“We are church”
Living Faithfully

“We are church”

Next month, voting members will convene Aug. 5-10 for the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee. This will be the 15th gathering of the assembly, the…
How Rachel Held Evans influenced my faith
Voices of Faith

How Rachel Held Evans influenced my faith

“When you stop trying to force the Bible to be something it’s not—static, perspicacious, certain, absolute—then you’re free to revel in what it is: living, breathing, confounding, surprising and, yes,…
Synods meet for education and business
Living Faithfully

Synods meet for education and business

Editor’s note: Synod communicators were asked to share a highlight from their assemblies. What made a difference to participants? What was the most important part of the assembly? Responses from…
100 years of inspiring faith
Mission & Ministry

100 years of inspiring faith

James Hazelwood didn’t grow up in the church. Still, the directors at El Camino Pines, a Lutheran outdoor camp north of Los Angeles, took a chance on this “unchurched guy,”…
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Voices of Faith

Ambassadors of reconciliation

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do…
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Living Faithfully

Good news for parents not in church

Sometimes it seems like all we do is shush them, or maneuver snacks to avert a meltdown during worship, send “the look” or a pointed finger at them during a…
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Voices of Faith

What’s happening in preaching courses?

When I first felt called to pastoral ministry, part of the fear I felt was about standing in front of a congregation to preach. I couldn’t imagine creating a sermon,…
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Mission & Ministry

A cross-country gospel message

For three years, Mikah Meyer was consumed with one thing: visiting all 419 National Park Service sites in one trip. On April 29, he achieved his goal. “Everything I did…
A commitment to service
Living Faithfully

A commitment to service

For First Lutheran, St. Paul, Minn., caring for people who don’t have a safe place to live or who are living in poverty is as important to its mission as…
Immersed in one beat
Living Faithfully

Immersed in one beat

Everyone may march to their own beat, but one ELCA congregation is fostering an exquisite togetherness through the ancient, spiritual and meditative practice of the drum circle. “Music can create…