s famed artistic Festival Fringe. It’s…