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Sumud Lent Series 2025

This Lent, join ELCA Sumud with a six-week series in which Palestinian Christian theologians and pastors will weave together the biblical history of the Holy Land with themes of Jesus’s ministry surrounding empire and justice. Through videos and reflections, we will explore Jesus’s call to disrupt systems of oppression and injustice which still echoes loudly over two thousand years after his death and resurrection. We will have resources available by March 2025 on the Sumud webpage. Special thanks to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and Bethlehem Bible College for their collaboration.

 

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Important Medicaid Supports Need Our Support

Yellow background with a white text quote about healthcare commitment by ELCA.Proposed cuts to Medicaid advancing in Congress threaten the wellbeing of millions of vulnerable Americans. We have a critical opportunity to raise our voices and share our values and experiences that shed light on the valuable role Medicaid fills. Proposed cuts would have far-reaching impact, potentially hampering the work of our ministries that serve low-income children, seniors and individuals with disabilities. ELCA social teaching emphasizes both fiscal responsibility and moral obligation (see ELCA social statement Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All). These  principles can work together to strengthen our healthcare system while responsibly stewarding taxpayer resources.  

“We of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have an enduring commitment to work for and support health care for all people as a shared endeavor. Our commitment comes in grateful response to God’s saving love in Jesus Christ that frees us to love and seek the wellbeing of our neighbor.” – ELCA Social Statement Caring for Health: Our Shared Endeavor.

 

UNDERSTANDING THE PROPOSED CHANGES

Among a menu of cuts that could be introduced in the 119th Congress as soon as this spring, the most concerning proposals include: 

  • Converting Medicaid to a block grant system. Under block grants, federal funding would be capped, with states receiving only a fixed amount of federal Medicaid funding, irrespective of states’ actual costs. This would potentially lead to reduced coverage and benefits, increased state taxes, or reduced funding for schools and local services as states search for alternative ways to fund the program.  
  • Giving states broader authority to cut benefits and restrict eligibility.
  • Lowering reimbursement rates for targeted groups, such as children and pregnant mothers, triggering immediate cuts to families in nine states and potentially more.  

For detailed analysis of these proposals, we encourage you to review resources from: 

 

URGENT CONCERN ABOUT PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITY

Deeply troubling reports indicate that new Administration officials may be accessing Medicaid databases without proper authorization. This raises serious concerns for individuals and organizations such as Lutheran social ministry service providers, including: 

  • Potential freezing of vital funding to states and beneficiaries.  
  • Compromise of sensitive beneficiary information. 
  • Violation of established procedures for database access and constitutionality. 
  • Disruption of healthcare delivery for millions of Americans for whom the support is essential.  

 

OUR ACTIONS AS PEOPLE OF FAITH MATTER

      1. Use the Partner Action Alert to contact your elected official. Yellow rectangle with text about inviting Congress members to discuss Medicaid impacts, framed by large black quotation marks.

Please consider taking action on an advocacy alert from the ELCA’s social ministry partner, Lutheran Services in America (LSA), on the vitality of Medicaid.  

  • Go directly to the LSA Advocacy Alert, “Urge Your Lawmakers to Protect Medicaid and Oppose Cuts and Caps,” here, or select it from ELCA.org/advocacy/actioncenter 

The LSA network reaches one in 50 people in America each year, and it brings the collective power of its national network and strategic partners together in new ways to advance innovation and achieve a healthier, more equitable future for all people in America.  

 

      2. Attend the upcoming ELCA Advocacy webinar, “Understanding Medicaid Cuts: A                        Lutheran Response,” for updates. 

Registration will open soon for a Thu., March 6 webinar with key leaders from the Lutheran community. Watch socials @ELCAadvocacy and our ELCA Advocacy Connections e-news for the link.  

 

      3. Coalition Action Opposing Harmful Medicaid Cuts. 

Our ELCA advocacy team and partners are working together to make our elected officials aware of the impacts of proposed Medicaid cuts. In addition to your letters and local efforts, an opportunity is being organized for your social ministry or congregation to sign together a letter to members of Congress. As details finalize, look for announcements in the ELCA Advocacy Connections e-news. 

 

      4. Directly Connect with your Elected Official 

Consider inviting your member of Congress to your congregation or social ministry to discuss or illustrate the impacts Medicaid will have on your ministries and your community. Guidance in the “Virtual Visits” guide among ELCA resources will help you get prepared. 

 

IMPORTANT TIME TO ACT

In our households, communities and ministries, we know many of us will face serious consequences of changes to federal Medicaid policy. It is an important time to act. Together, we can make a difference in protecting this vital program. 

For more information or assistance with any of these action items, please contact our advocacy team at washingtonoffice@elca.org 

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Devotional: Differences Need Not Divide

By Jake Summerville, Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota [About the Author]

Flyer for "New Year Devotional Series" with text over a background of green leaves.In a time as tense and divided as ours, ideas like a united church working together toward a common good feel more and more idealistic. Our neighbors are hurting, yet barbs of hatred and division wound. How can we expect to take any meaningful action?

The Corinthian church faced a similar problem. As the early church began to grow, theological and ideological differences began to drive wedges into budding Christian communities, threatening to destroy them before they could truly begin. Paul’s letter in 1 Corinthians served as a stern reminder to them that their differences need not divide them, and in fact are parts of God’s creation.

 

 

BRINGING IT ALL TO THE TABLE

We have all been blessed with powerful, meaningful spiritual gifts by the same Spirit. Alone, these gifts can be used to help ourselves, our neighbors and work for the common good. However, changing our and our neighbors’ lives for the better, and actually achieving that common good, requires more than any single one of us can give. We need to work together, not by setting our differences aside, but bringing those differences to the table.

We live in an age where collective good means collective action, and the work of all kinds of spiritual gifts. God’s call to love our neighbor extends to our political lives. Our choice in those that lead us, our opinions on who is deserving of assistance or even basic necessities, and our willingness to stand up to power for the sake of our neighbor are all reflections of our values.

 

 

TRIP TO THE FAMILY CABIN

My uncle is a good man. He is a kind, dedicated, hard worker who would do just about anything for the people he loves. He also holds manyPerson smiling against a background of green leaves. views that I not only disagree with but find extremely challenging from someone who I love. Over the years, various members of my family, me included, have tried to talk about these issues with him. This has been largely unproductive and has only made any and all political issues banned topics at family gatherings.

It wasn’t until my fiancé’s first trip to the family cabin that things changed. From inside the cabin, we all watched as my uncle and my fiancé talked animatedly on the deck outside. With bated breath, we waited for the fireworks, and this tension only got worse as we heard the topic of their conversation.

Nearly an hour later, they returned to the group smiling and joking. After the shock wore off, I pulled my fiancé aside and asked how things went. She said that for the first part of their talk, she just asked him questions, made no assumptions, and tried to understand how he had come to his views. By taking the time to listen to his perspective, however strongly she disagreed with him, my fiancé helped him feel heard and seen as someone deserving of dignity and respect.

My uncle’s mind did not change that day, and he is still working through a lot of what he has internalized over the years, but my fiancé set an example for the rest of us and opened up an avenue to talk to one another again. The two of them could not be more different, but she took the time to hear him as a person, not as a political enemy. Though things are still divided among my family, we no longer need to be on the lookout for landmines in our conversations.

 

WORST ACTION IS TO GIVE UP

The news, social media and so many other massive presences in our lives spin lies that we are too far gone. We are told from all sides that we cannot reconcile our differences, and that our country may simply be too divided to fix. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians reminds us that this is never the truth. We are divided, yes, but the worst thing we can do is give up on each other.

These issues that push us apart, whether they are political, religious, personal or related to our identities, pale in comparison to what brings us together. In my time working in advocacy, I have stood shoulder to shoulder with people whose skin color, gender, age, sexuality, political party or faith background differs from my own. However, in each of these advocates and those we advocate with, that same Holy Spirit is moving. Beneath all the layers that our society tells us must divide us, there is common ground: We are all beloved children of God.

 

Overlay with reflection questions on a background of lotus leaves and flowers.

OUR STRENGTH

With this firm foundation to stand on, those things that we have allowed to weaken us, those things that nearly broke the Corinthian church, can be strengths. We can learn from one another, witness each other’s struggles and triumphs, and live in a Christian community that values the Holy Spirit’s presence as we build a society that is diverse, equitable and inclusive.

Advocacy is not a fight against any particular group or political party; to me it is a fight for a better future for all of us. As long as one of us is suffering, there is work to do. I hope that in a media landscape that seems determined to fill our heads with what divides us, we can be encouraged by this passage, our faith journey, and our God that unites us.

 

 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jake Summerville (he/him) is a Hunger Advocacy Fellow with Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN). Summerville was born and raised in the ELCA with a professional background in youth ministry and direct service work. He has just finished up at Luther Seminary and has been approved for ordination as a deacon in the ELCA. Ask him about his fiancé, his cat, the outdoors or Dungeons and Dragons

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For what shall we pray?

“For what shall we pray?” is a weekly post inviting individuals, groups, and congregations to lift up our world in prayer. This resource is prepared by a variety of leaders in the ELCA and includes prayer prompts, upcoming events and observances, and prayer suggestions from existing denominational worship materials. You are encouraged to use these resources as a starting point, and to adapt and add other concerns from your local context. More information about this resource can be found here.

 
Prayer prompts:
For areas of the world impacted by ongoing war, conflict, or political instability, especially Ukraine, Gaza, and Bangladesh…
For Israeli and Palestinian hostages…
For all organizations whose mission and work centers on migrants, elders, those living in poverty, those seeking behavioral health services, foster care and adoption services, employment assistance, hunger relief, and other ministries of societal care…
For our nation, all who govern, and all leaders tasked with attending to the common good…
For healthcare workers and health research…
For those affected by flu, COVID, RSV, norovirus, and other heightened illnesses…
For global neighbors, especially Canada and Mexico…
For ongoing earthquakes on the Greek island of Santorini…
For victims of the Guatemalan bus crash and their families…

Events and observances:
February observances: Black History Month

The Martyrs of Japan, died 1597 (Feb 5)
Cyril, monk, died 869; Methodius, bishop, died 885; missionaries to the Slavs (Feb 13)
Rememberance of Absalom Jones, first man of African descent ordained in the Episcopal Church (Feb 13)
Valentine’s Day (Feb 14)
National Organ Donor Day (Feb 14)
Presidents’ Day (Feb 17)
Martin Luther, renewer of the church (Feb 18)
National Caregivers Day (Feb 21)

Prayers from ELCA resources:
A prayer for those in civil authority (ELW)
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, bless the public servants in the government of [our nation and our local communities],that they may do their work in a spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice. Help them use their authority to serve faithfully and to promote our common life; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A prayer for courts of justice (ELW)
Lord of all, you have declared what is right: to seek justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with you. Bless judges and courts, juries and law officers throughout our land. Guard them from retribution and from corruption. Give them the spirit of wisdom, that they may perceive the truth and administer the law impartially as instruments of your divine will. We pray in the name of the one who will come to be our judge, your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A set of worship resources for the crisis in the Holy Land is available on ELCA.org. Several prayers are provided that could be used during the prayers of intercession or at other times, in public worship or for devotional use at home or in other settings. PDF DOC

A set of worship resources for national elections is available on ELCA.org. Scripture readings, prayers, and assembly song suggestions are offered, to be used in settings such as prayer vigils, Morning or Evening Prayer, regular weekly worship or personal devotion in the weeks preceding or following an election. PDF DOC

ELW = Evangelical Lutheran Worship
ACS = All Creation Sings: Evangelical Lutheran Worship Supplement

Additional topical prayers are found in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (pp. 72–87) and All Creation Sings (pp. 46–55), as well as in other resources provided in print and online at sundaysandseasons.com.

Crafted intercessions for every Sunday and festival are provided in the Sundays and Seasons worship planning guide published in-print and online by Augsburg Fortress. Further assistance for composing prayers of intercession can be found here: Resources for Crafting Prayers of Intercession

Prayer Ventures, a daily prayer resource, is a guide to prayer for the global, social and outreach ministries of the ELCA, as well as for the needs and circumstances of our neighbors, communities and world.

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February 16, 2025–God Among Us

Catalyst Question

Who is the most famous person you’ve met? Share the story of how it happened.

God Among Us

Luke 6:17-26 recalls a time when Jesus taught crowds about blessings and woes. It’s a striking teaching because, in it, Jesus challenged his listeners’ standard way of thinking. Are you experiencing things that people typically consider negative, like hunger, poverty, sadness, and social rejection? Soon you will experience God’s blessing. Are you experiencing wealth, popularity, satisfaction, or laughter in this current culture? Then you will be troubled by the new world that is coming with God’s reign. Not right at this moment, but change is on its way.

What’s even more striking about this is the staging.

Jesus “came down with them and stood on a level place.” In other words, Jesus taught from within the crowd rather than a place of privilege. The Creator of the Universe stood among, rather than above, its creatures. The one named Emmanuel, God with us, chose once again to be with the people in the midst of their needs.

At this halfway point of Black History Month, it’s good to remember that the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement also chose to be among the people they led and taught. Martin Luther King, Jr. didn’t just speak on Washington Mall, but also in Southern country churches. John Lewis didn’t just lead from Congress but from joined in demonstrations on public busses. Ella Baker organized at the local level to boost voter registration. So many others, from Fannie Lou Hamer to Bayard Rustin to Andrew Young and more, worked with people at their own level. These leaders reflected Christ not only because they sought the equity promised by Jesus in this Sermon on the Plain. They reflected Christ because they followed his lead and led from among the people. With that leadership model, they followed Jesus in changing the world.

Christ-like leaders don’t lord their power over subjects or make unilateral decisions without care for the impacts on the poorest among us. Christ-like leaders live life among the people and lead in ways that prepare us all for the new world of God’s reign where all share in God’s blessings. Let us look to Christ, then go and do likewise.

Ask Yourself

Name three leaders who lead like Jesus in this story and three who don’t. Who has the most power in society? Why do you think that is?

Ask a Friend

Who is a leader that you follow? How do they remind you of Jesus, if at all?

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Locally Tending to Abundant Life as People of Faith

Get inspired with this quick video featuring highlights from Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy’s advocacy day in January 2025!

“God calls us to do justice, to love kindness, to walk humbly with our God – and that includes abundant life for all people and abundant life is often tended to by our government our elected leaders, and the civic life that we live,” said the Rev. Kelly Bayer Derrick, Assistant to the Bishop, ELCA Virginia Synod, as she took part in the Day for All People hosted by Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) in January 2025. “Being engaged as an active citizen in government,” she says, “is one of the ways I live out my faith.”  

Across the country, people of faith are also asking what it means to tend to abundant life for all people in their Christian discipleship. Many ELCA-affiliate state public policy offices will be holding advocacy days over the next few months. Although the content of each advocacy day varies, these events seek to help people of faith mobilize in order to articulate priorities with a moral foundation for policies passed in state legislatures. As the federal government has undergone significant changes in recent weeks, the importance of local voices remains pressing. Lutherans and advocacy partners advocate for policies which enact the principles of justice and peace while contributing to sufficient, sustainable livelihood for all. 

 

ADVOCACY DAY IN YOUR STATE

“Seeing so many people of different faiths gather together in Virginia for the common goal of advocating for policies that center the inherent dignity of all people was incredibly refreshing and inspiring,” said Joey Chin, ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow, following his experience at VICPP’s Day for All People. Over 400 participants came together that day, and the cold weather and strong winds didn’t stop faith-based advocates from waiting in line for almost an hour to enter the Virginia General Assembly office building to discuss issues related to housing, hunger, migration and the environment. 

 Use the list below to find a local event in your area or contact your ELCA-affiliated state public policy office or your synod office for ways to get involved.  

 

Thank you for your advocacy!

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Partner Organization Resources and Events

Each month ELCA Worship highlights resources and events from other organizations and institutions. These Lutheran and ecumenical partner organizations work alongside the ELCA to support worship leaders, worship planners, musicians, and all who care about the worship of the church.


Music that Makes Community

Rooted in Christian contemplative and activist traditions, Music That Makes Community envisions a liberative culture that empowers individuals and communities to claim and use the power of singing to heal our spirits, nurture our common lives, and work for justice. We offer resources, training, and encouragement to individuals, organizations, and communities in the dynamic power of singing to connect others and ourselves.

Training Events — Join us for the following events for continuing education, community building, professional development, and celebrating this practice of paperless communal song-sharing.

More in-person events near Kansas City, Detroit, Lexington, Ky., Raleigh, N.C., and Atlanta. Please stay tuned!

Monday Morning Grounding — This weekly online touchstone continues to offer song, silence, sacred text and community connection, Mondays at 10 a.m. Eastern / 7 a.m. Pacific until April 7. Register for the Zoom link here.

Resources – Read the MMC blog for articles about …

There are also new Job Postings (including one ELCA) on our website.

Please join our monthly newsletter for regular updates and we’ll see you at an event soon!


Institute of Liturgical Studies

An ecumenical conference on liturgical renewal for the church today.

Rites of Passage: Engaging Occasional Practitioners in a Secular Age
Valparaiso, Ind.
April 28–30, 2025

Registration is open now!

The American religious landscape is characterized by declining participation in religious institutions, increasing uncertainty about matters of faith, and a growing population identifying as non-religious. Nevertheless, many people continue to turn to churches at some of the most significant moments in their lives—such as the birth of a child or the loss of a loved one—and many others show up to support them.

Most of our planning resources are directed at the Sunday assembly. Yet, baptisms, weddings, and funerals are liturgical events rich in their potential for service and outreach. How might we more fully consider the possibilities of these occasions to be better prepared to serve a decreasingly churched culture?

Sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay up to date on the 2025 conference.


Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival

Transforming and connecting lives through faith and music since 1981.

Youth musicians from across the country are headed to Valparaiso University this year for the 2025 Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival (LSM). Students in grades 8-12 will be immersed in a supportive community that nurtures their musical growth, and invites them to share their musical gifts in performance and in worship. With the Standard Enrollment deadline approaching on March 1, now is the perfect time to nominate students so their families can directly receive information and an invitation to apply. Do you know young musicians who would thrive at LSM? Nominate them today at LSMacademy.org/nominate.


Association of Lutheran Church Musicians

ALCM nurtures and equips musicians to serve and lead the church’s song.

ALCM is excited to offer a composers symposium, Where Do We Go from Here, to stimulate conversation among composers regarding our efforts to be faithful, creative, and nurturing stewards of the church’s song – even where gatherings have limited human and material resources. Registrants will also have the opportunity to explore newer music software. For a more detailed look, visit the symposium website. More information is added regularly, so check back often for more.

ALCM is especially grateful to the hosts for this symposium, Bob Hobby and Trinity English Lutheran Church. Generous donations from the Fred Jackisch Memorial Fund as well as from Trinity English Lutheran have helped to maximize the benefits of attendance while minimizing costs to registrants. Registration rates go up after January 14th. Those who register for both the 2025 Symposium and Raleigh-Durham Conference will receive a $70 dollar refund at the close of the conference.

ALCM Conference 2025
Aug. 4-8
Raleigh-Durham, N.C.

The conference theme, For all that is to be, describes our effort to equip people in all stages of their love for music of the church. Whether you are a volunteer, part-time or full-time employed, a student, newly employed, or retired, this conference will nurture your passion for the many ways in which we continue to share the gospel message.

Now is a great time to register and get the best rate. If you get continuing education funds, maybe you have some money left in your budget this year that you can put toward this opportunity. Registration is live – visit the conference website to register now. We look forward to seeing you in Raleigh!


Resources from the Center for Church Music

The Center for Church Music is a place where one can tap into an expansive library of resources and perspectives on the music and art of the church, with a focus on a Lutheran context.

“Profiles in American Lutheran Church Music” presents video conversations with prominent church musicians “Beyond the Children’s Choir: Focused Experiences for Children in Worship: Emily Woock, Elmhurst Ill., Oct. 2023 and the Rev Paul D. Weber, (interviewed by Barry Bobb, April 2024) as well as many other Lutheran Church musicians.


The Hymn Society & The Center for Congregational Song

The mission of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada is to encourage, promote, and enliven congregational singing. The Center for Congregational Song is the resource and programmatic arm of The Hymn Society, connecting resources, leading deep and vital conversations about the church’s song, and collaborating with our partners.

Back in 2020, The Center for Congregational Song hosted a 12-hour broadcast of music and pastoral moments on Election Day in an effort to provide a space for peace in a time of great anxiety. Four years later, the political discourse in the United States is not all that different, and, in some ways, even more charged than it was before. If you find yourself in need of a break from the news, we invite you to recharge by watching our broadcast from four years ago.


 Journey to Baptismal Living: North American Associate for the Catechumenate

An ecumenical community seeks to support seekers and those who accompany them. The process is an enlivened journey of spiritual formation for those either exploring Christianity or seeking to renew their faith.

The board of Journey to Baptismal Living, formerly North American Association for the Catechumenate, has been very busy, during and since the pandemic, working on producing updated catechetical and liturgical resources as well as updating our website.

Now we would like to connect with parishes interested in the catechumenal process. If you already have a process, we would like to discuss our new resources and also learn from you about your experiences. If you are interested but not active, we are available to do online training. Our new website can provide you with information about who we are and what we do. Or contact us for further information.


Augsburg Fortress Events and Resources

Augsburg Fortress is the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Life Renewed: Devotions for Lent 2025
God brings new life in unexpected ways and in the most unlikely situations. This devotional reflects on how God does this in the creation of all things, the Israelites’ rescue from slavery in Egypt, the dry bones and Ezekiel, the fiery furnace, the big fish and Jonah, and more. Life Renewed provides devotions for each day from Ash Wednesday to the Resurrection of Our Lord/Vigil of Easter (March 5 to April 19). The devotions begin with evocative images and brief scripture readings drawn from traditional Easter Vigil texts. The writers then bring their diverse voices and pastoral wisdom to the texts with quotations to ponder, reflections, and prayers. Check out the promo pack linked at the bottom of the webstore page for free resources including posters, bulletin inserts, Wednesday worships, a hymn and anthems list, bookmarks with children’s activities, and more! Available in pocket size, large print, and e-book formats, with quantity discounts available.

Preparing the Assembly’s Worship: A Handbook for Worship Planning
Just published! This Worship Matters handbook by Rev. Craig Mueller offers helpful guidance for preparing worship in your congregation, whether that preparation is done by a large worship committee, a small staff, or a group of volunteers. As worship leaders look ahead to worship next week or next year, Preparing the Assembly’s Worship offers practical ideas and handy checklists, as well as questions for deeper reflection.

 

In These or Similar Words: Crafting Language for Worship, (for any congregation or leadership that wants to do more writing/customization of their local worship)
In These or Similar Words: Crafting Language for Worship will guide individuals and groups who wish to prepare new worship texts for their communities. The resource includes: some discussion of foundational principles for evaluating sources of language and images used in such texts; individual and group exercises to identify and describe your local worshiping community’s makeup, values, and sensibilities; brief commentaries about “what’s going on” in specific liturgical texts within the services of Holy Communion and Holy Baptism in Evangelical Lutheran Worship; examples of locally crafted language for worship for illustration and inspiration; and, reproducible pages with practical tips and helps for the actual process of writing new texts.

Go Make Disciples: An Invitation to Baptismal Living (catechumenate how-to for congregations)
This highly-informative handbook is intended to help congregations implement the task of making disciples in their own community. Go Make Disciples provides updated resources for preparing adults for baptism or affirmation of baptism, and for Christian discipleship. Appropriate for a wide range of Protestant denominations, especially Lutheran, Episcopal, Anglican, United Methodist, Presbyterian, and Reformed traditions. Materials intended for group use and distribution are available on the companion CD-ROM, which is sold separately.

 

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Devotional: Diverse Gifts and Divine Love

by Deacon Erin Brown – Lutheran Office for World Community [About the Author]  

Five women standing in front of the UN headquarters with international flags in the background.Being a part of the advocacy team at the Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC) has given me the opportunity to meet amazing advocates from the communion of churches that form part of the Lutheran World Federation. God has called these advocates to use their prophetic voice in different ways– sometimes formally in international, federal and state advocacy offices; sometimes as pastors; sometimes as professors; sometimes as student activists. I have the privilege to see the diverse ways in which our global church works for the common good. 

Each of the individuals I’ve met with their different gifts, passions and prophetic voices are essential to ensuring that the human rights of all people are respected and upheld across the world. We need the symphony of prophetic voices that declare God’s desire for compassion, justice and love when the gifts and identities of God’s creation are dismissed, negated, or even threatened.  

 

 

CLEAR STRENGTH IN VARIETY AT CSW 

The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) – the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to thePoster for New Year devotional series with a garden background. promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women – is one of the places where I have witnessed these varieties of gifts, services and activities of our Lutheran communion come together clearly. The issue of inequality for women and girls still hasn’t been resolved in the 69 years the CSW has been in existence, and sadly, many issues regarding women’s rights and autonomy have even regressed.  

In 2025 when the CSW meets in New York City in March, the theme is a 30-year review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This is the most widely endorsed global agenda for women’s rights, and it is rooted in the experiences and demands of women and girls. The Beijing Declaration outlined 12 critical areas for action, including violence against women.  

Our LOWC team and all of the individuals participating in our Lutheran delegation at CSW69 will bring prophetic voices that amplify the work for gender justice across the global church. They carry power and courage that fight back against systems that continue to exclude, shun and oppress. They bring stories, expertise and best practices working toward a world without violence against women. 

 

Background of lotus leaves with text overlay containing reflection questions.AMPLE SUPPLY OF DIVINE LOVE  

Even when the panorama looks bleak, Lutherans still engage in these spaces, reminding people that Divine love is not in short supply. Divine love is something that is poured out upon the entire world. Even in our own day, when established powers have sought to limit God’s love by the exclusion of others from full participation in the community, divine compassion for the oppressed and divine passion for justice have called forth prophets to declare that God’s love includes all, regardless of age or race, nationality or creed, gender or sexual orientation.  

And our work – as advocates, as pastors, as students, as gender justice activists, as global citizens – is to continue to share that vision, to work toward that vision for God so loved the world, not just parts of it.  

I think within God’s communion about how each of us are called to use our gifts. Our gifts can be used in a way that ensures all of God’s creation is respected, celebrated and loved. Our faith informs our advocacy for the common good of all. 

 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Erin Brown (she/her/ella) is a deacon consecrated by the Lutheran Diaconal Association. She is passionate about multicultural exchange, language, and the power of storytelling. Before joining the Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), Brown worked at Saint Peter’s Church in Manhattan as a fellow in cross-cultural ministry. Previously, Brown taught English to university students in Colombia and to Haitian adults seeking refuge in the greater Boston area. Prior to this, she lived in Costa Rica, completing her diaconal internship with a focus on refugee rights. Brown holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish & Global Service from Valparaiso University and a Master of Arts in Latin American & Caribbean Studies from Indiana University. In her free time, Brown enjoys spending her time outdoors hiking and exploring creation. She’s thrilled to continue her work with the LOWC team this year and continue to engage in international advocacy.

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February 9, 2025–In God’s Economy, Nothing is Wasted

Catalyst Question

What’s your least favorite chore to do in your home? Why is that?

“In God’s Economy…

…nothing is wasted.” This quote was popularized in the 1990s by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), an organization that supports people living with addiction to alcohol. Within that context, it addressed how even the most dire of circumstances can become a cocoon for growth. Such succinctly stated wisdom soon became contagious and spread far beyond AA. It also resonates with many stories from scripture.

Consider Luke 5:1-11. In that story, Jesus meets a few fishers at a lakeshore. They’ve had what felt like a wasted day. Lots of casting out nets and nothing to show for it, not even a handful of minnows. Yet, Jesus–who was a carpenter, not a fishermen–tells them to try one more time. That certainly seemed like a futile task; they’d been fishing this spot for hours, after all! Yet, with Jesus by their side, what seemed like a wasted day became a trophy-worthy trip to sea. Because Jesus turned their waste into abundance, people could eat their fill. In God’s company, what once seemed useless can become miraculous.

Even poop.

Of course, God’s creation shows us that what is waste to some is fertilizer to others. Anyone who grew up in the country knows the distinct smell of freshly spread livestock manure on nearby fields. Fewer probably think about the fact that bugs also poo. Fortunately, someone did. Eventually, that revelation led people like Shankar Ganapathi Shanmugam, a professor Mississippi State University, to research how bugs could be used not only to create new fertilizers, but also eat organic garbage in the process. It’s a pretty simple idea. Certain insects it food scraps. After digestion and a quick visit to the fly-sized toilet, what’s left is a new kind of plant food. This process means that what once was waste becomes quite useful.

These are certainly three very different scenarios. Yet, each also highlights something essential about God: abundant life can come from the most unexpected places. Those things that seem like futility, or failure, or simple waste to us? In God’s hands, they can become agents of abundant life.

Ask Yourself

What is one area of your life where you want to invite God to take something that feels wasted and turn it into something wonderful? Take time to pray for God’s presence and wisdom in that place.

Ask a Friend

As Christ followers, how can we work together to be creative like Professor Shanmugam to transform the world’s waste into useful tools for our neighbors?

 

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For what shall we pray?

“For what shall we pray?” is a weekly post inviting individuals, groups, and congregations to lift up our world in prayer. This resource is prepared by a variety of leaders in the ELCA and includes prayer prompts, upcoming events and observances, and prayer suggestions from existing denominational worship materials. You are encouraged to use these resources as a starting point, and to adapt and add other concerns from your local context. More information about this resource can be found here.

 
Prayer prompts:
For areas of the world impacted by ongoing war, conflict, or political transition: Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria…
For shooting victims in Örebro, Sweden…
For those experiencing earthquakes on the Greek island of Santorini…
For the victims of plane crashes in Washington D.C. and Philadelphia…
For the work of Lutheran Services in America, Global Refuge, and other Lutheran ministries…
For the the African Descent Lutheran Association and for ELCA staff at the Ministries of Diverse Cultures and Communities desk…
For all who are unemployed, underemployed, and unjustly removed from employment…
For migrants and all who travel, especially those seeking refuge from violence, injustice, and abuse…
For threats to human rights across the world…
For all who struggle with the challenges of winter, especially those without stable housing or heat and those who experience seasonal affective disorder…
For all who experience discrimination, violence, or injustice due to race, class, gender, sexuality, religion, or other identity…
For the United States in this time of political tension and transition…

Events and observances:
February observances: Black History Month

The Martyrs of Japan, died 1597 (Feb 5)
Autism Sunday (Feb 9)
NAACP Day (Feb 12)
Cyril, monk, died 869; Methodius, bishop, died 885; missionaries to the Slavs (Feb 13)
Rememberance of Absalom Jones, first man of African descent ordained in the Episcopal Church (Feb 13)
Valentine’s Day (Feb 14)
National Organ Donor Day (Feb 14)

Prayers from ELCA resources:
A prayer for refugees, migrants, immigrants (ACS)
Holy God, as you have accompanied your people through times of captivity, wilderness, and exile, shelter and sustain all those who flee persecution, oppression, warfare, violence, hunger, and poverty. Open our hearts and homes, our gates and doors, so that they find safety, peace, and welcome—a place to live in freedom and without fear; through Jesus Christ, our refuge and our hope. Amen.

A prayer for the public church (ACS)
Mighty and merciful God, lover of justice and equity, you call us to support the weak, to help those who suffer, and to honor all people. By the power of your Holy Spirit, make us advocates for your justice and instruments of your peace, so that all may be reconciled in your beloved community; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

A set of worship resources for the crisis in the Holy Land is available on ELCA.org. Several prayers are provided that could be used during the prayers of intercession or at other times, in public worship or for devotional use at home or in other settings. PDF DOC

A set of worship resources for national elections is available on ELCA.org. Scripture readings, prayers, and assembly song suggestions are offered, to be used in settings such as prayer vigils, Morning or Evening Prayer, regular weekly worship or personal devotion in the weeks preceding or following an election. PDF DOC

ELW = Evangelical Lutheran Worship
ACS = All Creation Sings: Evangelical Lutheran Worship Supplement

Additional topical prayers are found in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (pp. 72–87) and All Creation Sings (pp. 46–55), as well as in other resources provided in print and online at sundaysandseasons.com.

Crafted intercessions for every Sunday and festival are provided in the Sundays and Seasons worship planning guide published in-print and online by Augsburg Fortress. Further assistance for composing prayers of intercession can be found here: Resources for Crafting Prayers of Intercession

Prayer Ventures, a daily prayer resource, is a guide to prayer for the global, social and outreach ministries of the ELCA, as well as for the needs and circumstances of our neighbors, communities and world.

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