Gathering, word, meal and sending
From The Presiding Bishop

Gathering, word, meal and sending

Liturgy is important—not each constituent part—but the basic structure of corporate worship: gathering, word, meal and sending. It’s a discipline Lutherans willingly undertake because it helps individuals and the entire…

Questions in  life
From The Presiding Bishop

Questions in life

The good people at Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Living Well Center for Vocation and Purpose invited me to address the school on the topic “Lives Worth Living.” Yikes! This is one of…

Spiritual and religious
From The Presiding Bishop

Spiritual and religious

Is “Lutheran spirituality” an oxymoron? When we consider Martin Luther and the early reformers, we think of great theologians, prolific writers and musicians. We are well aware of Luther’s earthy…

What is God up to?
From The Presiding Bishop

What is God up to?

What is to be done? Our congregations are growing older and smaller. At least 40 percent of our congregations have an average weekly worship attendance of 50 or less. ELCA…

Happy New Year!
From The Presiding Bishop

Happy New Year!

Editor’s note: This is a reprint of the January 2017 column from the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Ah, a new year! It opens up before…

From cradle to grave
From The Presiding Bishop

From cradle to grave

Christmas comes at a descending time. The old year is coming to an end, the new year is not yet here. It is too late to accomplish goals set on…

In the wilderness
From The Presiding Bishop

In the wilderness

In the Hebrew Bible the book of Numbers is called “In the Wilderness.” It starts with great hope. God delivered God’s people from Egypt, from bitter slavery, grinding toil and…

So now what?
From The Presiding Bishop

So now what?

This month marks the 501st anniversary of the Reformation. Last year it was all Reformation all the time. It was our year!  News, media and the public paid attention. Hundreds…

So now what?
From The Presiding Bishop

So now what?

This month marks the 501st anniversary of the Reformation. Last year it was all Reformation all the time. It was our year! News, media and the public paid attention. Hundreds…

Fear not
From The Presiding Bishop

Fear not

I’m leaving for my first trip to Holden Village, a retreat center near Chelan, Wash. I’ve heard about this Lutheran Shangri-La for years. I have sung and played the Holden…

We are the branches
From The Presiding Bishop

We are the branches

Is it possible to be Lutheran and an ecumenist? Of course, the answer is yes. The ELCA has continued the work of our predecessor churches—the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches,…