Jon Fry, Champaign-Urbana, IL

Warm-up Questions

• How do you pass the time while traveling?
  • What are your favorite traveling games/activities with friends or family?

Weird Internet Outage

A few weeks ago my newsfeed was blowing up with articles from medical professionals suggesting that abstaining from in-flight entertainment, food, drink, and sleep, on long flights was a bad decision. This was in response to folks on TikTok posting their record setting performances on multi-hour flights and boasting about their mental stamina.

Numerous doctors, self-help professionals, and meditation specialists began chiming in with their two cents on the trend. Most experts agree that detoxing from technology and spending less time on screens is a good practice; however, combining that with a fast from food, water, and sleep for upwards of seven hours is decidedly not.

Likely this is just another example in a long line of the internet freaking out about something for no reason. There is no real evidence that many individuals are actually committing to this “in-air fast.” In my opinion, it seems more likely that if one were to refrain from electronics, food, drink, and sleep, it wouldn’t result in a zen state but rather irritability and outbursts.

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever fasted like this (intentionally or unintentionally)?
• What is one of your worst travel experiences? How were you feeling?

Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost

• Isaiah 35:4-7a
• Psalm 146
• James 2:1-10 [11-13] 14-17
• Mark 7:24-37

 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 at Lectionary Readings.

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

Gospel Reflection

Our Gospel reading for today finds Jesus setting out and traveling to the region of Tyre, where he wants to stay anonymous. Crowds of people had been chasing him and bringing their friends and family to be healed by him. He then had a very public discussion with the religious leaders who were concerned about the disciples eating with unclean hands, and it sounds like Jesus was a bit tired of all the attention.

When he’s noticed and approached by a Syrophoenician woman seeking healing for his daughter, he says that it’s unfair to “take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs”.

This text always makes me recoil a bit, as this isn’t the Jesus full of unconditional love that I’m used to hearing about. This Jesus is drawing a line between the Jewish people (the children) and the Gentiles (the dogs), those at the table and those on the outside.

Yet, this Syrophoenician woman doesn’t miss a beat saying, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” This woman was not deterred by Jesus’ harsh words and grumpy demeanor. She stands strong in her understanding of Jesus’ ministry and advocates for her place at the table.

It’s through her toughness, grit, and determination that we see Jesus’ love shine through. He commends her for her words and sends her home to a daughter who had been healed of her unclean spirit.

To me, Jesus’ “humanness” shines through in this story. His exhaustion and desire to get away from the crowds cloud his vision, and he doesn’t treat this Syrophoenician woman with the respect she deserves. It’s also “human-like” to be faced with a competing opinion and to change one’s mind.

We don’t need to make excuses for Jesus’ behavior and we can be frustrated with his treatment of this woman, but this story offers us a glimpse at a Jesus who has experienced the stress of human existence. Through this story, and because of this woman’s faith and determination, we see a God that is willing to change to show grace, forgiveness, and compassion to the world.

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever changed your opinion on an issue or topic? What prompted that change?
• How do you know when to hold onto your convictions like the Syrophoenician woman or to allow yourself to be changed like Jesus?

 Activity Suggestions

• Brainstorm “curious questions” you could ask when you are talking to someone with a different opinion than you. Practice both asking and being asked these questions in small groups. Then reflect together on questions and strategies that could be helpful in talking across difference.
• Consider asking an older trusted person in your life about a time they remember changing their opinion on a topic. What prompted the change? How did it make them feel? What reflections can they share about their experience?

Closing Prayer:  

In honor of International Day for People of African Descent, which is observed internationally on August 31 each year, ELCA Racial Justice Ministries invited ELCA Director for Innovation and Ideas to share some thoughts about being a person of African descent. For more information on International Day for People of African Descent, visit International Day for People of African Descent – EN | United Nations.

Names carry immense significance. They are a marker of identity, heritage and personal history. Because I am of African descent, my name is a reflection of and connection to my ancestral roots and cultural identity. However, in a world shaped by patriarchy and systemic biases, the journey of owning and explaining one’s name can be a challenging experience. One wants to maintain one’s culture and hold it dear to one’s heart, but this can be difficult because not everything about one’s culture is worth maintaining and, like many other things, culture evolves over time.

In many African cultures names are not merely labels but encapsulate stories, values and histories. A name might signify a particular event, convey hopes for the future or reflect familial lineage. For example, my name is Rahel Mwitula Williams; however, I was born Rahel Norbert Mwitula. Yes, my father’s first name is my middle name because, in our culture, this is a way to trace one’s lineage. So I am Rahel, daughter of Norbert, of the Mwitula clan. I can trace my lineage back through many generations: Rahel Norbert Yoram Mtemibala Mwitula. Here is the breakdown:

• Rahel, daughter of Norbert.
• Granddaughter of Yoram.
• Great-granddaughter Mtemibala.
• of the Mwitula clan.

When I got married, maintaining my African heritage was important to me, so I made my clan name my middle name, which is not traditional in our culture. In theory I was supposed to be Rahel Jason Williams (yes, you read that right), taking my husband’s full name as per patriarchal custom. However, I went against these cultural norms and decided to go with Rahel Mwitula Williams. Hence, I personally want people to respect and acknowledge my full name as I choose to identify.

Unfortunately I constantly must fight people and institutions to ensure that they say and acknowledge my full, complete name as I identify myself. (And don’t get me started on the difference between Rachel and Rahel.) For example, I found out that I have two email addresses at work, Rahel.Williams@elca.org and Rahel.Mwitula-Williams@elca.org, because it was considered a “good idea” to give people options. However, there is no option with my name. It is what it is — Rahel Mwitula Williams. I decide what I want to identify as, just like any other group fighting for their identity.

Choosing to own and proudly use one’s given name in such an environment is a powerful act of resistance. It is a declaration of my self-worth and an affirmation of my cultural identity. At the same time, society is more patient with those from the global north than with those from the global south. People from the global south are repeatedly asked to come up with a global-north name or nickname but not the other way around.

• My name is an affirmation of my identity, connecting me to my heritage and personal history. It is a daily reminder of where I come from and the stories of my ancestors.
• My name gives me the opportunity to educate others about my culture, promote diversity and foster greater understanding and respect.
• My name breaks stereotypes and challenges the notion that non-Western names are inferior or inconvenient. It confronts the biases ingrained in patriarchal and colonial mindsets.
• My name empowers me to refuse to conform when I am pressured to change and fit in. It is a statement that I value my identity and heritage, regardless of societal expectations.

I am Rahel Mwitula Williams.

Rahel Mwitula Williams is director for innovation and ideas with the ELCA, having previously served as director of Global Mission funding. Born and raised in Tanzania, East Africa, she migrated to the United States with her family at age 12. Rahel is a member of Shekinah Chapel, a Lutheran church in Riverdale, Ill., where her husband, the Rev. Jason Williams, serves as pastor.

She holds a B.S. in psychology from Loyola University, a Master of Science degree in international public service from DePaul University and an executive scholar certificate in nonprofit management from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

She is a founder and the creative director of ILAVA, a social enterprise that uses fashion to inspire and implement change around the world

In addition to her roles at the ELCA and ILAVA, Rahel is a nonprofit development executive who specializes in working with major donors, both in the United States and internationally. Rahel achieved a significant personal milestone in 2023 by climbing to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, one of her proudest moments.

For more from Rahel Mwitula Williams: 

• www.myilava.com
• Blog | RMW Corporation (rahelmwitulawilliams.com)
• Chasing Uhuru Peak: Mt Kilimanjaro Experience by Rahel Mwitula Williams (youtube.com)
• Redefining Philanthropy: Faces of Change Makers | Rahel Mwitula Williams | TEDxNorthwesternU (youtube.com)

Some congregations use bulletin blurbs, some post a “Prepared to Vote Checklist” in the window from ELCA.org/civicengagement resources, some help neighbors check their voter registration status during church activities or at shelters they work with – among many creative approaches that fit their setting. Our civic engagement as people of faith can help ensure that everyone benefits from the good of government. Resources and ideas for this important non-partisan service by faith communities an election year are reprinted here by permission from the “Faith in Elections Playbook” of Interfaith America.

Trustworthy information

Faith leaders and religious organizations have a tremendous opportunity to make accurate information about our elections available to our community members. Voters need to know where and how to vote, which is not always easy to find. Information coming from trusted members of the community can go a long way to help voters navigate a potentially confusing situation.

THE NEED

• Misinformation, disinformation, and even just plain confusing information can serve as a barrier to voting.
  • Misinformation is false or inaccurate information.
  • Disinformation is false information which is deliberately intended to mislead.
• Americans in different areas of the country have different options on where and how to vote. Voting rules can change between elections, which makes it difficult for everyday people to keep track.
• Some voters — especially voters from historically marginalized groups — have been targeted and purposefully misled with false or intimidating information about voting. Faith-based organizations can counter this mis- and disinformation by connecting their members and audiences with accurate information about the voting process.

THE RESPONSE

• Religious organizations are hubs of information and organizing within their specific communities. They provide clear information on upcoming events, holidays, and opportunities to both provide and receive help. This communication infrastructure can be used to provide accurate nonpartisan information on voting and elections.
• Organizations that serve historically marginalized communities have a particularly important role to play in providing correct information, as these communities have faced campaigns to suppress their votes in the past, including a campaign to convince Black voters not to vote in the 2020 election.
• One of the most important ways to ensure that your members have accurate information regarding voting is to share trustworthy information on your website and in communications. Be certain to link to your local or state election administration’s website for information instead of writing it on your website. This information may change over time.
• You can send election-related information to your organization or congregation multiple times during the leadup to the election to ensure that they have accurate information about how they can check their registration, vote, and even track their mail-in ballots.
• Some of the most helpful pieces of information for voters include:
  • How to register to vote and check registration status.
  • Options for voting, such as early voting, mail-in voting, or dropping off their ballot on Election Day.
  • The dates, times, and locations for voting early and on Election Day.
  • What types of identification may be required in your county and state.
  • Checking the status of mail-in ballots that have been requested or the status of mail-in ballots that voters have returned.
  • Where to call if you are having issues casting your vote.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• It is legal for houses of worship, denominational organizations, and other 501(c)(3) entities to provide information about voting.
• It is important that any shared information about voting does not privilege one candidate over another. Information on voting must not show bias toward any one candidate in the message that you send or with whom you choose to share it. All of your members should have the same access to this nonpartisan information.
• You can read more about how to ensure 501(c)3 compliance on the IRS website here.

RESOURCES AND LINKS

• The nonpartisan US Vote Foundation website can help voters find contact information for their local election office.
• The National Association of Secretaries of State also has specific pages that connect voters to their state’s website dealing with the following topics:
  • Registering to vote
  • Checking voter registration status
  • Finding your polling place
  • Voter ID requirements
  • Mail-in voting (also called absentee) and early voting information
• Vote.Org outlines important deadlines related to the election and allows you to sign up to get reminders of upcoming deadlines.
• The League of Women Voters has a checklist to Make Your Plan to Vote.
• You can share the following phone numbers for voters to call if they are having problems with voting:
  • 1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
  • 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español)
  • 1-888-API-VOTE (Asian multilingual assistance)
  • 1-844-YALLA-US (Arabic)
• You can partner with organizations to promote voting, such as:
  • National Voter Registration Day (partnership page here)
  • Vote Early Day (partnership page here)
• If you are interested in learning how to counter misinformation or disinformation, some great resources include:
  • The United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) two-pager on election misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation.
  • CISA’s guide to dealing with disinformation.
• Find a faith-based partner:
  • • Faiths United to Save Democracy has a comprehensive resource page with questions and answers related to voting.

ABOUT INTERFAITH AMERICA: Led by Founder and President Eboo Patel, Interfaith America inspires, equips, and connects leaders and institutions to unlock the potential of America’s religious diversity. Utilizing a research-backed approach, Interfaith America works across higher education, racial equity, health, workplace, bridgebuilding, democracy, and technology.

Jacqui Buschor, Little Rock, AR

Warm-up Questions

• Do you like games where people compete against each other like Monopoly, or games where everyone works together toward a common goal, like escape rooms?
  • Why do you think that is your preference?

Whose Side Are You On, Anyway? 

Even if you’re not old enough to vote, I’m sure you’ve heard people talking about “the growing political divide in America.” Maybe you’ve seen evidence of it yourself on the news, in your church, or even in your own family. It seems like everywhere we turn we can find more and more evidence that people are less and less able to listen to each other, especially about politics. Sometimes it feels like the only thing anyone can agree on is how impossible it would be for us to agree. It can be pretty stressful to watch.

But what if our political divide isn’t as huge or even as real as it seems? A recent article in Time Magazine paints a very different story of our country. It explains that while a small number of people on both political sides are very divided, most average Americans actually agree a lot more than we disagree. Like, a lot more. Their survey discovered what they called “stunning agreement” on almost every single issue they asked about. 

So why, if most Americans agree more than we disagree, does it seem like things are more divided than ever? Well, partly, because those small groups who are very divided are also very loud, so we hear them more often. But mostly, because of something called “learned divisiveness,” which basically means we think people are becoming more and more divided because someone told us that’s what’s happening, and because we’ve been told it’s happening,  our brains collect evidence to support that story, even if it’s not entirely true.

Discussion Questions

• How have you felt when you heard people talking about “the growing political divide”?
• What might be possible for us if we realized we actually agreed more than we disagreed?

Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost

• Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9
• Psalm 15
• James 1:17-27
• Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

 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 at Lectionary Readings.

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

Beyond “Good Guy vs. Bad Guy”

If you’ve heard a sermon about this week’s gospel before, I’d be willing to bet that sermon went something like this: The Jewish leaders were trying to trap Jesus and accuse him of not following God’s laws, but Jesus flipped the script and told them they were the wrong ones, rejecting them and their strict religious laws. This story, like many others, is often used to support the narrative that Jesus, obviously the good guy, is always fighting off the Jewish leaders like they’re the evil villains in some cheesy superhero movie. 

This “Good Guy vs. Bad Guy” showdown might make for a great movie plot, but when we try to cast Jesus and the Jewish leaders in those roles, we forget one pretty important detail. Jesus was Jewish. For his whole life. There are lots of stories that demonstrate Jesus following Jewish laws and customs (attending temple, celebrating Jewish festivals, studying the Torah), but we won’t find one single story in the gospels that suggest Jesus was ever trying to start a whole new religion. Instead, over and over the bible tells us stories of Jesus speaking (sometimes harshly) to the leaders of his own Jewish faith, pushing them to stretch and grow their understanding of God and God’s hopes for the world, challenging them to practice a more just and compassionate expression of the same Jewish faith they all shared. Jesus wasn’t fighting against the Jewish leaders as much as trying to work with them to build the kind of world God dreams of for everyone. 

We’ve often heard stories that seem to pit Jesus against “the Jews” like they were on opposite sides of an impossible divide, but as a Jewish teacher himself, Jesus shared a lot in common with the leaders he so often challenged. They all loved God, they respected God’s scriptures, and they all wanted a safe future for God’s people, even if they didn’t always agree on how to get there. Read the gospel story again, but this time try reading it remembering Jesus doesn’t see the Jewish leaders as enemies.

Discussion Questions

1. Does reading the story this way change the way you hear Jesus’s challenge to the Jewish leaders? If so, how?
2. What kind of church do you want to be a part of? 
3. What kinds of things do you want your church to stand for? 
4. What kinds of ministry would you like to see your church do in the world?

 Activity Suggestions

• Conduct a survey of your own. Interview some people from your congregation about what kind of church they want to be a part of. Try to include people of different backgrounds or different generations. 
  • With your friends, discuss your results. Did you discover any surprising similarities or potential new allies? What new things might be possible if you joined forces with your new potential partners?

Closing prayer:  

Loving God, In a world that often seems so divided, help us to remember that we are more alike than different. Help us to see your holy image in those around us, even when we disagree. Inspire us to find new ways to work together toward your dream of a world ruled by justice, peace, and love. In Jesus’ name we pray: Amen.

Many ELCA synods, congregations and ELCA-affiliated state public policy offices are involved in advancing the important aim of addressing polarization in our communities. These ideas from the “Faith in Elections Playbook” of Interfaith America are reprinted by permission to resource additional ways we can individually and collectively reduce polarization and care for our communities.

Addressing polarization

Our country is deeply divided. Healing will require coming together across differences and working to protect the rights of all Americans – even those with whom we disagree. Understanding our polarized environment and committing to overcome this challenge is key to supporting a free, fair, and peaceful 2024 election.

THE NEED

• There are few issues that showcase our country’s polarization as clearly as our elections. Lack of trust in the outcome of the 2020 presidential election led some to violence, and has pushed countless others into an “us versus them” mentality. Without action, the 2024 election could further tear our communities apart, representing an existential crisis for American democracy. As trust erodes and divisions deepen, it is harder to protect the values that hold our country together, such as religious pluralism.
• Religious freedom scholar Asma Uddin writes, “Our partisan affiliations have morphed into identities, and what’s more, the identities include a host of things that have nothing to do with social policy.” As a result, individual faith communities are increasingly divided, and different religions are pushed into political camps against one another rather than seeking shared values on issues such as religious liberty or help for people in need.

THE RESPONSE

• Religious institutions can be a bulwark against polarization. People with diverse political beliefs, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds worship together in churches, synagogues, mosques, gurdwaras, and temples every day. Our collective faith communities must be able to live and serve together despite our different beliefs.
• There are three main ways that faith-based organizations and congregations can help reduce polarization:
  • Holding deep listening sessions and dialogue across differences within their own organizations and faith communities.
  • Hosting interfaith conversations that bring people together across religious differences to identify shared values and a shared vision for improving their communities.
  • Conducting acts of service (including the activities contained in the Playbook) as an interfaith coalition or alongside groups with differing political perspectives.
• In addition to using the Faith in Elections Playbook as a way to unite Americans, there are many organizations – both religious and secular – who have created resources on how you can work to reduce polarization.
• If you are interested in hosting deep listening conversations and dialogue across differences, the following links will be most helpful:
  • Interfaith America’s Shared Values Dialogue Guide and “Skills for Bridging the Gap” Curriculum provide opportunities for dep listening.
  • Living Room Conversations provides scripts and frameworks for dialogues across a variety of differences and on a multitude of topics, including elections.
  • Constructive Dialogue Institute is a 501(c)(3) that provides lessons and online training on how to lead conversations where people with different perspectives try to understand each other – without giving up their own beliefs – in order to work together.
  • Resetting the Table provides skilled facilitation, communication skill-building, and online training in opening up meaningful communication across differences on charged political issues.
• If you are interested in hosting conversations to help find common ground or common purpose, the following will be helpful:
  • One America Movement‘s work to combat toxic polarization.
  • Braver Angels has multiple options for engagement, including their Trustworthy Elections Campaign, which will organize conversations in which citizens who are concerned with fraud, voter suppression, or both meet on equal terms in mixed groups to clarify differences and seek common ground.
  • Millions of Conversations brings together groups of Americans to unite around common values and to discuss shared visions for the future.
• For specific resources for Christian leaders, we recommend the following:
  • One America Movement’s Matthew 5:9 Fellowship, The Eilu v’Eliu Fellowship, and Faith Over Division.
  • The After Party: Toward Better Christian Politics. This curriculum “does the complex – but absolutely necessary – theological work of reframing Christian political identity from today’s divisive partisan options.”
  • “Civilize It” is a campaign by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to promote civility in political engagement.

ABOUT INTERFAITH AMERICA: Led by Founder and President Eboo Patel, Interfaith America inspires, equips, and connects leaders and institutions to unlock the potential of America’s religious diversity. Utilizing a research-backed approach, Interfaith America works across higher education, racial equity, health, workplace, bridgebuilding, democracy, and technology.

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

U.N. | OHIO | PENNSYLVANIA|  | WASHINGTON

New York

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), U.N. – ELCA.org/lowc

Christine Mangale, Director

The High Level Political Forum took place from 8-17 July 2024. LOWC staff, fellows and intern monitored and engaged with meetings reviewing the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the SDGs are in crisis as only 15% of the goals and targets have been met within the first half of the mandate period and forecaster anticipate further reductions to impact of this platform to reduce poverty. Additionally, deep and formative tensions associated with the geopolitical and economic challenges confronting the multilateral system were a recurring theme at the July 2024 session of the HLPF. These issues inevitably spilled onto the floor of the closing plenary as delegates considered adoption of the Ministerial Declaration, resulting in votes on two contested paragraphs: one recognizing that sustainable development cannot be realized without peace and security, and a newly proposed paragraph drawing attention to the impact of unilateral coercive measures (economic sanctions) on poverty and food security, among other SDGs.

The Lutheran Church globally has invested heavily in the SDGs and their success. We see our role in this policy agenda as a stakeholder, watch dog and champion. The challenges facing this policy platform reflect challenges we are seeing within our own church constituencies and communities. These indicators are a call to united action against the rise and influence of Christian nationalism and other expressions of self-interested governance.

In September the United Nations General Assembly will meet for a Summit of the Future which will further elucidate the roots of the challenge of multilateralism today, and seek structural changes to make the UN more ‘fit for purpose’. This will (could) include an SDG stimulus and other efforts to reduce conflict and climate change to create an environment conducive to fair and just economic growth.

Ohio

Hunger Network in Ohio (HNO) – Hunger Network in Ohio (hungernetohio.com)

Deacon Nick Bates, Director

REDISTRICTING HEADS TO THE BALLOT!

Ohioans will have the opportunity this November to vote for a more equitable and fair way to draw legislative maps in Ohio. For many years, Ohioans have heard about the ‘duck shaped district’ and the ‘snake on the lake,’ but under a new proposal, an independent commission will draw legislative maps instead of legislative leaders with personal and political ambitions that shape the maps.

“Politics should be about how we solve problems as a community, and not how we can gain more power or wins for our team,” says Deacon Nick Bates, director of HNO. Right now, legislative leaders are more concerned about national political allies and interests than what is going on in their districts – such as rising hunger or a lack of affordable housing. “This sensible redistricting reform ballot measure will allow the voices of food pantries, PTAs, and other community groups to be heard above the partisan rancor of the Ohio General Assembly once again.”

Pennsylvania

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Pennsylvania (LAMPa) – LAMPa (https://www.lutheranadvocacypa.org/)

Tracey DePasquale, Director

With the state budget finalized and the legislature in recess, LAMPa staff have been busy preparing resources for congregations to support discipleship in a democracy. From digital peacebuilding, to guidelines for advocacy and civic engagement during an election year, to skills development in conflict resolution, active listening and difficult conversations, LAMPa will be offering webinars in partnership with Search for Common Ground from now through October.

As part of work to support and protect elections through a Faith in Elections grant from Interfaith America, LAMPa is seeding ten “Love Anyway Feasts” to be held between now and the General Election.  Volunteers selected in May will be hosting meals with bridge-building as the centerpiece – with tips and conversation guides focused on helping people celebrate their differences instead of fighting over them. Hosts will lean on and learn from one another and then share their experiences with others. LAMPa is also facilitating a survey of county elections offices in order that volunteers might offer support in recruiting poll workers, identifying polling sites and ensuring trustworthy elections information.

LAMPa is excited to offer “Lessons from Dietrich Bonhoeffer from a House Divided and a World on Fire,” a curriculum for congregations developed by Dr. Lori Brandt Hale in partnership with the International Bonhoeffer Society. It is offered for free download as gift to the church, but a contribution in recognition of scholarship and time is appreciated.

Washington

Faith Action Network (FAN) – Home – Faith Action Network (fanwa.org)

Kristin Ang, Director

Farm Bill Advocacy

Here is the recording from the online event “Why is the Farm Bill Important to Us?” available for anyone interested in learning about the opportunities to advocate for the passing of a just and sustainable farm bill this year. We had a vibrant and informative discussion with Lutheran guest speakers from multi-sectional backgrounds, all impacted by the Farm Bill.

Voting and Civic Engagement

We have been emphasizing the importance of voting and civic engagement as an inseparable part of FAN’s advocacy through the 100% Voting Faith Community campaign. This summer, the cohort of faith communities and individuals who pledged to work toward becoming a 100% voting faith community has been meeting monthly online. In our first meeting in June, we invited Kim Bobo from Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, an ELCA State Public Policy Office in Virginia. In the second meeting in July, we introduced our newly launched toolkit “Civic Engagement Toolkit for Faith Communities.” The toolkit offers a variety of ways faith communities can plan and organize voter registration and civic engagement efforts as 501(c)(3). We also heard from the cohort about the need to organize around educating the community members about the ballot initiatives and the threat of rising Christian Nationalism.

Holden Village Summer Week

Kristin Ang, FAN Policy Engagement Director giving a workshop at Holden Village in the North Cascade Mountains

Our policy engagement director Kristin Ang was at Holden Village recently as a summer teaching faculty. Kristin taught about faith-based advocacy and how to advocate against Christian Nationalism. There was a notable engagement from the participants reflecting on ways in which we may be accommodators to this ideology and how we can faithfully respond and stand up against it.

Leslie Weber, Chesapeake, VA

Warm-up Questions

• What gave you life this week? 
  • Try this as a different way of asking for weekly highlights!

Life Just Might Find a Way

Since I can remember, I have heard scientists who work in the field of space talk about the fact that water is essential for life. So, as they continue to search for life on other planets, sometimes they are simply looking for evidence of water as a first step. Earlier this month (August 2024), new findings showed that there is an “ocean’s worth of water” very deep beneath the surface of Mars. This is based on studying the velocity of mars-quakes recorded by NASA’s Mars InSight lander; it has not been confirmed by drilling. The lead scientist, Vashan Wright, is clear to say the findings do not definitively mean that there is life on Mars, but simply that “there are environments that could possibly be habitable.”

You can read the whole article here.

Discussion Questions

• Do you believe that there is life on other planets? 
• Would you travel to space if you got the chance? What about to the Moon? What about to Mars? 

Third Sunday After Pentecost

• Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18
• Psalm 34:15-22
• Ephesians 6:10-20 
• John 6:56-69

 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 at Lectionary Readings.

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

Bread Again

Over the last five Sundays, we have read together from the 6th chapter of John, aka the Bread Chapter. We have heard Jesus tell the crowds that he is the bread of life that provides eternal life to all who partake. We have heard him try to explain that his flesh is the bread and his blood the wine. We have heard first the crowds, then some Judeans, and now some of Jesus’s own disciples not understand what he is trying to say. We have sat with them in the midst of the mystery of the gospel, at times confused, questioning, and trying to understand. 

Some of them have given up on Jesus and trying to understand his over-their-heads metaphor about bread and eternal life. But thankfully y’all have stuck around even though “this teaching is difficult” and have maybe wondered at times “who can accept it?” (John 6:60, NRSVue). 

This is where Simon Peter speaks from—this confusion, uncertainty, and loneliness—as more and more people give up on Jesus and his teachings. 

At this point, “many of [Jesus’] disciples turned back,” so Jesus asks the twelve who remain: “Do you also wish to go away?” (John 6:67, NRSVue). 

Simon Peter answers: “Lord, to whom can we go?” (John 6:68, NRSVue) There is no one and nothing else that offers what you offer. There is no one and nothing else on earth that promises eternal life. “We have come to believe that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:69, NRSVue). We need to look no further. Nothing else compares to what you represent and embody. 

Simon Peter is not asking for his next assignment (of where to go), he is simply proclaiming the gospel in its simplest form. 

He is not asking where he should go to serve God, but he is proclaiming that he serves the Holy One of God alone. 

He is not asking where he should march in his armor, but he is simply stating that he recognizes that he has the protection of the armor of God. Truth, Righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, Faith, Salvation, and the Spirit are all present in the man standing right in front of him. 

Peter does not have it all figured out. We know this because we know the rest of the story. We know that he will later get scared and end up denying and deserting Jesus, but right now he is sure that Jesus is the Holy one of God, and that is enough. 

Peter knows that no other gods, not the gods of Egypt, not the gods of the Amorites, not the gods of materialism or gossip or fame or lust or sports, can provide anyone with eternal life. Only God can…and does! 

Discussion Questions

1. Are there beliefs or teachings in the Lutheran (or more broadly Christian) church that you find offensive or difficult to accept? 
2. Have you ever heard someone suggest that Christians are cannibals? This was a common criticism waged against the early  church because of their practices around and beliefs about Communion. How did/would you respond? 
3. How do you “go to”/connect with Jesus when you need reassurance, faith, life, and love? 

 Activity Suggestions

1. Brainstorm a list of teachings that people find difficult or offensive. Your list could be strictly religious or not. Respectfully discuss each with others and share whether they are deal breakers for you or not. If you need help with the “respectfully” part, here are some tips for discussing difficult issues (https://www.livinglutheran.org/2020/01/perspective-7-tips-for-discussing-difficult-issues/) 
2. Do a mini refresher course on Communion. Luther’s Small Catechism is a great resource! 

Closing prayer:  

Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life! Help us to trust this always. Help us to live our lives in response to your promise of love and life. Be with us when we stumble and when we find your teachings difficult or offensive. You are the Holy One of God, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. 

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.

Association of Lutheran Church Musicians

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

“For all that is to be” Summer conference
Aug. 4-8, 2025
Raleigh-Durham, N.C. 

Join us in Raleigh! Mark your 2025 calendars now for August 4-8 and plan to register in the “Early, Early” category, which will offer substantial savings. Registration will open in September.

Music that Makes Community

Music that Makes Community (MMC) practices communal song-sharing that inspires deep spiritual connection, brave shared leadership, and sparks the possibility of transformation in our world.

Late summer greetings to you dear ELCA siblings!

As you turn toward your Fall Programming, Music that Makes Community invites you to consider the following events and resources for continuing education, community building, professional development, and celebrating this practice of paperless communal song-sharing. Here are a few workshops in the South, Northeast, and Upper Midwest this fall. Join us in:

• Waco, Texas: Saturday, Sept. 28 for a One-Day Community Singing Workshop at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church. As part of the 3-day residency, join us for a Friday evening Community Sing and/or worship on Sunday morning. Click here for more details.
• New London, N.H.: Saturday, Oct. 5 for a One-Day Community Singing Workshop at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Click here for more details.
• Chippewa Falls, Wis.: Oct. 11-12 for a Friday night Community SING and Saturday morning, 1/2 Day Community Singing Workshop at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. Sponsored by the Lay School of Ministry, Northwest Synod of Wisconsin, ELCA and several local churches. Click here for more details.

Do you dream of different ways we can be church? Join MMC and others from many denominations at A New Day Draws Near: A Conference Reimagining Church and Community held in Minneapolis, Minn. from Monday evening, Sept. 16 to Wednesday evening, Sept. 18. Click here for more information.

The Sacred Lands Playlist Project is in the process of reviewing submissions. Thank you to all who submitted! Mark your calendars for 6-7:30 p.m. Central on Wednesday, Oct. 2, for a hybrid gathering in Minneapolis to learn songs on the playlist, meet their creators, hear the stories of how they came to be, so you can faithfully carry these important songs into your communities. This event will be recorded so you view it afterwards. Stay tuned to register for location details and a Zoom link.

Communities around the nation are gathering together to sing and build bridges of connection. Join one of these if they’re near you or start your own (we can help you with that; just reach out!):

• Albuquerque, New Mexico – 1st Tuesdays (except August: on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 6:30-8 p.m., the Albuquerque MMC group will be hosting a Community SING Fundraiser in Albuquerque, N.M. at the Norbertine Abbey Church. Join us for a potluck gathering beforehand or just to sing!  Click here for more details.)
• Brownsburg, Indiana – 1st Tuesdays
• Chicago, Illinois – 3rd Wednesdays
• Ellensburg, Washington – 2nd Thursdays
• Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota – varies; next is Wednesday, August 28, 2:30 p.m.

May communal song be a prayer that offers you and yours collective expression and support during the highs and lows of these days.

Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival

Transforming and connecting lives through faith and music since 1981.

Did you miss LSM 2024? Don’t worry! You are invited to revisit over 30 concerts, recitals, and worship services from LSM 2024 on demand in LSM’s Livestream Archive. With so many great performances and inspiring services, you don’t want to miss out.

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 interviews with prominent ELCA church musicians Martin Seltz (interviewed by Rev. Craig Mueller) and Paul D. Weber (interviewed by Barry Bobb) have recently been posted to the website of the Center for Church Music.

Augsburg Fortress Events and Resources

Augsburg Fortress is an imprint of 1517 Media, the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Living the Promises of Baptism: 101 Ideas for Parents
Of all the gifts parents can pass on to their children, faith is the most precious. The heart of our role as Christian parents is sharing and living out that faith with the children God gives us. This small book is filled with concrete ideas for celebrating with your children the gifts of baptism in daily living. Meals, bedtime, play, seasons, milestones, transitions-all these occasions and more become opportunities for practicing faith.

Assembly Song Companion to All Creation Sings
Assembly Song Companion to All Creation Sings will be an essential reference resource for church musicians, pastors, and others who help plan assembly song. This accessible manual gives the context, origins, and character of the texts and tunes in All Creation Sings as well as practical guidance for musical leaders. It is especially useful when paired with the Hymnal Companion to ELW and the Musicians Guide to ELW.

Warm-up Questions

• What is your favorite thing to eat?
  • What happens if you have too much of it?

Olympic Bread

With the Summer Olympics in Paris this summer, bread is playing a central part in the tourist experience. After all, France is known for their bakeries, from crunchy baguettes to sweet pastries and so much more. One bakery went so far as to imprint Olympic rings on the fifteen pound loaves they were baking. You can read more about that here or watch a short video on it here. 

There’s something strange in that first paragraph. A loaf of bread that weighs fifteen pounds?! One the one hand, who doesn’t love bread? Even those with gluten allergies or Crohn’s Disease often seek the best gluten-free alternatives to traditional breads and pastas. But fifteen pounds is an almost unthinkable size for a single loaf of bread, even with all the extra people in town for one of the most popular Olympic events in memory. Does the biggest sporting competition in the world require the biggest baked good?

This all raises the question of whether it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. So let’s think about that.

Discussion Questions

• Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? This could be something to eat, to watch, to do, truly any thing that is good.
• What strategies might you employ to avoid overconsumption?

Third Sunday After Pentecost

1 Kings 19:4-8

Psalm 34:1-8

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

John 6:35, 41-51

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 at Lectionary Readings.

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

Bread to Share

In this weeks Gospel–in fact, for many Sundays this year–Jesus talks about bread, even claiming explicitly in John 6:35, “I am the Bread of Life.” This reading also includes overtures to his coming death, communion metaphors, and the promise of eternal life. There’s lots of theological weight riding on this bread!

What makes this Jesus bread so different from the world’s bread–even a fifteen pound loaf–is not just what it does, but how it does it. Of course, regular bread doesn’t ensure rise again from death. Jesus even highlights that the manna God gave in the wilderness didn’t have that kind of power! The Bread of Life that is Jesus Christ is different because it raises us up to share eternity with God.

More than that, this is done by sharing this unique bread. There’s no such thing as too much of the Bread of Life because it’s meant to be shared. The bread comes down from heaven not just to fill one belly or satisfy one’s hunger, but to meet the needs of all who hunger physically and spiritually.

That reality, that the Bread of Life is meant for all, should also tell us something about how we use the bread–and all the resources–at our disposal. It’s really only possible to have too much of a good thing if we refuse to share it with others.

Discussion Questions

1. We meet Jesus at the Bread of Life in communion. How does participating in that ritual connect you closer to Christ?
2. If we’re meant to share the Bread of Life, how will that inspire you to share other resources that you have?

 Activity Suggestions

1. Bake some bread to share. Perhaps this is making communion bread for worship, or making tortillas to share with your neighbors, or making sweets to celebrate a family member’s birthday. In this way, live out the sharing of bread in ways that give life to others.
2. Explore your home or church for signs of “too much.” Where do you have an abundance of resources? Talk with your family, roommates, or congregational leaders about ways those things could be put to use for the benefit of others.

Closing prayer:  

Bread of Life, you fill us with good things. Help us to respond in kind, sharing the good things we have with others who need them most. Remind us that, in your abundance, there is always enough to share, more than enough to go around, for there is never too much of Good Thing is you: Amen.

Created to Be

At the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering where the theme “Created to Be” inspired young people to be their brave, free, authentic, disruptive, and discipling selves, there was a place in the Interactive Learning space that invited them to be “Drawn In! Moving Out!” It was an absolute joy to once again bring the vision of a worship learning experience I brainstormed in 2016 to life for the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans. We staffed the booth with an incredible team from the ELCA Worship Staff, Lutheran Summer Music, the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, and the ELCA Spiritual Renewal Team.  

Activities included the ever popular “Acolyte Olympiad” with new competitive categories for pastors and bishops. The “Vestment Photo Booth” was, once again, a youth favorite as we witnessed so many young people seeing themselves in church leadership no matter how many silly poses or creative vestment combination choices they made. In the “Music Corner,” (where we always clap on 2 and 4), youth could show off their musical skills or learn how to use a new percussion instrument. We even had a few spontaneous hymn sings! The ELCA Spiritual Renewal Team brought new ways to pray with fun things like Jenga, coloring, and labyrinths. Before youth left our area, we encouraged them to grab a button to write their own dismissal with the encouragement to take them home and use them in worship. Additionally, we had a baptismal remembrance table, information about Lutheran Summer Music, and even the tall twirly poles with ribbons to try out. 

Welcoming Youth Fully

Worship belongs to everyone; it is our collective work to glorify, praise, pray, and receive the love and grace of God. The goal of this space was to welcome youth in and give them permission to try everything. From wearing vestments to learning a new way to sing a familiar hymn, we welcomed exploration and encouraged youth to claim their place in worship both at the Youth Gathering and at home. Youth love to help and should be encouraged in their gifts to be fully part of worship wherever they find themselves.

I thank the team that came together to make it happen even when travel snags had us working late. The team included John Weit, Jennifer Baker-Trinity, AJ Olson, Omaldo Perez, Lawrence Clark, Becca Ehrlich and myself. I do hope we will get to it again! 

 With gratitude,
Annemarie Cook
Interim Pastor
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Marlton, NJ