Stories, reflections and perspectives from diverse range of voices across the ELCA.
Our Advent lectionary readings this year are a rich tapestry. In Matthew’s Gospel, we are swept up together in the comforting but challenging reality of the “already” and the “not…
When Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys), the Esquire magazine reporter who serves as protagonist and audience surrogate in the new drama A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, meets Joanne Rogers (Maryann…
Anticipation and excitement make the jump to hyperspeed as we approach the big day in late December: the release of the new “Star Wars” movie, the final chapter in the…
My mom loves thank-you cards. She sends them on a whim, joyfully, breathlessly. She keeps a stack in her house for any occasion that requires giving thanks, such as when…
The sight is familiar. The artist walks up to the microphone, triumphant music playing, and the host invites them to speak. The artist looks at the trophy and says, “Wow….
Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? (Job 38:17) This verse reverberated in my soul during the apex of…
Squatting stubbornly just outside downtown Le Mars, Iowa, is a wide brick building that used to be the high school but now serves as the Plymouth County Historical Museum. The…
St. Luke Lutheran Church, Charlotte, N.C. Senior religious studies major and history minor at Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, N.C. I chose to attend an ELCA university because I dangled my feet…
I’m a Navy chaplain, a former submarine warfare officer and a military veteran of 18 years, but I have trouble finding the words to talk about my ministry to veterans…
In The Great Omission: Rediscovering Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship, author Dallas Willard examines the work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer—in particular, the German theologian’s venerated book The Cost of Discipleship. Willard…
Editor’s note: On Nov. 1, the church recognizes All Saints’ Day. I love my country. Work for the common good. Vote in elections. Pray for public leaders. Admire our historical…
“It feels like a mockery to me,” one woman said. I was leading a Bible study where the subject of the rosary had arisen. I was her pastor and knew…
You have attempted to access a feature of this website that is only available to members of livinglutheran.org.
A free membership gives you a customized dashboard for curated content based on your interest, the ability to like and save articles, an optional subscription to a weekly email digest “LL Stories”, and more.
Already have an account? log in
If you are a subscriber to the LL Stories email digest from before the introduction of the new website in December 2025, your account is intact, but your password will need to be reset unless you have a login for another ELCA website.
If you have a login for another ELCA website like community.elca.org, directory.elca.org or others you can use the password associated with that login.
Logout
