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Theology & Beliefs

Looking out for the Reformation: Our work in the world

Before hammer and nails made public a challenge to practices that pulled allegiance from Christ toward the church; before the gospel’s good news flung open Martin Luther’s life; before he…

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Living Faithfully

ELCA resources for responding to violence

“Las Vegas. There are no words. Just prayers, lament…and the witness of love and life in Jesus Christ. Lord have mercy,” tweeted ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton the morning of…

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Theology & Beliefs

cross+generation Reformation experience expressed in education and fun

Our 2016-17 Faith Formation theme at Living Springs Lutheran Church, Columbia, SC was G.I.F.T or Growing In Faith Together using the bible verse from 2 Thessalonians 1:3b, “….because your faith…

Grounded in grace
Voices of Faith

Grounded in grace

At night in my tent during a weeklong bicycle tour on the Blue Ridge Parkway with old friends, I re-read (with a headlamp) parts of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Annie…

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Voices of Faith

The continuing Reformation

Martin Luther was concerned about sin, death and the power of the devil. These forces mani­fested themselves in ways unique to his time and place. Luther’s genius was in recognizing…

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Living Faithfully

Teaching generosity

My grandmother had a hard childhood. She grew up watching her single mother struggle to provide during the Great Depression, when jobs were scarce and it wasn’t socially acceptable for…

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Voices of Faith

Matthew lectionary series: Crumbs from the table

In part three, we noted three of the five women listed in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus—Tamar, Rahab and Ruth. We’ll now consider Jesus’ interaction with the Canaanite woman in Matthew…

Sabbath nourishment
Voices of Faith

Sabbath nourishment

It was approaching midnight when we arrived at the Milk’s Camp community in Gregory County, S.D. We had pulled out of the church parking lot 17 hours earlier, and I…

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Living Faithfully

3 signs of what it means to be church

Ask someone what they think church means or what you do at church, you’ll get a variety of answers. My daughter uses sign language to communicate. We’ve taught her certain…