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

 

Prayer prompts:

For justice and peace among nations where war and violence rage, especially Palestine and Israel, Iran, Myanmar, Iraq, Haiti, Russia and Ukraine, and South Sudan…
For a ceasefire in Gaza, for hostages to be freed, and for all who are engaging in diplomacy to bring this about…
For all people who must leave their homes to preserve their safety, especially in Rafah…
For safety and sensitivity in the midst of campus protests…
For the people, plants, and animals harmed by flooding in South Texas and Kenya…
For those affected by tornadoes in Oklahoma and Michigan…
For victims of an apartment building collapse in southern South Africa, and for continued recovery efforts…
For synods of the ELCA as they gather in their assemblies, that the Spirit would enliven and guide them…
For the United Methodist Church as they step into a future that embraces the gifts and leadership of LGBTQ+ clergy…
For those in our country without access to healthcare, and for those who must travel to get the care they need…

Events and observances:

May Observances: Mental Health Awareness Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May)

Julian of Norwich, renewer of the church, died c. 1416, May 8
Victor the Moor, martyr, died c. 303, May 8
Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, renewer of the church, hymnwriter, died 1760, May 9
Matthais, apostle, May 14

Prayers from ELCA resources:

A prayer of Julian of Norwich (ELW, p.87)
In you, Father all-mighty, we have our preservation and our bliss. In you, Christ, we have our restoring and our saving. You are our mother, brother, and savior. In you, our Lord the Holy Spirit, is marvelous and plenteous grace. You are our clothing; for love you wrap us and embrace us. You are our maker, our lover, our keeper. Teach us to believe that by your grace all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. Amen.

A prayer for refugees, migrants, immigrants (ACS p.51)
O God, as you guided the Israelites to a new land by pillars of cloud and fire, now travel alongside all people who seek safety from persecution and a better life. (Especially we pray for _______.) Provide them with what they need as they travel, and guide them to places of welcome and sanctuary. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Resources regarding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and the May 5 Awareness Day are available on ELCA.org.

A set of worship resources for the crisis in the Holy Land is available on ELCA.org. Several prayers are provided that could be used during the prayers of intercession or at other times, in public worship or for devotional use at home or in other settings. PDF DOC

A set of worship resources for national elections is available on ELCA.org. Scripture readings, prayers, and assembly song suggestions are offered, to be used in settings such as prayer vigils, Morning or Evening Prayer, regular weekly worship or personal devotion in the weeks preceding or following an election. PDF DOC

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

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

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

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

May 5 is Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s (MMIW) Awareness Day.

In 2021, as a follow-up to the 2016 Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery, the ELCA Church council adopted the Declaration to American Indian and Alaska Native People by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It reads, in part:

“…We commit to advocacy for and being in solidarity with Tribal Nations, MMIWGR organizations, families, and friends who have gone missing or who have been murdered.

“Indigenous women and girls go missing at a much higher rate than any other group in the United States. Indigenous men also disappear at a higher rate than other males. There are 2 foci in this commitment. One is advocacy. Tribes, states, and the US government can and should pass legislation to coordinate work to alleviate the problem. The second focus is relational. Synod leaders can establish relationships with Tribal Nations, express solidarity, help with prevention, with search and rescue, with comforting the anxious and bereaved. Congregations can, as well.”

How to honor MMIW Awareness Day (May 5) in your congregation:

1. Wear red (T-shirts available from the ELCA) and take pictures. Use social media to raise awareness. Use hashtags: #MMIW #NoMoreStolenSisters #TruthandHealing #ELCA
2. Organize a prayer vigil (using this resource).
3. Include MMIWGR in the prayers for the day.
4. Say the names of MMIWGR (this would be especially meaningful if you also did the research to identify locally/regionally specific MMIWGR) and light candles for them during worship.
5. Invite (and compensate) a local Indigenous expert to share on this topic as part of your educational time.
6. Invite (and compensate) local Indigenous musicians to play/sing during worship.

This new resource guide provides an extensive list of resources that you and your community can use to learn more about MMIW & ways to take action! To download, click HERE.

For more information on Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations of the ELCA, please visit:  Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (elca.org) and Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (elca.org)

*Editor’s Note: Due to a family emergency, our originally scheduled author for today needed to postpone their writing to a later date. Fortunately, Faith Lens has a long history of relevant content. The devotion below, originally shared in May 2018, is one of many that reflect on the assigned lectionary texts. You can always use the search bar at the top right of this page to look through our catalogue for content based on specific scriptures or specific topics.

Kris Litman-Koon, Mt. Pleasant, SC

Warm-up Question

Think of someone who is not a member of your immediate family yet who has influenced who you are today. How did they do this? How would you describe their style of influence? (e.g. nurturing, stern, disciplined, laissez faire, hovering, etc.)

Achtung Baby

I am the father of 18-month old twin girls. That means my life has changed significantly in the last two years, and one aspect of my life that has shifted course is the content of what I read. Our home now has an entire shelf of books (if they were not strewn about the house) that discuss how parents can survive the stages from embryo through toddler. Then there is another shelf of books (likewise scattered) that say in summary, “So you have twins? Scrap everything the other books say.”

Any healthy parent desires to raise a child or children in the best way possible. Yet, there are many opinions and studies on what the best method is, and there is no definitive answer. That doesn’t stop people from publishing their theories, nor does it stop parents from clicking on links to read a new insight. (That new insight is usually a snippet from a newly released book that the publisher hopes will be added to the disheveled bookshelves of parents.)

One of the links I recently clicked took me to an article on NBC’s website (goo.gl/9iPtzv) about a German method of raising children called Selbständigkeit (have fun pronouncing it). The translation is “self-reliance.” The first takeaway of the article is that parents shouldn’t intervene in every dispute between children; by the time children are four-years old, they can possess the vocabulary and the skills to work out their own disagreements. Of course intervention is necessary if violence is erupting, however this philosophy inherently critiques the parental methods of always interceding whenever a child has a dispute with another child.

I’m certain this method expects that a lot of work has already been done in the first three years of the child’s life. Namely, the parent has talked with the child about the benefits of getting along, modeled how to build understanding and consensus, and taught the methods to establish a mutually beneficial ceasefire. Once the child has a grasp of those skills, the parent should allow the child to use them, even if the parent thinks it would be more efficient to intervene. The point is that the parent will not always be present to settle things and force the children to hold hands, so the child needs to develop the skills to resolve their own conflicts.

Discussion Questions

• Does this method of allowing children to settle their own disputes appeal to you? Why or why not?
• Have you had an experience when you had to settle your own dispute?
• Have you had an experience when a dispute needed a third party to settle it?

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Acts 10:44-48

1 John 5:1-6

John 15:9-17

(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 for Year B at Lectionary Readings

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

Gospel Reflection

Today’s gospel passage comes from Jesus’ final discourse with his disciples before his crucifixion. This passage is actually the continuation of last week’s teaching that Jesus is the vine and his disciples are the branches. So this passage is the application of that image to the church’s way of life.

If you didn’t keep count, the word love (agape) is used nine times in this passage. Also, the word friends (philoi) is used three times. However, our English word for “friend” does not fully suit what Jesus was saying, because the word philoi also derives from another word meaning love. Although it is not commonly used in English, the word “beloveds” is the best translation of philoi. These are people outside of the family who are loved as much as family. That means Jesus uses our word “love” a total of twelve times in the passage, both to name the act of loving and to name his disciples. This re-emphasizes what he said in verse 9, that he loves his disciples to the same extent that the Father loves him. The love he has for his beloveds is witnessed in his handing himself over to death for us (v13). All of this is an immensely powerful statement, but his point doesn’t end there. There are ramifications to this enormous and infinite love that Jesus has for his disciples.

When we reach verse 17, Jesus says he gives us “these commands so that you may love one another.” What are his commands? He commands that we abide in his love (v9), that we love one another (v12), and bear fruit (v16). Bearing fruit is commonly understood as the love that is generated when a Christian community finds its identity in Jesus alone (the vine) and they live a life of kinship and concord (the branches). So verse 17 can be understood as saying, “I am telling you to love one another so that you may love one another.” That sounds a little weird, but it can be paraphrased; “If you can’t figure out how to love one another, do it.”

Love is hard, and it takes a lot of work. It is not easy to love when we instinctively want things our way and other people want things their way. This happens everywhere in the world, including in the church. Even if you haven’t seen it in your congregation, people there have butted heads in the past, and people there will butt heads again in the future.

What is supposed to make the church different is this: Christ is our source (the vine), and we are to abide in his enormous and infinite love. The vine mysteriously joins us together as one to be his indistinguishable branches who bear the fruit of our communal love. Inasmuch as the Father loves the Son, and the Son loves us, so are we to love one another (v9). In this final discourse before his crucifixion, Jesus was telling his disciples (including us) that he won’t always be physically present to settle our disputes. We are going to have to work things out, and the method to do that is by abiding together in his love.

Discussion Questions

• Can you name any beloveds in your life?
• Are you challenged by Christ’s command that we love fellow disciples to the same extent of God’s love for us?
• When we live by this standard, how are disputes within the church different than disputes outside the church?

Activity Suggestion

Divide into groups of three people each (if you must, two people each). Each group will make a line, with the person in the middle holding a hand of each person next to them. Do not let go of hands. Attempt as a group to perform these common tasks:

• Untie and retie the shoes of the people in the group.
• Fold a paper airplane.
• Blow up and tie off a balloon.
• Stacking and unstacking chairs.
• Any other common tasks suitable for your space.

Processing: What was it like to do these common tasks as a group? Did your group have any disputes? Did your physical place in the group (left, center, right) impact your experience? What were the hardest and easiest tasks for you? How is this activity like the image of the vine and the branches? How does this activity connect to Christ’s command to love one another as he loves us?

Closing Prayer

Triune God, you freely share the fullness of your love with your people. Help us to not only be mindful of your infinite love, but to apply that love to our interactions with others. When we have disputes, help us to see others as you see them. Give us a full measure of your compassion and understanding, so that together we may fully abide in your love. Amen.

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

U.N. | CALIFORNIA| COLORADO | MINNESOTA | PENNSYLVANIA| WASHINGTON |WISCONSIN

New York

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

Christine Mangale, Director

 

Lutheran Advocacy during CSW68: At the sixty-eighth session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), 37 clergy, lay-leaders, staff and expert delegates joined the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in New York from Mar. 8-22, especially for the first week.

Delegates came from 20 countries on five continents. The priority theme was: “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.”

Lutherans hosted in-person and virtual side-events, parallel events, worship, orientations as both a Lutheran cohort and as part of Ecumenical Women’s network and led a workshop on promising practices to prevent sexual and gender-based violence as well as met governments both in formal mission visits and informally in ad hoc lobby meetings. Lutherans met with UN Women and submitted statements and contributed language to the commission’s agreed conclusions outcome document.

The ELCA has a long history of supporting the work of LOWC at the United Nations on behalf of the wider LWF. Gender Justice has been a pillar of this work since inception and is grounded in the LWF Gender Justice Policy as well as the social teachings of the ELCA. Further, this work matters to the ELCA as it is part of our Ubuntu identity emphasizing connectedness, our commitment to work globally with Lutherans and the ELCA companion synod commitments.

Engagement at CSW68 is about growing a movement of Lutherans who will continue the work for gender justice back in their home contexts.

 

California

Lutheran Office of Public Policy (LOPPCA) – lutheranpublicpolicyca.org

Regina Banks, Director

Many important bills are being heard across policy committees leading up to the next major deadline on our state’s legislative calendar, which requires sending any bills with financial implications to fiscal committees at the end of April.

Some additional bills that we’re advocating on this session include:

AB 2728 (Gabriel) – This bill is a follow up bill to the great housing bill, SB 4, that was passed in 2023. AB 2728 would incorporate new stakeholder feedback and add common sense accountability measures for SB 4 housing, including utilization data reporting.

AB 1851 (Holden) – This bill follows the vetoed AB 249 (Holden) from 2023, which was one of LOPPCA’s lobby day bills last year. The new attempt would create a pilot program to hire a technical assistance organization that would test all potable water system outlets in designated school districts towards the goal of remediating toxic lead levels in school drinking water.

If you’re in California, remember to register for Lutheran Lobby Day on Wed., May 15, in Sacramento! Register here. We’re working on determining our priority bills for Lobby Day. The general policy focus will be on the physical and economic health of our neighbors.

 

 Colorado

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) – lam-co.org

Peter Severson, Director

 

 LUTHERAN DAY AT THE CAPITOL: On Mar. 18, advocates gathered at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Denver to kick off Colorado Lutheran Day at the Capitol! After our morning speakers and lobby training, we walked five blocks to the Capitol to meet with our legislators. The building was buzzing with activity, but every participant got face to face with at least one of their elected officials! Below are a few great photos from the day.

 

  

 Minnesota

Lutheran Advocacy Minnesota (LA-MN) – lutheranadvocacymn.org

Tammy Walhof, Director

 

Legislation: Although the Senate electronic recycling bill has bipartisan support, it also has bipartisan opposition. Opposition lobbyists are calling the small upfront fee a tax increase. Action to senators is still very appropriate.

Despite the extreme need for more affordable housing, bonding this year will be relatively small. We need to keep up the pressure. Actions outlined in the Lenten letter challenge are still appropriate.

Events: Director Tammy Walhof is getting many requests for presentations and conversations (pre-pandemic levels). In March, Tammy had the opportunity to talk about her COP28 (International Climate Conference) experiences to about 75 people gathered in-person and more online, drawing participants from across the state. That same week she met with more than forty 9^th graders from a South Metro congregation. Following Walhof’s advocacy presentation, the 9^th graders wrote letters to their legislators in their small groups.

In April, Walhof has been at Concordia College (Moorhead), the EcoFaith Summit in Duluth (LA-MN was again a partner), and an Apple Valley congregation for an adult forum on COP28. The energy was exciting! More than 300 people gathered in-person for the summit, and online views of the plenary sessions are well over 400. From Thursday through Sunday, Walhof did eight different presentations or group conversations. At Concordia, students also coordinated and led an “Offering of Letters” on e-waste and housing.

Renowned Christian environmental ethicist, Dr. Larry Rasmussen, keynoted the EcoFaith Summit. Twelve-year-old Gigi responded to Dr. Rasmussen’s book, The Planet You Inherit.

Concordia College students organized letter-writing to legislators on campus.

 

Pennsylvania

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania (LAMPa) – lutheranadvocacypa.org

Tracey DePasquale, Director

Pennsylvania Lutherans are eagerly preparing to gather in Harrisburg on May 9 to advocate for funding and policies to tackle hunger and climate change for the sake of our neighbors here and around the globe. We are excited to welcome ELCA Presiding Bishop Eaton and the Rev. Khader El-Yateem, new executive director of ELCA Service and Justice, as we mark 45 years of Lutheran advocacy in Pennsylvania and 50 years of ELCA World Hunger.  We will celebrate the legacy and lean into the future as “Church Together for the Sake of the World God Loves.”

You can be part of the celebration! Artist Freiman Stoltzfus generously donated this gorgeous painting, The Table, as a beautiful representation of the ministry we share and a vision of what it can mean to “Set a Welcome Table.” You can order prints here or sign up to be part of an online auction for the orginail (24” x 36”) oil painting.

In addition to work on depolarization, voter access and election security, LAMPa is launching four statewide service and justice networks in April, gathering Lutherans from all seven synods around hunger and poverty, housing and homelessness, human and civil rights and creation care. The networks are intended for mutual support and learning, inspiration, story-gathering, resource-sharing and equipping for advocacy.

In the Capitol: LAMPa staff joined our PA Hunger Action Coalition partners on Apr. 9 to meet with legislative leaders to urge increased funding for food assistance.

 

Washington

Faith Action Network  (FANWA) – fanwa.org

Elise DeGooyer, Executive Director

Washington state’s 60-day legislative session concluded on Mar. 7. Since then, our Policy Engagement Director Kristin Ang and FAN board members Dr. Jasmit Singh and Rabbi Jason Levine traveled to Olympia to join other advocates to witness Governor Inslee sign the bills we advocated for into law. We are celebrating the passage of several bills that will have tangible impacts on our communities, including the Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) bill (HB 1652) to ensure families keep 100% of their child support payments; the Bias Incidents Hotline (SB 5427) to increase and improve data collection of incidents and give more access points to existing resources and legal support for historically marginalized communities; and 100% Zero-emission School Buses (HB 1368) to protect our climate and keep children safe.

We also celebrate significant supplemental budget investments that will make a difference for our neighbors, including over $500 million for budget items FAN supported with hundreds of letters to legislators. For example, $12.23 million was allocated to launch Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer to feed hungry children during summer months and $25.25 million was allocated to the Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance for services for newly arrived immigrants who do not qualify for federal resettlement programs. You can find all our successes of the bills and budgets at our website.

FAN staff are moving into what we call our Spring Outreach season. At our annual Spring Summits scheduled for May 5 and June 9, we are excited to celebrate our advocacy, hear concerns and priorities from each other, and strategize for how we might partner together in the months ahead. ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow Tomo Duke has met with Congress members and staff such as Rep. Adam Smith and the staff of Rep. Pramila Jayapal this past month and has been working on strategizing for federal legislation advocacy in the areas of the Farm Bill and immigration. Stay tuned for more advocacy opportunities on the federal level.

Wisconsin

The Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (LOPPW) – loppw.org

The Rev. Cindy Crane, Director

 

In April, we interviewed Andrew Fuller, ELCA Program Director for Economic Policy, on the Farm Bill, Child Tax Credit, and John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act: Wednesday Noon Live (15-minute video)

 

 

Bills LOPPW Supported: The Wisconsin legislative session has wrapped its major periods for making decisions as the election season has ramped up in the state.

Some pieces of proposed legislation that our office supported passed.  We were invited to a bill signing with the Governor on three anti-sex trafficking bills:

• AB 973 /SB 940: Relating to mandatory training regarding human trafficking for employees of community-based residential facilities and owners of certain entities and certain other employees and granting rule-making authority.
• AB 976 /SB 946: Relating to the testimony of a child in a criminal proceeding for a human trafficking crime.
• AB 978 / SB 954: Relating to creation of a Human Trafficking Council and requiring the establishment of county sex trafficking task forces.

Environmental bills – one building an Electric Vehicle infrastructure and one a deicer applicators certification program – passed. We were dismayed that some pieces of legislation related to immigration and juvenile justice that we supported did not pass.

For the Apr. 2 election we interviewed Molly Carmichael who works with the League of Women Voters on two harmful constitutional amendments: Video | Facebook

Despite advocacy by LOPPW and other organizations supporting voting rights, these amendments passed.

Lastly, we are continuing preparation for our October Youth Advocacy Retreat which will take place Oct. 4-6, 2024.

 

 

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

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: April 2024

HUNGER IN THE FARM BILL | PARTICULATE MATTER EMISSIONS STANDARDS | PEPFAR EXTENDED FOR JUST ONE YEAR | CALLS FOR BILATERAL CEASEFIRE INCREASE | APPROPRIATIONS BILL INCREASES IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT SPENDING

 

HUNGER IN THE FARM BILL:  Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA), chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, announced intentions to introduce legislative text for reauthorizing the Farm Bill as soon as April. This comes after reports of policy disagreements among lawmakers on how to allocate anti-hunger, conservation and crop investment funding.

Though little is expected to pass in an election year, Congress must pass or temporarily extend a Farm Bill by the end of September before certain programs start to expire.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

Food programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) accompany the mission of our 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 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.

PARTICULATE MATTER EMISSIONS STANDARDS: In February, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated its standards for particulate matter in accordance with the Clean Air Act. This new standard is to go into effect on May 6, 2024. Recently, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) introduced a Congressional Review Act to nullify this rule change.

Why it Matters in the ELCA:

ELCA advocacy joined other faith partners to advocate for this change over the last year (March 2023 letter) and celebrated the new standard from the EPA. This rule change is expected to save an estimated 4,500 lives and deliver $46 billion in health benefits in 2032.

What’s Next:

ELCA advocacy and interfaith partners are advocating with lawmakers to show support for the new EPA particulate matter emissions standards and asking offices to oppose the proposed congressional review act.

PEPFAR EXTENDED FOR JUST ONE YEAR: Members of Congress included a one-year extension of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in the final FY24 appropriations bill. The new reauthorization will expire on Mar. 25, 2025. This is the first time PEPFAR has received reauthorization of less than five years, raising concerns about the long-term impact on global PEPFAR services.

In addition to reauthorization, Congress also appropriated a flat level of funding for PEPFAR programming, and for other bilateral HIV programs administered by USAID. The multilateral Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria received a reduction.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

PEPFAR is the largest U.S. global health program devoted to a single disease. Today, PEPFAR supports over 20 million people around the world by providing lifesaving antiretroviral treatment. Because of PEPFAR, millions of babies born to mothers living with HIV are born HIV-free. Lutheran hospitals in countries like Tanzania partner with PEPFAR to provide various services to people living with HIV.

What’s Next:

In the coming year, ELCA advocacy and partners will continue to urge members of Congress to pass a multi-year PEPFAR reauthorization before Mar. 25, 2025.

CALLS FOR BILATERAL CEASEFIRE INCREASE:  ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton joined global Christian leaders in calling for a cease fire in Gaza. The chorus of churches and global Christian leaders wrote an Easter letter calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and saying, “We hold onto the hope that peace is possible even in the midst of this darkest hour.”

Despite White House statements and congressional action, President Biden authorized arms transfer to Israel. Despite multiple letters to the administration from church leaders – including those from the ELCA and global Christian leaders – the Biden Administration authorized a multi-billion-dollar arms transfer to Israel on Mar. 27, even after historic public condemnation of the Netanyahu government from the administration and Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

The opening line of the ELCA social statement For Peace in God’s World states: “We of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America share with the Church of Jesus Christ in all times and places the calling to be peacemakers.”

What’s Next:

The ELCA will continue to advocate for a permanent bilateral ceasefire and the restoration of funding to UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

APPROPRIATIONS BILL INCREASES IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT SPENDING: On Mar. 8, Congress passed H.R. 2882, the “Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024”. The FY24 minibus package provides funding for various immigration programs and provisions. The package did not include harmful immigration policy riders. The spending package overall represents a dramatic increase in funding for immigration enforcement, detention, and removal operations; meanwhile, funding for overseas programs to address migration and refugees decreased or stayed the same.

Some notable highlights include $34 million to process work permit applications and funding for case management, alternatives to detention, and the Shelter and Service Program (SSP) through FEMA to support NGOs serving migrants.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

The ELCA continues to work for fair and compassionate immigration policies that weigh the need for security with functioning asylum and immigration policies, arising from the accompaniment of ELCA programs and ministries with migrants. By providing yet more billions in additional for funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) while neglecting to address the drivers of migration or widening legal pathways to the United States, lawmakers resign to repeat the mistakes of the past. For years, the number of people arriving at the border has increased, despite an ever-increasing influx of tax-dollars for border enforcement. During the FY24 budget process, the ELCA advocated for funding to provide safety and dignity for asylum seekers, for international assistance to address the drivers of migration and for investments in refugee protection.

What’s Next:

The FY25 federal appropriations process begins in earnest soon. Reportedly, the administration is also weighing certain executive actions (used previously to impose a travel ban on people of Muslim-majority countries) which would most certainly draw legal challenges, irrespective of congressional action on a border supplemental package.

 

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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 .

 

Moriah Reichert, Bloomington, IN

Warm-up Question

• Have you seen little kids trying to do grown up things? Does your family have any stories of you trying to do something before you understood what you were doing?

Before We Understand

When we’re little, we often try to model our siblings, parents, or other grown-ups around us. One of my favorite pictures from toddler years is a photo of my dad and I on the couch. My dad is reading a Star Trek book, and I’m “reading” Sandra Bonyton’s Doggies: A Counting and Barking Book.

Last week, a friend showed me a video of her niece “reading” a book. No matter that the pages were upside down and she was turning the wrong direction: she was reading it! As little kids, we attempt what the people around us do. We adopt mannerisms and we say words that we don’t really understand.

If you’ve spent time with younger family members or friends, you might notice they’re paying very close attention to you. They’re trying to figure out how to be people; they’re learning how to be in the world.

Too often in the church, I think we pretend that we know exactly how to be God’s faithful people. Often, in actuality, we look much more like toddlers reading books. In love and our best intentions, we try to be the people God wants us to be, not quite understanding it. Often we mess up and look a little silly.

But, the story in Acts of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch reminds us that God loves and celebrates our best attempts to be the people God calls us to be. God loves our best efforts, and even sends mentors and guides like Philip to help us understand more. We’re all like little children, living into the hope that as we try to follow God, we’ll be blessed like the Ethiopian Eunuch even if we don’t understand.

Discussion Questions

• Are there times when you don’t feel like you’re “doing faith right?”
• What does it mean to you to be close to someone?

Fifth Sunday After Easter

Acts 8:26-40

Psalm 22:25-31

1 John 4:7-21

John 15:1-8

(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

Growing things can be so difficult because it involves a lot of waiting and a lot of uncertainty. I grew up in a small farming town, and I learned from them that even with all of the advancements science has made in helping plants be stronger and grow better, farmers still have to put a lot of trust in the weather. An exceptionally wet spring or a dry June can wreak havoc on a growing season.

In the gospel lesson from today, Jesus reminds us that no matter how fickle the growing season, if we stick close with him, we’ll bear fruit. Jesus reminds us to trust in him. Even when it feels like we haven’t sprouted a new leaf or grown fruit in so so long, Jesus says to trust, and to draw close to him.

Often we hope that Jesus will make us bear fruit. We show up when that is all we can do. We end up going through the motions, just like little kids pretending to read. We might not feel it, and we might not totally understand what is happening, but all of it still counts as drawing near to Jesus. Every time we show up to do the work of ministry and loving other people, even and especially when we don’t feel like it, we are drawing close to Jesus. We are leaning into the trust that God will work in us and we will bear fruit.

 Discussion Questions

• Can you think of a time when you didn’t feel like doing something, but you showed up and eventually were glad that you had done it?
• Jesus says that we will bear fruit if we draw near to him. What does that mean to you?

Activity Suggestions

• Plan a shared Sunday School or youth group event with the youngest members of your congregation. What do they teach you about leaning into faith even when you don’t understand it?
• Journal about something that you did, even when you didn’t feel like it. You might think about a season of a sport and days when you didn’t want to show up to practice.
• Find a plant to tend yourself or as a community. Scientists are still trying to figure out if talking to your plants helps them grow, but it might (and it certainly doesn’t hurt)!

Closing Prayer

Tending God, you cherish us and nourish us. Remind us that when we show up, even if we don’t feel like it or don’t understand, you still work through us. We give you thanks for the plants that grow and mirror the work you do in us, and we give you thanks for children that teach us to love and embrace you even when we don’t fully understand. Amen.

Rita Argus (Denver, CO)

Warm-up Question

• What signs of spring have you noticed this week?

The Good Shepherd

I love going for hikes, especially in the springtime. Even before I moved to Denver, I would go for long walks in nature and soak in God’s creation. There was just something about the budding of trees, the smell of the soil, the rustling of birds or squirrels, and the warmth of the sunshine that would calm my brain and ground me in the moment.

On one particular hiking adventure, the trail led us through a valley dotted with yellows, oranges, pinks, and whites of wildflowers. A slow trickling stream crisscrossed over the path before flowing into a pond deeper in the valley. The trail worked its way up so that we were overlooking the pond and there hanging out in the pond were two grown moose and their small calf. Since we were at a safe distance from them, we took the opportunity to watch them as they waded through the water and grazed on the vegetation. As I took a deep breath, that place felt just as holy as a sanctuary.

With all of the notifications and texts and new stories and deadlines and to-do lists and everything else this busy life throws at us, I find it is so important to take these moments to be in God’s creation and to stop and breathe. These moments not only help me to reconnect with God and fill my spiritual cup, but they also help my mental health and physical well-being.

This Sunday is Good Shepherd Sunday. While we might think of a shepherd as someone who keeps us out of danger, a good shepherd also leads their flock to places where they can slow down and rest on their journey. So, let’s lean into the calling of our Good Shepherd to slow down and rest a bit this week.

Discussion Questions

• How do you care for your mental health, physical well-being, and spirituality?
• Where are places outside of the church building that you find holy?
• What are ways that you reconnect with God?

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Acts 4:5-12

Psalm 23

1 John 3:16-24

John 10:11-18

(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

 Jesus often uses metaphors, like being a good shepherd, in the Gospel texts. Sometimes those metaphors can be really unfamiliar to our lives today. Even as a person who grew up on a hobby farm in southern Wisconsin, we didn’t shepherd our animals in the way that Jesus’ original audience did. We had the luxury of good pasture land for them to graze on and the protection of a barn in the evenings. But, we did have one trick up our sleeves: our llama named Becky.

Besides being a fun addition to the barn, Becky also protected our herd. I know, it feels funny to think of a llama as a shepherd of sorts, but llamas develop a deep connection and love for their herd. Llamas see it as their job to protect the herd from any outside threats. If you were to walk into the barn, Becky would immediately lean her long neck over the fence, get right into your face, and smell your breath to determine if she knew you. If she knew you, she would go about her business of eating and watching out for the herd. But, if she didn’t know you, then her intense stare and concentration would be glued to you as she watched your every move and ensured you were not up to any shenanigans. And what would happen if she didn’t like what you were doing? Yep, you probably guessed it: she would spit on you. Yuck.

Gross llama spit aside, Becky’s role was so important in bringing a sense of security to our herd of goats. In the springtime, the mama goats would often be down in the pasture, carefree and grazing to their hearts’ content while Becky would be settled down closer to the barn with all of the little goat kids jumping all around and over her. The mama goats trusted fully that their little ones would be ok with “Auntie Becky.”

While reading this week’s Gospel text, I found myself reflecting on this trust that the goats had for our shepherd llama. One line stood out especially: “I know my own and my own know me.” While I wish this journey of faith was that straightforward, there have been times when I felt like I didn’t know God or what God wanted of me. Times when I feared or had doubt and I cried out to Jesus and was met with silence (or I didn’t recognize or missed hearing him).  Times when I have been so focused and worried about the barrier in front of me that I didn’t notice the Holy Spirit reaching out a helping hand.

 Maybe in all of this, I am trying too hard to be a “good sheep” when really what Jesus is saying is more simple, and therefore, radical. Maybe Jesus is saying, “You belong. You really do! I know you and you are mine. I am here for you. Period”. Because here is the thing, even out here in the wilderness where we roam, Jesus is here with us. Jesus accompanies us, laughing at our joys, crying at our sorrows, listening to our frustrations, and every other moment in between because we are called and claimed children (sheep!) of God who belong and matter more than we can even imagine.

Discussion Questions

• Imagine a modern example of a good shepherd and describe it.
• What are ways that Jesus has shepherded you in your life of faith?
• What does belonging mean to you?

Activity Suggestions

• Write phrases that remind you that you are belong on sticky notes to hang up in your room or bathroom mirror to remind you of God’s love and presence in your life.
• Take time to journal or create art around a modern example of a good shepherd that you have  encountered in your life of faith.

Closing Prayer

Good and gracious shepherd of the sheep, you seek the lost and guide us in your ways. Fill our hearts with your love and help us to know you are deeply as you know us. We pray this in the name of the one who creates, redeems, and sustains us, now and forever. Amen.

This is a re-post of a piece from the St. Paul Area Synod blog, by Vernita Kennen of Incarnation Lutheran Church in Shoreview, MN. The original blog post can be found here.

 

People who care about hunger issues from the Saint Paul and Minneapolis Area Synods gathered in March to talk about how we might work together. We acknowledged needing renewed efforts within our congregations, communities and our synods. Some of us came from congregations, some from specific hunger ministries, some from synod and churchwide staffs but all came with a heart for those who live with hunger. Some had years of experience working on hunger issues and others had less, but everyone came with a passion somehow connected to hunger.

Conversation about programs and policies, local and global efforts, immediate aid and sustainable efforts abounded. Networking was raised as a need as was acknowledging monetary contributions, advocacy, and hands-on efforts. We see the need to talk about “on ramps” to engage others in hunger ministry. Our hope is that we can work towards something that supports the current hunger ministries across the synods as well as moves to more education and learning for all of our congregations.

Additional voices, experience, and questions are valuable and welcome! Please contact or Justin Grimm (Saint Paul Area Synod) at justin.grimm@spas-elca.org or Bob Hulteen (Minneapolis Area Synod) at: b.hulteen@mpls-synod.org if you are interested in joining future planning.

Vernita Kennen
Incarnation, Shoreview

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.

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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).

The emphasis of this conference is on practical skill-building. Registrants will be able to attend in-depth learning sessions on a variety of topics. These sessions are 90 minutes long and typically consist of multiple sessions, with each session building on the previous. In addition to the in-depth learning sessions, a variety of workshops will round out this practical learning experience. Many fine presenters will be on hand to lead us in a variety of learning opportunities.

On Wednesday, July 24 at 7:30 PM, all are invited to attend a 300th anniversary performance of J. S. Bach’s St. John Passion, performed by the Bach Collegium Valparaiso and directed by Christopher M. Cock, artistic director and conductor, in the Chapel of the Resurrection. You do not need to register for the conference to attend. 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.

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Music that Makes Community

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

Music that Makes Community

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.

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!  Alleluia!

MMC is delighted to share a number of upcoming workshops and events, more details on the “Sacred Land” Call for Songs, a song for Pentecost, and the story of a new song birthed by one of our board members.

Upcoming in-person workshops!

• April 18-20: Leading music at the Messy Church USA conference in Chicago.
• 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!

The Sacred Land Call for Songs is now open! Learn more about the playlist project partnership between MMC and the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery here. Open Office Hours to ask questions and get feedback are on Tuesday, April 23 and Thursday, May 23.  The deadline to submit songs is June 1. Even if you don’t submit a song, we hope worship planners, clergy, and musicians will watch for the release of the playlist in September and use the resources as they plan ways to amplify indigenous voices for Indigenous Peoples Day, Native American Heritage month, and every day.

To conclude, we suggest Rachael Weasley’s round Windy God for Pentecost this year. It can be found in their Songs for Contemplation for Activists and Christians, which you can purchase here. We also invite you to read about MMC board member Jennifer Sanborn’s experience of birthing the song “We Are All Doing Our Best” on the blog

May the rest of your Easter season be a glorious noticing of miracles amidst challenging times.

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Lutheran Summer Music Academy and Festival

Transforming and connecting lives through faith and music since 1981.

Happy Easter from your friends at Lutheran Summer Music! Please enjoy this musical offering of Paul Basler’s Alleluia from Songs of Faith, performed by the LSM 2023 Festival Choir, conducted by Dr. Shannon Gravelle. Learn more about LSM at LSMacademy.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Augsburg Fortress Events and Resources

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

Sundays and Seasons Print Subscription
Enroll in the Sundays and Seasons print subscription to receive each subsequent release of the Sundays and Seasons resources you have selected when the next volume releases. Your subscription begins with the next annual edition released in the spring.

You can choose which planning resources you want to purchase each year together or separately

• Sundays and Seasons: Guide to Worship Planning
• Sundays and Seasons: Preaching
• Planning Guide and Preaching Combo Pack
• Worship Planning Calendar: Sundays and Seasons
• Planning Guide and Calendar Combo Pack
• Calendar of Word and Season

 

Operation Restoration
This VBS invites kids to be menders in God’s world. As they make connections between Bible stories and mending actions, they’ll discover simple ways to live out faith in daily life. Everyone at Operation Restoration explores language and practices to mend God’s world.

 

Call to Allyship: Preparing Your Congregation for Leaders of Color
How can churches do the work of becoming allies for the leaders they call? In belonging to a predominantly white denomination, ELCA members are called to listen and learn from its leaders of color to recognize the assumptions, biases, and harmful actions that result when congregations don’t commit to become allies. Authors offer wisdom, storytelling, and concrete suggestions for churches preparing to call a leader of color. Call to Allyship is a must-read for call committees, church councils, social justice teams, and anyone prepared to do the work of understanding, welcoming, and celebrating these leaders.

 

Baptism Certificates
Augsburg Fortress offers a variety of baptismal certificates, including both physical and downloadable options for both children and adults in English and 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.

In observance of Arab American Heritage Month, ELCA Racial Justice Ministries invited Rev. Dr. Niveen Ibrahim Sarras to share her thoughts on this topic with our readers.

 

People in the West often assume that Arab Christians were converted from Islam to Christianity by Western missionaries. However, Arab Christians have always existed in the Middle East and have enjoyed significant influence in the Arabian Peninsula.

To understand Arab Christians, it helps to know the geography of the peninsula. Arabia, known as Jazīrat Al-ʿArab (“Island of the Arabs”) in Arabic, extends beyond present-day Saudi Arabia, encompassing the Arabian Peninsula (bordered by the Red Sea to the west), the Gulf of Aden to the south, the Arabian Sea to the southeast, and the Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf (also known as the Arabian Gulf) to the east.

Arabia was inhabited by nomadic bedouins who survived through hunting, mercenary work, trade and raids on other tribes. As noted in Acts 2:11, Arab merchants traveled to Palestine for business. Christian tribes such as the Ghassanids, Lakhmids, Banu Taghlib, Banu Tamim and Nabataeans were spread across the peninsula, originating from Yemen and migrating to the Levant after the destruction of the Marib Dam in the sixth century BCE. By the fifth century CE most of these tribes had converted to Christianity. Arab Christians in the peninsula spoke and prayed in Arabic, yet their liturgical and confessional writings were in Syriac.[1]

In 732 CE, Arab forces influenced by Islam conquered the Levant, a Greco-Roman region that had previously been part of the Byzantine Empire. Muslims spread their Arabic language with each conquest. The Levant was predominantly inhabited by non-Arab Christians, possibly descendants of various ancient civilizations. Christian communities in the conquered territories spoke Greek, Syriac, Coptic, Armenian and Ethiopian languages.[2] Communities in Damascus and Baghdad were predominantly Arameans, using Aramaic for theology and liturgy, whereas those in Palestine, Jordan and Sinai utilized Greek ecclesiastically but Aramaic/Syriac locally. Over time Christians in the Levant and Egypt became Arabized through the imposition of the Arabic language. The Melkite Church was the first to adopt Arabic for worship.[3]

In the eighth century CE, Arabized Christian families in the Levant were drawn to Muslim power, leading them to convert to Islam. Christians held high positions and contributed to intellectual life under Muslim rule but faced pressure to convert. Muslim authorities imposed a poll tax on Arab Christians who refused to convert,[4] so they translated their religious texts into Arabic and developed apologetics to defend their faith. After the Crusades, Muslims imposed harsh policies on Christians, prompting resentment. Arabization accelerated through translation efforts and Islamic influences.

The Ottoman Empire’s occupation of the Middle East, which lasted from 1516 to 1917. led to “Turkification” efforts, and this cultural oppression provoked an Arab nationalist movement. Arab Christians revived the Arabic language and culture, but tribalism frustrated their efforts to form a unified Arab identity. Despite these differing identities, Islam’s influence remains strong among Arab Christians.

In sum, Christians in the conquered territories became Arabized when the Arabic language was imposed upon them. In other words, they are not Arabs by ethnic or race bound but by the Arabic language.

 

The Rev. Niveen Ibrahim Sarras was born and raised in Bethlehem, Palestine. She is the first Palestinian woman ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament in the ELCA. Her passion for the Bible started through attending Sunday school at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation and attending Lutheran school in Bethlehem.

Hungry for a deeper knowledge of Scripture and eager to answer God’s call to ministry, Rev. Sarras earned her Master of Divinity degree from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, Calif., laying the foundation for her ministry of Word and Sacrament. Her academic pursuits led her to the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, where she earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Old Testament.

Rev. Sarras loves to teach Scripture and theology. She shared her knowledge through programs such as the Lay School of the ELCA East-Central Synod of Wisconsin, where she taught feminist, womanist and mujerista theology. She expanded her horizons by teaching courses such as “Introduction to Feminist Theology” and “An Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam” in Marathon County, Wis., through the Extension program at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Rev. Sarras’ scholarly contributions challenge traditional biblical commentaries and offer fresh perspectives on matters of faith and society. Notable among her publications is “Jesus Was a Palestinian Jew — Not White,” which challenges traditional misconceptions about Jesus’ identity and roots. Her scholarly article “Refuting the Violent Image of God in the Book of Joshua 6-12” was anthologized in The (De)legitimization of Violence in Sacred and Human Contexts (Palgrace Macmillan, 2021), offering fresh insights into the violence depicted in the book.

Beyond academia, Rev. Sarras finds pleasure in hiking, biking, baking and immersing herself in books on politics, faith and Scripture, as well as watching documentary movies. In her roles as a pastor and as a scholar, Sarras advocates for critical thinking and encourages others to deepen their understanding of faith.

 

 

[1] Sidney H. Griffith, The Church in the Shadow of the Mosque: Christians and Muslims in the World of Islam (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2012), 9.

[2] Griffith, The Church in the Shadow of the Mosque, 8

[3] Ibid., 49

[4] Kenneth Cragg, The Arab Christian: A History in the Middle East (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1991), 54.