Mission Support Memos

Have you ever met a person of faith who shines with the light of Christ even in the hardest of times and places? After meeting the Rev. Leticia Alanis, pastor of Unidad y Fe Lutheran Mission in the Queens borough of New York City, I was in awe of her experiences, her challenges, her love for others and her profound mission of building community.

Imagine a place in the ELCA where you can build community, deepen faith, expand minds, and inspire service with over 11,000 young adults. Where does this happen?

“Welcome to the Grove” was the word on Feb. 22 in the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin. We were gathering not as the whole synod or as a couple folks but as a collection of folks seeking to connect.

The air was clear, crisp and full of the smell of pine as I pulled into Camp Lutherhaven the first weekend in April. Located on the shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene in Idaho, the camp felt peaceful, calm, yet bursting with new things to come.

In the hill country of central Texas, about 45 miles outside San Antonio, lies Immanuel Lutheran Church. In 2020, its members had been without a pastor for a while and had struggled to survive the COVID-19 pandemic, yet as the name “Immanuel” implies, God was with them.

As a church, we are called to build community together. Our Creator God calls us together: “Then the Lord God said, ‘It’s not good that the human is alone. I will make him a helper that is perfect’” (Genesis 2:18 CEB).

On July 4th, many proudly wear red, white and blue; march in hot parades; enjoy sizzling barbeques; and watch bright, voluminous fireworks – yet it’s also a day we reflect on the sacrifices made to secure our nation’s freedom.

Almost a thousand ELCA Lutherans made their way to toasty Phoenix, Ariz., to gather for the 2025 Churchwide Assembly from July 28 to Aug. 2. It was a joyous, thoughtful and busy week.

Mary had set her sights on the Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program since learning about it during her confirmation program. What with studying Spanish during college and having an interest in immigration, she knew she wanted to be in Central or South America.

As you enter St. John’s Lutheran Church in Rock Island, Ill., on a Wednesday or Sunday evening, you can smell the rich aroma of a homemade meal wafting from the kitchen. The Table Grace Ministries invites you in to feed your body, your spirit and your desire for community.

Is there going to be food? The Rev. Tauna Roth, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fremont, Wis., loves gathering with people to eat a meal — yes, at the communion table, but also in her home or out at a picnic.

On a quiet residential street in Radford, Va., atop a high hill overlooking the New River, sits a Lutheran church. Once it was a vibrant congregation in this nine-square-mile community of Radford, but, much like the community, it experienced a downturn.