Thomas Maltman’s latest novel, Ashes to Ashes (Soho Press, 2025), largely takes place against the backdrop of a Lutheran congregation. Maltman—whose spouse, Melissa, is pastor of Servant of Christ Lutheran Church…
The Conference of Bishops of the ELCA met March 3-7 at the Eaglewood Resort and Conference Center in Itasca, Ill. The conference is an advisory body of the ELCA that…
Growing up at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Greensboro, N.C., Lucille “CeCee” Mills, ELCA secretary, saw lay leadership as an opportunity for everyone to have their voice heard in…
I don’t remember the first time I received a blessing, nor when I first offered one myself. I only know that, looking back, the giving and receiving of blessings have…
Congregation leaders suspect a child is being mistreated in her home but aren’t sure what to do, so they remain silent. A child is sexually assaulted by an adult who…
The ELCA set sail into the 2020s on the winds of a fresh priority announced by then-presiding bishop Elizabeth Eaton: to become an “innovation denomination.” Two months into the first…
Bethel Lutheran, like many churches, was built for a membership much larger than today’s. Decades ago, more than 1,500 members filled the building’s halls and classrooms. But the Willmar, Minn.,…
Focal verse Let your eyes look directly forward and your gaze be straight before you (Proverbs 4:25). Reflection Some days, doing one thing at a time might be the holiest…
Who would ever think that the popular roleplaying game of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D)—steeped in themes of fantasy and magic, and featuring wizards, elves and other imaginary characters embarking on…
News flash (that is no real news): Our church is changing. Congregations are getting smaller, finances are stretched, and there are fewer traditional rostered ministers available. What’s a denomination to…
Four years on from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) continues to support people and communities affected by the war, responding to urgent needs, restoring dignity…
St. James Lutheran Church, Portland, Ore. Professor emeritus of medicine and retired head of General Cardiology, Oregon Health and Science University; marathon runner I’m named after my grandfather, David Ruotsalainen,…
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