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.  

Josh Kestner, Clemson, SC

Warm Up Questions

1. How often do you interact with someone who is different from you? For example, how often do you interact with someone from a different neighborhood? Someone from a different school? Someone with a different racial identity or whose primary language is one other than English?
2. Have you ever entered into a new community? Maybe you moved to a new town or started going to a new school or joined a new sports team. How did you feel? What kinds of things made you feel comfortable and welcome? What kinds of things made you feel uneasy and disoriented?

Borders and Walls

Ask anyone what they think about the US-Mexico border and odds are they’ll have an opinion to share. The border is a hot topic and it’s difficult to ignore the conversations that politicians, family members, and strangers are having about it.

There are countless beliefs about what should and should not be legal regarding immigration. And there are differing viewpoints about how to handle the crowds of people who want to become citizens – what the process should be, what to do with them while they wait, how to handle families that are split, etc.

There are no easy answers when it comes to immigration and border policies. The U.S. cannot effectively or sustainably let everyone in, but they also cannot in good faith keep everyone out. The problem with social issues like this one is that humanity often gets lost in the midst of the numbers and logistics.

Our ministry took a recent trip to the border and spent time with a local organization that facilitates programs to support the people who live there. We met folks who call the border towns home and others who are just passing through, hoping to transition from one home to another. The key was that we met actual human beings who are living with the real consequences of current immigration practices and policies.

We were blessed to walk with these strangers who graciously welcomed us into their lives. And for a few days we listened to stories. These were stories not about what should or should not happen, but instead about what is happening in their lives. These stories also included hopes of how the world should respond to properly care for the people who are caught up in the realities of immigration.

Conversations like this usually spiral into hypothetical guesses as to who or what Jesus might have voted for. A more faithful response, though, could be to open ourselves up to curiosity and care. We are called to listen deeply to the stories of the people around us and to build meaningful relationships. Then, we might finally be able to develop policies for things like immigration that are less harmful and more life-giving to the community as a whole.

Discussion Questions

1. What is the general purpose of building a wall (e.g. a wall in the middle of a home)? When are walls useful? When might they have a negative effect? What are the effects that a wall might have at the US-Mexico border?
2. Have you ever met someone from a different country? How did you interact with each other? How did you communicate? What did you do to try to get to know them?
3. Have you ever been to a foreign country? How did you feel when you were there? Did you have to speak a different language? Did you try any new foods? Did you get lost?

Festival of Pentecost

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Psalm 104:24-34, 35b

Acts 2:1-21

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

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

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

Gospel Reflection

The gospel passage for this week is about the presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Jesus’ friends and followers. After Jesus rose from the dead and spent some time with his people in person, he left to be with God. While he was no longer going to be in their midst, he promised that the Spirit would come to provide the same kind of comfort, love, and guidance in their lives that he had given them for so long.

One of the other stories we read this week is from the book of Acts. It is a portrayal of the Holy Spirit showing up in the community on Pentecost. On that day, the Spirit rushed into the room like a mighty wind and appeared like a flame on the heads of the people who were there. Next, they all started to speak. Even though they were speaking different languages, each of them could understand the other.

There are so many things that we could take from the passages this week. One of the things that sticks out is how indiscriminate the Holy Spirit is. The Spirit did not only come to a few of the people in the crowd, but it came to all of them. It didn’t matter whether or not the people were from one region or another. It didn’t matter what language they spoke. It didn’t matter how they dressed or how intelligent they were. It didn’t matter what they looked like. The Holy Spirit showed up and put on a show for them.

This is a message that we can take with us. The very first thing that the Holy Spirit did in the community was tie them together. It did not separate them into groups of bad and good, then better and best. It pulled them together into a group of equals. Everyone had a role. Everyone had a purpose. Everyone had a place.

How empowering is that? Can we let ourselves believe that we, too, have the same kind of role, purpose, and place in the world? Can we feel the different ways that the Spirit is pulling us together instead of tearing us apart?

On this Pentecost, I hope that we can all take a deep breath and allow the Spirit of God to be a part of our lives. Perhaps it’s not as dramatic and spectacular as that day when tongues of fire appeared on the heads of the believers. But we, too, can find ways that the Spirit moves in our lives and guides us to do big things in the world around us.

Discussion Questions

1. The Holy Spirit is often portrayed as a gust of wind or a breath of air. What does that feel like to you? How does that image help you to understand the Spirit’s presence in your life?
2. Who are the people in your life that you trust the most? What makes you comfortable with them? What are the ways that you like others to show you love? How do you show love to others?
3. Are there times in your life that you have found it difficult to know what you should be doing? Are there times when you’ve had a hard time knowing what was right and wrong? How do you make decisions? Do you ever pray or try to notice how the Holy Spirit is moving in your life?

Activity Suggestion

• Do you know any other languages? Look up how to say, “You are loved,” in different languages. Write them on note cards or sticky notes or something portable to the best of your ability (especially if the alphabet is not something that you’re familiar with). Carry these with you and spread them around your church building or outside in the nearby neighborhood. Perhaps someone will come across these words and be curious enough to look up what they say.
  • The point of the story today is that God’s people are not uniform. We come from different backgrounds, we subscribe to different cultures, and we speak different languages. This activity can be a good reminder to us that children of God are beautiful and diverse. It can also be a simple way to stretch outside of our familiar lives and routines and take a step towards our neighbors in a meaningful way.

Closing Prayer

God, surround us with your love and fill us with the courage and confidence to share that love with one another. Open our hands and our hearts to truly attend to the needs of our neighbors. And empower us by your Spirit to broaden the boundaries of our communities to include all of your children. Amen.

Issue 93 of Administration Matters

Victim of embezzlement? Do you know how to proceed?

It is important to know what to do when your synod or congregation experiences embezzlement. Being prepared in some way will help you deal with a situation as difficult as this one. >More

Billions of federal dollars available for churches and nonprofits to go green

The Renew America’s Nonprofits grant aims to stimulate widespread energy improvements in the nonprofit sector to create a pipeline of energy- and cost-saving projects that will continue beyond the life of the grant. All applicants must have an active SAM.gov and Grants.gov registration in order to apply for a grant under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. You should register in these systems now if you think your congregation/organization may apply for a federal grant. >More

The warning signs of a mental health issue

According to a November 2022 blog post from Columbia Theological Seminary, the warning signs of a mental health issue include eating or sleeping too much or not enough, isolating oneself, having no joy in life or work, feeling helpless or hopeless, and increased or new alcohol or drug use. The top three things that improve pastors’ mental health are taking a sabbatical, joining a prayer or support group, and getting counseling, the post states.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Portico Benefit Services urges members to make use of their ELCA-Primary mental health benefits and support programs. The support programs include 24/7 counseling with a licensed Employee Assistance Program (EAP) counselor via voice, text or video; Learn to Live, which provides coach-supported, self-paced and interactive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) programs; and Being Academy, which offers faith-based education on mental health and other topics.

Guidelines for purchasing insurance

The ELCA endorses Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I., but this resource can help you understand and evaluate quotes for insurance coverage. >More

How to write a vision, mission and values statement

Creating a mission, vision and values statement provides the foundation for an organization’s business practices and decision-making. It gives a long-term view of what the organization wants to achieve and where it wants to be in the future, providing a sense of purpose and direction. >More

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.

Lutheran Summer Music Academy and Festival

Transforming and connecting lives through faith and music since 1981.

It’s not too late to join Lutheran Summer Music 2024!

We’re looking forward to an incredible year at LSM, and we’ve been able to add extra spots for this summer! Final openings are available for the four-week Full Session (June 30-July 28) for students in grades 8-12 who play clarinet, flute, horn, oboe, trumpet, euphonium, violin, or string bass. Contact LSM Admissions for questions or to refer students: admissions@lutheransummermusic.org. For more information or to apply, visit LSMacademy.org.

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.

 Join us on the campus of Valparaiso University and the beautiful Chapel of the Resurrection as we Ponder Anew how to communicate God’s saving grace to all peoples in meaningful, relevant ways. Through workshops, discussions, worship, and hands-on learning opportunities, we invite you to strengthen your gifts and develop new skills in topics such as worship leadership, technology, composition, enriching assembly song and more, all the while forming connections from Generation to Generation with young musicians attending the Lutheran Summer Music Academy (LSM).

Cannot be in Valparaiso for the conference? Live Streaming Virtual Registration Now Available!

Additional information about the conference, including pricing, scholarships, and accommodations, is available on the ALCM website.

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

An interdisciplinary study and ministry center that promotes the scholarly study of the theology, history, and practice of Christian worship and the renewal of worship in worshiping communities across North America and beyond.

The Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grants Program at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship is designed to foster, strengthen and sustain well-grounded worship in congregations Grants to worshiping communities stimulate thoughtful and energetic work that will result in worship services that exhibit renewed creativity, theological integrity, and relevance. Learn more about Worshiping Communities Grants. The next deadline for proposals is June 15.

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.

MMC is delighted to share a number of upcoming workshops and events,

Upcoming in-person workshops!

• Friday, May 31: 1-Day Community Singing Workshop in Kearney, Nebraska connected to Nebraska’s synod assembly.
• Saturday, July 13: 1-Day Community Singing Workshop in Atlanta, Georgia right before The Hymn Society conference.
• Many local practice groups and community sings are meeting monthly! Check out when Albuquerque, Chicago, Brownsburg (IN), Ellensburg (WA), and Minneapolis-St. Paul and more are meeting here!

Virtual gatherings: Monday Morning Grounding is a virtual point of connection and reflection for clergy and musicians. The current session continues until May 20, 2024. Register for the Zoom link!

Augsburg Fortress Events and Resources

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

We Rise Higher: Poems and Prayers for Graduates

We Rise Higher: Poems and Prayers for Graduates supports youth as they celebrate, commemorate, and reflect on graduating high school and moving on to the next phase of life. A perfect gift for congregations to give in recognition of their high school grads!

Unscheduled Grace: 40 Reflections and Prayers for College Students

Unscheduled Grace: 40 Reflection is a collection of devotions and prayers. This book can accompany students through the changes, challenges, and joys of college living, including homework, relationships, stress, vocation, and more. Through all its entries, the authors assure readers that no matter what they face, their lives are blessed by the unscheduled grace of God. Authors Matt Marohl and Katie Fick are campus pastors at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

Confirmation Certificates

Celebrate and honor your congregation’s confirmands with these beautiful certificates. This new certificate highlights the role of the worshiping community in acknowledging a passage in an individual’s life of faith. They also are available in Spanish. 

Save the Date 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! Registration information is still forthcoming, but now is the time to save the date:
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.

Sami Johnson, Jacksonville, NC

Warm-up Questions

Name a way that God blessed you this past week.

We’ll See

If you have a preschool aged child in your household, then it’s likely you’ve watched the recently-released episode of Bluey called “The Sign.” In the first week of its release, it was viewed 10.4 million times! Without giving too much away, the episode begins with all of the children in Bluey’s class hearing their teacher, Calypso, read a Taoist parable called “The Farmer.”

In this parable, a series of events happen to the Farmer. While the farmer’s neighbors comment on everything that happens by saying how lucky or unlucky he is, the farmer replies with only, “We’ll see.”

Most of us are like the neighbors in the parable. On the one hand, when good things happen to us, we are happy and we tend to accept them without questioning them. On the other hand, when bad things happen to us, we get angry, frustrated, or sad and we try to figure out why this thing happened. Was it our fault or someone else’s fault? We try to figure out how to make it better.

Discussion Questions

• Do you agree that people question things more when things go badly than when things go the way they hope?
• What impact does the way we perceive the good and bad things that happen to us have on how we think God works in the world?

Reflection

In our reading today, it seems that Matthias won the divine election as the 12^th apostle. It appears that God looked on his heart (Acts 1:24) and saw that Matthias was the chosen one. I imagine he was happy about how that turned out.

But what about Barnabas. How did he feel about how things went? Was he disappointed? Jealous? Did he question his worth? Or did he handle it more like the farmer? It’s impossible to know, but we can wonder.

Being passed over for something can be hard to cope with. Whether it’s a job, a part in the musical, a college application, or a spot on the team, being passed over feels like the end of something once hoped for. We might take some time to grieve that loss before finding a way to move on.

Did Barnabas have to take some time to cope with his disappointment? Did Barnabas confide in one of the other disciples about how he felt? Did he stay with the disciples or did he walk away, seeing his gifts weren’t needed?

While there’s no way to know how Barnabas felt, we do have the benefit of knowing the rest of the story. In Acts 15:22-39 we learn that Barnabas had a key role with Paul in sharing with the people of Antioch the good news that all are welcome in Christ’s church. While he was not chosen by lot to replace Judas as the 12^thapostle, his gifts were needed for this vital work for the sake of the world.

Discussion Questions

• How does looking back impact how we see God’s blessings in our lives?
• How can the benefit of knowing the story of God’s faithfulness in the past impact how we deal with disappointment and loss in the future?
• How can you be faithful to Jesus’s call to follow him right now, where you are?

Activity

1. Think of a story in your life that you’ve viewed as a loss or disappointment and rewrite it from God’s perspective, considering the good that might have come from it, or the good that you hope might come from it in the future.
2. Check in on someone you know who has experienced a recent loss or disappointment and tell them you are thinking about them and that you’re praying for them.
3. Make “thinking of you” cards for the grief group in your congregation or for someone you know who has lost someone in the last year.

Closing Prayer

O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord: Amen.

(This prayer, “The Call of Abraham,” was written by Eric Milner-White and published in 1941.)