Hi friends!

Today’s post links with our upcoming newsletter. Be sure to check out Rev. Peter Heide’s interview below, and go to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America newsletter sign up page and subscribe to receive our next and future newsletters! 🙂 Thanks!

–Rev. Lisa Heffernan,coordinator

The following resources enable Braille readers to lead worship more easily and to participate fully in impromptu hymn sings. Users of other formats will also have increased access to worship resources.

• The National Library Service (NLS): Without charge, individuals can receive both a digital talking-book player and a 20-cell, refreshable Braille eReader. Martin Luther’s Small Catechism and several translations of the Bible are available. NLS at the Library of Congress
• The  electronic Braille edition of Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW), ISBN 9781506445793, is now available from Bookshare, an independent provider of materials in EPUB scalable font, DAISY synthetic voice and BRF (Braille Ready Format). ELW was uploaded thanks to proofreading work completed by Terry Gorman, a friend of the Disability Ministries advisory team. All material from the large-print edition — liturgy, psalms and hymns — is included.
  • Listen to an audio interview with Gorman, conducted by the Rev. Peter Heide, a member of the advisory team:

• Bookshare also has several editions of the NRSV and NRSVue available. My Bookshare | Bookshare

 

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. ELCA Worship also features resources from Augsburg Fortress Publishers in a monthly blog post.

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Music that Makes Community

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

Introductory Spaces – Meet Music that Makes Community at these events and conferences.

• Intergenerate Conference at Asbury University, Wilmore, KY: On June 10, Rev. Breen Marie Sipes will be offering a “Taste of Welcome Through Song”
• The Hymn Society Conference at Wayne State, Detroit, MI: On July 15, Executive Director Conie Borchardt and Organizer Doe Hoyer from the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery will offer a Sectional on “Reckoning with the Doctrine of Discovery: How Our Sacred Songs Can Move Us Toward Indigenous Solidarity”.
• Sacred Lands SING at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Detroit, Mich: On July 17, Conie and Doe will share more songs from the Sacred Lands Playlist Collection. 7-9 p.m.
• ALCM Conference at Raleigh, North Carolina, August 4-8.
• CMP Converging 2025 in Columbus, Ohio, October 16-18.

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

• June 20-21: Two-Part Workshop in Taos, New Mexico
• October 3-5: Workshop in Madison, Wisconsin
• October 12: Three-day Retreat in Albuquerque, N.M.
• November 7-9: Workshop in Waco, Texas (coming soon!)
• February 6-8, 2026: Two-Day Retreat in Raleigh, North Carolina (coming soon!)
• More in-person events are being planned. Please stay tuned!

Online Spaces – 

• Summer Solstice SING – Join us for a celebration of paperless song sharing on Monday, June 23, 5-6 p.m. PT / 8-9 p.m. ET.  Register here.
• Monday Morning Grounding — This weekly online touchstone continues to offer song, silence, sacred text and community connection, Mondays at 10 a.m. Eastern / 7 a.m. Pacific until July 28. Register for the Zoom link here.

Resources – Read the MMC blog for articles on a variety of topics.  The latest presents Songs for Justice.

Job Postings on Music That Makes Community website.

Sign up for our Monthly Newsletter for regular updates on resources and events.

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Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival

Transforming and connecting lives through faith and music since 1981.

Lutheran Summer Music 2025
Valparaiso University,Valparaiso, Ind.
June 22–July 20

Get Ready for LSM 2025!

Join us at Valparaiso University from June 22 -July 20 for our 43rd season. It will feature over 30 free concerts, recitals, and worship services. Can’t make it in person? Watch online via Live from LSM!

Highlights include the beloved Bach Cantata Eucharist, Festival of Hymns, and the debut Faculty Organ Recital. Don’t miss Festival Week with powerful performances from the Festival Band, Orchestra, and Choir.

Read more in our new season brochure using this link: bit.ly/2025season

Additional visitor details and online access.

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Let It Be With Me According to Your Word

Seminar on Lutheran Liturgy
Minneapolis, Minn., August 13-15

Register at www.seminarliturgy.org.

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Association of Lutheran Church Musicians

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

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

There is still time to register for the August conference in Raleigh-Durham. Here are just a few of the highlights:

• Worship at Duke University Chapel as well as a concert there by Grammy-nominated vocal ensemble VOCES8
• A hymn festival at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral led by composer, conductor, organist, preacher, and teacher Tom Trenney
• A concert by internationally acclaimed, advanced community handbell chir Raleigh Ringers
• 25 workshops covering a wide range of topics as well as plenary presentations
• Reading sessions from six publishers
• 15 different exhibitors
• A choice of three post-conference seminars
• Numerous opportunities for fellowship and relaxation

We look forward to seeing you in Raleigh!

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Journey to Baptismal Living: North American Associate for the Catechumenate

An ecumenical Christian community seeking to support seekers, whether baptized or not,  and those who accompany them on their journey of faith through the catechumenal process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Vi Messerli Memorial Lectures in Church Music: For All the Saints

October 19-21
Concordia University Chicago
River Forest, Illinois

Presenters include: John Witvliet, plenary; Brenda Portman, organ concert; Hymn Festival: Hymns of David Rogner

Workshops: John Behnke, Stephen Starke, Barry Bobb, Benjamin Kolodziej, Matthew Janssen, Sam and Lois Eatherton, Lisa Clark, Jim Rindelaub

Registration information will be available in mid-July.

Check the website for updates.

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A little over a year ago I was approached by two of our ELCA seminaries with an invitation to teach a May term class on disability theology and ministry. After a few (okay, several) moments of thinking “Who…me?” and many calls with some of my trusted friends/colleagues and family, I answered with a cautious “Sure! When?”. May term 2025? Perfect! Now, if you know me, you know the procrastination/imposter syndrome bug can catch me. And goodness, did it! Very quickly the months passed, and it was go-time for planning the course.

Teaching this kind of course wasn’t super new to the seminaries; they had held a similar one back in 2021. But what way did I want to go with it? Well, here’s where I can thank the folks at Wartburg Seminary and Western Theological Seminary (where I’m attempting to finish my doctor of ministry degree). I felt led to take a practical theology route. Because, what good would a class on a theology of disability be if it couldn’t have some kind of practical impact on the students and the church? After staring at a good 20 books-high pile, and a panicked call (or a million) later to bounce ideas around, things got started. Seven sessions, two weeks. Yikes! Come, Holy Spirit!

When the weeks of class began, I was honored to get to know and teach two students from LSTC, one from Wartburg, and another from our friends at the Catholic Theological Union. We were up for a challenge together, and I am so thankful for this small, but phenomenal, mix of students. Their interest, passion, and dedication to the Gospel were really what made our time cohesive and fruitful.

In the first week we tackled definitions and models of disability, a brief history of the disability justice movement, and looked ahead to case studies; real world scenarios they may encounter related to access and disability in their futures as leaders. The highlight of the week for myself was the day I simply got to sit back and listen over Zoom as my dear friends and colleagues Anita Smallin and Rev. Sarah Mayer-Flatt taught sessions on faith formation (Anita) and a study of Amy Kenny’s My Body is Not a Prayer Request (Sarah). I am so grateful for their insights and work brought to the class. And I know the students LOVED the discussions and conversations that day. By the end of the week their minds, and mine, were full!

The second and final week we studied and discussed Bethany McKinney Fox’s Disability and the Way of Jesus, a tough but wonderful book on what it means to heal in the way of Jesus. This week, and in those first days too–oops!– we also talked about language in worship, did my favorite bible study called “I Met That Person Once”, introduced to me by Pastor Jonathan and Kara Vehar in 2006. The practical pieces also included language around prayer, preaching from a disability/anti-ableist perspective, and inclusive worship practices. I know I’m forgetting more–it was a full couple of weeks!

On our second to last day we gathered in our Zoom space with my colleagues Rev. Brian Krause, Deacon Amanda Sabelko, and Rev. Edward Pease for a panel on their experiences in ministry and the church as leaders living with disabilities, and quite a bit more. Our conclusion? The church still has a long way to go for disabled leaders and their families, but the call to lead and participate and break down barriers is strong. The resources and the trust in the church, in ourselves as leaders, and the trust of our people whom we serve? That’s coming along too, and all find common ground in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

On our last day, we reflected on lessons learned, and leaned into the students’ hard work on their case studies. One focusing on what to do if a leader feels pressured to ask a disabled youth and their family to leave a congregation, and the other on how we might think about hospitality and the construction of our worship and gathering spaces. I promise you, these are some wise students. And I’m proud that the church will get to be served by people like Kit, Brandon, Megan, and Didier.

And that was it! Class was complete, and I hope to be able to get the opportunity again. I’m thankful for the opportunity and experience, and am reminded by my own sense of call, embodiment, and experiences with ableism and prejudice that happen all the time, even the next day at synod assembly, that a theology of disability and different disability ministries and services are needed if we are indeed to live into our baptismal vocation as servants of Jesus Christ. (Note: Don’t congratulate a wheelchair user for using the bathroom on her own! Just don’t do it.)

Thank you to all of you who support our seminaries, colleges, rostered and lay leaders, and the holy diversity found in them. We need you, and we need one another, as we journey together with Christ.

A blessed Pentecost to you all! As noted in a previous post, our grant applications have been open now since May 15th. Here is an overview of the description of the grants for 2025 and guidelines/expectations for applications. This year we will be giving a total of $35,000 in grants (Applicants can apply for a grant up to $10,000.)

For instructions on how to register and apply, please go to: https://www.elca.org/our-work/grants/impact-church-ministry after reading the description here. We’re excited to see God at work in your projects and plans!

Peace,

Rev. Lisa Heffernan,

ELCA Disability Ministries,coordinator

Grant applicants are required to follow the guidelines below to be eligible to receive grant funding through Disability Ministries. Please read through the description thoroughly before submitting your application.

All applicants seeking funds from Disability Ministries must demonstrate how the request or initiative addresses at least one of the following goals:
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– 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.
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– 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.
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– 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:
*Provide a detailed budget for their project.

*If applicable, provide plans for the sustainability of their project.
*Must clearly show that there is a current relationship, or that they are actively building a relationship with people who live with disabilities in their settings.

Please note that applications for all kinds of projects and programs will be considered for funding. It is vital that applicants include how their project directly benefits disabled people in their settings and ministries.

We will be funding a total of $35,000 in projects this year. Applicants can apply for a grant up to $10,000. Ministries that have received funding from Disability Ministries in the last three years are ineligible for this cycle of grant funding.

The application will open on May 15th, and close on July 31st. Projects receiving grants will be announced by the end of October 2025.

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

In the coming weeks, those in the United States will mark two significant anniversaries: five years since the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota (May 25, 2020) and ten years since the murder of the Emanuel Nine at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina (June 17, 2015). Click here to access prayer resources for these anniversaries.

Prayer prompts:
For an end to war, violence, and genocide across the world; especially Ukraine, Gaza, Haiti, Sudan, Myanmar, Yemen, India, and Pakistan…
For all victims of gun violence, especially in Boulder, CO and Hickory, NC…
For all victims of prejudice, hate, or marginalization, including Jewish communities facing antisemitism and LGBTQIA+ communities during this Pride Month…
For those injured in the homeless shelter attack in Salem, OR…
For the safety and stamina of those working in social services, immigration services, hunger and housing organizations, and legal aid…
For rostered ministers and lay leaders of the ELCA who gather in synod assemblies…
For schools, churches, and community organizations preparing for summer programming…
For Muslim pilgrims traveling to Mecca for the Hajj…

Events and observances:
June Observances: LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, Gun Violence Awareness Month, PTSD Awareness Month

The Hajj, Islam (June 4–9)
Boniface, Bishop of Mainz, missionary to Germany, martyr, died 754 (June 5)
Seattle, chief of the Duwamish Confederacy, died 1866 (June 7)
Vigil of Pentecost (June 7)
Eid al-Adha, Islam (June 7)
Day of Pentecost (June 8)
Columba, died 597; Aidan, died 651; Bede, died 735; renewers of the church (June 9)
Barnabas, Apostle (June 11)
Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea, died 379; Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, died around 385; Gregory of Nazianzus, Bishop of Constantinople, died around 389; Macrina, teacher, died around 379 (June 14)

Prayers from ELCA resources:
A prayer celebrating and giving thanks for gender diversity (ACS p.51)
O God, your divinity transcends distinctions of gender, and through the generations you widen our awareness of human diversity. We gather here before you in our various expressions of gender identity, all of us one in Christ Jesus. Bring our society to peacefulness concerning a wider understanding of gender. Give courage and healing to those who express outwardly the gender they testify as gift from you. Open the church to their witness. We ask that with your creative Spirit you cultivate new relationships, mend old wounds, and nurture communities of respect, for the sake of the one who embraces all persons in love, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

Prayer of the day for Barnabas, Apostle (ELW p. 56):
We praise you, O God, for the life of your faithful servant Barnabas, who, seeking not his own renown but the well-being of your church, gave generously of his life and possessions for the relief of the poor and the spread of the gospel. Grant that we may follow his example and by our actions give glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

The following topical resources are available from resources.elca.org for use in public worship and personal devotion:
Worship resources and prayers in response to wildfires
Worship resources for the crisis in the Holy Land
Worship resources for the Eastern Europe Crisis
Worship resources for and following national elections

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

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

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

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

Greetings, everyone! It is a privilege to introduce Pastors Mack Patrick and Mary Ann Harrison to the ELCA Disability Ministries advisory team. They join me, Chris, Pastor Brian, Anita, and Pastor Peter as we prepare for a great new period in the life of Disability Ministries in the ELCA. Read below for greetings and some background from these wonderful servants of Christ!

Peace,

Rev. Lisa Heffernan

ELCA Disability Ministries, coordinator

 

Pastor Mack Patrick (he/they) is currently serving as Assistant to the Bishop in the Northern Illinois synod, where he oversees communications, stewardship, and youth ministry. With a deep passion for social justice, particularly in advocating for transgender rights and the rights of individuals with disabilities, they strive to bring positive change to their community.

 Known for his love of technology and his curiosity for tinkering with new ideas, Mack combines their technical skills with their pastoral calling, always seeking innovative ways to serve and lead. A natural problem-solver, they are highly motivated and detail-oriented, consistently thinking ahead about the next steps about how we might proclaim the Gospel in new ways. 

Though they may be quiet in nature, Mack’s thoughtful and reflective approach drives their actions and leadership. Their quiet presence is matched by a strong vision for the future, committed to creating a more inclusive and compassionate world. 

Mack currently serves on the board of ReconcilingWorks and Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center in Oregon, IL. They are part of the Welcome Team for Proclaim, a ministry of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. Mack has served on two cycles for The tAble pre-gathering to the ELCA Youth Gathering.

 

Pr. Mary Ann Harrison 

Christ the Shepherd Lutheran Church, Altadena CA

I am a Pastor currently serving in the ELCA with over 35 years of ministry experience. As a person with disabilities, I have first-hand experience of the discrepancies, discrimination, and lack of resources when it comes to including persons like myself.

A wife, mother and grandmother of persons with exceptional needs, I have become a fierce advocate for creating spaces and situations where those with difficulties can be self-sufficient, feel useful, and be seen in places where we are often overlooked or excluded.

An advocate for justice & inclusion, I do what I can to fight for those who have been marginalized. Whether through discrimination of race, religion, ethnicity, culture, or abilities.

I hope to bring my passion for justice, talent, and connections to the advisory team to assist in its work to support those who have been harmed by a world not created with people who have exceptional abilities in mind.

“We said at the beginning of the 2025 Kansas legislative session that we were expecting to bear witness more than passing or stopping particular legislation, and so it turned out,” said Rabbi Moti Rieber, Executive Director of Kansas Interfaith Action (KIFA) in the ELCA-affiliated state public policy office network. This month’s SPPO Spotlight Series entry is a look at some of the ways KIFA bears witness through advocacy. KIFA works with the ELCA Central States Synod and is a strategic partner of the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference of the United Church of Christ (UCC), the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas, and the Mercy & Justice Team of the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church.

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By Rabbi Moti Rieber, Executive Director, Kansas Interfaith Action

On March 10, 2025, around 170 Kansas Interfaith Action (KIFA) supporters gathered at the Kansas Statehouse to learn, advocate and bear moral witness to issues that concern people of faith throughout the state. Highlights of the day included an inclusive and energizing rally, as well as our large group chanting, “Love not hate makes Kansas great!” outside of the legislative chambers. Thanks to the dedicated work of KIFA staff and volunteers, KIFA Day 2025 was our most successful Advocacy Day ever! And thanks to the dedicated KIFA supporters who attended, our presence at the Capitol in Topeka was visible and our voices were clearly heard!

 

During the Legislative Session

KIFA has been actively engaged on several fronts in recent months, working to live out our faith through advocacy and action in the public square. The 2025 Kansas legislative session, which met Jan. 13 through Apr. 11, demanded significant attention and advocacy from KIFA.

Standing Against Anti-Transgender Legislation: A major focus was the fight against discriminatory legislation targeting transgender Kansans. Despite strong opposition from KIFA and our coalition partners, in February the legislature overrode Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s veto on SB 63, a comprehensive ban on gender-affirming care for minors. KIFA opposed this harmful bill and pledged ongoing support to youth and families who will be affected by the legislation. KIFA also actively opposed SB 76, sometimes referenced as the “pronoun bill,” which aimed to restrict the use of students’ preferred names and pronouns in schools. While it passed the Senate, advocacy in coalition with KIFA contributed to the bill not advancing further in the House. HB 2311, a bill which allows foster care placements with people who espouse “religious or moral” objections to LGBTQ+ folks, passed, was vetoed by the governor, then was passed by overriding the veto.

Advocating for Equitable Policies: KIFA engaged on a range of other critical issues. The organization opposed SB 19, seeking expanded vaccine exemptions. In public education, we opposed HB 2136, aiming to increase private school tax credits. The bill passed the House but failed in the Senate. In affordable housing, KIFA fought against HB 2119, which sought to repeal the Affordable Housing Tax Credit, and KIFA supported HB 2074 which would reinstate the Homestead Property Tax Refund for renters. Concerns about the judiciary led KIFA to oppose SCR 1611, a constitutional amendment regarding Supreme Court justice selection that will now appear on the August 2026 ballot. Additionally, KIFA advocated against SB 254, intended to deny in-state tuition to undocumented students. Later in the session, KIFA voiced strong opposition to SB 4, eliminating the grace period for mail ballots, which unfortunately passed over the governor’s veto.

Find a more in-depth End-of-Session Report posted to the KIFA website on Apr. 24.

 

The Witness Doesn’t End

As we move away from the just-concluded legislative session, KIFA’s attention is turning to a couple of really difficult and important issues: immigration and protecting Medicaid at the federal level. We’ll speak more about each of these issues, but briefly: we are part of a coalition working to oppose private-prison company CoreCivic’s attempts to turn their idle facility in Leavenworth into an ICE holding center and will be holding a prayer vigil/protest when a court hearing on the matter is held in May [Editor’s Note: update since written]. We are also part of a federal defense-of-Medicaid coalition working to stave off attempts to slash this vital element of our health care system which protects the neediest.

We also continue our full slate of speaking engagements, KIFA coffeehouses and other on-line meetings. May 27 was the 2025 KIFA Annual Event, which featured Amanda Tyler as keynote. Event promotion read: “We find ourselves in challenging times – perhaps the most challenging many of us have ever known. Yet together, the KIFA community is meeting the moment: showing up at the statehouse, preaching a message of justice from our pulpits, holding our leaders accountable, fighting White Christian Nationalism, and living up to the divine call to protect and advocate for the most vulnerable among us. With your help, and with God’s, KIFA is standing up for our sacred values in the midst of the challenge.”

 

The ELCA Building Resilient Communities (BRC) team invites nominations of adult leaders, ages 18-and-older, to participate in the inaugural Building Resilient Leadership (BRL) cohort.

Over twelve months, BRL participants will grow their public leadership skills while they develop a justice-oriented project in their community, build relationships with a peer mentoring group, and participate in community-organizing skills workshops.

BRL seeks to work with leaders who already demonstrate leadership in their communities on an everyday basis and seek to further develop their ability to accompany their community as it continues to flourish.

If there are any adult leaders in your life who you think would be a good fit for this program, please send them the link to this page. If they indicate a desire and capacity to apply, please nominate them using this form.

Nominations will be accepted through June 16th (please note the expanded deadline). Nominees will then be asked to officially apply, with a due date of July 7^th for that application.

Who is the Building Resilient Communities team?

BRC is the office of the ELCA that represents the three direct service, intersectional justice ministries of the church: ELCA World Hunger, AMMPARO, and Lutheran Disaster Response. We meet human need and enhance human dignity, work to overturn oppression and injustice, and engage members and constituents collaboratively toward the flourishing of human community.

Program Highlights

• Participants will create a project in, with, and for their community. BRL’s goal is to support leaders whose work throughout the program prioritize the stories of their community, is open to people from any identity or background, and increases their community’s power. The project might be a single event or seek to have longevity beyond the 12-month program. Some potential projects might be (but are not limited to):
  • Community-based mutual aid groups
  • Local community spaces (physical or virtual)
  • Safe spaces for marginalized people in a community (physical or virtual)
  • Regular resiliency training for community members
  • Local advocacy dedicated to building power for marginalized members of a community
  • First steps toward creation of local food-hub
  • Most importantly: participants do not need to have a project in mind before they start the BRL program.
• Peer mentoring. In peer mentoring sessions participants will develop their project relationally, alongside other BRL leaders and an assigned mentor. Through reflection and open discussion, colleagues will hold one another accountable for the growth of their project and their leadership skills.
• Participants will attend a monthly workshop series that will inform the growth of their project. Each workshop will feature experts from the ELCA ecosystem, focusing on different aspects of leadership development and community organizing.

BRL leaders benefit from the following:

• Up to $1,000 in seed money to develop a community project.
• Connection to the national, intergenerational network of ELCA justice ministries: ELCA World Hunger, Lutheran Disaster Response, and AMMPARO.
• Tangible, transferrable skills for leadership in career, volunteering, and recreation.
• Deepened relationships with people in their communities.
• New connections with peers passionate about many of the same justice issues as themselves.
• A prestigious addition to their resume.
• The opportunity to shape a growing leadership development program from the ground-up, through participation in this inaugural cohort.

Participants’ Time Commitment:

• Participation at a two-day, in-person orientation at the ELCA World Hunger Leadership Gathering in Columbus, Ohio in September.
• 5 hours/month to attend and prepare for workshops and peer mentoring sessions.
• Any time spent on their community-based justice project. This is up to the participant and depends on the extent of the project. Intensive work on projects will begin around November and continue into the following summer.
• A final celebration and presentation of projects in August.

If you would like to nominate any adults in your life, please do the following:

• First, let them know! When you do be sure to acknowledge and celebrate their leadership. Then, make sure the program is something they can commit to. Their participation in all elements of this program is required. Feel free to send the potential candidate the link to this page. They should also know there is a brief application process for nominees.
• Once you have confirmation that one or more leaders in your life are interested and able to apply, please fill out this form.
• Self-nominations are also welcome.

Questions?

Email Peter McLellan (ELCA Program Director, Hunger Education) at peter.mclellan@elca.org.

Each month ELCA Worship highlights resources from Augsburg Fortress Publishers that support worship leaders, worship planners, musicians, and all who care about the worship of the church. ELCA Worship also features resources from other partners in a monthly blog post.

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Musicians Guide to Evangelical Lutheran Worship

This practical text examines the various styles of music and features specific suggestions for each piece of service music, hymn, and song with the aim of assisting music leaders to enrich meaningful worship.

 

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Praying for the Whole World: A Handbook for Intercessors

In the intercessions, the assembly asks God to respond to the needs of the whole world. Through these petitions, worshipers enact their baptismal calling to intercede for the well-being of all things. In many churches, laypersons prepare the prayers of intercession. In this concise, charming, down-to-earth handbook, Ramshaw proposes seven steps, from Monday through Sunday, to assist your crafting of the prayers of the faithful.

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Weekly Bulletin and Lectionary Insert Service

Our beautifully designed bulletins and inserts take a major preparation task off your plate. With their full color images, range of format options, and automated quarterly delivery, each week’s content can bring added depth and meaning to worship, front to back. Choose your back page format: NRSVue scripture readings, Devotional message based on reading, or blank. Select a lectionary insert: Celebrate or Today’s Readings. Pick your size: Regular or Large. Print your announcements and church information right on the page and you are set! Free month trials available!

To learn more about the process of choosing the art for each bulletin, read this blog post.

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Together by Grace: Bible Conversations

Together by Grace: Bible Conversations is a NEW series that invites participants to gather together, dwell in the stories of the Bible, and engage with the text and one another. With guided conversations and open-ended questions, everyone is invited to share thoughts, experiences, and similarities in these roundtable discussions that approach biblical stories honestly, wrestle with tough questions, and build community. Together by Grace sessions can be led by anyone, regardless of their level of biblical knowledge. Each study’s 8 sessions are flexible in format and length. Participant Guides and Facilitator Guides for the Matthew Romans studies are available for preorder now!

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Summer Music Clinics

Join us this summer for our annual music clinics. This year’s phenomenal clinicians are Jennaya Robison (choral) and Jan Kraybill (organ). Check out our website to read more about these talented practitioners, explore the daily schedule, and register for a clinic in your area!

• July 18–19, Columbia, S.C.
• July 21–22, Columbus, Ohio
• July 24–25, Philadelphia, Pa.
• August 11–12, Twin Cities, Minn.
• August 14–15, Chicago, Ill.

 

Faith Lens is on a summer hiatus until September 2025.

Thank you for being a part of our faithful community of readers!