Issue 81 of Administration Matters

Create engaging virtual ministry with Vanco

Your church might already offer livestreaming, but this Lenten season you can take your virtual ministry up a notch with Vanco. During this important season, discover how to build on your existing online ministry to drive engagement and generosity (without breaking the bank).
Download your free copy of How to Have a Successful Online Church Ministry to learn . . .
• How to build or expand upon the foundation of your virtual ministry without spending a fortune.
• Which easy-to-use tools, such as Vanco Live, can help you set up an online church and drive meaningful interactions.
• How to keep the conversation going with members and guests after virtual services.
Get the eBook. Vanco is a preferred vendor of the ELCA.

Protecting offerings: Who would steal from us?

Large or small, congregations are often easy prey for would-be thieves. An offering-plate theft can be devastating for a congregation’s reputation, regardless of its size. Ministry leaders can strengthen their ability to protect their property and contributions by taking a fresh look at current procedures. >More

Make sure the right people are receiving Portico notifications

Many congregations have new council members starting at this time of year, so make sure your organization’s contacts are up to date in Portico’s EmployerLink. Portico sends important notifications to those in your organization that are registered on the site. These users can access your organization’s account information, including plan member benefit and compensation details.
Take a moment to deactivate people who no longer need access and register new users, using your organization’s unique 11-digit access code. We suggest registering at least two people, including the person who will make your organization’s benefit selection during annual enrollment. >More

Avoiding credit card fraud

Credit card fraud is a common identity crime. If you are like most people, you own, carry and use a number of credit cards. Please consider the following tips, which may apply to your unique needs and situation. Though not every risk can be controlled, there are a few things you can do to prevent and manage credit card fraud. >More

Recommendations for congregation secretaries

Every congregation requires a secretary. The secretary is arguably the most important officer, responsible for organizing, assimilating and disseminating information within and without the organization. They need to be organized, hardworking and intelligent, with excellent writing skills. Here your congregation’s secretary can find some recommendations/guidelines for performing their duties efficiently. >More

 

Situation:

On Feb. 24, armed conflict broke out between Russia and Ukraine, causing a humanitarian crisis. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 2 million people are seeking refuge in neighboring countries, including Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Romania and Moldova. There are major humanitarian concerns for both internally displaced people and refugees.

      

Response:

Lutheran Disaster Response is supporting these member churches through Lutheran World Federation:

• German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine
• Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland
• Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia
• Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in Romania

 

The churches are distributing food, bedding and hygiene items, as well as providing pastoral care and assisting Roma communities and foreign nationals. Additional responses through partners in these countries and others in the region are expected in the coming weeks and months.

 

 

Be a part of the response:

Pray
Please pray for people who have been impacted by the crisis in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. May God’s healing presence give them peace and hope in their time of need.

Give
Thanks to generous donations, Lutheran Disaster Response is able to respond quickly and effectively to disasters around the globe. Your gifts to Lutheran Disaster Response (Eastern Europe Crisis Response) will be used in full (100%) to assist those impacted by the war in Ukraine.

To learn more about the situation and the ELCA’s response:

• Sign up to receive Lutheran Disaster Response alerts.
• Check the Lutheran Disaster Response blog.
• Like Lutheran Disaster Response on Facebook, follow @ELCALDR on Twitter, and follow @ELCA_LDR on Instagram.
• Download the situation report and share as a PDF.

Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD) is an annual gathering of Christian advocates and activists. People attending EAD worship, review advocacy best practices, dive deeper into issues of their selection around the central theme, take Lobby Day action, and network with people of faith passionate about the difference policy can make in peoples’ lives. Lutherans in attendance have denomination-specific opportunities to get to know one another and vision what we can do together!

#EAD2022 is a virtual gathering, held Monday through Wednesday, April 25-27, 2022. The schedule is posted to advocacydays.org.

 

THEME IN 2022

This year’s theme, “Fierce Urgency: Advancing Civil & Human Rights,” calls us into solidarity to restore, protect and expand voting rights in the United States and to realize human rights around the world. As people of faith, we know each person to be created in God’s image, imbued with dignity and having a voice that demands to be heard, heeded and treated justly. We arise in unity, holding up a mirror to leaders of nations, putting injustice on display and tearing down the veil of oppression that obscures the beautiful, God-born light shining from within us all.

Several Lutheran leaders will present workshops, and participants will have opportunities to meet ELCA advocacy colleagues and network with other Lutherans during denominational time. Those who attend will also be equipped and receive support to work on voting rights and civic engagement through ELCAvotes.

 

SCHOLARSHIPS

Because EAD, in which the ELCA is a partner, is such an excellent opportunity to connect faith-voices in advocacy action, several scholarships for the registration fee are available to encourage the strength of the witness of ELCA advocacy both in the locations of the attendees and in the ELCA’s voice on federal matters.

ELCA networks offering scholarships include our Companion Synod program, Peace Not Walls, African Descent Ministries, and Witness in Society advocacy.

• CRITERIA: Due to the limited number of scholarships, selection will prioritize first-time attendees as well as young adults (age 18-35) to encourage diversity in participation.
• SCHOLARSHIP FORM: https://forms.office.com/r/eBvE50Gd79
• APPLICATION DEADLINE: Thursday, March 31, 2022 *extended through April 15, with determinations shared on rolling basis
• SCHOLARSHIP DETERMINATIONS: Announced on April 4.

Scholarship applicants should delay registering for the event until determinations are announced along with instructions for proper registration as a scholarship recipient.

Want to tell others about the scholarships? Use these social media posts from @ELCAadvocacy.

 

REGISTRATION AND LEARNING MORE

Ready to register? Visit advocacydays.org.

You are invited to a talk about EAD hosted by the ELCA Metro D.C. Synod on Thursday, March 17 from 7-8 p.m. ET for more information. The Rev. Amy E. Reumann, ELCA Senior Director for Witness in Society, will talk about the upcoming EAD, including the ecumenical character of the event, the impact of gathering ecumenically for advocacy, the ELCA theological framework for this approach and practical benefits. Connect from the synod’s calendar entry on March 17, “Ecumenical Connections Zoom Meeting: Episode 1.”

Someone who’s been there shared reflections which also tell you more. Read “Lessons for Advocacy from Ecumenical Advocacy Days” (4/27/21) in the ELCA Advocacy Blog.

Hope to see you there!

 

ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving

Lent 2022

In English and en Espanol

Week 2: Wandering in the Wilderness

“I must be on my way” (Luke 13:33).

Read

• Genesis 15:1-12;17-18
• Psalm 27
• Philippians 3:17-4:1
• Luke 12:31-35

Reflect

As we saw in the reflection for Week 1, Lent is a story of the journey of God’s people. It is our story, or more appropriately the story of “God with us.” During Lent, we remember the ancient Hebrews’ journey from slavery in Egypt and a generation spent wandering in the wilderness, as recounted in the offering of the “first fruits” in Deuteronomy. We also reenact, in our own small ways, Jesus’ journey into the wilderness as it was described in the Gospel of Luke in the first week of Lent. The fast that many Christians commit to during Lent reflects Jesus’ own fast in the wilderness.

In this sacred season, we turn inward, reflecting on our dependence on God’s grace. Marked by ashes at the start, we enter the 40 days of Lent with penitent hearts and awareness of our need for God’s mercy. Repentance and self-reflection are important practices, but it’s easy to stay here, forgetting that the season is about so much more than our own self-examination.

Martin Luther captured this well. Luther defined repentance in two ways: “contrition…and in taking hold of the promise.” Certainly, confession of the many ways we have fallen short is a key part of the spiritual practice of Lent. But the season of Lent also leads us to turn outward, as Luther wrote, “taking hold of the promise” of God as we both yearn for and proclaim Jesus’ words that define his time in the wilderness: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because [the Lord] has anointed me to bring good news to the poor … [and] to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).

The promise of good news is the gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ, a promise of new life in the fullness of God’s reign. It is the promise of the Gospels and the prophets, the promise clung to by our ancestors in faith and the promise that sustains the people of God today in communities
around the world who accompany one another amid staggering challenges
of poverty, hunger and injustice.

Jesus not only proclaims the promise but lives it. He shows us what it means to live according to the promise — boldly, courageously, and with faith unceasing — from Galilee to Calvary. In the face of religious and political persecution, Jesus lives the daring life of faith in God’s grace.

While his trial before Pilate gets more attention, Jesus’ unrelenting march toward Jerusalem is one of the clearest examples of how to “take hold of the promise.” He travels from town to town, “teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem” (Luke 13:22). At one stop, a group of Pharisees warns him that he
must flee because Herod wants to kill him. Jesus responds: “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work’” (Luke 13:31-32).

Herod is coming for him, and Jesus responds, “I have work to do.” Jesus demonstrates a daring confidence that not even death can stop the work of God in the world. People of faith bring Jesus’ daring, grace-formed confidence to the calling of the church: seeing — even amid the threat of death — that there is work to be done.

In Indonesia, the threat from HIV and AIDS is very real. The island country is currently experiencing one of the fastest-growing HIV epidemics in the world. In 2018 (the most recent year for which data are available), 38,000 people died from an AIDS-related illness, an increase of 60% from 2010. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 640,000 people in the country were living with HIV as of 2018, but WHO estimates that only about half of people infected with HIV are aware that they have it.

The Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP), a companion church of the ELCA in Indonesia, is helping people throughout the country confront the deathly disease with courage, hope and the resources they need to survive. Arjen first came to HKBP’s AIDS Ministry (HAM) when he was 12 years old, but he was born with HIV. By the time he came to HAM, he had contracted pulmonary tuberculosis and was malnourished and very sick. His father passed away, and Arjen’s mother couldn’t afford the cost of transportation to the nearest hospital or the expensive treatments for her son. With the help of HKBP, the family was able to have Arjen evaluated at a hospital and to start him on antiretroviral medication to keep him healthy. HAM workers regularly check in on the family, helping Arjen’s mother meet his nutritional and medical needs. Seeing the mother’s financial situation, HAM also provided a revolving fund for business capital that has allowed her to secure a more stable income to support her family.

A year into Arjen’s work with HAM, his health is improving and his mother’s business is growing. Amid poverty, hunger and a deadly epidemic, God is at work through families such as Arjen’s to bring about a future with hope. In Lent, we remember Jesus’ long walk to Jerusalem and to Calvary. And in faith, we know that nothing can stop the work of God. Together we “take hold of the promise” with confidence, knowing that, even out of death, God will bring new life and hope to the world.

Herod wants us dead? “I am casting out demons and performing cures” (Luke 13:32).

The shadow of the cross looms ahead of us? “I must be on my way” (Luke 13:33).

Poverty, hunger and disease threaten our community? Go and tell that fox that God isn’t done with us yet.

Ask

1. Think of a time when fear impacted your ministry. How does Christ encourage us to venture outside our comfort zone to love and serve our neighbors?
2. What does it mean for you and your congregation to “take hold of the promise” in your community?
3. How can programs such as the HKBP AIDS Ministry (HAM) help us learn about what it means to be the people of God in the world? What does Arjen’s story mean for your own ministry and life?
4. In the face of death, disease and poverty, God continues to bring new life and hope. How do you, your family and your congregation bear witness to courage and hope in an uncertain world?

Pray

Gracious God, amid the challenges our world faces, you remind us of your promise for the future of our world. Draw near to us and draw us near to our neighbors, that we may be inspired with hope, courage and audacious faith to be the people you are calling us to be. Be present with our companions and partners around the world as we work together toward a just world where all are fed. In your holy name, amen.

 

SEMANA 2: Vagando por el desierto

“Tengo que seguir adelante” (Lucas 13:33).
Lecturas: Génesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Salmo 27; Filipenses 3:17-4:1; Lucas 12:31-35

Como vimos en la reflexión de la Semana 1, la Cuaresma es una historia de la jornada del pueblo de Dios. Es nuestra historia o, más apropiadamente, la historia de “Dios con nosotros”. Durante la Cuaresma recordamos la jornada de los antiguos hebreos desde la esclavitud en Egipto y una generación que pasó vagando por el desierto, como se relata en la ofrenda de las “primicias” en Deuteronomio. También recreamos, en nuestra propia y modesta medida, el viaje de Jesús al desierto según fue descrito en el Evangelio de Lucas en la primera semana de Cuaresma. El ayuno al que muchos cristianos se comprometen durante la Cuaresma refleja el propio ayuno de Jesús en el desierto.

En esta temporada sagrada, nos concentramos en nosotros mismos, y reflexionamos en nuestra dependencia de la gracia de Dios. Marcados por las cenizas al inicio, entramos en los 40 días de Cuaresma con corazones penitentes y conciencia de nuestra necesidad de la misericordia de Dios. El arrepentimiento y la autorreflexión son prácticas importantes, pero es fácil quedarse aquí y olvidar que la temporada es mucho más que nuestro propio examen de conciencia.

Martín Lutero registró esto bien. Lutero definió el arrepentimiento de dos maneras: “contrición… y en apoderarse de la promesa”.  Ciertamente, la confesión de las muchas formas en que nos hemos quedado cortos es una parte clave de la práctica espiritual de la Cuaresma. Pero el tiempo de Cuaresma también nos lleva a voltearnos hacia afuera, como escribió Lutero, “apoderándonos de la promesa” de Dios mientras anhelamos y proclamamos las palabras de Jesús que definen su tiempo en el desierto: “El Espíritu del Señor está sobre mí, por cuanto [el Señor] me ha ungido para anunciar buenas nuevas a los pobres… [y] a pregonar el año del favor del Señor” (Lucas 4:18-19).

La promesa de buenas nuevas es el don de la gracia a través de la fe en Jesucristo, una promesa de nueva vida en la plenitud del reino de Dios. Es la promesa de los Evangelios y los profetas, la promesa a la que se aferran nuestros antepasados en la fe y la promesa que sostiene al pueblo de Dios hoy en las comunidades de todo el mundo que se acompañan mutuamente en medio de abrumadores desafíos de pobreza, hambre e injusticia.

Jesús no solamente proclama la promesa, sino que también la vive. Nos muestra lo que significa vivir de acuerdo con la promesa   —con firmeza, valentía y fe incesante— desde Galilea hasta el Calvario. Frente a la persecución religiosa y política, Jesús vive la valiente vida de fe en la gracia de Dios.

Aunque su juicio ante Pilato recibe más atención, la marcha decidida de Jesús hacia Jerusalén es uno de los ejemplos más claros de cómo “apoderarse de la promesa”. “Continuando su viaje a Jerusalén, Jesús enseñaba en los pueblos y aldeas por donde pasaba” (Lucas 13:22). En una de sus paradas, un grupo de fariseos le advierte que debe huir porque Herodes quiere matarlo. Jesús contesta: “—Vayan y díganle a ese zorro: ‘Mira, hoy y mañana seguiré expulsando demonios y sanando a la gente, y al tercer día terminaré lo que debo hacer’” (Lucas 13:31-32).

Herodes viene por él, y Jesús responde: “Tengo trabajo que hacer”. Jesús demuestra una audaz confianza en que ni siquiera la muerte puede detener la obra de Dios en el mundo. Las personas de fe llevan la confianza de Jesús, audaz y producto de la gracia, al llamado de la iglesia: ven — incluso ante la amenaza de muerte— que hay trabajo que hacer.

En Indonesia, la amenaza del VIH y el SIDA es muy real. El país insular experimenta actualmente una de las epidemias de VIH de más rápido crecimiento en el mundo. En 2018 (el año más reciente del que hay datos disponibles), 38,000 personas murieron de una enfermedad relacionada con el SIDA, un aumento del 60% desde 2010. La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) estima que para 2018, 640,000 personas en el país vivían con el VIH, pero estima también que solo alrededor de la mitad de las personas infectadas con el VIH saben que lo tienen.

La Iglesia Protestante Cristiana de Batak (HKBP), una iglesia compañera de la ELCA en Indonesia, está ayudando a las personas de todo el país a enfrentar la enfermedad mortal con valor, esperanza y los recursos que necesitan para sobrevivir.

Arjen llegó por primera vez al Ministerio de SIDA (HAM) de HKBP cuando tenía 12 años, pero había nacido con VIH. Cuando llegó a HAM había contraído tuberculosis pulmonar y estaba desnutrido y muy enfermo. El padre de Arjen había fallecido, y su madre no podía pagar el costo del transporte al hospital más cercano ni los costosos tratamientos para su hijo. Con la ayuda de HKBP, la familia pudo llevar a Arjen para que lo evaluaran en un hospital y comenzara a tomar medicamentos antirretrovirales para mantenerlo saludable. Los trabajadores de HAM verifican regularmente con la familia el estado de Arjen, y ayudan a su madre a satisfacer las necesidades nutricionales y médicas de él. Al ver la situación financiera de la madre, HAM también proporcionó un fondo rotatorio para capital empresarial que le ha permitido asegurar un ingreso más estable para mantener a su familia.

Un año después del trabajo de Arjen con HAM, su salud está mejorando y el negocio de su madre está creciendo. En medio de la pobreza, el hambre y una epidemia mortal, Dios está trabajando a través de familias como la de Arjen para lograr un futuro con esperanza.

En la Cuaresma recordamos el largo camino de Jesús a Jerusalén y al Calvario. Y en fe sabemos que nada puede detener la obra de Dios. Juntos “nos apoderamos de la promesa” con confianza, sabiendo que Dios traerá nueva vida y esperanza al mundo, incluso de la muerte.

¿Herodes nos quiere muertos? “Estoy expulsando demonios y sanando a la gente” (Lucas 13:32).

¿La sombra de la cruz se cierne sobre nosotros? “Tengo que seguir adelante” (Lucas 13:33).

¿La pobreza, el hambre y las enfermedades amenazan a nuestra comunidad? Ve y dile a ese zorro que Dios aún no ha terminado con nosotros.

Preguntas para la reflexión

1. Piense en un momento en que el miedo afectó su ministerio. ¿Cómo nos anima Cristo a aventurarnos fuera de nuestra zona de confort para amar y servir a nuestro prójimo?
2. ¿Qué significa para usted y su congregación “apoderarse de la promesa” en su comunidad?
3. ¿Cómo ayudan programas como el Ministerio de SIDA de HKBP (HAM) a que aprendamos sobre lo que significa ser el pueblo de Dios en el mundo? ¿Qué significa la historia de Arjen para su propio ministerio y su vida?
4. Ante la muerte, la enfermedad y la pobreza, Dios sigue trayendo nueva vida y esperanza. ¿Cómo usted, su familia y su congregación dan testimonio de valentía y esperanza en un mundo incierto?

Oración

Dios misericordioso, en medio de los desafíos que enfrenta nuestro mundo, nos recuerdas tu promesa para el futuro de este. Acércate a nosotros y acércanos a nuestro prójimo, para que podamos ser inspirados con esperanza, valor y una fe firme para que seamos las personas que nos estás llamando a ser. Está presente con nuestros compañeros y socios en todo el mundo mientras trabajamos juntos por un mundo justo en el que todos sean alimentados. En tu santo nombre, amén.

Kelsey Brown, Arverne,NY

Warm-up Question

Have you ever gone on a journey? (A walk, a school trip, a vacation?)  How did it feel to leave home? 

On a Journey

The world is constant in flux, moving and grooving all around us, while we stay relatively still. When it’s a chilly winter morning in my beloved New York City, the summer night is steamy hot in Australia. Most days we live in two different realities, but what happens when an event affects our global community? Our realities become shared. When one is harmed, all are harmed. When one rejoices, we also rejoice.

Right now, far away from some of us but near to others, Russian has invaded Ukraine. Confronting power hungry leadership and complex socio-political tensions, the global community watches and waits. Ground invasion and the startling aftermath of dropped bombs consume our collective conscious. War brings heightened anxieties and unanswered questions; it leaves people displaced and refugees fleeing. 

The journeys of our refugee siblings are filled with uncertainty.  They  scramble to get out of harm’s way and wonder if they’ll ever return home. There is no easy way to leave your life behind, but the continued conflict and destruction make their risky choices the only choices. 

There are so many causalities in war, not just the dead, but those whose old selves die with forced new beginnings. Sometimes the journeys make way for better opportunities and fresh starts. Some still long and hope for what was. As you journey through your life – where there are ebbs and flows – remember our siblings whose futures are forced.  Pray that war and involuntary displacement may cease. 

Discussion Questions

• What does home mean to you? 
• Do you know anyone who is a refugee? Ask them to tell you their story– then listen. 

Second Sunday in Lent

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Luke 13:31-35

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

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

Gospel Reflection

When we encounter Jesus in our reading for today, some Jewish religious officials approach him. In their haste they warn Jesus that Herod is after him, with plans to kill him. Jesus responds calmly; he is in the middle of something. Jesus’ focus cannot be on Herod’s death dealing ways because he has things to do. He is casting out demons and curing sickness.  He doesn’t have time to think about what might befall him; that’s for the third day. 

In scripture the third day often denotes the day of completion, most notably the day on which Jesus arose. Herod must wait, plotting and planning, but the time will come when Jesus makes his way to his ending. The Lord issues a bold reply, “I’ll be there – you and I both know a prophet must not be killed outside of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, the city that stones those promised to it and kills those who prophecy from its towers. Sweet Jerusalem, how I long to hold the city’s heart in sweet embrace.’

 Jesus continues, giving one of the most vivid descriptions of his love for the people – pining and promising to protect the people of Jerusalem like a mother hen protects her brood, sheltered in huge wings. The city, however, is not willing to be held in this way. Jesus cannot and will not return until the road is prepared. When all is ready the city will shout “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord” 

During Lent we follow the path set out by Jesus long ago, to do the most good we can with the time that we have. There will be a time for Herod, for work, for returning, and for the hard stuff.  But in these 40 days, we are called to give of ourselves, to help those in need, to give glory to God always, and to allow ourselves to be sheltered under the wings of God. We are active participants on the journey of faith– accompanying Jesus to be present with those in need– until the very end. 

Discussion Questions

• What do you think Jesus means when he calls Herod a fox?
• What good will you do during these 40 days?
• How have you been sheltered under Jesus’ “wings”?

Activity Suggestions

• Make a list of 3 things you can do for yourself, 3 things you can do for others, and 3 things you can do for creation during this Lenten Season
• Research the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and pray for safety peace among all people
• Set boundaries for yourself to prevent burn out and exhaustion
• Find a comfy spot, take a deep breath and listen to One Love/ People get ready by Bob Marley & The Wailers

Closing Prayer

Holy God, you call us to lay down our arms and pick up peace. We continue to pray for Ukraine, The Holy Lands of Israel and Palestine, and all those who are in harm’s way or under attack. As we walk the Lenten path which Jesus walked towards the bitter end, be near us, comfort us, and guide us in the way you would have us go. When it is finished, reunite us with all your saints in the heavenly place. In your sons holy and matchless name, we pray. Amen

 

ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving

Lent 2022

Week 1: Journey in the Wilderness

“A wandering Aramean was my ancestor”
(Deuteronomy 26:5)

Read

• Deuteronomy 26:1-11
• Psalm 91:1-2, 9 -16
• Romans 10:8b-13
• Luke 4:1-13

Reflect

We have a curious set of readings for this first Sunday of Lent. Biblical scholars believe that Deuteronomy 26:5-10 is a script for someone making an offering of what was called the “first fruits,” a religious practice for farming communities. Following the first harvest that the Israelites reaped in the Promised Land, they were to gather a basket of select produce from the fields and carry it to the priest. When the priest laid the basket at the altar, the person making the offering would then say the following:

A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me (Deuteronomy 26:5-10).

These verses fit well with this somber season. Lent is, if nothing else, a time of looking backward and a time of looking forward. In its 40 days, we remember how far we have fallen short of the glory of God. In it, too, we look ahead with longing to the breaking of the Easter dawn and the unveiling of the promise of God, who by grace offers us a future we could never earn.

With Lenten memory, we recall the journey of our biblical ancestors, the Hebrews led by God from slavery to freedom through generations in the wilderness, and we too reflect on what being descendants of oppressed slaves whom the Lord brought “out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm” means for us today. The formulaic verses of Deuteronomy recall this history, reminding the worshiper with their produce just how far God has carried God’s people, from the “wandering Aramean,” Jacob, through Egypt, and to a new life and new covenant with God.

The danger inherent in this journey from Egypt to the Promised Land is difficult for us to capture today. Even without the threat of Pharoah’s army, to wander in the wilderness without permanent shelter, a stable source of fresh water or the means to grow food meant risking death from all sides. The lament of the people is understandable. They cry out to Moses, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt … for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger” (Exodus 16:3). The Hebrews, led by Moses, were dependent on God’s response to their complaint: manna, a bread-like substance, rained down at night to fill them.

For our ancestors, the wilderness may have seemed like a trial to be endured and, if lucky, survived.

Perhaps that trial isn’t as hard for us to relate to that trial as it might seem. How often do we experience life as having more risks than rewards or more trials than triumphs? With rates of hunger around the world skyrocketing during the COVID-19 pandemic, natural and unnatural disasters wreaking havoc, and conflict uprooting lives, the world can often feel like a wilderness to be endured and, if lucky, survived.

The witness of our biblical ancestors is critical for us during Lent. The history recalled in the ceremony of the offering of the “first fruits” in Deuteronomy reminds us of two important truths as we begin this season. The first truth is that God is not the source of suffering. Even as the wandering Hebrews saw their time in the wilderness, at times, as a grueling test administered by an exacting God, it was God who journeyed with them. God responded to their cries with sustenance and protection that enabled them to survive.

The second truth might best be summed up in the popular quote from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring: “Not all those who wander are lost.” Even when the way seemed uncertain for Jacob, the “wandering Aramean,” he was never alone as he sought a land to call his own. God was leading him somewhere as surely as God had greater things in store for the Hebrews than a mere flight from Egypt.

These truths lie at the foundation of the church’s witness today — even as so many of our neighbors face the uncertainty of survival in a world where as many as 811 million people are undernourished. In the Chiredzi District of Zimbabwe, Emma Mangwende gives voice to this uncertainty when she wonders, in her words, “how to survive as an old lady looking after seven grandchildren.”

What would being grounded in these truths look like for us — a church accompanying neighbors with challenges like Emma’s?

We can start by responding to the realities of hunger and poverty now and working with companions and partners with a vision for the future. In Zimbabwe, Lutheran Development Services (LDS) embodies this vision, working with Emma and other residents of the Chiredzi District to implement new models of farming that conserve water, preserve soil and increase yields. This work reflects the LDS vision of “transformed, robust and resilient communities living a just, peaceful and dignified life manifesting God’s love.” It is a testament to the two truths revealed in the story of God’s journey with God’s people in the readings for this Lent.

As we respond to hunger in the world, we do so knowing that God has provided abundantly to meet our every need, even as inequities and injustice prevent so many of our neighbors from enjoying the fruits of God’s creation. Our response — and our Lenten confession of the ways we have fallen short in responding — bear witness to the truth that inequities ought not to be. Amid risk and uncertainty, the work of neighbors such as Emma and LDS and of congregations in the United States and around the world is a testament that, even now, God is giving life to a promise of “a land flowing with milk and honey,” a world in which hunger and poverty will be no more.

This Lent we look back, remembering the ways God has been with us in our journey, and we look forward, longing for the fulfillment of God’s Easter promise. And we work, trusting that the God of our wandering ancestors is being revealed still today in our neighbors as we find our way through the
wilderness together.

Ask

1. Think of a time when a situation seemed particularly uncertain or challenging. In what ways was God present with you?
2. How might the church’s work alongside people facing hunger and poverty bear witness to God’s promise for the future?
3. Imagine you had to rewrite the offering prayer from Deuteronomy 26:5-10. What would you include? What moments or events from your life or the life of your community would be part of your prayer?
4. How does (or should) being descendants of “a wandering Aramean” such as Jacob shape the work of the church today?

Pray

God of our yesterdays and tomorrows, you guided our ancestors through the wilderness to freedom, a new home and a future with promise. Turn our hearts toward our neighbors who face uncertainty, insecurity and risk today. Inspire within us compassion for their needs, gratitude for their gifts and a holy yearning for justice, that all may experience safety, security and hope in our world today. In your name, we pray, amen.

Learn more and follow ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of giving throughout Lent by visiting ELCA.org/40days.

By the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, ELCA Senior Director for Witness in Society

“Why should it be said among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” (Joel 2:17)

The prophet Joel doesn’t hold back when sounding the alarm about the coming Day of the Lord in today’s Ash Wednesday reading. It will be “a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness spread upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes; their like has never been from of old, nor will be again after them in ages to come.” Joel goes on to remind the faithful that despite the terror they see, God’s true nature is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.” He calls on the priests to assemble the people, to repent, and to testify to all who may ask, “Where is their God?” that God is still with them.

 

BIBLICAL CRY IN PRESENT CRISIS

This year Joel’s alert sounds above the horror of the Putin regime’s invasion of Ukraine, a great and powerful army conducting an unprovoked attack against a neighboring state. The valiant resistance of Ukrainian leaders, the courage of civilians fighting back and resilience of so many inhabitants are inspiring. But they do not ease my deep dismay as Russian air strikes and ground fighting continue, and civilian casualties mount. Over three quarters of a million people (as of this writing), primarily women and children, have streamed across borders seeking safety. Many, many more are still to come in a growing humanitarian crisis.

Just like the grinding conflict and famine in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia or endless suffering in Syria and Yemen, the invasion of Ukraine and first days of war there can lead us to question: “Where is our God?” I ask it again when I hear about the plight of the Roma, a marginalized and undocumented people in Europe, facing bigotry as they try to flee. I ask again when reports of discrimination against non-Europeans trying to reach safety surface. I ask it again as I see Russian citizens bravely protesting the actions of their government for which they may expect harsh punishments. I ask it again as the questions about the potential for use of nuclear weapons in this war takes me back to childhood Cold War fears of annihilation.

 

WHERE HELPERS ARE

Fred Rogers, host of the long-running show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” told the famous story of how his mother told him that in a tragedy he should “look for the helpers” to keep despair at bay. Today, the solidarity of so many around the world with Ukraine who step up to help reflects a glimmer of God’s steadfast love even in the gloom of war.

In our Lutheran family, I can glimpse God’s action and can testify that in the gloom and horror of war, God is here.

• ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton has called the church to prayer and
• communicated our concern to Lutheran churches in Ukraine and in Russia.
• ELCA staff have long and strong relationships with European partners preparing to receive people fleeing Ukraine. These relationships will guide our accompanying actions and support these churches as they address the trauma that comes with violence, dislocation and family separation.
• Lutheran Disaster Response has created an Eastern Europe Crisis Response for donations to support the long-term response. The ELCA is working through the Lutheran World Federation and the Action by Churches Together Alliance to bring humanitarian aid to Ukraine and at the borders.
• At the United Nations, ELCA staff are monitoring Security Council deliberation and the global humanitarian response.
• Through ELCA advocacy we are urging the Biden Administration to offer deportation relief to Ukrainians in the U.S. through a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation or a Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) order.

We don’t know when this military action will end. Much misery lies ahead and it may be unbearable. In addition to actions we take now as advocates and in relief work, Lutherans are called to confess the ways we have fallen short in our responsibility for peace, and dedicate ourselves anew to be students of peace and act for God’s shalom in our world. The ELCA social statement For Peace in God’s World teaches that peace is deeply rooted in God’s identity, that God suffers with and for our world of violence and the church is called to be a faithful presence, testifying to the God of peace in specific ways, as:

• a disturbing presence that denounces warful actions and advocates publicly and boldly for peace;
• a reconciling presence that creates bonds between people, imagines solutions to conflict and counters hate speech, especially among Christians;
• a serving presence that stands with the poor and vulnerable and compassionately meets human needs and stands for human rights; and
• a deliberating presence where we discuss and debate responses to human evil.

 

GUIDANCE OF GOD OF PEACE

As the war in Ukraine continues, the God of peace is here and calls us to maintain compassion and concern for all human suffering that results from conflict and war. The God of peace calls us to be active peacemakers who disturb, reconcile, serve and deliberate. The God of peace also calls us to hope, even when hope is shrouded by the pall of war, and to “give God no rest” until that day when the nations “shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:4).

By Ruth Ivory-Moore, ELCA Program Director for Environment and Corporate Social Responsibility

As Lutherans, we recognize our role as stewards of creation, called to care for the earth as God cares for the earth.* We are passionate about creation care and are aware of impacts climate change is having in our present and potential future. Being informed and prayerful keep us urgently engaged and hopeful in God’s promises as we not only marvel at the beauty of God’s good creation but also look at struggles with clear eyes.

A new – but deemed to be landmark – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change** report was finalized on Feb. 27, “Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability” (IPCC Report). It highlights the widespread damage that has arrived with the changing climate and the urgent need to adapt to these changes. Unfortunately, the message is not new. Yet while the report re-emphasizes the dire situation the global community faces, it also emphasizes hope: The climate we remember is gone, but we can dramatically limit the damage and reduce our risk by adapting to the new climate.

 

A CALL TO ACT

The report succinctly connects humanity with biodiversity. Biodiversity is described by World Wildlife Fund as all the different kinds of life you’ll find in one area—the variety of animals, plants, fungi and even microorganisms like bacteria which work together in ecosystems to maintain balance and support life. “Biodiversity supports everything in nature that we need to survive: food, clean water, medicine, and shelter.” The IPCC Report is a wake-up call for all to act.

 

On the same day that the IPCC Report was publicly released, the ELCA sponsored with ACT Alliance, Lutheran World Federation and the World Council of Churches a side-event to the United Nations Environment Assembly, which brings together representatives of the 193 Member States of the UN, businesses, civil society and other stakeholders to agree on policies to address the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. Our co-sponsored event, “Voices of Hope and Faith: Sharing visions of living in harmony with nature,” was an opportunity for youth, indigenous people and women to voice a call for action now.

 

AT A TIME OF CONFLICT AND CRISIS MOVE TOWARD CLIMATE JUSTICE, NOT DESPAIR

This report’s release comes during a time of conflict and extreme pain and sadness, felt with the conflict in eastern Europe and the uncertainty of the plight of the people of Ukraine. We are saddened by these events and pray for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine. It may seem like empty words, but I like many am distraught about this act of unprovoked aggression . This conflict is amplified across the world, underscoring how we are all part of the global community.

We are all connected. The livelihood of all is impacted economically from individuals to communities to businesses. The need to transition to a renewable energy society is more evident today. Energy independence must be achieved to avoid being subject to changing political landscapes and the unpredictability of the powerful. We must seize this moment of climate crisis and world conflict to move decisively to global resiliency. We do have the tools to make this happen.

“Our tradition offers many glimpses of hope triumphant over despair. In ancient Israel, as Jerusalem was under siege and people were on the verge of exile, Jeremiah purchased a plot of land (Jeremiah 32). When Martin Luther was asked what he would do if the world were to end tomorrow, he reportedly answered, ‘I would plant an apple tree today.’ When we face today’s crisis, we do not despair. We act” (ELCA social statement Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice, pg. 5-6).

 

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* Find reflections in the Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice social statement, including pg. 2.

** The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.

Sylvia Alloway, Granada Hills, CA

Warm-up Question

Is it ever permissible for citizens to disobey their country’s laws? If so, when and why?

Right to Serve

It started in Canada. They called it the Freedom Convoy. Truckers driving in a convoy (a line of trucks all traveling in the same direction) began a noisy, horn-honking, but originally peaceful protest against the government’s requirement of COVID vaccinations for workers. 

As time went on the protests became increasingly disruptive: truck blockades in Ottawa, Ontario preventing people from getting to work; obstruction of the main border crossing into the U.S. interrupting deliveries of goods; protestors placing their own children between themselves and the police. Finally, Canadian president Justin Trudeau, for the first time in Canadian history, declared the enforcement of emergency laws that give the government extended powers in a national crisis.

Other countries joined in. Paris police broke up protests on the city’s famous central thoroughfare the Champs-Élysées with tear gas. Officials in Wellington, New Zealand, tried to discourage protestors by playing the music of Barry Manilow.  Demonstrators countered with Twisted Sister song “We’re Not Gonna Take It.”

The protestors claim  the right not to obey government rules they consider oppressive. But do people have the right to endanger others who want to be protected from disease or disrupt the lives of ordinary citizens to publicize what is probably a lost cause? According to an article on the political website Vox (meaning “voice”), the majority of Canadians say “no.” The protestors, says the article, are a raucous minority, upset because they have lost the anti-vax battle.

Have these protests been put down completely? Will these difficult examples discourage others from staging legitimate protests? Only time will tell.

Discussion Questions

• Can you think of a time when peaceful protests were successful, that is, brought about positive changes? What happened? Why were the protests successful?
• Would you ever join a protest? If so, what cause would you be supporting?

First Sunday in Lent

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Romans 10:8b-13

Luke 4:1-13

(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 C at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus “has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” Well, of course, we might think. He was God. How hard can it be for God to resist temptation? But look carefully at the Gospel passage.

First, Jesus has been fasting for 40 days. His body is weak and desperately hungry. Second, he has been led by the Holy Spirit, who so gloriously filled him at his baptism, into the desolate wilderness. During all this time, he has no human company, no outside comfort or help. And then Satan shows up.

So, what does Jesus do? Does he suddenly surround himself with blinding light and literally tell the Devil to go to hell? No, he uses only the resources we have: the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Cool,” thinks Satan, “This is going to be a piece of cake. Let’s start with hunger, the greatest human need. Turn the stones to bread. You have the right to a little comfort. Go ahead! Do it!”

Jesus responds, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

“Okay, how about this. See all those kingdoms down there? Why settle for tiny little Israel? Worship me, and the right to rule it all will be yours!

“It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

Satan is nearly at the end of his rope. “Hmmm. ‘It is written…’ Aha! If he can quote scripture, so can I! Hey, Jesus, do you really think this whole humility thing is going to get anybody’s attention? You need to show off who you really are. Jump off the temple roof! After all it is written…”

“Do not put the Lord your God to the test!”

And that’s it. Satan could not get Jesus to claim his rights as God or use his heavenly power for himself. Jesus wins, not by claiming his rights, but by humbling himself, limiting himself, completely identifying with human beings.

Americans consider our rights sacred and so they are. But following the example of our Lord Jesus is more sacred yet. The day may come when you will have to give up some of your rights, as Jesus did, to serve others. Ask him to help you practice humility now, and you will have the same strength he had when the time comes.

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever felt that someone was taking away your rights? How did you feel? What do you think Jesus would have done in that situation?
• List of some of the rights young people think are important. Imagine a situation where you might have to give up some of those rights. Which right or rights might that be? Why would you need to lay them aside?
• With rights come responsibilities.  What responsibilities do Christians have to others around them?  Are they different from those of other citizens?

Activity Suggestions

• Make a list of  humble acts of service for the group, then help each other to carry them out. For example, collect food to donate to a food bank, help to clean the church, share the skills of your group’s members with others. 
• Collect positive stories, preferably by listening to real people tell their experiences of standing up for others’ rights or helping people work together. Post the stories on social media.

Closing Prayer

Almighty God, how can we thank and praise you enough for sending your Son to be one of us?  Setting aside his power and privilege, he lived as a humble servant, and died a criminal’s death,  to save unworthy sinners. We give thanks that though he is risen and exalted in heaven, he is yet with us through the Holy Spirit, who gives us power to resist sin. Keep us ever humble, ever willing to serve, and ever devoted to our Lord and Savior. In his blessed name we pray.  Amen.

 

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

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: February 2022

2022 ELCA FEDERAL POLICY PRIORITIES  |  HOUSING IN FEDERAL BUDGET  |  AFGHAN REFUGEE ADVOCACY   |  FOREIGN ASSISTANCE  |  HOLY LAND CHURCH LEADERS’ CONCERN

 

2022 ELCA FEDERAL POLICY PRIORITIES:  Our annual identification of policy priorities on the federal horizon for ELCA advocacy action is available. Find listing on the ELCA Advocacy Blog, with a downloadable version from the ELCA advocacy resource page. Shaped by the ELCA’s social teaching documents and the experiences of its congregations, ministries and partners, we advocate to end world hunger and stand up for policies that create opportunities to overcome poverty, promote peace and dignity, preserve God’s creation and promote racial and gender justice.

 

HOUSING IN FEDERAL BUDGET:  Congress on Feb. 18 voted on another extension through Mar. 11 of federal appropriations. In a year of historic inflation and rising housing costs, flat level funding for the entire fiscal year would be especially crippling for federal housing programs in particular, which are directly tied to the market.

This comes as the need to pass a full fiscal year 2022 budget, which was first due in Oct. 2021, continues to grow as temporary stopgap delays have kept government funding levels flat across the government and military. Without increases, officials will need to make difficult choices in cutting back vouchers and homeless assistance in communities, at a time when housing affordability continues to fall out of reach for many. ELCA advocacy staff continue to meet with Democratic and Republican legislative offices, highlighting the impact of flat-level funding on those of us in the greatest need. As lawmakers continue these discussions, advocates can highlight their own concerns on the affordability crisis through the ELCA Action Center.

 

AFGHAN REFUGEE ADVOCACY:  On Feb. 19, the last Afghan refugees departed U.S. military bases for resettlement, bringing the need for welcome of 76,000 Afghans evacuees in cities across the country since rapid evacuations took place last summer. However, many Afghan arrivals lack a pathway to legal permanent residency which presents a problem for their long-term safety and security.

Over 40% of Afghans who arrived at U.S. military bases were children. Worship communities have played an important role in resettlement and advocacy through fostering welcoming spaces for inclusion. ELCA advocacy staff have continued to meet with Democratic and Republican senators to create awareness of and support legislative solutions, like an Afghan Adjustment Act. Learn more and add your voice with a related Action Alert.

 

FOREIGN ASSISTANCE:  As COVID-19 and humanitarian emergencies continue to impact many families and communities around the world, the ELCA is collaborating with ecumenical partners to urge the Biden administration to send a request to Congress to ask for supplemental funding.

Current federal government funding has been extended through a Continuing Resolution. Because of this, some humanitarian, development and global health programs are running out of funds. The supplemental funding can be used to address some of these gaps, especially those related to emergency food aid programs and COVID-19 global response. We are concurrently urging legislative appropriators to finalize appropriation bills for Fiscal Year 22.

 

HOLY LAND CHURCH LEADERS’ CONCERN:  On Dec. 13, 2021, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem issued their “Statement on the Current Threat to the Christian Presence in the Holy Land.” The church leaders report that the Christian community has “become the target of frequent and sustained attacks by fringe radical groups.”

The U.S. should urge the political authorities of Israel, Palestine and Jordan to engage in the dialogue requested by the church leaders according to a recent ELCA Peace Not Walls update, and the tool in the Peace Not Walls – January announcement can be used for you to urge this action in Congress.

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