In honor of Juneteenth, ELCA Racial Justice Ministries invited Dr. Dianne R. Browne, Ph.D., CFLE, CSE, Chair of the ELCA New Jersey Synod’s Anti-Racism Team to share some thoughts about this federal holiday that many mark as the official end of legalized human enslavement in the United States. For more information on Juneteenth, visit What Is Juneteenth? | HISTORY.

I am from the Northeast, so I never celebrated Juneteenth as a young person. I knew about it because my maternal grandmother was from the South. My grandmother and mother shared stories about our history and their lived experiences. At first, I was disinterested, but their conversations helped me to understand and appreciate the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equity.

Let us talk about Juneteenth in that context. The Emancipation Proclamation was enacted in 1863. On June 19, 1865, two years later, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, the army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free by executive decree.

Younger generations may dismiss Juneteenth as history—it happened in the past, so why is it important? Share with them that it is sankofa. That word, which comes from the Akan people of Ghana, means learning from the past to move forward in the future. We are still learning from that dream deferred in 1865. We learned to have hope, to keep moving forward and not to be deterred in our efforts for racial justice.

Talk about Juneteenth! These conversations give fodder for the never-ending quest for a sometimes elusive racial justice and equity. Know that Juneteenth was freedom overdue; that the color red, including red food on Juneteenth, is significant, as it represents the blood shed during the transatlantic slave passage; that barbecues at Juneteenth celebrations offer foods that may be representative of what was brought to Texas by the enslaved Yoruba and Kongo people in the 19th century. Keep learning and preaching to folks younger than you!

On Juneteenth, as during the Jim Crow and civil rights eras, folks had to wait. In their waiting they were compelled to do something: to keep on pushing and to act by motivating others until the dream deferred was expedited.

The Bible encourages us in our actions. Micah 6:8 calls to us in this quest, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (NIV).

We know that racial justice is good and that action is needed to bring it to fruition. Encourage younger generations to press on. We are still in the struggle against a socialization that has embodied both personal and public white supremacy for generations. We are still questing for racial justice and equity, a dream deferred. We can get closer to that justice and equity through courageous intergenerational conversation.

A quote from James Baldwin sums it up: “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.”

Dianne R. Browne, Ph.D., CFLE, CSE, Chair, ELCA New Jersey Synod Anti-Racism Team

Dianne Browne is a retired educator and trainer. Her work has focused on racial and reproductive justice, family life, and equity and inclusion. She is chairperson for the New Jersey Synod’s anti-racism team and facilitates discussions for its Transforming White Privilege curriculum. She is a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Willingboro, NJ.

References:  National Museum of African American History & Culture

To commemorate the 9th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Emanuel 9 – Clementa C. Pinckney, Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lee Lance, DePayne Middleton-Doctor, Tywanza Sanders, Daniel Lee Simmons, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, and Myra Thompson, our beloved siblings in Christ who were murdered by a self-professed white supremacist and ELCA parishioner while they were gathered for Bible study and prayer at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (often referred to as Mother Emanuel) in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015 – Desta Goehner, Board President of the ELCA Association of White Lutherans for Racial Justice to share some thoughts about this day of repentance.

For more ELCA resources visit:  Commemoration of the Emanuel Nine — June 17 – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (elca.org)

See also:  Establishing_June_17th_as_Emanuel_9_Commemoration_and_Day_of_Repentance.pdf (elca.org)

Worship Resources:  Prayers_Litanies_Laments_Emanuel_Nine_Commemoration.pdf (elca.org)

As I gather with my congregation every Sunday for worship, my heart often turns to the Emanuel Nine. On June 17, 2015, nine faithful Black Christians were tragically shot and killed during Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C. This day stands as a somber reminder of the devastating consequences of racial hatred and violence.

What weighs heavily on my heart is the realization that the perpetrator, someone who grew up in a Lutheran congregation like mine, could commit such a heinous act. It compels me to confront uncomfortable questions about the environments and influences that shaped him — the people he interacted with at home, at school, at church and at work. He was one of us.

This is why White Lutherans for Racial Justice exists within the ELCA. We recognize our collective responsibility as white members of a predominantly white denomination to address the systemic racism that permeates our congregations, our synods, our institutions and our own hearts. The ELCA has issued resolutions, statements and apologies, but we have done very little to repair the ongoing harms caused by racism.

The burden of dismantling racial injustice cannot fall solely on the shoulders of people of color. As a white person, I must actively engage in the work of racial justice and equity. Yet I often shy away from relinquishing my power, my influence, my comfort. I’ve been conditioned to fear discomfort and confrontation, but I cannot allow that fear to paralyze me.

I have succumbed to this fear many times and certainly will again. I have also been the person to ask the hard questions and have felt the repercussions of that. Whiteness tells me to crawl back into my enclave, but my faith calls me out of that space. I trust that the Holy Spirit will lead and guide me as I lament and repent of my participation in white supremacy as a white, liberal, progressive Lutheran cis woman.

Whiteness exerts immense pressure, but I must not let it crush my resolve. I have witnessed how the weight of whiteness has led white leaders to falter, inflicting harm upon others without adequate accountability or restitution. We must acknowledge the risks inherent in naming injustice and asking hard questions that challenge harmful systems and processes.

We need each other in this journey toward racial justice. We need relationships that hold us accountable, that challenge us to confront our biases and privileges. Who are you building relationships with that offer different perspectives? It’s through these connections that our hearts change.

We must follow the leadership of people of color within our church, amplifying their voices and advocating for change. As we approach the 2024 United States presidential election, we cannot wait until after the fact to take action. Black and brown lives are at stake every day, not just during moments of political turmoil.

Commemorating June 17 as a day of repentance within the ELCA is a meaningful step toward acknowledging the legacy of racism within our church. But our work doesn’t end there. Racial justice is not an abstract concept; dismantling the structures of inequality that perpetuate racism requires tangible action. Join us in this ongoing journey toward racial justice. Together we can create a more just and equitable world where the lives of Black and brown people are valued and protected.

Reach out to your ministry leaders and ask them to include prayers of repentance in worship, and use resources on the ELCA Racial Justice website. Invite your congregation to use these resources in worship, in Bible study, on social media and in newsletters. And then notice whether your congregation commemorates June 17. If they do, express your support! If they don’t, gently inquire why not and advocate for change.

We believe in the power of community and the transformative potential of collective action. White Lutherans for Racial Justice welcomes people at all stages of their racial justice journey. Join us!

Bio: Desta Goehner is president of the Association of White Lutherans for Racial Justice and the Director of Thriving Leadership Formation, with 27-plus years of serving in different expressions of the ELCA. She is a trauma-informed spiritual director and a professional Enneagram coach for people and teams in ministry, specializing in conflict resolution, facilitation, leadership and spiritual formation. Desta’s work is dedicated to fostering racial justice, personal growth and healthy, anti-racist leadership in faith communities. For more about her visit linktr.ee/destag.

For more information on The Association of White Lutherans for Racial Justice visit: website|Facebook

Warm-up Questions

• What superhero are you most like and why?

Something Like a Simile

The sports fans among us know that, right now in North America, two championship tournaments are in their last round. Both the National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Finals and the National Basketball Association (NBA) Championship Finals are occurring. These competitions feature some of this season’s best teams and players.

For instance, this article compares Connor McDavid, a current player with the Edmonton Oilers, with another hockey player that many consider the best to ever play the game, Wayne Gretzky. Other writers compare one team to another, one playoff run to another, one season to another. The question of how they are alike and how they differ drives sports media personalities, and therefore, revenue.

And it doesn’t stop there. We don’t just compare things of the same kind–players, teams, seasons, and so forth. We often use powerful comparisons to point out something unique. That player is fast like a cheetah. This team’s defense swarmed like bees. That dunk shook the arena like an earthquake.

At play here is a simple part of speech, the simile. When you say one thing is like another thing, especially a very different kind of thing, you’re saying they are similar. They share some kind of quality, experience, or value. That doesn’t mean they’re exactly the same. Instead, that you can understand something new by noticing how it is similar to something with which you are familiar.

Discussion Questions

• In what other areas do you notice we use similes in our culture? This could be in school, in church, in advertising, and more.
• Is comparing things to one another this way always helpful? Why or why not?

Third Sunday After Pentecost

Ezekiel 17:22-24

Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15

2 Corinthians 5:6-17

Mark 4:26-34

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.

What It’s Like Is Not What It Is

In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about the reign of God with similes. God’s reign is like a mustard seed, growing from small seed that needs the protection of the soil to large plant that provides protection to other creatures. God’s reign is like the growing process itself, something we witness and ultimately benefits us through food and yet something we do not fully comprehend nor control. Whatever God’s reign is like, apparently it is about growth, about protection, about abundance.

Yet, in parables, Jesus only ever tells us what God’s reign is like. In other words, through these teachings, we only get a glimpse of the fullness of God’s reign. The use of these similes helps us understand something foreign–heaven–through earthly images. We can’t fully comprehend the processes of heaven, nor can we control it. Yet, we can know that God’s realm is about growing to share with others. We can know that God’s realm is about multiplying blessing in order to feed others.

This use of simile doesn’t mean that God’s reign is actually found in a seed, or only available to agricultural communities. In other places, Jesus uses economic imagery, family imagery, and more to communicate what God’s reign is like. To use the language of worship, in Jesus’ teachings we get “a foretaste of the feast to come.” To use scriptural language, we only now “see in a mirror dimly,” but eventually we will see “face to face.”

So if you don’t fully comprehend what God’s reign is like yet, that’s ok. If you aren’t sure what to expect from heaven. That’s alright. As long as we learn at the feet of Jesus, we’ll learn more and more what the reign of God is like. In turn, as we learn, we’ll be able to recognize that reign when we see it face to face.

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think heaven (or the reign of God) is like? 
2. What questions do you have about heaven (or the reign of God)?

 Activity Suggestions

1. Take time to share in a group or write in a journal new similes about the reign of God. Then, share them with your pastors, deacons, and mentors. Describe the connections you notice between something in your world and the reign of God.
2. Take time to grow a seed inside–all you’ll need is a small container, some soil, and the seed. Plant the seed and place the container near a window, watering regularly. Use a seed for plants like sprouts or radishes, which germinate and mature relatively quickly. Each day, as you notice its growth, ask yourself, “What does this tell me about God’s reign?” Share your thoughts with a friend or family member.

Closing prayer:  

God of Wisdom, thank you for teaching us in ways that we can comprehend. Help us to grow in understanding your reign and what it means for our lives. Inspire us to see your reign not only in a place far off, but growing like a seed in our world today. 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.

Register for Augsburg Fortress Summer Music Clinics

Join clinicians David Cherwien and Mark Sedio for Augsburg Fortress’ free summer music clinics this summer in any of our five locations! Register here:

July 16-17 in St. Paul, Minn
July 19-20 in Columbia, S.C.
August 1-2 in Philadelphia, Pa.
August 5-6 in Columbus, Ohio
August 9-10 in Chicago, Ill.

Lutheran Summer Music Academy and Festival

Transforming and connecting lives through faith and music since 1981.

Lutheran Summer Music announces its 42nd season, offering over 30 free and open-to-the-public concerts and recitals. All events take place this July at Valparaiso University, and most will be livestreamed. Performances and services are shared by over 250 students, faculty, fellows, worship staff, and guest artists who come together to create a vibrant community of music-makers.

The LSM 2024 season will culminate during Festival Week (July 21-28), featuring the LSM Festival Band, Choir, and Orchestra, a Festival of Hymns, and closing each day with sung Evening Prayer. Of special note, the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians (ALCM) will join this year’s LSM community and offer an intergenerational performance of J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion. Visit LSMacademy.org/2024 for a complete listing of events and to access the livestream.

Association of Lutheran Church Musicians

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

Ponder Anew: Serving and Leading the Church’s Song
July 22 – 25
Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind.

Registration for In-Person is still available. Cannot be in Valparaiso for the conference? Registration for Live Streamed participation is available!

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.

Music that Makes Community is delighted to share a number of upcoming workshops and events, more details on the “Sacred Land” Call for Songs, and a reflection on the ongoing virtual gathering Monday Morning Gathering.

First, here are some upcoming in-person gatherings!

• Saturday, July 13: Ana Hernandez, Monica Oneydika, Adam Michael Wood, and Executive Director Conie Borchardt will be leading a 1-Day Community Singing Workshop in Atlanta, Georgia right before The Hymn Society conference.
• Stay tuned for registration to open for a Friday night Community SING and Saturday morning workshop in Northwest Synod of Wisconsin on October 11-12.
• Many local practice groups and community sings are meeting monthly! Check out when Albuquerque, Chicago, Brownsburg (IN), Ellensburg (WA), Minneapolis-St. Paul, and more are meeting here!

Have you wondered about this gathering called Monday Morning Grounding?  Please read more about this virtual point of connection and reflection for clergy and musicians on our blog here.  The summer session starts June 10 and concludes July 22.  Join us! Register here for the Zoom link.

Please visit our website to discover the song resources on the A-Z list, do a deep dive into the blog post archive, check out what it takes to host a worksho

p, make a contribution to support this non-profit organization, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

May song accompany your gratitude and lament, your grief and your praise.

Augsburg Fortress Events and Resources

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

Music Sourcebook for Life Passages: Healing, Funeral, and Marriage
Once the life of faith is begun through the waters of baptism, no subsequent passage is made alone. The Music Sourcebook for Life Passages assists church musicians and leaders in planning for services of life passage including marriage, funerals, and healing services. This resource contains music originating in different cultures and varying accompaniment styles. This volume includes reproducible pages, an appendix of additional resources, and a CD-ROM of files to assist in the creation of service folders.

Using Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Vol 3: Keeping Time
This title in the Using Evangelical Lutheran Worship series explores why Christians have different ways of looking at time, at how the life of the church is ordered and organized by days, weeks, seasons, and years. It provides detailed information about Sundays, festivals, seasons and commemorations as well as daily prayer.

Build a Longer Table
John Helgen crafts a moving setting of a hymn of justice found in the worship supplement All Creation Sings. The text speaks of healing divisions and caring for those in need rather than shutting them out. The anthem is based on the hymn tune NOËL NOUVELET and the choral writing is accessible with comfortable ranges for all parts.

Warm-up Questions

• What does “family” mean to you?
• When you think of your family, who immediately comes to mind? 
  • Are all of these people a genetic or legal relative?
  • What makes them your family?

Family (Really) Matters

Family is a common experience for many and a common theme in media. Some people have biological families, others adoptive families, still others chosen families, and yet, all are family. Sports teams talk about one another as families, especially in times of trial. TV shows often focus on the antics of characters navigating the different personalities that other family members’ bring.

This emphasis on family, however, shouldn’t make us think everyone else has a family just like ours. Just because our family relationships are normal to us doesn’t mean that they’re normal for everyone. Family is unique in its expression, and research shows, in its value during trying times. Not all family trees are defined by the same biological, legal, or emotional connections. Yet, they’re all families.

After the COVID-19 pandemic changed all of our lives, Emory University began to research how that crisis impacted people’s interactions with family members. The results show us something very interesting. When facing difficult situations, people are more likely to reach beyond their resident families–the people with whom they live–and to seek connection with a more extended familial network. In other words, in troubling times, people often look beyond their immediate family for support. You can read more about this study here.

When we think about family, and the importance they play in our lives, this research suggests we shouldn’t just think about the people with whom we live. They’re vitally important. Yet, no matter how you define family, there are others within our family networks that play pivotal roles and share valuable wisdom as we weather the storms of our lives.

Discussion Questions

• During the pandemic lockdowns, who did you reach out to most often for support?
  • Do you think of these people as family? Why or why not?

Third Sunday After Pentecost

Genesis 3:8-15

Psalm 130

2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1

Mark 3:20-35

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.

Family, Faith, and Function

There is a lot happening in this week’s Gospel. While many readers and preachers may focus on the idea of “unforgivable sin” or imagine what it means to “grieve the Holy Spirit,” its just as striking for some to see Jesus challenge the notion of family. After all, his mother and brothers probably overheard him pose this question as they stood outside! That must have made for an awkward meal at the next holiday.

What Jesus does, though, doesn’t deny that his biological mother and brothers are a part of his family. Instead, he redefines the notion of family away from biology and toward two interrelated things: faith and function. When the people who gather to hear his teaching name the importance of family, Jesus agrees. Yet, he agrees by telling all those gathered in the circle with him that, despite their lack of shared biological parents, those gathered together were his family. Why? Because they gathered around faith in God and they gathered to do God’s work. According to Jesus, “whoever does God’s will” is one of his family members. His biological family was a part of that, but they weren’t the only family, because Jesus was surrounding by a growing movement of people committed to knowing (faith) and doing (function) God’s will.

Across the country this summer, campers from very different backgrounds will come together at Lutheran Outdoor Ministry sites. For some, their ancestors will have attended the same camp. For others, it will be their first time. Some will groups of similarly aged children, while others will be intergenerational camps with youth and adults alike. At camp, you’ll often find people sitting in a circle with fellow campers, just like Jesus was doing in Mark 3, though they’re often around a campfire or singing tree. There they are at Cross Roads in New Jersey, people gathered together in the faith of Jesus. There they are at Living Water Ministries in Michigan, learning about God’s will. There they are El Camino Pines in California, acting out God’s purpose. At these camps, and all of the LOM camps across the country, there’s faith and there’s function. And if we believe Jesus, then there’s family too.

Of course, this happens at other places beyond camp. In this summer season, camp simply shows what’s possible when God’s people gather in faith around shared activity. Through that holy work, God’s family grows. So who are your mother and brothers? Who is your family? Ultimately, our families are the ones God calls together in faith for sharing works of love in this world.

Discussion Questions

1. What is the difference between having faith and acting it out?
2. Are you comfortable defining family by faith and function? Why or why not?
3. Where do you go, away from home, and feel most connected to people? Why do you think you feel that way?

 Activity Suggestions

1. Write a note–this could be on paper, via text or email, even on social media DMs–to someone who you consider family. Let them know how much they mean to you. Don’t forget to tell them why they mean so much!
2. Challenge yourself to act out God’s love for someone every day this week in a new way. At the end of each day, reflect on whether that changed your connection with the person.

Closing prayer:  

God, you are both parent and sibling, and in you we find our family growing ever wider. Help us to appreciate the biological, legal, emotional, social, and spiritual ways we are connected with others. In your love, show us how to love others as the human family and faith family that you have given to each of us. We pray this in your name, Jesus: Amen.

Warm-up Question

1. What are your favorite summer traditions? 
2. Summer is a time of changing rituals. What kinds of emotions does this change bring to you?

A New Season

People think of the start of summer in different ways. Some look to the Summer Solstice–June 20th in the Northern Hemisphere this year–as the official launch of summer. Others consider the last day of school as the first day of summer. For some of us, it’s the start of summer camp. All across the country, many camp counselors are learning skills, designing curricula, and preparing spaces for youth and families alike to engage their faith in the midst of creation and community.

It may not be obvious to you, but the impact of summer camp lasts far beyond a fun week with silly songs, scriptural skits, and faithful friendships. Two different sets of research show that attendance at summer camp correlates with a long-lasting faith. People who attend church camps are much more likely to have a faith that lasts into the future. People who attend church camps are also more likely to stay connected to local congregations and regularly utilize personal spiritual practices.

To be clear, this doesn’t mean camp should replace Sunday worship services, nor does it mean that camps are better than local congregations. Instead, it suggests that camps and congregations are excellent partners in increasing the impact of faith in the lives of people right now in ways that extend the impact of faith into the future of people’s lives.

To be clear, this research doesn’t suggest that attending camp is a guarantee of faith. It isn’t. Instead, camp is scaffolding, a stabilizing force that supports a continued faith journey for people of all ages. This happens through relationships with counselors and peers, along with putting faith learned in congregations into practice in other contexts. Camp is a laboratory that helps us live the teachings of Jesus in the midst of the world.

You can read summaries of the research here, as well as find links to the larger research projects themselves.

Discussion Questions

1. Have you ever been to a summer camp? This could be a church camp, scouts, YMCA, 4H, sports, and others. If so, what did you like about it. If not, why haven’t you gone before?
2. How do you practice your faith outside of church on Sunday mornings?

Second Sunday After Pentecost

Deuteronomy 5:12-15

Psalm 81

2 Corinthians 4:5-12

Mark 2:23-3:6

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.

Active Rest

Each of our readings this morning speaks, in one way or another, to the freedom we gave thanks to the work of God. Deuteronomy reminds us that we find rest on the Sabbath because God frees us from oppression. 2nd Corinthians reminds us that, by joining Jesus in death and resurrection, we find freedom from persecution, despair, even destruction. In Mark we witness Jesus challenging our notions of propriety by offering freedom from hunger and hurt even on the Sabbath. 

As I reflected on these readings appointed for this Sunday, one verse in particular struck me. It comes from Psalm 81, “I hear a voice I had not known,” and that’s the voice that leads to liberation. Unfortunately, the voices that we do not aren’t often so helpful. 

The voices of advertisers speak to us time and again—on our televisions, on social media, through text messages, in paper and digital mail. They speak constantly, incessantly. I’d be willing to bet most Americans have memorized more advertising jingles than they have scriptures or prayers. The same goes for Tik Tok trends, movie quotes, song lyrics, and more. That’s not necessarily because people like those voices more, or value them more—instead, it’s because the world’s cacophony does all it can to drown out the voice of God in our lives. To be honest with you, I’m almost certain I could quote you more commercial advertisements than scriptural advisements.

One of the ways we can get away from those voices and listen once again to God’s voice is by getting outside and away from the distractions. Every summer–and throughout the year–church camps provide this opportunity. Of course, there are other places like state and national parks where we can get away from the world’s cacophony. Yet, church camps provide us with the unique opportunity to listen to God through creation, community, and Christian teaching.

Discussion Questions

1. What are the voices that get most of your attention? They could come from people you know or from places like entertainment, advertisers, and the like. 
2. How do you distinguish those voices from God’s voice? If you have any practices that help or wisdom to share with your peers, please do!
   1. If you’re reflecting on your own, consider using social media as a way to share this wisdom, which can offer a way for God’s voice to break in amidst other voices.
3. How does God speak to you differently outside of church, especially in places like the woods, the beach, the mountains, the desert, and other natural areas?

 Activity Suggestions

1. Go outside. It doesn’t have to be at a camp. It could be on your church property, at a local park, or just the yard outside your door. Turn your phone on “Do Not Disturb” and listen for God’s voice in the world around you. Consider the breeze in the trees, the buzz of bugs, even the pattering of the rain. Take some time to rest from other distractions and hear God’s voice in nature. Write down what you feel and hear so you can remember it next time you’re needing to hear God’s voice.
2. Plan a trip away with friends of faith. This could be church camp, a mission trip, or a youth gathering. It could also be a bike ride after school or brunch on the weekend. While away together, intentionally ask one another where you see God active outside the walls of the church.

Closing prayer:  

Word of God, speak to us. Carry through the noise of the world around us. Help us to recognize your voice, to heed your wisdom, and to embrace your ways of rest. When we’re distracted, help us find the places where your words are clear and your voice rings through. Wherever we go this summer, and whatever we do, speak to us in ways that free us for the abundant life that you promise to your people. Amen. 

The Consultation on Common Texts (CCT) is a joint American and Canadian ecumenical body that is responsible for the Revised Common Lectionary, a schedule of biblical passages read on Sundays and major feasts in congregations of multiple denominations in North America and other parts of the world. The ELCA is one of more than 20 member denominations.

The CCT held its annual meeting in April. See the full press release below. Of note is continued work on Anti-Jewish interpretations in the common lectionary. The CCT conversation is one way that the ELCA continues to respond to a synod resolution to Church Council to consider such matters (see II.A, pg. 7 in the attachment). Several ELCA resources are available to help guide worship planners and preachers in navigating these important concerns. Preaching and Teaching “With Love and Respect for the Jewish People” is available from the ELCA Consultative Panel on Lutheran-Jewish Relations. An essay titled, “The Jews” in John’s Passion, was published in the 2020 edition of the Sundays and Seasons worship planning resource from Augsburg Fortress. This essay includes an emended translation of the passion according to John for use on Good Friday. This essay and emended text are available both on SundaysAndSeasons.com and on ELCA.org.

The Consultation on Common Texts Press Release

April 16, 2024—The Consultation on Common Texts (CCT) concluded its annual meeting at St. Andrew’s United Church, Bloor Street in Toronto on April 16.  The Consultation is a joint American and Canadian ecumenical body that is responsible for the Revised Common Lectionary, a schedule of biblical passages read on Sundays and major feasts in congregations of multiple denominations in North America and other parts of the world.  Denominations and church bodies represented at the recent meeting included the Anglican Church of Canada, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA, North American Lutheran Church, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), The Episcopal Church, The United Church of Canada, The United Methodist Church, and United Church of Christ.

The CCT received a draft statement about the use of passages of Scripture in John and Acts of the Apostles that have historically been used to justify discrimination and violence against Jews; a further draft of that statement is expected in August and will be circulated to member denominations for comment.  The CCT also established a committee to consider lessons for a feast celebrating God’s work in creation. The idea of such a festival, proposed by the Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrios in 1989, has gained support in recent years from western churches.  An ecumenical seminar held in Assisi earlier this year endorsed the idea of adding such a feast to the Church calendar, but inclusion of the festival will be dependent on the actions of individual denominations.

The CCT heard reports on use of the Revised Common Lectionary and on the activity of member denominations in relationship to worship. It learned that a recent project, the Revised Common Lectionary: Expanded Daily Readings is scheduled for print release this summer; it increases the number of daily lessons to include a psalm and three other biblical readings, matching the Sunday pattern.  The CCT also elected the Rev. Dr. Eileen Scully as Treasurer for the CCT in Canada and elected representatives to the English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC), an international body composed of representatives of churches in the English-speaking world.

Finally, the CCT celebrated the work of Dr. Fred Kimball Graham, who has been a participant in the CCT for 35 years and was one of the drafters of the Revised Common Lectionary.  Fred announced that this year would be the last meeting in which he would be able to participate in person,  but indicated that he would join in later meetings remotely.

The CCT meets in person annually. Next year’s meeting is scheduled for Louisville, Kentucky on April 7^th and 8^th.

Dear friends of ELCA Disability Ministries,

Thank you for considering Disability Ministries to potentially help fund your request or initiative via grant. Grant applicants are required to follow the guidelines below to be eligible to receive grant funding through Disability Ministries.

All applicants seeking funds from Disability Ministries must demonstrate how the request or initiative addresses at least one of the following goals:

– Raising up people with disabilities for leadership positions, encouraging the participation of those with disabilities in the wider church, and preparing leaders for serving people with disabilities.

– Equipping our synods, congregations, and members with relevant and practical information that enables them to welcome and support individuals with disabilities so that they might participate fully in the life of the congregation, and that, together, all might experience being the body of Christ.

– Gathering and connecting those with disabilities and various groups within the church so that they might help us become an inclusive, supportive, and whole community of faith.

Additionally, all applicants must show that there is a current relationship, or that they are actively building a relationship, with people living with disabilities in their settings.

We want to recognize that we are moving beyond having an attitude of “If we build it, they will come” in the church. So, for example, not requesting funding for a ramp simply for the sake of having a ramp. But rather explaining how the ramp (or whatever your project may be) would be of a benefit to the disabled people in your setting and your ministry.

We will be funding a total of $50,000. Grant applicants can apply for a grant in the range of $5,000-$10,000. Previous applicants who were not funded may reapply.

The application will open on May 28th, and close on July 31st, or earlier if we have received 30 completed applications. Projects receiving grants will be announced before the end of October 2024.

To register with GrantMaker, please go to https://www.elca.org/grants/impact-church-ministry, and follow the links and instructions that follow. If you have a profile with GrantMaker already, log in here: https://elca.fluxx.io/user_sessions/new to begin your application process.

For questions, please email grants@elca.org or disability.ministry@elca.org.

God’s peace and blessings as you begin the application process!

—ELCA Disability Ministries

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

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: May 2024

SUMMER MEALS AND EBT | FARM BILL | NEW REDERAL RULES RELEASED | NATIONAL SECURITY SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING | RESPONSE TO CONDITIONS IN HAITI

SUMMER MEALS AND EBT: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is advancing their annual summer meal program, with several key reforms that could help provide food assistance to children in rural areas. As school comes to an end, many state governments will be implementing USDA summer programs including to-go delivered meals in rural communities (non-congregant projects), group meal sites and summer food Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards for eligible families with children.

Why It Matters to the ELCA

Food programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) accompany the mission of our churches and ministries, food pantries and charitable investments striving for a just world where all are fed. Cuts or newly added barriers to the SNAP program could come at a dire time as food costs continue to climb in many of our communities, and as many of our ministries are over capacity.

What’s Next

The ELCA Action Center has a current active Action Alert urging lawmakers to preserve funding for SNAP and anti-hunger programs in the Farm Bill. ELCA Witness in Society staff will be meeting with congressional staff ahead of potential House introduction and will be monitoring the legislation.

FARM BILL: The U. S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee, led by Chair G.T. Thompson (PA-15), released the proposed bill text for the multi-year package of legislation known as the Farm Bill. Find text here. As written, the proposed legislation includes things to celebrate and concerns for our priorities.

To note, this bill includes the RESTORE Act, which repeals the denial of SNAP benefits for certain individuals with previous drug-related convictions. This bill also incorporates innovative policies that aim to support farmers, promote sustainable practices, and strengthen rural development: most notably are the provisions that will help streamline rural development permitting processes and reinforcing broadband connectivity in rural communities. Additionally, this proposal would be the largest investment in conservation programs, to date.

With deep gratitude for these provisions, we have some concerns with the nutrition program and the conservation title that conflict with our priorities. This version of the Farm Bill, proposed by the House Agriculture Committee, would limit the ability to update the Thrifty Food Plan, which provides the basis for calculating SNAP benefits. Also the additional funds for the conservation program, that had originally been set aside for “climate-smart agriculture” incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act, would lose those climate-smart requirements under this proposal. The House Agriculture Committee is scheduled to mark up this draft legislation on Thu., May 23.

Why It Matters to the ELCA

In a world of abundance, we strive for an end to hunger and poverty, and towards a just world where all are fed. Additionally, we are to work with each other and the environment to meet needs without causing undue burdens elsewhere. The Farm Bill is one of the most influential pieces of legislation affecting hunger and conservation in the U.S. and around the world.

What’s Next

More will be known about exactly what is included in Farm Bill reauthorization as planning moves to availability of actual language soon. In this quickly moving climate, visit our Farm Bill Engagement Updates blog page for new information. ELCA advocacy staff is monitoring and is in the process of scheduling meetings with House members to express concern before and after the mark-up that a faithful Farm Bill can be passed that does not result in undermining nutrition and climate-smart programs.

NEW REDERAL RULES RELEASED: In celebration of Earth Day, the Biden administration announced a series of new federal programs and rules related to environmental protections and climate change. These include rules concerning the Solar for All grant competition, zero-emissions freight sector, pollution reduction from fossil fuel-fired power plants, and new transmission lines.

• $7 billion in grants through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Solar for All grant competition, a key component of the Inflation Reduction Act’s $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
• A first-ever national goal to transition to a zero-emissions freight sector for truck, rail, aviation and marine, along with a commitment to develop a national zero-emissions freight strategy.
• A suite of final rules, from the EPA, to reduce pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants in order to protect all communities from pollution and improve public health without disrupting the delivery of reliable electricity.
• The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a final rule to make federal permitting of new transmission lines more efficient, establishing the Coordinated Interagency Transmission Authorization and Permits program.

Why It Matters to the ELCA

Each announcement is either long-awaited implementation of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act or finalized federal rules—both of which align with ELCA advocacy efforts to encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and also promote justice in the process. These announcements come at a great time to ensure these programs can be accessible to communities as soon as possible.

What’s Next

While we celebrate these monumental announcements, we are also closely watching Congress. With executive action often under much scrutiny, especially by Congress, we are expecting that some lawmakers will utilize the Congressional Review Act to challenge some of these measures. This is a resolution that, if passed by Congress, can overturn a federal rule. We will continue to monitor and express support for these new federal rules.

NATIONAL SECURITY SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING: Congress passed, and the President signed, the supplemental funding package that included funding for international humanitarian assistance, funded at $9.15 billion. The humanitarian funding will be used to address immediate needs in different countries experiencing emergencies, including provision of food assistance to Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and Haiti.

Why It Matters to the ELCA

Many ELCA companions and LWF member churches are involved in providing emergency assistance to displaced and other vulnerable populations in their communities and beyond. They see the scale of needs and have raised concerns about lack of basic provisions from the international community. While not enough, U.S. funding for humanitarian assistance will provide a portion of the support needed in various places around the world.

What’s Next

As Congressional appropriators begin working on FY25 federal budget, Witness in Society advocacy staff continue to advocate for robust allocation of humanitarian aid and other critical international programs to ensure life-saving assistance for those most vulnerable is sustained.

RESPONSE TO CONDITIONS IN HAITI: In March, the ELCA joined than more than 450 immigration, human rights, faith-based and civil rights organizations in a letter to the Biden administration urging the extension and redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), pause on deportations, and expansion of lawful migration pathways.

The ELCA also helped lead an interfaith letter from more than 250 faith organizations and faith leaders. On a recent press call with congressional leaders and advocates, the Rev. David Nagler, bishop of the Pacifica Synod, said, “Some of our churches have welcomed Haitian families and have heard their stories… The question before us as a nation is will we make the policy decisions that will protect the vulnerable, provide for basic human needs, and help create a path toward a sustainable and prosperous future?”

Why It Matters to the ELCA

Calling for an indefinite halt to deportations and expulsions to Haiti during times of crisis is not new, as it follows a history of raising concern about conditions in Haiti. In 2023, the ELCA sent a letter to the administration addressing concerns of an “asylum ban” when it was widely reported that new restrictions were forthcoming and noted concern about the threat of harm of deportations to the life and dignity of individuals forced to return.

What’s Next

Even as deadly violence has overtaken the capital of Port-au-Prince, the Biden administration restarted deportations this March. The current TPS designation for Haiti is set to expire on Aug. 4, 2024. The administration must decide soon regarding redesignation.

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 .

Dave Delaney, Roanoke, VA

Warm-up Question

1. What are the most important qualities you look for in your friends? Sharing common interests or values? Sticking by you no matter what? Agreeing with almost everything you say? Keeping you honest by telling you when you’re being annoying or about to do something dumb? 

2. A simple choice question with no right or wrong answer: Would you rather have just a few very close friends or a lot of casual friends?

3. 3. Since the pandemic lockdown, some young people report that it has been more difficult to build good and reliable relationships that it was before. Is that true for you or not so much? 

Social (Dis)Connection

Social researchers of adolescents have been measuring the amount of time teens spend with each other in person and noticed a significant drop between 2010 and the present. Although some attribute this to the pandemic lockdown, the trend was already starting before 2020 and has not rebounded since public gatherings once again became the norm. There is a great deal of speculation about what is behind this, and it includes many social theorists who assign a fair amount of blame to the prevalence of social media and electronic communication. Others disagree, pointing instead to societal tensions and increased anxiety among the adults who are supposed to be providing guidance for growing young people. Either way, most researchers are concluding that there is a connection between this lack of personal relationships (or the substitution of screen relationships) and the dramatic rise in teen depression and identity crises. Furthermore, it is well-known (and easily confirmed by even casual conversations with teens) that the Zoom gathering platform is no substitute for being together, to the point where students will beg for in-person experiences over an online option, even if it is more time-consuming and inconvenient.  

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/4037619-teens-are-spending-less-time-than-ever-with-friends/ 

Discussion Questions

1. Not every single American teenager is experiencing either a personal crisis of identity and meaning or starvation of relationships. What is your experience? 

2. Do you ever think about your church family as a place where stable and nurturing relationships can happen, even with those outside of your age group? What would it take for your church community to provide such an environment?

3. As sophisticated as our FaceTime and other apps are, do you find that they are effective ways of staying in touch with your friends and building relationships? Why or why not?

The Holy Trinity

Isaiah 6:1-8  

Psalm 29  

Romans 8:12-17  

John 3:1-17 

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.

The Holy Trinity

The Festival of the Holy Trinity is famous for being the only Sunday in the church year that is based on a theological doctrine rather than on an event in the life of Jesus or one of the saints or apostles. And many Christians get hung up on the seeming contradiction implied by the “3-in-1, 1-in-3.” In the end, however, the story of the Trinity is the story of God’s own self and relationships. It is more story than doctrine: we believe that from all eternity, the Father and the Son have been locked together in a relationship of creative love through the sharing of their mutual Spirit. The absolute closeness between them is what makes them “one God” and even defines what it means to be God. We might even say that God *is* relationship! And this mutual love between them is so powerful that it flows over into creating all things in the universe, including us! 

Since we are made in the image of God, we too are made for the experience of relationship, first within ourselves, and then – creatively and lovingly – with others!  

With this ongoing crisis of teens’ internal struggles and drop-off of peer interactions, there is almost no time in history when we have more needed a God who embodies unity of self and love for others. Everything that God is and does points us to putting together and repairing things that are broken, uniting people that are at odds with themselves and others. The Spirit of the one God is God’s gift to us to powerfully bring this about, and since God is one and we are one with God, we can bring God’s gift of healing to the world – the small world around us, and the big world that seems so often to be in so much conflict.  

Discussion Questions

1. Go through the gospel passage and note all the words or phrases that are related to relationships: “being born,” “loved” etc. What does this tell us about the nature and the will of God? Is the word “believe” (esp. vss. 11-16) more about acknowledging facts or about entering into a relationship? 

2. Christians have argued for centuries over the meaning of John 3:16-17, the meaning of the word “saved,” and what mechanism is required for salvation to happen. Is it possible that (rather than referring so much to life after death) salvation means experiencing the repairing and restoring love of God in the here and now and sharing God’s life and love with others?

3. When Nicodemus asks his implied question about whether Jesus is for real or not, Jesus says “You must be born *anew*.” In that word, Nicodemus hears “born *again*” as in a repeat of physical human birth, when what Jesus meant was “born *from above*” or “born in a different way.” How does knowing and following Jesus bring you new life each day?

Bonus question: What about Jesus’ life and work and nature do you find confusing? What question would you most like to ask Jesus? 

 Activity Suggestions

1. As Lutherans our whole pattern of daily faith is based on believing that being “born anew” happens every day, not just once. Find a copy of Martin Luther’s Small Catechism and look at the section on Baptism, where Luther asks and answers the question “What does baptism with water signify?” by encouraging a daily dying and rising by remembrance of baptism. Also, look at Luther’s morning prayer, which begins with making of the sign of the cross in baptismal remembrance, doing so with the invocation of the Holy Trinity. Can your group commit to undertaking this practice together for each day of this coming week? 

2. God’s great love spills over to us not just for our own sakes, but the for the sake of everyone around us who needs a loving relationship. Give each member of your group a card on which to list people they know who are in need of the kind of love that only God and God’s people can give. Pledge to carry this card around all week, as a reminder that we are bearers of God’s love.

3. Listening for the Holy Spirit to share the love of the Trinity in the midst of so many other voices in our world can be extremely hard! Get a volunteer to be blindfolded in the middle of your group and have one person read from John 3 while all others just talk constantly and try to throw the blindfolded person off. Can the blindfolded person pick out the words of John 3? How do you make that distinction in daily life?

(If the group is ambitious, look at the other lessons for the day that have historically been read by Christians to understand God’s trinitarian life – Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12-17) 

Closing prayer:  

God, we ask you to bring to us the powerful and healing unity that you have within yourself. Allow us to be part of your purpose to bring restoration and reconciliation to the whole world every day and let others see the peace you have given us within ourselves. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.