|
subscribe now to "Recent Features" via
e-mail |
|
 Quilts,
Kits and Layettes needed!
Women of the ELCA
is encouraging its local groups and other groups in
congregations to engage in
Lutheran World Relief's
parish projects. "Last year showed a significant increase in
the number of quilts requested ... In 2008, requests have
increased even further ... so our current inventories are
not able to meet the needs expressed by our overseas
partners. We'll need many more quilts and kits to fulfill
the requests we've received already, plus the other requests
that are sure to come," according to LWR's warehouse
manager. (04/25/08)
|
|
|
 Do you wear the bracelet? ELCA members have joined with people of faith from all over the world to
help fight poverty and hunger via the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through the ONE campaign. Resources available include
sermon helps, statistics on the MDGs and other
background and educational material, how to become a
ONE Lutheran congregation, and links to partners in the effort, such as Bread for the World.
(04/18/08)
|
|
|
 ... make disciples of all nations ... (Matthew 28:19)
As we reach out to new communities and the unchurched, we need to
ground our members in the Bible and the most basic truths of our Lutheran heritage in order that we can energize all to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with neighbors and to live out their Christian calling to the world. We work to
nurture key faith practices as people of all ages grow in their
desire and commitment to follow Jesus – discipleship. (04/15/08)
|
|
|
Toward peace with justice in the Holy Land "Peace Not Walls: Making a Difference in the Holy Land," is a new DVD resource which offers a dynamic introduction to the work of the ELCA campaign for peace with justice in Israel-Palestine. This 28-minute video explores the ELCA's peace initiative, the Israeli separation barrier, accompaniment with the Palestinian Lutheran church, and collaboration with interfaith peace partners, and also contains "The Holy Land: Recent History and the Quest for Peace," a PowerPoint presentation, accompanying script and user guide. (04/11/08)
|
|
|
 "...and indeed, it was very good." (Genesis 1:31) April 22, Earth Day, gives us an opportunity to celebrate God's good creation. ELCA members are invited to use the 47-day "Living Earth" devotional reflections first available via e-mail during Lent, now available for download as a resource. The National Council of Churches is providing a resource recognizing the interconnectedness of poverty and climate change for worship, adult study, and youth activities for Earth Day Sunday (April 20). (04/08/08)
|
|
|
 Spring is a season of renewal... ... in the church and out of it. When was the last time you looked at the ELCA Evangelism Strategy to see how your congregation's doing, and how you, too, are called by God in Baptism and empowered by the Holy Spirit to call the Church to prayer, prepare and renew evangelical leaders, teach discipleship, and start and renew congregations? Spring might be a good time to renew our intentions in all these regards.
(04/03/08)
|
|
|
 Lutheran Disaster Response: In it for the long haul! As spring floods rise, bringing new needs, Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) has nearly completed the expenditure of more than $27.7 million collected to support recovery work along the U.S. Gulf Coast in response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and other hurricanes from the 2005 season. LDR – a collaborative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) – is asking for more funds in order to continue rebuilding efforts. You can help.
(03/31/08)
|
|
|
 Draft
statement for 2009 Churchwide Assembly
The initial
draft of the Draft Social Statement on
Human Sexuality is now available for ELCA members to download and
discuss. Most synods will be
conducting hearings on this draft, and all members are encouraged to
participate in the hearings and in congregational discussions, and to
respond by November 1, 2008. In addition, there is a
new youth mini-site with video and
forums, and a
new
discussion group on the LutherLink network.
(03/14/08)
|
|
|
 Resources for Congregational Treasurers and Bookkeepers The congregational treasurer has the responsibility to be aware of tax reporting requirements for congregations as they are established and change. The ELCA provides guidelines for setting financial goals, financial reporting and audits, insurance and risk management, handling church income and records management, all as part of a handbook any congregational treasurer would be happy to have. (03/11/08)
|
|
|
 Apply for the Annual Accessibility Award Every year the ELCA's office for disability ministry awards a congregation that has shown physical accessibility of the church building, outreach to people in the community who have disabilities, and inclusion of people with disabilities in its worship and daily life. Apply now for this year's award. See the ELCA Accessibility Guide for tips on how to help your congregation can become more welcoming and accessible.
(03/07/08)
|
|
|
 How does communication happen in congregations? ELCA synod communicators and staff joined to produce "Effective Communication: A Guide for Congregations," an online series of resources to help congregations improve internal and external communication. Resources include how to conduct a communication audit, how to establish a communication committee, news releases, telephone ministries, bulletin boards, Web pages, newsletters, radio, video resources and more, available in html or pdf format.
(03/04/08)
|
|
|
Real
Hope for Real Life
About 90 percent of people who come to faith and
participation in the church as teens and adults say, "I was
invited by a relative, friend or neighbor." Congregations
find creative ways to harness the power of this truth by
hosting worship events or special congregational gatherings
to which their members may invite their friends. "Real
Hope for Real Life" is an online guide for planning a
Lent and Easter invite-a-friend evangelism campaign and
friendship celebration.(2/29/08)
|
|
|
 Looking
to roll over some IRAs?
Consider
the ELCA
Mission Investment Fund! There are many places to
invest your money. but when you invest in the Mission
Investment Fund, your financial resources help build, expand
and strengthen Lutheran congregations and ELCA-related
ministries. Ministries receive low-interest-rate
loans to purchase land, construct their first buildings,
rebuild after disasters, or upgrade accessibility while your
investment earns a competitive interest rate.
(2/26/08)
|
|
|
NEW! Stories of Faith in Action
Stories of Faith in
Action 2008 is a print resource that explains who we are
as the ELCA, what we do in ministry together, and how we
fund our ministries. It contains short stories about ELCA
ministries made possible through mission support given to
this church. Each may also be downloaded in bulletin-insert
format, and there's a crossword puzzle about the contents
online as well. Experience the amazing variety of ministries
in the ELCA with this new resource!
(2/22/08)
|
|
|
 Lutheran
Chaplains in the Military
ELCA Archives has a new online exhibit called "By Their Side: Lutheran Chaplains
in the Military," telling the fascinating story of this decades-old
inter-Lutheran endeavor of providing much-needed spiritual ministry to military
personnel, especially in times of conflict. The current ELCA Bureau for
Federal
Chaplaincy Ministries has as its mission, "To support the chaplaincies of the
church in federal agencies, institutions, and armed forces, and to provide for
the pastoral care of those called to these ministries." (2/19/08) |
|
|
 Lent
can be a season of prayer for peace
The National Council of Churches, including the ELCA,
encourages all of us to engage in prayer for peace in the
Middle East – to take time to pray for peace and to engage
with other religious communities in our neighborhoods in
events offering a joint witness to peace. At "A Season of
Prayer for Peace" are posted
prayers, litanies, hymns and other prayer aids, and you
may send more such resources to the Web site.
(2/15/08)
|
|
|
 Planning
for your future?
All baptized people of God are called to ministry in this
world; we all share in the work of God through our own
special calling or vocation. If you are
thinking of becoming a
minister in the ELCA, remember that you are already a
minister, wherever you are! Consider becoming a leader,
where there are many vocational
choices and lots of
educational opportunities to help you achieve your
goals. (2/12/08)
|
|
|
 Presiding Bishop's message on the crisis in Kenya
Since the end of December serious ethnic conflict and
violence in
Kenya has caused hundreds of thousands of Kenyan
children, women and men to flee their homes and over 1,000
to be killed.
Bishop Hanson is asking all ELCA members to pray for
peace and reconciliation, for the church in Kenya, its
leaders, for those who have lost loved ones to the violence,
for those who are displaced, and for our mission personnel
who continue to serve in Kenya.
You can also help by contributing to physical relief for
displaced people. (2/8/08)
|
|
|
 What
do you do during Lent?
During Lent, many people "give up" things – fast from
certain foods or on certain days, for instance. Many others
add disciplines related to Bible reading, prayer and acts of
charity to their daily routines. It's easy to subscribe to
daily Bible readings or to
Prayer Ventures – daily
prayers for ELCA ministers and ministries. Look to
your congregation or nearby
Lutheran social ministry agency for service
opportunities.
(2/5/08)
|
|
|
 Looking
for a few good missionaries
In
all, there are approximately 90 open positions for Lutherans
to serve around
the world -- communicators to work with the Lutheran
World Federation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and with the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land in
Jerusalem. Also needed: health workers and educators,
financial trainers, musicians and theologians, librarians,
mechanics and computer wizards ...
(2/1/08) |
|
|
 Order Eco-Palms by February 20
In Guatemala and Mexico, a
new palm-harvesting process
protects the environment and also provides a fair income for
the harvesters. Called eco-palms, the palms are harvested
in a sustainable way, the harvesters are paid on the quality
of the palms and package and ship their palms directly
rather than relying on middlemen -- ensuring that more of
the money paid for the palms actually goes to those who
worked the hardest to provide them.
(1/29/08)
|
|
|
 Register
Now For Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2008
The ELCA and Lutheran World Relief are among ecumenical
sponsors of this year's "Advocacy
Days," March 7-10 in Alexandria, Va. Scholarships will
enable young
adults to participate with over 1,000 advocates from a
wide array of Christian communions in discovering how to
become advocates and what current domestic and international
policies are of concern. They will visit elected officials
as well. "2008: Claiming
a Vision
of True Security" is the theme.
(1/25/08)
|
|
|
 ELCA
World Hunger invites you ...
to participate in this year's Souper
Bowl of Caring and to prayerfully consider making it a
souper bowl of daring! As in Jesus' parable of the Good
Samaritan, it takes daring to live as a neighbor to all
God's people. The Souper Bowl uses the faith and powers of
young people to care for neighbors near and far as they
collect food and cash donations on February 3 to give to a
local food pantry and/or the ELCA World Hunger Appeal.
(1/22/08)
|
|
|
 Youth
and Sexuality
"Free
in Christ to Care for the Neighbor: Lutheran Youth Talk
about Human Sexuality" is an online curriculum designed for
senior high youth. Part of the ELCA's ongoing study of
sexuality, it features videos, specially-created vignettes,
interactive blogs and questions appropriate for group
discussions, and is most appropriate to the emotional and
intellectual development of those ages 13-18. Visitors to
the site are asked to certify that they are 13 or older.
(1/18/08) |
|
|
 Jesus
said, "Go ... and make disciples ..."
These words from Matthew 28:19 are the "Great Commission"
Jesus left as he ascended into heaven after the
Resurrection. It is what impels the ELCA to provide
resources for people to grow in discipleship through
personal or group
daily devotions, through
Christian
education programs in their congregations and through
family resources, such as the
Family
Discipleship Calendar."
(1/15/08) |
|
|
 Connect
with your worldwide Lutheran family
Energize your congregation and gain practical skills for
mission by bringing a team to a Global
Mission Formation Event this spring in Wisconsin, Iowa
or Minnesota. Learn how changes in the world are
transforming the way the ELCA proclaims and serves, meet
leaders from the fast-growing center of Christianity in the
Southern Hemisphere, participate in exciting worship
including global voices, and learn to give, receive and
serve more effectively.
(1/11/08) |
|
|
Resources
for Lent
Devotional helps for individuals, an explanation of what
Lent is, resources for worship planners and more emphasize
discipleship, simple living and the traditional lenten
disciplines of prayer, fasting and giving; all are linked
from this
online
resource. New this year: 2008 Global Mission worship
resource, "Global
Companions: Who Is My Neighbor?" which includes an
Easter Sunday resource from Jerusalem.
(1/7/08) |
|
|
Additional Past Features can be
viewed here (+) |
|
subscribe now to "Recent Features" via
e-mail |
