Catalyst Question

In some situations in life, we know the right thing to do and yet don’t do it, even in the simplest of circumstances. What do you think prevents us from taking action to do the right thing?

Active Waiting

Sometimes Advent can seem a bit boring. People can treat this powerful season of life like it’s the waiting room for Christmas. They endure these four weeks as though there’s nothing to do but scroll through the lectionary until the heavenly doctor arrives.

That approach clearly doesn’t take the Advent readings seriously, especially this week’s Gospel. In Luke 3:7-18, John the Baptist tells his followers that Christ is arriving soon. With Jesus on the way, John suggests, there’s no time like the present to make the necessary changes they’ve been avoiding in their lives. Have you been greedy? Stop it. Have you been selfish? Stop that too. Have you used your position of power to take advantage of others? Definitely quit that nonsense.

Advent isn’t a boring waiting room. This waiting for the Messiah is the months or years of intentional practice that lead up to a major performance. Advent is active waiting.

Consider the 2026 Winter Olympics, scheduled for Italy. Athletes have already been training to give themselves a chance to win. Amateur and professional athletes are competing against their national teammates for an opportunity to represent their country. At the same time, Olympic officials are scheduling backup locations in case of facility problems or weather interruptions.

Waiting without changing isn’t at all what the Advent season is about. Advent is the season where we wait on God while both listening to God’s call for justice and shaping our lives around that call. While this season is defined by waiting for Christmas, it is not a season that waits on change. It is a season that expects change without delay.

Ask Yourself: What are three things I can do to live God’s justice in my own life?

Ask a Friend: What is something we can do together to help change the church or our community so it better reflects God’s love?

One last reminder: please take this survey and give your feedback about Faith Lens as we consider the path ahead for this devotional resource!

Catalyst Question

What’s your favorite remake? It could be a song, movie, or other piece of art. How does it compare to the original?

What’s Wrong with a Remake?

In Luke 3:1-6, John the Baptist cries out, “Prepare the way of the Lord!” Straight paths. Leveled hills. Smooth roads.

It’s all so unoriginal.

Hundreds of years before John’s wilderness prophecy, another prophet said the exact same things. In Isaiah, after Jerusalem is overrun by enemies and God’s people are forced into Exile, the prophet similarly calls for leveled trails and paved streets.

But is there anything wrong with a remake? Recently, the film adaptation of Wicked–a massively popular Broadway musical–became quite successful in its own right. Story continuations in the Moana and Gladiator universes saw similar support. Remakes are also quite popular with music. Somewhere Over the Rainbow, from the original Wizard of Oz, was recast as a ukulele lullaby by Izzy. Luke Combs’ recent cover of  Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” reignited appreciation for Chapman’s talent by today’s audiences. It seems there’s something essentially human in connecting our current lives with stories from our past.

In that light, John the Baptist doesn’t appear lazy. Instead, he seems deeply connected with the human condition. And of course, getting connected with the human condition is just what God is up to in Jesus.

Advent is a time when we can appreciate the present relevance of ancient stories. Isaiah was a prophet who saw his homeland conquered by an outside empire (Babylon). John the Baptist was a prophet who saw his homeland conquered by an outside empire (Rome). Both of them saw the need for God in the midst of that suffering. Both of them wanted any obstacles removed that might prevent God’s quick arrival. John remembered Isaiah’s prophecy. John found resonance with Isaiah’s ancient words for his present situation. And so, John recast those words for his own life.

Just like John’s prophecy, your prayer life doesn’t need to be original to be meaningful. Sometimes, the words of scripture sum up just how we feel. At other times, worship lyrics give voice to the depth of our hearts. Not only can we learn from the faith of those who came before us. That faith can carry us in moments when our world seems to fall apart.

Ask Yourself: What is one example of a Bible story, a piece of spiritual art, or a person from church history that can help strengthen your faith today?

Ask a Friend: In this Advent season, as we wait for Jesus to arrive among us as a baby in Bethlehem, what obstacles might be preventing us from finding our way to the manger? What can we do to follow John’s (and Isaiah’s) encouragement to remove those roadblocks?

Finally, remember to take this survey and give your feedback about Faith Lens as we consider the path ahead for this devotional resource!

Advent begins today. So also, today begins a new format of Faith Lens.

Don’t worry. Faith Lens will still bring current events into conversation with the rotation of Bible passages many congregations use on Sundays. If you’re curious about that set of readings, which is called the Revised Common Lectionary, you can find many helpful resources here.. You can also read more about the Revised Common Lectionary’s history.

Advent is a word that means “arrival,” “start,” or “approach.” The advent of something isn’t its completion, but it is the beginning of the thing. We’re beginning this era of Faith Lens with an invitation for you: we want to know what it is that keeps you coming back to the resource. Please help us to do so by taking this survey.

We have learned some things by paying attention to have Faith Lens is used. For instance, we’ve noticed that shorter devotions have more readers that stay longer with the material and return to it more frequently. In other words, it’s clear that you’re more likely to engage with shorter posts, so we’re prioritizing concise, compelling connections between Christ and our current events. Yet, that data only gives us small snapshots. Click here to share more of your feedback to shape the future of Faith Lens.

While we gather that data during the Advent season, you’ll still receive Faith Lens posts with links to news articles and Sunday’s scriptures. Yet, the format will intentionally shorter. We’ll also present more questions for consideration and thoughts to catalyze your own curiosity. It’s the advent of a new Faith Lens, but it’s just the beginning. It is becoming what we will make it together.

That’s also true of the recent renovations to Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral, which is nearly ready to reopen. More than five years ago, a fire devastated this historic landmark. This space, sacred to so many, was nearly wiped from the face of the Earth. After shared devotion brought it back from the brink, now is the threshold of a new ministry era.

On December 1st, the 1st Sunday of Advent, we read about a different kind of advent. Luke 21:25-36 foretells of coming natural disasters and global turmoil. Long before R.E.M. wrote the song, the Bible forecast the end of the world as we know it. Yet, that end is also a new beginning, because that end notes the nearness of God’s reign. The end of what is comfortable for us denotes the closeness of our redemption.

At least, that’s what we’re told in Advent readings. This closeness doesn’t necessarily feel good, despite it meaning God’s reign is close. Despite R.E.M.’s catchy lyrics, no one feels fine when the world falls apart around them.

Maybe, rather than the reopening of a cathedral, your Advent is more caught up in the continued death and destruction in Gaza. Or the trauma of Haitian children being displaced from their homes or recruited into militias. Or the connection between experiencing racism and mental illness among U.S. youth. Nothing about that feels fine. Nothing about that SHOULD feel fine.

And that’s the importance of Advent. Jesus doesn’t force these bad things to happen. Instead, Jesus shows up in the midst of the bad things of this world. Our God shows up where others never would and brings goodness amidst the despair. That’s the Advent story: in midst of an occupied territory, where an empire sought to suppress the poor and marginalize the minorities, God shows up. More than that, God shows us as a member of that marginalized community. By doing so, God reminds us all of that profound promise we need as the world around us seems to end.

The end of this world is the Advent of God’s reign. A reign of justice for all. A reign of peace for all. A reign of love for all. We don’t know what that all looks like quite yet, but that’s ok. This is only just the beginning of what is yet to come. And so we pray:

God, you are the one who was, and is, and is still on the way. Be with us in the midst of this and every single day. Amen.

(P.S. Don’t forget to take this survey so we can reshape Faith Lens for our future together!)

from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C. – the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Senior Director

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: November/December 2024

CHILD HUNGER | COP29 | ACT ALLIANCE | UNITED STATES – ISRAEL RELATIONS  | CHALLENGES TO DACA

 

CHILD HUNGER: The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), of which the ELCA is a supporter, released a new report last month highlighting modest increases to participation in after-school meal programs, but the anti-hunger programs are still widely under-utilized by eligible children in need. According to the FRAC report, 1.23 million children received an afterschool supper on an average school day in October 2023, and 1.25 million children received an afterschool snack.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

Though after school meals are a critical tool to reduce childhood hunger, participation decreased after 2022 when many program expansions expired. The ELCA World Hunger Backpack Buddies Guide relates that may children in the United States depend on public programs like the School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program and Summer Food Service Program. National nutrition programs ensure that kids get the food they need to fuel their brains for learning and their bodies for proper development and health..

What’s Next:

There are considerable uncertainties in this transition period prior to establishment of the new administration. ELCA staff will be working with the next administration to continue work to expand awareness of school meals, and with Congress to ensure eligibility and access are available to children in the greatest need.

COP29: The 29th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) is being held Nov. 11-22, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Two ELCA staff are attending in-person, and six others online, to advocate to global leaders for increased ambition and climate action. ELCA Young Adults with a D.C.-based ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow created an explanatory socials post, noting strong young adult representation in our delegation. Faith partners came together for a Prayer Vigil ahead of COP29 on Oct. 22 in Washington, D.C., which the ELCA co-sponsored. At the Prayer Vigil, a petition was delivered to officials from the U.S. Department of State that calls on the U.S. government to accelerate ambition on nationally determined contributions (NDCs), increase climate finance commitments, support loss and damage finance, and include climate and environmental justice in adaptation and mitigation.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

The ELCA engages in climate advocacy year-round, but especially during the Conference of Parties for the UNFCCC every year. It is an opportunity for Lutherans to gather with faith partners across the globe to care for God’s Creation through climate action. Of the Prayer Vigil, our ELCA Program Director for Environment and Energy who is a COP29 in-person attendee said, “It was a meaningful time together as we shared music, as well as prayers of lament and hope.”

What’s Next:

ELCA staff, along with interfaith partners, will join with Lutheran World Federation colleagues during COP29. Lutheran World Federation COP29 engagement is centered on the theme “Creation Not For Sale.”

 

ACT ALLIANCE: ACT Alliance is a global faith-based coalition organized in national and regional forums operating in more than 120 countries, including the ELCA. Witness in Society staff travelled to Yogyakarta, Indonesia to attend the ACT 2024 General Assembly, which took place Oct. 28-Nov. 1. The theme was “Hope in Action.”

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

Advocacy is one of ACT Alliance’s three pillars of operation, in addition to humanitarian and sustainable development. As a member of the Alliance, ELCA contributes financial resources and staff time to advance priorities of the church. ELCA staff contributed content for statements and future agenda, and used this opportunity to build relations with other Lutheran and ecumenical members. In between assemblies, ELCA advocacy staff work in collaboration with other members of the ACT Alliance to advance mutual policy priorities.

What’s Next:

Witness in Society international policy staff will continue to work with other ACT Alliance members as we advocate for just global systems and structures.

UNITED STATES – ISRAEL RELATIONS: [Editor’s Note: This message was compiled days ago and does not reflect recent developments which ELCA staff is monitoring.] ELCA Middle On Oct. 16, a letter from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III was delivered to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, which demanded that Israel allow essential humanitarian aid into Gaza and gave a 30-day deadline to comply with U.S. law or face potential consequences, such as potential stoppage of U.S. weapons transfer. The letter, dated Oct. 13, means that potential action taken by the U.S. government – or at least a legal review of Israel’s adherence to U.S. law – would take place starting Nov. 13, 2024, after the National Election. ELCA advocacy staff have been working on numerous advocacy efforts to support clarion calls for unfettered humanitarian aid access to Gaza and will continue to do so.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

As the introduction to the ELCA social statement For Peace in God’s World relays, the church’s vocation is peacemaking. “God’s final peace, the peace of God’s eternal reign” serves as the basis of this calling, which has two main expressions: 1) proclaiming the gospel of God’s final peace; and 2) working for earthly peace—that is, “relationships among and with nations that are just, harmonious, and free from war.”

What’s Next:

The ELCA Work continues on spearheading a letter pushing the White House to allow for unfettered humanitarian aid access into Gaza and conduct major advocacy in coalition to push for the suspension of offensive weapons and weapons financing to Israel until humanitarian access to Gaza restored and a ceasefire is signed.

 

CHALLENGES TO DACA: On Oct. 10, a federal court heard arguments over the Biden administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) regulation, which has returned to the courts after several states challenged its legality. The case will almost certainly end up at the Supreme Court.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

Nearly 600,000 young people are covered by DACA, and many remain locked out because of the ongoing litigation. If DACA is found unlawful, thousands stand to lose protection from deportation, work permits and driver’s licenses. Around 750,000 U.S. citizen children have a parent who is a Dreamer, which is an undocumented immigrant who arrived in the United States as a child, who may benefit from immigration reform. Advocating for protection for Dreamers and DACA-recipients is part of a long-standing commitment by the ELCA.

What’s Next:

The federal court may rule any day that DACA is unlawful, and renewals may either be stopped or be continued.

 

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Receive monthly Advocacy Connections directly by becoming part of the ELCA Advocacy network – http://elca.org/advocacy/signup , and learn more from elca.org/advocacy .

 

Following are updates shared from submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices (sppos) in the ELCA Advocacy Network this month. Full list and map of sppos available.

UN | COLORADO | OHIO | PENNSYLVANIA | TEXAS | WISCONSIN

Lutheran Office for World Community, United Nations, New York, N.Y. – ELCA.org/lowc
Christine Mangale, Director

UN General Assembly Third Committee: The UN General Assembly Third Committee, which focuses on Social, Humanitarian and Cultural issues, meets Oct. 3 through Nov. 22. Recently, the LOWC Director hosted a small delegation in advance of their attending meetings from LWF Action for Justice and Witness in Society staff. These participants attended an event titled “Comics and Human Rights,” which featured Dr. Michael Fakhri, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, who presented his report “Starvation and the right to food, with an emphasis on the Palestinian people’s food sovereignty,” and worked with renowned artist Omar Khouri to produce the first UN human rights report that uses graphic reportage. It utilized the power of comics to convey communities’ horrors and hopes, focusing on the Palestinian struggle for liberation.

Many of the topics discussed in the Third Committee focus on the advancement of women, the rights of children, racism and self-determination, and the protection and promotion of human rights. LOWC has also connected with other ELCA teams by sharing notes from the meetings related to regional and thematic work, including from the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants and from the Special Envoy of Myanmar. LOWC will continue to connect ELCA and LWF to relevant meetings at the United Nations Headquarters to ensure that Lutheran voices are heard in these multilateral decision-making and review meetings.

Diakonia Overcoming Violence Exchange: From Oct. 14-19, the Hunger Advocacy Fellow placed with LOWC attended Diakonia Overcoming Violence Exchange (DOVE) organized, by Diakonia of the Americas and Caribbean (DOTAC), an ecumenical group of 12 diaconal communities/associations. The meeting focused on migration in the context of the United States/Mexico border. Participants lived in community for a week at La Posada Provincia, a shelter for migrants who have recently arrived in the United States.

Throughout the week, participants learned about the work done by ELCA AMMPARO, Texas Impact in the ELCA-affiliated state public policy office network, and Catholic Charities, and listened to presentations from U.S. Border Patrol and immigration attorneys. The group also physically crossed the United States/Mexico border between Brownsville and Matamoros. The experiential learning and relationship building strengthens advocacy accompaniment. Our LOWC Hunger Advocacy Fellow will continue to forge meaningful connections linking LWF migration policy conversations with AMPPARO and other Lutheran networks seeking migration justice.

LOWC Presence Shares Expertise and Advances Relationships: In the United States this year as coordinated through ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, the LOWC Director with several Witness in Society D.C.-based staff hosted and resourced Branches of Peace in D.C. on Oct. 21 and intersected at other points in their Oct. 20-25 meeting. It is part of an initiative launched in 2022 by the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission (FELM), bringing together peace and reconciliation theologians and practitioners from around the world to engage in peer-to-peer contextual learning. This year, participants from nine countries explored the role of advocacy and the importance of being a public church, as well as surveyed the rise of religious extremism and tribalism globally with a particular focus on the rise of religious extremism and tribalism globally.

At the annual Women’s Human Rights Advocacy Training in Geneva Oct. 14-18, the LOWC Program Director co-led the training of women and men gender champions to engage with UN Human Rights processes and built capacity of feminist communities of Christians that are tackling delineated challenges in their own communities.

When the bi-annual Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) conference took place in Cape Town, South Africa on Oct. 21-25, the LOWC Program Director took part. LWF and LOWC co-facilitated several events, and shared evidence from our programs. Work of Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) is moving to evidence-based models, and the conference built the capacity of our advocacy staff to learn to better engage in research spaces and to build networks with researchers investigating violence against women and girls around the world. A delegation hosted by LOWC from Lutheran churches and country programs in Jamaica, Hong Kong, South Africa, Switzerland and Uganda in addition to the United States also took part.

Presence at these events reflects common priorities between ELCA and LWF members and partners. Accompaniment is defined as walking together in a solidarity that practices interdependence and mutuality. The ELCA lives out accompaniment in relationships with global companions, striving to share God’s love and participate in God’s mission together.

The United States is up for review in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a UN human rights process along with Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the ELCA is participating in an ecumenical exercise to draft a common faith-based shadow report. ELCA staff and members that have attended the Women’s Human Rights Advocacy Training will be contacted to make contributions. Our advocacy will include urging the U.S. Congress to push for ratification of the CEDAW and other UN human rights conventions rather than be absent in these spaces.

A November report-back webinar is shaping with participants in the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign observed Nov. 25-Dec. 10.

 

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado – lam-co.org
Peter Severson, Director

ELECTION RESULTS: Coloradans voted on 14 statewide ballot measures on Election Day. We were pleased to see the passage of three measures we supported:

• YES on Prop JJ: Colorado will keep the revenue it’s collected from sports betting to support water infrastructure and projects.

• YES on Amendment I: The bail exemption for persons arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder with evident proof and/or a greater degree of presumption is restored.

• YES on Amendment J: Old language banning same-sex marriage was removed from Colorado’s constitution.

We were advocating for the defeat of Prop 128 as well, but that measure passed. It will extend the length of time some offenders must be incarcerated before being eligible for parole while removing incentives like earned time for good behavior. It’s overly punitive, expensive, and offers no net public safety benefit.

GOODBYE AND FAREWELL: Peter Severson, the director of Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) for over 10 years, will end his service as director on November 30. In his own words: “I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this organization for such a long and eventful term, I appreciate my excellent colleagues in this work, and I am very proud of all we’ve accomplished with our faithful advocacy over the years. Advocacy is central to our baptismal covenant and is a critical witness of our church. I pray that our God of love and grace will continue to lift up all those who lead and support this work moving forward. Peace be with you.

 

Hunger Network in Ohio – hungernetohio.com
Deacon Nick Bates, Director

On Nov. 10, Hunger Network in Ohio (HNO) hosted our second annual celebration. After the defeat of our redistricting amendment and other shortcomings at the ballot box across Ohio, many weren’t in the mood for a celebration. But we gathered to remind ourselves that the struggle for justice in our world is a constant struggle and we celebrate our community and hope in Christ.

During our time together we celebrated the great work of Kim Collum of Lutheran Community Services in Bellefontaine and Catherine Turcer of Common Cause Ohio for their faithful service to their communities.

We also heard from movement expert James Hayes (Ohio Voice) and policy expert Sarah Hudacek (Advocates for Ohio’s Future) about what is coming in Ohio and opportunities to end hunger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS!

HNO is also pleased to celebrate the 10-year ordination anniversary of our director, Deacon Nick Bates who was ordained in November 2014 in Columbus, Ohio. If you would like to send congratulations to Deacon Bates for 10 years of word and service ministry, CLICK HERE.

 

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – Pennsylvania – lutheranadvocacypa.org
Tracey DePasquale, Director

In November, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Pennsylvania (LAMPa) continued its work of recruiting poll workers and equipping Lutherans participating in an interfaith election protection network. For many Lutherans this month, discipleship took the form of civic engagement as nonpartisan observers of their county’s official post-election ballot count. For others, it was showing up as a nonpartisan, non-anxious presence at polls– helping to lower stress and reporting and responding to (thankfully limited) acts of violence.

LAMPa used a grant from Interfaith America to seed more Love Anyway Feasts – including one at Van Kirk Lutheran Church in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. The church shares a parking lot with the local fire department which acted as a polling place on election day.

“This made Van Kirk an ideal location to host a Love Anyway Feast but in a unique way,” said Vicar Amy Kelly. “The church set up a fancy coffee bar and treats station outside the church to serve, connect, and unite the community until the polls closed. This space allowed people to talk about what they were passionate about – like dogs, health, and education, and they knew they would be heard and not demeaned for their opinions. It was a beautiful experience to watch people from all parts of the political spectrum be in community with each other. We left feeling hopeful that after such a divisive political season, we could come together and remember that we are all made in the image of God.”

 

Texas Impact – texasimpact.org
Scott Atnip, Director of Public Witness

Texas Impact is coordinating a Houston Faith Votes cohort to engage in civic engagement work to demonstrate the impact congregations can have in engaging voters. The 22 congregations engaged in civic engagement and data collection work to evaluate their impact post elections. Those fifteen are joining with many other congregations using Texas Faith Votes resources.

Post-election, many congregations are asking what they can do. An increasing number are signing up to participate in Texas Impact’s Courts and Ports program, traveling to the Texas-Mexico Border to experience public policy issues being lived out on the border.

Members of Texas Impact’s Public School Defenders team organized to provide testimony and meet with State Board of Education Members as they consider a new school curriculum that heavily references religion and uses religious stories as part of the reading and language arts curriculum.

Texas Impact staff in October are preparing to attend the Conference of the Parties (COP) climate negotiations with ELCA colleagues in Baku, Azerbaijan in November.

Post-election planning is now underway as staff prepares for the biennial legislative session to convene in January.

 

Lutheran Office for Public Policy – Wisconsin – loppw.org
Rev. Cindy Crane, Director

Wednesday Noon Live

Interview with Rev. Amy Reumann, Senior Director of ELCA, Witness in Society (WiS)
Amy shared her experience with Lutherans’ involvement in this election cycle and thoughts about some of the challenges we face.

Additional Efforts Post-election: Lutheran Office for Public Policy Wisconsin (LOPPW) sent out a special email addressing the elections. The director also preached with a focus on the election at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Solon Springs.

The Farm Bill

LOPPW was invited to be one of the speakers at the Community Food Conversations’ gathering at Lutheran Church of the Great Spirit, organized by Greater Milwaukee Synod (GMS) hunger leaders. Rev. Crane discussed advocacy and the Farm Bill. Several people signed a letter to Congress. LOPPW also addressed the Farm Bill at Hope Lutheran Church in River Falls and online.

 

Training on Money in Politics

Two synods included LOPPW in their resolutions about money in politics during their 2024 assemblies. In response, LOPPW’s director met with representatives from the East-Central Synod of Wisconsin (ECSW) and GMS to discuss next steps. Everyone agreed to organizing a training for trainers. LOPPW contacted Wisconsin United to Amend, also mentioned in the resolutions. We now have a power point, created by Wisconsin United to Amend with faith-based components from LOPPW and a handful of people who have signed up for the training on Nov. 22 via Zoom.

LOPPW received many invitations for presentations in October and November. I will now focus more on completing succession planning for this ministry that I have been so blessed to steward.

This blog post “Communicating Shared Values” is part two of a series designed to spark conversation! To read the previous posts in the series, you can view all ELCA Innovation Blog posts here.

Research Insight: Young adult parents don’t consider religious faith or spiritual development important for their children.   

Last week’s blog post shared a call to action from the U.S. Surgeon General for faith communities and religious leaders to play a part in responding to issues around parents’ mental health and well-being in today’s world.

Yet, in a recent research study, survey respondents rated “religious faith” as the least important thing to teach their children when presented with a list of options that included values and behaviors like empathy, helping others, tolerance, and responsibility, which may all feature prominently in Christian teaching designed for children.

With this disinterest in passing on religious faith, how might congregations engage parents and their children? Gallup has reported that religious people experience better well-being in various ways. We should not reduce our faith to being a device or vehicle for health and happiness. Instead, emphasizing the connection between a relationship with God and a life of purpose and vocation deserves an increased focus.

While trust in religious institutions may be waning, 27% of survey respondents still said they would trust religious leaders or texts for parenting advice. This compares to 63% who would trust their parents (by far the most trusted source of advice), 30% who would trust experts or academics, and only 15% who would trust blogs, influencers, or social media. This level of trust is hardly overwhelming, but it does signal an openness to hearing from faith communities about parenting – particularly if that advice helps a parent pass on values and ideals they care deeply about, like a sense of responsibility and empathy for others.

Next steps for congregations

What can faith communities do to support parents as they raise children to live a life of purpose? While there isn’t a singular solution, congregations seeking to promote the well-being of parents can listen intentionally to local families. What needs do parents have that a faith community might have the resources to meet? Where is there alignment between a congregation’s beliefs or practices and the values parents are striving to instill in their children? These are the types of wonderings that spark ideas for creative ministry.

Next week’s blog will focus on spiritual practices among parents and prospective parents. In the meantime, we invite you to reflect on the discussion questions below. If you have comments, questions, or reflections, please share them with us at Lab@elca.org!

Discussion Questions

• Does our congregation or community offer any ministry specifically designed for parents? If not, when was the last time our congregation/community intentionally engaged with parents?
• How might our congregation play a role in connecting caregivers and parents to foster social connection?
• How could we learn more about the biggest challenges facing parents in our community?
• What other non-profits, faith communities, organizations, etc., are providing support for parents in our community? Have we made any connections with them recently?

Further Reading

1. Recommended Practices for Lifelong Faith Formation: This ELCA handbook gives concrete, easily accessible touchpoints for faith formation for different age groups.
2. 4D Formation: Exploring Vocation in Community: This book by Drew Tucker, an ELCA pastor, explores the definition of Vocation and invites the reader “to examine, clarify, and affirm their purpose and identity, and ultimately to experience God’s presence in and purpose for their lives.”
3. Young Adult Parents Research: We’re basing this blog series on this report! The linked report provides analysis and survey results in full.

Warm-up Question

• What is your favorite holiday? Share some of the reasons why you prefer that celebration.

Holiday Origin Stories

Every year we celebrate a number of holidays. Some are national in origin, which is why Independence Day is on July 4th in the United States of America, September 16th in Mexico, and June 26th in Madagascar. Others have deep religious meaning, like Christmas, Easter, and Halloween, though each of those holidays now have many secular elements as well.

Too often, we only tell one part of the holiday’s origin story. Take, for instance, the celebration of Christmas. Of course, for Christians, this centers around the birth of Christ. Yet, there’s no obvious connection between Jesus’s birthday and bringing pine trees into our homes, eating candy canes, or hanging socks above a fireplace. While some articles, like this one, aggregate some of that history to give a bit more context, there’s volumes of books on the history of each holiday.

Of course, you don’t have to know everything about a holiday’s origins to enjoy it with your loved ones. Yet, learning more about the holiday can help you to appreciate it more deeply, as well as explain to others why you do–or do not–participate in some of the day’s traditions. So take some time to investigate the history of your favorite holidays and ask yourself: now that I know more about this, how does that change the way I feel about this event?

Discussion Questions

• What’s one holiday you want to learn more about?
• If you happen to know the origins of a specific holiday tradition, share that story with a friend.

Reign of Christ Sunday

• Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
• Psalm 93
• Revelation 1:4b-8
• John 18:33-37

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year A at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Reflection on the Gospel

Many Christians across the world celebrate this Sunday as The Reign of Christ. If you think that this holiday has ancient origins like Christmas, Easter, or Pentecost, consider this: this festival is only 99 years old! Though the words from our Gospel have Christ claiming this ultimate authority nearly 2,000 years ago, it was only in the last century that the church declared a specific day to commemorate that reality. Why is that?

Much like other holiday traditions, the historical context matters significantly. In the early 20th century, after the devastation of World War I, nationalism and authoritarianism began to arise in throughout Europe. In Italy, this appeared as fascism, which took official power in 1922. Note that this is the same time that its political ally, Nazism, grew in popularity in Germany. In the face of such claims of ultimate power by political authorities, Pope Pius XI declared a feast day, “Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Regis,” The Feast of our Lord of Reigns. This is a political statement. It does not support any particular party or leader, but instead puts all governments and parties on notice: whatever power they may have is always subject to the King who is Jesus Christ.

In the midst of today’s political unrest, along with threats of parties and politicians whose power seems unmatched, we stand to benefit from this declaration as well. Our ultimate allegiance is not to a party, or even a Christian denomination, but to Christ. Our worship belongs not to worldly rulers but heavenly powers. Our salvation is not in the hands of a general or president, a monarch or a congress, but only in the hands that were pierced in a cross outside of Jerusalem two thousand years ago. This Christ, who was born in a barn and crucified as a traitor to the empire, may seem powerless.

But this is the only King who has ever risen from the dead.

Discussion Question

• How does this history change your perspective on Reign of Christ Sunday?

Activity Suggestion

• Do a media experiment. For one day, keep track of how many advertisements you see via email, on social media, on websites, and on television or streaming services. Then, ask yourself:
  • How many of them either claim some kind of power or seek some kind of allegiance from you?
  • How do you understand them being subject to the Reign of Christ?

Closing Prayer

God Who Reigns, save us from ourselves. Where there is pride, correct it with humility. Where there is hatred, counter it with love. Where there is violence, defeat it with peace. In all things, remind us that your reign is not of this world. Remind us that that your power will look different than that of our worldly rulers. Inspire us to trust in your reign over all others that seek our allegiance. In that name of Jesus, the One who reigns and the One who died and rose to life, we pray: Amen.

 

This blog post was co-written by Rev. Charbel Zgheib of the ELCA and Rev. Hakim Shukair of The Episcopal Church. 

Our faith is shaped by our prayer. For Arabic-speaking Christians in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The Episcopal Church, worshiping in their native language deepens this connection. As the number of Arabic speakers grows in the U.S., creating a meaningful Arabic liturgy has become more than a translation task—it’s a vital step toward honoring and empowering faith communities.

The Power of Language in Worship
When Immigrant Christians in the United States pray in their native language, they engage with their faith at a deeper level, allowing worship to resonate in personal and culturally relevant ways. Arabic has become one of the most widely spoken languages in the United States, with over 1.4 million people now speaking Arabic at home, according to Pew Research. [1] Recognizing this, leaders in the Episcopalian and Lutheran traditions saw the importance of translating liturgy into Arabic. This translation ensures that Arabic-speaking members can pray, learn, and connect in a language that speaks directly to their hearts.

The Art and Challenge of Faithful Translation
Effective translation of liturgical texts is more than word-for-word substitution. Literal translations can feel rigid or unnatural, often failing to capture the original essence of the prayers and rituals. Collaborating with Arabic-speaking translators with theological backgrounds and editors who understand church language helped ensure that these translations are not only accurate but also spiritually meaningful.

The main resources used for translation were The Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer and Evangelical Lutheran Worship, particularly focusing on the Eucharist, which is central to both traditions. This careful approach aimed to bring the richness of these texts to life for Arabic-speaking worshipers, crafting liturgical resources that feel at home in their cultural and linguistic context.

A Tangible Outcome: Arabic Resources for Worship
The work resulted in essential Arabic-language resources for significant parts of Christian life and worship. These include:

• Seasonal Bulletins and Feast Days: Liturgical bulletins for different seasons of the Church year and key festivals/feasts.
• Life Passages: Liturgies for Baptism, Marriage, and Funerals, which are foundational rites in the Christian journey.

These resources are currently used by two Arabic-speaking communities within the Episcopal and Lutheran churches: Salam Arabic Church in Brooklyn, New York, and Mother of the Savior Church in Dearborn, Michigan. For these communities, having an Arabic liturgy is not only a means of worship but a message that their culture and language are valued within these churches.

Building Bridges Through Language
By investing in Arabic liturgical resources, the Episcopal and ELCA churches demonstrate a commitment to cultural inclusivity. For Arabic-speaking members, this work communicates a sense of belonging and acknowledgment that their mother tongue, traditions, and identity are respected and integrated into the fabric of worship. This liturgical translation project fosters unity, bridges cultures, and makes the Church a welcoming home for all, no matter their native language.

In this way, the Arabic-speaking communities not only receive spiritual nourishment but also find a voice within the broader Church.

The Rev. Charbel Zgheib – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The Rev. Halim Shukair – The Episcopal Church

[1] Pew Research Center. “5 Facts About Arabic Speakers in the U.S.” Pew Research Center, May 18, 2023. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/05/18/5-facts-about-arabic-speakers-in-the-us/

Issue 96 of Administration Matters

Staying safe in church

For most people, the church has always been a symbol of peace, a safe place where people can gather and worship. That has changed drastically over the last few years. We must pay more attention to church security to ensure that we are creating safe spaces for adults and children to worship, learn and grow as disciples. >More

2024 cyber security year-end review

Maintaining strong cybersecurity controls is imperative to protecting your organization’s confidential constituent data and securing your operations so you can continue to carry out your mission. >More

Plan ahead for 2025 Roth and payroll withholdings

Do you provide ELCA benefits through Portico? If any of your employees elected Roth after-tax retirement contributions, or changed their 2025 pretax retirement contributions, supplemental life insurance, and/or other voluntary benefit elections during Portico’s Annual Enrollment, you’ll need to adjust payroll withholdings for 2025.

Starting with pay periods in January, the Payroll Withholding Summary on EmployerLink can help you determine how much to withhold from your employees’ paychecks. Your employees who want more specific information as to how Roth contributions will affect their taxes should consult a tax professional. As always, your employees who receive ELCA retirement plan benefits through Portico can schedule an appointment online or call the Portico Financial Planners to get answers about Roth contributions at no additional cost.

Money matters

The COVID-19 pandemic forced churches to rethink many issues related to money. How much money do we need in our reserve accounts? How can we communicate financial needs without reinforcing a scarcity mentality? What technology should we use to collect money? If giving patterns shift, what priorities will we want to protect? Though we may have figured out the answers to some of these questions, we are likely still learning valuable lessons. >More

Inflation’s effect on houses of worship

Today it costs your church more money to do the same things it was doing before. How will you address rising costs? There are only a few options for navigating these cost increases: increase giving, cut expenses or rely on cash reserves. You would be wise to consider cutting expenses and focusing on what is core to your ministries. >More

Go Green! Save Green! – 12 Ways to Save in Your Congregation

By focusing on energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, less water consumption, waste reduction and mindful consumer choices, individuals and organizations can embark on a journey that benefits both their cash flow and the planet. >More

To honor Transgender Day of Remembrance which is observed on November 20 each year, ELCA Racial Justice Ministries invited Vicar Vica-Etta Henrietta Steel to share some thoughts with our readers.

Editor’s note: Our author intentionally capitalizes the word queer throughout. While this capitalization may not be congruent with style guidelines, ELCA RJ Ministries supports this style decision.

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Each year, on Nov. 20, the Transgender Day of Remembrance is observed across the nation. Each year, the vast majority of the transgender people who are murdered are Black and brown transgender women. People gather to mourn, to light candles, to say the names of those who have been murdered. 

Each year we gather. Each year.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance is a day to call for justice for transgender people. The day of remembrance is a day to call for racial justice. The harm done to our transgender family in this nation, and across the world, is a racial justice issue. 

The transgender community is under constant and growing attack. Over half the states in the nation have enacted or are considering laws that take medical care, safety and opportunities from our transgender family (for more details, see Erin Reed’s “Anti-Trans Legislative Risk Assessment Map: September 2024 Edition”). According to Nature Human Behavior, rates of attempted suicide by youth and young adults have skyrocketed, up to 72%, in states where anti-transgender legislation has been enacted. These laws harm all of us, but the greatest harm is done to those who face multiple marginalizations, specifically BIPOC, disabled or neurodivergent people. Too often, people in America have become injured to the reality of murder and harm. Complacency becomes complicity and the horror of murder being normalized in the broader society is magnified in our marginalized communities. 

I cannot speak here of all the harm done to transgender people. It would be too much for you to read. It is too much for my heart to take. All I can do is share some of what I experience as a Queer woman who is transgender and lesbian. I am white. I tell you this because when I came out to the world, when I lost access to the privilege afforded me as one who had presented as if I were a white man, I learned how much privilege I hold, still. 

When I tell you that I have learned to be wary of police and cautious of men, do you understand that as privilege? My wariness grows from a fear that, if I am arrested, a person who carries authority in a gun will place me in a holding cell with men. I do everything I can to avoid that harm. When I travel alone, I drive the speed limit and obey all traffic laws. If I see police officers at a roadside gas station, I get back on the road and continue driving. I take precautions to make certain it is safe for me to use the same bathroom other women use. (I always travel with a change of clothes and other materials so I can avoid a stop if it isn’t safe.) Do you understand the danger we who are transgender face in this world where our right to exist is open to debate? Where we are not allowed to be present when cis people legislate or argue our fates? Where fear of our existence is sold across the nation for the political gain of those who prosper from harm? Where even people and organizations that claim to be our allies choose silence in the face of open expressions of transphobia? The need to be safe is a real concern. Also, I do not fear being shot by those same police for simply existing. It is my privilege to fear rather than experience the unjust incarcerations that are the reality for far too many Black and brown transgender women (for a more detailed analysis, see the Movement Advancement Project report “Unjust: How the Broken Criminal Justice System Fails Transgender People”). 

I write here to share that it is long past time for us all to speak with and lift the voices of our transgender family, especially the Black and brown women in our circles. The Transgender Day of Remembrance is a day of racial justice. Trans joy and trans uplift are racial justice issues. I hope that we all integrate the work toward justice for and with Queer communities, especially transgender communities, into the work toward racial justice. 

As core work toward racial justice, I urge you to follow the writing of Black transgender women who help everyone understand transgender people’s stories of pain and joy. If you don’t know where to start, I offer the leadership of Imara Jones and her work at TransLash.org. Seek out Transgender Day of Remembrance services in your communities or online. Find and say the names of those murdered each year. I pray that we all begin.

 

Vica-Etta Henrietta Steel is in ministry at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Madison, Wis. She is also the developer of JustBe Ministry, an inclusive ministry in the public square, rooted in Queer community with a focus toward centering BIPOC Queer voices and the voices of all who have been historically and are currently excluded. She works to lift trans joy in a world that gives us so much pain.