Catalyst Question

What’s something old that you’ve noticed becoming popular again? How does that make you feel?

Something Old and Something New

There’s an old English rhyme that goes, “something old and something new, something borrowed and something blue, and a sixpence in your shoe.” It describes a tradition for brides to wear something of each category on their wedding day. To this day, many weddings include parts of the tradition, though finding a sixpence is much more difficult in the 21st century.

Only a month into the new year, there’s much in the news that appears both old and new all at the same time. The 45th president is now the 47th president. Multiple countries and companies are preparing for space travel, with hopes to return people to the moon within just a few years. Even flare leg jeans are back in style.

In Sunday’s Gospel reading from Luke 4:14-21, Jesus reads a few verses from Isaiah that declare “the year of the Lord’s favor.” This sounds new and exciting! Yet, it comes from a prophet from hundreds of years before. It’s an ancient promise that’s reaffirmed for present listeners. In that way, it is both old and new.

Many people become obsessed with new things. Perhaps this is because they believe new things will lead to different results. What’s odd about that is that, to use biblical language, there’s almost nothing new under the sun. What feels new to some is quite old to others.

But with Jesus, it is still very different from the old and new that we see in politics, in science, or in style. Why is that? Because, in Jesus, the promise fulfilled. What’s old is made new in Jesus in ways that no politician, scientist, or influencer can match. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us, and it is only God’s newness that brings forgiveness of sin and abundant life. Jesus is so much more than an old trend returning. We owe ultimate allegiance not to political offices, scientific advancements, or cultural trends. We owe it the one in whom all things are always being made new, the only one who keeps all promises: Jesus.

Ask Yourself

What are the things–or who are the people–that ask for your ultimate allegiance in ways that draw your devotion away from Jesus?

Ask a Friend

What are the ways that Jesus has brought renewal into your life? 

 

 

by Sagi Rudnick, Kansas Interfaith Action [About the Author]

I am a Jewish progressive young adult who immigrated to the United States from the Holy Land as a child. Since my teenage years, I have felt a particular draw to political activism as a path for goodness to prevail. I also knew from that point that I wanted to build my career around that path. Since then, I have been fortunate to be able to lend my talents to a variety of causes.

Last summer, about a year after graduating from undergrad, I found myself looking for an opportunity where I could grow professionally as well as spiritually. That’s when I learned of the ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellowship with Kansas Interfaith Action (KIFA) on social media, and I knew this was a unique opportunity that I wanted. What drew me was the emphasis on being rooted in the values that drive us to champion the common good, and equally, the encouragement of my personal spiritual development.

At the core of my ongoing personal passion, and my philosophy regarding the theory of change, is the juxtaposition of two realities: the whole community is greater than the sum total of its individuals, and every person is a whole world unto themselves. This interplay is explored and celebrated in numerous elements of Jewish tradition, as well as other faith traditions. In this reflection, I seek to lay out the importance of both realities in tandem as a path for collective liberation and dignity for all of God’s creation.

 

ONE OF VALUE

While celebrating the power of the common good, it is important as well to hold space and reconcile the fact that on some days, in the face of great adversity, community activism for the common good can feel truly futile. Looking to the Tanach, aka the Hebrew Bible, I find that the Book of Ecclesiastes provides apt inspiration in this regard. This text, traditionally read during the Jewish fall holiday of Sukkot, aka the Festival of Booths, takes a hard look at our temporary existence, authentically recognizing our mortality and at the same time empowering us to make the most of our lives, precisely because our time on this Earth is limited.

The labor of each and every child of God, in moving us all towards a more equitable world, renders each of us as valuable as the whole world. Piecemeal progress cannot be discounted. Indeed, “Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 4:6).

 

TWO STRONGER THAN ONE

With that being said, to achieve positive change on a macro level, it is imperative to work beyond the individual level, and to build a better world harnessing diverse stakeholders to achieve results for the common good.

I do my best to live this out in my own activism, which has included lobbying for hundreds of millions in public dollars for public universities and working with faith communities and organized labor to raise the minimum wage and enact paid sick leave. I also recognize that I have a lifetime of learning from fellow activists, who all bring unique experiences and contexts to the table. Indeed, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-11).

 

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

As a child, I remember being struck by the reality of how easy it is to snap a single wood pencil or two into pieces, but how three or more pencils together were impossible to break, and remained unified. To truly achieve common good in and for the community, it is critical not only to work with a fellow activist, but to scale up and use our collective labor in broad, diverse coalitions.

There is great strength in numbers paired with authentic community organizing. Indeed, “And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken!” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

 

THE WHOLE EQUATION

At the end of the day, for me, it comes down to the following. In 50 years, when our grandchildren ask us how we made the most of life, what will we say to them? Did we harness our individual God given gifts? Did we work in solidarity to strengthen the fabric of our society? Did we do our best to achieve liberation for all of God’s creation?

 

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sagi Rudnick (he/him) is a political organizer, strategist, and activist with over half a decade of experience fostering community in Kansas and Missouri with over a dozen campaigns and organizations. Rudnick graduated with Honors from the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 2023 with Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Professional Communications, and a Minor in International Studies.

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

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: January 2025

CONTINUING RESOLUTION IMPACTS | COP29 CONCLUDES | PREVENTING ARMS SALES TO SUDAN | H.R.9495 AND NONPROFIT TAX-EXEMPTION | FY25 BUDGET AND THE HOMELAND SECURITY BILL

 

CONTINUING RESOLUTION IMPACTS: In December 2024, Congress passed a three-month Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government temporarily funded through March 14, 2025, while additionally providing about $110 billion in emergency disaster relief and farm aid. The measure also extended the lapsed authorization of the Farm Bill through Sept. 30, 2025. Lawmakers will be working to address at the end of January an expiring debt ceiling limit, while needing to quickly pivot to resolve the federal budget under new Republican majorities in the House and Senate.

Why It Matters to the ELCA

Within the budget, housing and homeless advocates are concerned that continued flat-level funding for Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs after many CR delays will start to put constraints on critical affordability and shelter programs, which are seeing increased housing costs and need extra funding to renew existing efforts. Federal agencies may soon need to stop renewing some vouchers and shelter contracts each week if a full budget isn’t reached – which could impact our wider ministries active in serving those of us who are displaced and in need of a home.

Many of our congregants and churches, and neighbors we serve, are dependent on the critical policies passed in the Farm Bill – including clarity on agriculture policy, farm disaster relief, rural development and support for emergency food assistance such as SNAP. Continued delays and lack of certainty could pose critical challenges to our communities, especially for those of us jeopardized by absence of clear policy and support.

What’s Next

The ELCA has an active Action Alert urging Congress to support critically underfunded housing and homeless programs, and is working with relevant lawmakers to ensure a disaster supplemental is passed for people displaced by recent hurricanes. As activity on the Farm Bill moves to the 119th Congress, look to the ELCA Farm Bill Updates page on the ELCA Advocacy Blog as our advocacy staff monitors developments.

 

COP29 CONCLUDES: After two weeks of negotiations in Baku, Azerbaijan, during the UN Climate Summit (COP29), world leaders reached agreement about an updated commitment to deliver urgently needed climate finance to developing countries for greenhouse gas mitigation and climate adaptation and resilience. ELCA leaders in-person and virtually participated in a faith delegation. COP29 output also included agreement on the final structural elements of the Paris Agreement provisions concerning carbon markets (Article 6). On finance, negotiators adopted language that requires developed countries to contribute $300 billion each year by 2035 for climate action in the developing world, and at the same time for all countries to work together to scale up financing from all sources to $1.3 trillion per year by that same date.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

The ELCA staff members present at COP29 engaged across governments, the United Nations and alongside other faith communities to call for increased climate action. The faith community had a strong presence at COP29 in several ways: hosting a Faith Pavilion, official UN side events and some demonstrations to highlight the call to action. There was collaboration between the faith community and the negotiators that highlighted the importance of the faith voice and presence here considering reluctance from countries toward taking action.

What’s Next:

The outlook for continued U.S. federal participation in international climate action looks bleak, but states and local governments in attendance were clear and steadfast in their commitment to continue delivering on the goals of the Paris Agreement using all means available to them. The private sector was also fully engaged and made similar statements about climate action not being solely, or even primarily, determined by how the next U.S. administration proceeds.

 

PREVENTING ARMS SALES TO SUDAN: Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) has introduced legislation and a joint resolution of disapproval in response to the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) material support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The joint resolution of disapproval (S.J. Res.118) is a companion to legislation (H.R.8501) already introduced by Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Africa. Jacobs’ bill would prohibit U.S. arms sales to the UAE until the Biden administration can certify that the UAE is no longer providing material support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan. The Joint Resolution of Disapproval would block a specific $1.2 billion arms sale to the UAE due to its role in arming the RSF.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

Commitment to peacemaking “in all times and places” is a core Lutheran value expressed in For Peace in God’s World (p. 1). In April 2023, fighting between rival Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary RSF erupted, resulting in the displacement of more than 11 million people. Successive U.S.-led peace negotiations have failed to stop the ongoing war. There have been multiple reports indicating that the UAE is providing weapons to the paramilitary group RSF. The war has led to catastrophic humanitarian crisis, leaving half of the Sudanese population in need of humanitarian assistance and protection.

What’s Next:

Sen. Van Hollen and Rep. Jacobs are seeking additional co-sponsors of the bills to generate support for it in Congress. Advocacy staff will work to generate congressional support and push for change of U.S. policy that turns a blind eye to the flow of weapons from abroad into Sudan.

 

H.R.9495 AND NONPROFIT TAX-EXEMPTION: On Nov. 21, H.R.9495, the “Stop Terror Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act” passed in the House of Representatives. H.R.9495 would give the secretary of the Treasury unilateral power to designate nonprofits as suspected “Terrorist Supporting Organizations,” taking away their tax-exempt status unless they are able to prove they are not terrorist supporting. Originally on Nov. 12 this bill had been brought to the floor of the House under a different set of rules requiring a two-thirds majority but failed. The vote on Nov. 21 required only a simple majority. ELCA advocacy staff along with numerous other non-profit organizations have forcefully advocated against the passage of this bill which is seen as extremely dangerous to any organization with non-profit status.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

Due to the ELCA’s non-profit status and its work and relationships in the Middle East, and specifically with the Palestinian community, the passage of this bill in the House is extremely concerning. It is concerning to give unilateral authority to the IRS, which carries out the responsibilities of the secretary of the Treasury, to be able to strip a non-profit of its legal status without due process or providing clear evidence of material support to terrorism. Such legal authority could easily be misused for political and/or ideological reasons.

What’s Next:

This bill will likely be brought up in the Senate of the 119th Congress in January/February 2025. Our ELCA advocacy staff will continue to build and work with a faith-based coalition to push against this bill’s passage.

 

FY25 BUDGET AND THE HOMELAND SECURITY BILL: In mid-November, Senate Democrats released the FY25 Homeland Security bill. This bill is one of the most polarizing in Congress, touching on border security, immigration, disaster funding and more. The released bill includes funding to Custom and Border Protection’s (CBP) Shelter and Service Program and immigration backlog reduction, and an increase in overall funding for CBP detection and border security.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

Decisions around the budget have a profound impact on policy. The ELCA supports a generous policy of welcome for refugees and immigrants. Providing these important resources through the budget make our system fairer and more efficient, for those currently navigating it such as DACA, TPS, permanent residents, temporary workers and others as well as people are arriving to seek safety in the United States such as refugees and asylum-seekers.

What’s Next:

Action is still needed to pass robust funding in migration related federal accounts. This includes the Homeland Security bill, but also Health and Human Services and State and Foreign Operations. An Action Alert has been recently updated, encouraging constituents to voice their support for robust funding in 2025.

 

---

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 .

 

Catalyst Question

Share about a time when someone stepped in to help you face a sudden, unexpected problem.

An Urgent Answer

As wildfires continue to threaten countless people in Los Angeles, community organizations are stepping up to help. Some provide food and shelter to the newly houseless. Others assist pets separated from families in the rush to find safety. All God’s creatures, great and small, need support in times of tragedy like these. And God shows up in all sorts of ways, through local organizations like those above and through international efforts like our own Lutheran Disaster Response.

In Sunday’s reading from John 2:1-12, a very different sort of urgent need appears. It is certainly not life or death to run out of wine at a wedding reception. The only thing at risk, it seems, is the social standing of the party thrower, whose lack of resources just might disappoint the party goers.

And still Jesus steps in. Without fanfare, Jesus preserves the relationships of the attendees with the bridegroom by ensuring there’s wine to spare. Not only does Jesus turn water into wine, but into excellent wine. When Jesus offers help, even in relatively minor situations, it’s not simply adequate. It’s extravagant, extending from great to small.

These are certainly different situations, natural disasters and party supplies. Still, in the times of urgent need, God steps in because God cares about us. As followers of Christ, so too we are called to step in. Perhaps this is through a gift to Lutheran Disaster Response’s efforts to immediately address the crisis. Perhaps it’s by providing housing to someone displaced by the fires until they’re able to return home. Certainly it’s through prayer. The example of Jesus is clear: when a crisis arises, Christians are called to provide relief.

Ask Yourself

What are some different ways you could intervene to provide relief to wildfire victims or others experiencing an urgent need? Pray and ask God for the wisdom to respond faithfully.

Ask a Friend

Who is someone that provided relief to you in a time of crisis, whether minor or major? How did they show Christ to you through their support?

by Joey Chin, Hunger Advocacy Fellow – ELCA Advocacy Communications [About the Author]

A remarkably powerful windstorm known as a bomb cyclone devastated parts of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California about a week before Thanksgiving this past year. As I saw videos on the news of trees falling and power lines collapsing in the area I call home, I contacted family and friends to see if they were safe. Many people I knew were without power for almost a week but thankfully did not experience anything worse. Nevertheless, many homes, families and communities had to contend with the irreversible damage of the powerful storm.

Hearing about this weather-related event drew my thoughts to a passage in Isaiah [43:1-3].

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

In the book of Isaiah, the prophet mentions such storms when writing about the rivers, waters and flames of life. For individuals in our communities and across the globe, these storms are not metaphorical troubles but literal disasters. For the region I grew up in, the bomb cyclone was just one of many unexpected weather-related incidents that have occurred over the last few years.

 

PROMISES IN STORMS

Isaiah offers us a guide for how to approach these issues as people informed and guided by faith. To begin, Isaiah names that there are waters, rivers and flames to pass through. We cannot confront the most pressing problems of our time if we fail to acknowledge they exist.

Secondly, Isaiah says that as we enter into a season of taking on such challenges, God will be with us. This is a promise that should ground our work and keep us rooted in an abiding ethic of love and justice. It is a promise that provides comfort and hope while propelling us into meaningful action and change-making.

 

EXPERIENCES AND VALUES SHARED WITH ELECTED LEADERS

Two weeks after the bomb cyclone subsided, a group of young adults taking part in an ELCA organized climate summit visited a series of federal congressional offices to discuss the importance of addressing climate change. I had the privilege of getting to sit in at one of the meetings with a staffer from Washington state. During our time together, a few of us discussed the recent effects of the cyclone. The staffer asked how our families were doing and listened to us describe the ways in which climate change has affected our local and global communities. Everyone shared their invaluable insights, and we ended the meeting in prayer.

The experience was incredibly refreshing as I watched the foundation for further work being built and established by young adult activists of faith.

 

SEEKING THE COMMON GOOD FOR COMMUNITIES

Last month as I flew home to Seattle to be with family for the holidays, I looked out the window of my plane amazed at the vast ocean of greenery covering the sacred ground we call home. As we enter into a new year with new changes, may we consider how our advocacy can contribute to the common good of our communities while remaining firmly rooted in the promise of a God who is with us always.

 

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joey Chin (he/him) is the Hunger Advocacy Fellow – Advocacy Communications with the ELCA advocacy staff in Washington, D.C. He grew up in the greater Seattle area and earned a degree from The University of Washington in communication and political science. Most recently Chin began pursuing Master of Divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

STATUS ON CAPITOL HILL | ACTION ALERTS | RESOURCES AND WEBINARS | OUR COLLECTIVE VOICE

The Farm Bill, which guides much of U.S. agriculture, rural and food policy, is currently being debated in Congress. The ELCA urges Congress to pass a 2024 Farm Bill that promotes:

• food for hungry neighbors at home and abroad,
• healthy rural and farming communities,
• inclusion of people of all backgrounds,
• care of creation to feed future generations

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.

Our social statements call for policies that provide adequate nutrition for all and create livelihood opportunities that are genuinely sustainable. We urge lawmakers to pass a 2024 Farm Bill that reflects these faith-based values.

 

---

Status on Capitol Hill

---

Action Alerts

UPDATE 1/15/25 – As the 119th Congress begins their work, Action Alert opportunities will be assessed to help you express your priorities to lawmakers as this vital bill advances. It is critical that lawmakers hear from us.

Future Farm Bill Action Alerts will be added to this page – but you can be notified directly by signing up for the ELCA Advocacy Network. New Action Alerts and monthly updates are sent to the network, which you sign up for here.

 

---

Resources & Webinars

From the ELCA Witness in Society advocacy team

ELCA advocacy has produced resources stemming from ELCA Farm Bill Listening Sessions held last year.

Farm Bill Leave Behind – This summation of themes heard in listening sessions groups important priorities. Our ELCA advocacy staff has been sharing this with lawmakers, and you can too.

• It reads in part: “We heard from hundreds of Lutherans across the country who asked that their voices reach policy makers in the farm bill reauthorization process. Members brought their vocational, ministerial and civic experiences from varied parts of this country to ELCA listening sessions. They emphasized their deep concern for neighbors at home and abroad — especially the most vulnerable — and for faithful stewardship of God’s good creation.“

Farm Bill Reauthorization – Invitation to Action – At the request of state partners, this overview of the Farm Bill and template letter was prepared and can be used in various settings.

From other sources

• WEBINAR | Why is the Farm Bill Important to Us?
  • Thu. June 13, 6-7:30 p.m. PT
  • Presented by Faith Action Network, an ELCA-affiliated state public policy office in Washington state, with the ELCA.
  • This presentation was recorded and uploaded to YouTube, where it can be viewed in its entirety at this link.

 

---

Our Collective Voice

By raising our collective voice, we can help enact a more just Farm Bill that leaves no one hungry. In your location and federally, let’s act boldly to end hunger and poverty in our time and ensuring healthy creation to feed future generations.

Here are some other ideas for making your voice heard.

• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper on the importance of anti-hunger and pro-farmer policies in the Farm Bill.
• Attend town halls or public events this August Recess with your members of Congress to ask questions about their Farm Bill priorities.
• Pray for those experiencing hunger and for our elected officials to have wisdom and compassion.

 

Issue 97 of Administration Matters

New opportunities for congregations to invest in clean energy

With the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, congregations and ministries have an opportunity to receive reimbursements for clean-energy projects through the Direct Pay Program. The Mission Investment Fund and ELCA Federal Credit Union offer financing options to help get these projects started. Rebates and grants are available to offset the cost of solar panels and other sustainability initiatives. To learn more about how your ministry can take advantage of this opportunity, visit www.mif.elca.org/solar.

 

Welcoming Chris Johnson as Portico’s president and CEO

Chris Johnson began his tenure as Portico’s president and CEO in October. You can find Chris’ video greeting on Portico’s social media channels — including its new Instagram page — or watch it directly here.

 

Are you ready for Roth?

If any of your employees selected Roth after-tax contributions to their ELCA retirement plan during Portico’s annual enrollment, you need to make sure that your payroll vendor or internal payroll personnel are ready to handle withholding and remittance, starting with the first pay period in January. The Payroll Withholding Summary on EmployerLink can help you determine how much to withhold from your employees’ paychecks for Roth contributions, supplemental life insurance and other voluntary benefit elections.

 

IRS issues standard mileage rates for 2025

In December, the Internal Revenue Service issued 2025 optional standard mileage rates, used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Beginning Jan. 1, standard mileage rates for use of a car (also for vans, pickups or panel trucks) are:

• 70 cents per mile driven for business use, up 3 cents from 2024.
• 21 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes for qualified active-duty members of the armed forces, unchanged from 2024.
• 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations; the rate is set by statute and remains unchanged from 2024.

These rates apply to electric and hybrid-electric automobiles as well as gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles. >More

 

Ten tips to help your church go green

Creation care: God declares all creation good, and we are called to be its caretakers. There are so many actions that any individual or church can take to defend God’s creation that it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. These resources are not intended to be a comprehensive checklist but rather a tool to begin the process of thinking about what actions you and your church can take in keeping our planet green, clean and sustainable for all. >More

Note: This is an update to the November 2020 post “When Trust Is Broken: A Response to Allegations against Musician David Haas.”

When planning worship, pastors and musicians make important decisions about what their assembly will sing. What is sung is both an expression of the writer/composer and an act of faith by the singer. What we sing is linked to our memories and understanding of who God is and who we are as children of God.

For that reason, navigating choices become especially difficult when the composer or writer has been suspected of or accused of abuse. See the helpful article, “Hymns by Abusers, Cancel Culture, and Pastoral Responsibility” from the Center for Congregational Song.

In 2020, musician David Haas was accused of sexual misconduct by several women spanning many years. Although Haas is not a member of an ELCA congregation, Evangelical Lutheran Worship includes four hymns by him: “Blest Are They” (ELW 728), “Now We Remain” (ELW 500), “We Are Called” (ELW 720), and “You Are Mine” (ELW 581). Several institutions have requested congregations to no longer sing works by Haas pending an investigation. Those who plan worship in the ELCA are strongly encouraged to discontinue use of these hymns and other compositions in worship. Both the ELCA and Augsburg Fortress have taken steps to discontinue suggesting hymns by Haas in worship planning resources for this church and to amend existing resources currently available online. The ELCA and Augsburg Fortress Publishers have no plans to include his works in future resources and publications. The ELCA and Augsburg Fortress Publishers do not tolerate sexual misconduct or abuse.

Some have also raised concern regarding composer Cesáreo Gabaráin (ELW 817) and several hymns included in Libro de Liturgia y Cántico (LLC)). Gabaráin died in 1991 before allegations of abuse against him became public. His publisher in the United States, Oregon Catholic Press (OCP) released an updated statement on these allegations in November 2024. The update noted that OCP is reinstating Gabaráin’s music in their catalog because their investigation did not find credibility in the accusations. However, due to concern, you will not find his hymns suggested in Sundays and Seasons at this time. Those who plan worship in the ELCA may want to consider not including hymns by Gabaráin.

This church believes that God’s intention, revealed through the Scriptures, is for all of creation to flourish (Faith, Sexism, and Justice, p. 14). As the ELCA Social Message on “Gender-based Violence” declares, “God calls us to love. Gender-based violence is not love…. Simply stated, gender-based violence in all its forms is a sinful rebellion against the triune God and a rejection of God’s good work in this world” (p. 6). All forms of violence interfere with God’s beloved creatures flourishing. And when people abuse power and authority to break trust, they must be held accountable (“Gender-based Violence,” pp. 1-3, 6-7). This is particularly important when the people with power and authority serve in the church (Human Sexuality, p. 35).

Although these particular circumstances do not directly involve the ELCA, we as a church know we participate in the sin of gender-based violence. Through our own teaching documents, we have declared,

As a church of Jesus Christ, we deplore this suffering and we confess our collective and individual complicities in this violence in both church and society. The complex factors that contribute to the prevalence of this sin are deeply woven into society and into individual lives. As a member of Christ’s body, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) shares in the brokenness and judgment brought on by gender-based violence. This church’s members are survivors, perpetrators and bystanders. (“Gender-based Violence,” pp. 2-3).

As you plan music for worship in your context, we encourage decisions that uphold God’s call to love the neighbor, especially those who have been harmed by gender-based violence. The ELCA resource, Principles for Worship, states that “assembly song forms memory and nurtures faith” and that “planning for worship calls for careful attention to the people’s memory” (Principle M-5; Application M-5C). When we become aware of songs that have positive associations for some are associated with painful memories and deep trauma for others, our concern for any who have been traumatized must be the church’s first priority. As noted in a recent document by the Mennonite church,

For survivors, singing a song of a known abuser can cause the traumatic harm of sexual violence to viscerally rush in. This is especially true when the abuser is alive or recently deceased. When people directly injured by the abuser’s violence experience a song as inseparable from its source, communities of faith cannot claim to make such a separation without doing harm to survivors.
Show Strength: How to Respond When Worship Materials Are Implicated in Abuse.

The same document outlines specific steps in a survivor-centered response and provides suggestions for how to address this issue in your community. While certainly challenging, we cannot shy away from these difficult conversations and turn from our responsibility to show solidarity with those who are abused.

As a church, the ELCA continues to learn, to act, and to trust God’s promise of presence, forgiveness, and guidance. As church together, we are always being made new to serve the neighbor in love, to end gender-based violence. To spread the word about this love for neighbor, join the World Council of Churches in Christ #ThursdaysinBlack, a global ecumenical campaign to prevent and end gender-based violence.

Anyone with knowledge of sexual misconduct or abuse in the ELCA should report it to their synod or to ELCA Safe Place. If the misconduct or abuse relates to children, it should be reported immediately to law enforcement.

 

Additional Resources

• Hymns by Abusers, Cancel Culture, and Pastoral Responsibility. This blog post was written by Brian Hehn, Director of the Center for Congregational Song
• Report from Into Account
• Gender-based Violence, ELCA Social Message adopted by Church Council in 2015
• Faith, Sexism, and Justice: A Call to Action, ELCA Social Statement adopted by the 2019 Churchwide Assembly
• Lowe, Mary Elise and Mary Streufert. ReEngaging ELCA Social Teaching on Faith, Sexism, and Justice (Augsburg Fortress, forthcoming in 2025).
• Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust, ELCA Social Statement adopted by the 2009 Churchwide Assembly
• #ThursdaysinBlack, a global ecumenical campaign to prevent and end gender-based violence.
• Research conducted at the 45^th Anniversary of the Ordination of Women includes rates of sexual and gender-based harassment and violence.
• ELCA Principles for Worship
• ELCA Safe Place to report misconduct
• Lutheran World Federation 2017 Assembly resolution for every member church to work within their church to address gender-based violence
• Show Strength: How to Respond When Worship Materials Are Implicated in Abuse, This resource from the Mennonite church offers a survivor-centered perspective on how individuals and communities of faith can respond when it is discovered that beloved songs and prayers were written by a person who has perpetrated sexual violence.

 

Catalyst Question

What do you remember of your baptism, if anything? If you aren’t baptized, or if you don’t remember yours, then share a memory of a baptism you witnessed. 

The Baptized Life

This week is President Jimmy Carter’s funeral. As people share memories, you might notice that many reflect not only on his presidency, but on what he did with life after he completed his only term as the leader of the United States of America.

There’s lots of reasons for that. Chief amongst them is that, after he left the White House, President Carter committed to continued service. This happened in his local Georgia church where he served as a Sunday school teacher. His influence helped to kickstart the housing movement that became Habitat for Humanity. He worked globally to reduce poverty and locally to inspire people of faith to live out Jesus’ compassion.

Political junkies might also know that President Carter’s single term was controversial. People remember economic turmoil at home and the the Iran-Contra Affair abroad. Fortunately, like any baptized child of God, President Carter knew two things. First, no one is perfect. Whether due to mistakes in his leadership or powers beyond his control, President Carter admitted his limitations. Second, he knew that mistakes don’t need to end your influence, even if they bring a change in the way(s) that you serve.

That’s the baptized life. We, who are not perfect, live in light of Christ’s perfection. We, who cannot save ourselves or everyone else, are saved by the grace of God.

This week, as we celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord, we read about the baptism of the only one perfect among us, Jesus (Luke 3:15-17, 21-22). Jesus submits to baptism as a sign that God, in becoming human, also accepted limitation. All of us who follow him in baptism, join in that miraculous life, death, and resurrection. Our human limitations and our sinfulness alike are not the end of our story because, in Christ, we live resurrection life.

President Carter’s legacy reminds us that, long before death, Christ invites us to participate in resurrection life. It also reminds us that, even if we don’t remember our own baptisms, we are living our baptism every day as we emulate Jesus in word and deed. May we live that life today and every day, until death comes, when we will join in that final promise of everlasting life.

Ask Yourself: When things don’t go the way you want them to, how might you remember your baptism in ways that inspire new ways of living more abundant life? 

Ask a Friend: Who is someone you witnessed live a resurrection life? It could be a personal connection, a public figure, or even fictional character. 

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.

---

Institute of Liturgical Studies

An ecumenical conference on liturgical renewal for the church today.

Rites of Passage: Engaging Occasional Practitioners in a Secular Age
Valparaiso, Ind.
April 28–30, 2025

Registration is open! Register before Jan. 31 for the early bird discount to receive $100 off your registration fee. 

The American religious landscape is characterized by declining participation in religious institutions, increasing uncertainty about matters of faith, and a growing population identifying as non-religious. Nevertheless, many people continue to turn to churches at some of the most significant moments in their lives—such as the birth of a child or the loss of a loved one—and many others show up to support them.

At last year’s Institute, Rev. Dr. Sarah Kathleen Johnson introduced the idea of occasional religious practice to describe a way of relating to religion that is characterized by participation in religious practices occasionally rather than routinely, most often in connection with certain types of occasions, including holidays, life transitions, and times of crisis. She encouraged us not to rush to judge occasional practitioners’ lack of involvement or to come to hasty conclusions about why they are seeking out these practices but instead to listen to and learn from them.

Most of our planning resources are directed at the Sunday assembly. Yet, baptisms, weddings, and funerals are liturgical events rich in their potential for service and outreach. How might we more fully consider the possibilities of these occasions to be better prepared to serve a decreasingly churched culture?

Sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay up to date on the 2025 conference.

 

---

Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival

Transforming and connecting lives through faith and music since 1981.

Nominate a Young Musician

Enrollment is filling fast for the LSM 2025! Students come together in an immersive musical community that connects the pursuit of musical growth with the joy of Lutheran church music traditions. LSM welcomes musicians of all kinds: brass, woodwinds, strings, percussion, piano, organ, voice, harp, guitar, handbells, and more. Know a young person (grades 8-12) who would benefit from this life-giving and joyful musical community? Nominate them for LSM today at LSMacademy.org/nominate. LSM 2025 takes place at Valparaiso University from June 22-July 20 (Half Session through July 6). Standard Enrollment is open now through March 1.

---

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.

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

• Saturday, February 1:  1-Day Workshop at Pilgrim Lutheran, St. Paul, MN
• April 4-5:  1-Day Workshop and Community SING in Waco, TX
• October 10-12:  3-day Retreat in Albuquerque, NM

More in-person events near Kansas City, Detroit, Lexington (KY), Raleigh (NC), Atlanta are being planned.  Please stay tuned!

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 April 7, 2025.  Register for the zoom link here.

Resources – Read the MMC blog for articles about …

• starting a local paperless singing gathering,
• stories about using paperless song with unhoused neighbors
• and in airport customs lines,
• reflections on leadership influences over time (by the Rev. Liesl Spitz),
• a vision of “A Songleader in Every Household/Family” (psst!  It means “Multiple Songleaders in Every Community”!),
• and a list of Songs for Fractured Times.

There are also new Job Postings (including one ELCA) on our website.

Please join our monthly newsletter for regular updates and we’ll see you at an event soon!

---

Association of Lutheran Church Musicians

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

ALCM is excited to offer a composers symposium, Where Do We Go from Here, to stimulate conversation among composers regarding our efforts to be faithful, creative, and nurturing stewards of the church’s song – even where gatherings have limited human and material resources. Registrants will also have the opportunity to explore newer music software. For a more detailed look, visit the symposium website. More information is added regularly, so check back often for more.

ALCM is especially grateful to the hosts for this symposium, Bob Hobby and Trinity English Lutheran Church. Generous donations from the Fred Jackisch Memorial Fund as well as from Trinity English Lutheran have helped to maximize the benefits of attendance while minimizing costs to registrants. Registration rates go up after January 14th. Those who register for both the 2025 Symposium and Raleigh-Durham Conference will receive a $70 dollar refund at the close of the conference.

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

The conference theme, For all that is to be, describes our effort to equip people in all stages of their love for music of the church. Whether you are a volunteer, part-time or full-time employed, a student, newly employed, or retired, this conference will nurture your passion for the many ways in which we continue to share the gospel message.

Now is a great time to register and get the best rate. If you get continuing education funds, maybe you have some money left in your budget this year that you can put toward this opportunity. Registration is live – visit the conference website to register now. We look forward to seeing you in Raleigh!

---

The Hymn Society & The Center for Congregational Song

The mission of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada is to encourage, promote, and enliven congregational singing. The Center for Congregational Song is the resource and programmatic arm of The Hymn Society, connecting resources, leading deep and vital conversations about the church’s song, and collaborating with our partners.

Back in 2020, The Center for Congregational Song hosted a 12-hour broadcast of music and pastoral moments on Election Day in an effort to provide a space for peace in a time of great anxiety. Four years later, the political discourse in the United States is not all that different, and, in some ways, even more charged than it was before. If you find yourself in need of a break from the news, we invite you to recharge by watching our broadcast from four years ago.

---

Resources from the Center for Church Music

The Center for Church Music is a place where one can tap into an expansive library of resources and perspectives on the music and art of the church, with a focus on a Lutheran context.

“Profiles in American Lutheran Church Music” presents video conversations with prominent church musicians “Beyond the Children’s Choir: Focused Experiences for Children in Worship: Emily Woock, Elmhurst Ill., Oct. 2023 and the Rev Paul D. Weber, (interviewed by Barry Bobb, April 2024) as well as many other Lutheran Church musicians.

---

 Journey to Baptismal Living: North American Associate for the Catechumenate

An ecumenical community seeks to support seekers and those who accompany them. The process is an enlivened journey of spiritual formation for those either exploring Christianity or seeking to renew their faith.

The board of Journey to Baptismal Living, formerly North American Association for the Catechumenate, has been very busy, during and since the pandemic, working on producing updated catechetical and liturgical resources as well as updating our website.

Now we would like to connect with parishes interested in the catechumenal process. If you already have a process, we would like to discuss our new resources and also learn from you about your experiences. If you are interested but not active, we are available to do online training. Our new website can provide you with information about who we are and what we do. Or contact us for further information.

---

Augsburg Fortress Events and Resources

Augsburg Fortress is the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Daily Bread, Holy Meal: Opening the Gifts of Holy Communion
In Daily Bread, Holy Meal, Samuel Torvend invites Christians to reconsider the significance of eating and drinking with Jesus in a world of great need. Drawing on biblical and historical studies, this exploration of the Eucharist asks the seeker in every Christian to consider the ecological, theological, communal, and ethical dimensions of the Lord’s supper. Through a careful weaving of biblical passages, medieval poetry, Luther’s writing, familiar hymns, and liturgical texts, each chapter unfolds another “gift” of Holy Communion and the sometimes–troubling questions each one raises for individuals who live in a fast–food culture yet seek community around a gracious table.

The Music Sourcebooks for Lent and the Three Days
An essential companion resource to the Worship Guidebook, this collection greatly expands the repertoire of resources for the song of the assembly and its leaders during the days from Ash Wednesday to Easter. Most materials are reproducible and newly composed in a broad range of styles. Spiral-bound, includes a CD-ROM with assembly and instrumental parts. Order the Worship Guidebook and the Music Sourcebook as a Set.

 

Singing Church History: Introducing the Christian Story through Hymn Texts by Paul Rorem
Christianity is a “singing church,” with biblical foundations and centuries of examples in the Psalms and canticles, favorite hymns, and gospel songs. And this singing church has a history. Through engaging tales of the stories behind this music and its authors, Rorem makes church history come alive. Singing Church History journeys through an ecumenical history of church music from early and medieval times through the Reformation and the early modern world, into American and World Christianity. Throughout, Rorem shows us how these familiar hymn texts have us “singing church history” on Sunday mornings without even knowing it.

 

A Different Kind of Fast: Feeding Our True Hungers in Lent
Fasting is not just the physical practice of giving up food. Fasting can also be a way to combat our culture of endless distractions and busyness. Fasting is an act of letting go, of making more internal space to listen to the sacred whispers of our lives. Join Christine Valters Paintner on a spiritual journey through seven different kinds of fasts, including fasting from control, from our attachments, from our grasping, and more. Perfect for Lent, or any period when a deeper intention to clarify your true hunger is needed, this book helps us enter our hearts, stripping away old patterns and habits.