For the sake of the neighborhood
Living Faithfully

For the sake of the neighborhood

Dave Greenlund has a reputation in Lauderdale, Minn., a little town surrounded by Minneapolis, St. Paul, Roseville and Falcon Heights. He didn’t think he would get a reputation. He just…

Illumination
Voices of Faith

Illumination

Alleluia. We have observed his star at its rising, and have come to worship him. Alleluia. —Gospel acclamation for Epiphany (Year A), from Matthew 2:2   When I left the…

Search the darkness
Voices of Faith

Search the darkness

Where is God? If you ask some children and many adults, they will point to the sky. And they might be right—at night. The Gospel readings that frame January locate…

ELCA presiding bishop responds to anti-Semitic incidents in New York
Living Faithfully

ELCA presiding bishop responds to anti-Semitic incidents in New York

ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton has responded to recent acts of anti-Semitic violence in the New York City Metropolitan area. “Today is the last day of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of…

Satisfying spiritual hunger
Mission & Ministry

Satisfying spiritual hunger

One Sunday evening a month, Alex Mrakovich takes a break from the hustle and bustle of life to relax in a candlelit, music-filled space where he puts aside his worries….

Dinner is served
Living Faithfully

Dinner is served

Editor’s note: Every Christmas, many ELCA congregations share the spirit of the holiday by hosting and serving community Christmas dinners. The stories below were submitted by congregations that have long-standing…

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Voices of Faith

An unforgettable Christmas Eve

I’ve had many wonderful Christmas celebrations over the years. The most memorable one was more than 60 years ago, before I was ordained. I was attending Luther Seminary in St….

The search for baby Jesus
Living Faithfully

The search for baby Jesus

And the Word became flesh and lived among us … (John 1:14) When I took my church job in 2002, I was tasked with organizing the annual Christmas Eve family…

Wooden toys & Christmas joy
Living Faithfully

Wooden toys & Christmas joy

Handcrafting trains, doll cradles, vehicles, jewelry boxes, pull toys and more is the faithful work of the Happy Joes, a carpentry ministry started by men from Mount Morris Holden Lutheran…

My take: Mary as a figure of power
Voices of Faith

My take: Mary as a figure of power

I have always loved Mary, the mother of our Lord, and each year she becomes more important to me. But my love for Mary does not come from admiration of…

I’m a Lutheran: Debra J. Bonde
Mission & Ministry

I’m a Lutheran: Debra J. Bonde

Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Livonia, Mich. Founder and director of Seedlings Braille Books for Children I founded Seedlings Braille Books for Children 35 years ago because I heard that braille books…