The greatest gift
Faith in Action

The greatest gift

When my children were young, I spent way too much money on far too many playthings. With my grandchildren, I had a chance to pull back on the gifting (with…
“And with all the (modern) saints”
Voices of Faith

“And with all the (modern) saints”

Growing up Protestant, I didn’t think much about saints. I saw depictions of them, mostly in The Beginner’s Bible, but they looked like cartoons. I didn’t wonder about the other…
Lectionary blog: Becoming children of God
Lectionary Blog

Lectionary blog: Becoming children of God

Lectionary for Jan 2, 2022 Second Sunday of Christmas Jeremiah 31:7-14; Psalm 144; Ephesians 1:3-14; John 1:10-18 As we start the calendar year of 2022, we remember that we are…
What are the 12 days of Christmas?
Voices of Faith

What are the 12 days of Christmas?

Editor’s note: This article originally ran on Dec. 27, 2019. Christmas, according to the liturgical calendar, isn’t just a day, but a season. Many Christians know the song “The Twelve…
Prayer ventures: Dec. 26
Prayer Ventures

Prayer ventures: Dec. 26

Every day, Living Lutheran offers a prayer from the ELCA resource Prayer ventures, which can be downloaded here. These daily petitions are offered as a guide for your own prayer life…
Prayer ventures: Dec. 25
Prayer Ventures

Prayer ventures: Dec. 25

Every day, Living Lutheran offers a prayer from the ELCA resource Prayer ventures, which can be downloaded here. These daily petitions are offered as a guide for your own prayer life…
Prayer ventures: Dec. 24
Prayer Ventures

Prayer ventures: Dec. 24

Every day, Living Lutheran offers a prayer from the ELCA resource Prayer ventures, which can be downloaded here. These daily petitions are offered as a guide for your own prayer life…
Ground-breaking arrival
Voices of Faith

Ground-breaking arrival

I have no idea what this Christmas will look like, but one thing is for sure—it will be far from flawless, and I’m OK with that. After all, the first…
From a Christmas Day fire to gratitude
Faith in Action

From a Christmas Day fire to gratitude

Less than a year after a fire on Christmas morning destroyed Good Shepherd Lutheran in Levittown, N.Y., the congregation was selling Christmas trees to raise money for their rebuilding efforts….
Embrace simplicity this Christmas
Voices of Faith

Embrace simplicity this Christmas

Back in 2020, a month into COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, my 5-year-old son already had a sense of what had been lost. He knew about the places we could no longer…
Observing Advent and Christmas in increments
Voices of Faith

Observing Advent and Christmas in increments

Despite our insistence on barreling toward Christmas, Advent unfolds in increments. Look at the crown of green glory adorning your kitchen table or sanctuary. Candles in the Advent wreath are…