As we approach the anniversary of Oct. 7, 2023, we remember a day of heartbreaking grief for the people of Israel and Palestine, devastated by Hamas attacks on civilians and by the bombardment of Gaza. Mindful that the people of the Holy Land are still living in anguish and in war one year later, congregations may consider incorporating prayers and laments in worship on Sunday, October 6 or at other times near the anniversary, in public worship or for devotional use at home or in other settings.

ELCA Worship Resource: Crisis in the Holy Land (as PDF).
Also available as a Word Document.
This resource created at the onset of the war includes several prayers and suggested hymns and songs. A model for a Prayer of Lament adapted from All Creation Sings is included that may be especially helpful this week.

Selected Prayers from ELCA Worship Resources

Additional options are included in the above worship resource.

Time of War
Eternal God, whose steadfast love never ends, we ask that you look upon the nations now engaged in war and hasten the day of peace. Look in mercy on those exposed to peril, conflict, sickness, and death; and show compassion to the dying. In your good providence, remove all causes and occasions of war. Incline the hearts of all people to follow the path to peace and concord, that war may cease and the day of reconciliation may come quickly, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer Book for the Armed Services, p. 71)

For Peace
You calm and quiet us, eternal God, as a mother holds her children close; all people have refuge in the shadow of your wings. Spread over us the shelter of your peace. Hold before us the wisdom of your cross, where we are drawn to you not by might or power, but by your boundless love and forgiveness in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. (All Creation Sings, pg. 48)

O God, it is your will to hold both heaven and earth in a single peace. Let the design of your great love shine on the waste of our wraths and sorrows, and give peace to your church, peace among nations, peace in our homes, and peace in our hearts; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 76)

Petition for the Prayers of Intercession
O God, as war in the Holy Land rages, we pray:
For all trapped by blockades…
For all living in fear of attack…
For all in need of basic necessities and their safe transport…
For those who are hospitalized and all who provide care…
For all who search for safety elsewhere and are separated from loved ones…
For children surrounded by confusion and chaos…
For those consumed by the lure of terrorism and control, that they are filled with compassion for all people…
For the difficult work of diplomats, world leaders, and international organizations in this prolonged conflict …
For the longing of people of different faiths to live together peaceably…
For all grieving those who have died…
Other intercessions related to the crisis in the Holy Land may be added.
In your mercy, receive our prayer.

Prayers from The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

Prayer for Peace
God of peace, we pray for an end to violence in our world. We bring to you our hope that human rights, justice, and your love will triumph, and that power, destruction, and death will not have the last word. On the one-year mark of the war in Gaza, we pray for an end to massacres and destruction. In the name of your son, Jesus Christ, bring your healing spirit upon your children of Palestine and Israel, that all who live in your Holy Land might know true justice and the peace that passes all understanding. We ask this in your holy name and find hope in the resurrection always. Amen.

Prayer for Justice
God of justice, we pray for safety for those living in times of war. As the church we are your hands and feet in this world. Bring to our hearts and minds the courage to speak out against injustice. Give us the strength to break down the walls that divide us and help us build tables long enough for all. We pray for world leaders, that hearts may be changed, and international law and human rights may be upheld. In Palestine and Israel, we pray that justice may be reached, so all throughout the region can live in peace. Amen.

Prayer for ELCJHL Congregations
God of comfort and strength, we pray for the faithful Palestinian Christians of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. We ask that you give them “sumud,” steadfastness, in this time of incredible sorrow in their communities. Bless the pastors who are shepherding congregations in this unimaginable situation. Bring your comforting spirit to all, that they may continue to worship, minister, and above all remain steadfast in your Holy Land. Amen.

Prayer for Education
God our protector, we pray for the teachers, students, and staff of the educational ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. Bring safety and security to those who seek learning. Protect students who must cross checkpoints to reach their schools and bring your spirit of peace to those who cannot access schools at all. We pray for an end to the violent targeting of educational institutions, and we lift up our hopes for a world where all children can learn and grow in safety. Amen.

Worship Resources from Partners

Churches for Middle East Peace resources for a “Solidarity Sunday”
On Sunday, October 6th Churches for Middle East Peace and its 35 member denominations and communions call upon congregations in the U.S. and worldwide to pray for peace in Gaza and the broader Middle East as part of Solidarity Sunday. Resources to shape Sunday include prayers, worship, liturgy, and other aspects of Solidarity Sunday services, including videos from Palestinian Christian voices in the region and are varied, allowing each community to shape their Solidarity Sunday around their own traditions and commitments. This day of prayerful solidarity and calls for justice comes just as we prepare to mark the one-year anniversary of the horrific October 7th attacks and subsequent bombardment of Gaza.

Churches for Middle East Peace Ecumenical Online Prayer Service on October 7
Join Churches for Middle East Peace at 2:00 PM EST on October 7th, for a communal space of worship, lament, and prayer.

The Southeastern Iowa Synod Sumud working group and Pastor Peter Pettit have developed worship resources for use on Sunday, October 6. They are available on the synod worship page.

Global Sunday of Mutual Flourishing
A call for all Christian ministers to join in centering Mutual Flourishing this October 6.

Additional Information

• ELCA Resources for the Crisis in the Holy Land website
• ELCA Sumud: For Justice in Palestine and Israel website

Warm-up Question

• How do you typically identify people who are your friends?

Storm Preparation

This week, a group of thunderclouds in the Caribbean region quickly became Tropical Storm Helene, and as of this writing, is expected to become a major hurricane that is currently threatening Florida’s Gulf Coast before it moves inland. This Tallahassee newspaper is providing updated coverage since most models predict the city will receive a direct hit from Helene.

When disasters strike, whether natural or those of human origin, people often enter a survival mode. Governments suggest or even mandate evacuations. People rush to purchase essentials from local grocery stores and gas stations. Everyone has the same goal: to survive.

Too often, we ignore that shared goal and treat our neighbors as enemies. Prices for gas and groceries spike, putting a hardship on those with less money. People with more wealth purchase more items, preventing their peers from getting the supplies they so desperately need. Drivers ignore others on the road as all look to escape the path of disaster. This drive to survive is understandable, as it comes from our most basic instincts. That survival, though, isn’t just for our self, but for our species. Our fellow humans, our siblings in God’s image, deserve to survive just as much as we do. We don’t need to be enemies in this drive to survive. After all, we’re all on the same human team.

Such commonality is most difficult to remember that amidst disasters, when we’re most at risk. Those of us not in Helene’s path can help by praying for those at risk. We can contribute to organizations like Lutheran Disaster Response to ensure everyone’s basic needs are cared for. And we can practice, in our every day lives, actions of partnership and camaraderie that help us remember that we best accomplish our goals when we work together. If we’ve got the same goals, then we’re on the same team.

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever experienced a natural disaster?
  • If so, what was that like? If not, how do you imagine it might feel?
• What are the best ways to support people who are facing crises?

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

• Number 11: 4-6, 10-16, 24-29
• Psalm 5
• James 5:13-20
• Mark 9:38-50

(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

“Whoever is not against us is for us.” So says Jesus in this week’s Gospel. He does so in response to his disciples, who question the legitimacy of another person casting out demons. Jesus’ friends assume that other people doing good work should be stopped because they’re not familiar with them. Even though they appear to have the same goal, since the disciples don’t know these other healers, they assume they worst. Rather than partners, the disciples treat these others as enemies.

“Whoever is not against us is for us.” This is simultaneously countercultural wisdom and the most obvious of truths. It’s countercultural because too often we treat the unknown as a potential threat, if not an outright enemy. If someone is new to us, we tend to think the worst of their actions. Even if they’re doing the same things that we’re doing! And that’s why this is–or at least should be–obvious. If someone isn’t stopping our progress, they’re not a threat. If someone’s actions are promoting same goals we have, they’re not an opponent.

Jesus goes on to describe that it’s certainly possible for people to get in the way of progress. Yet, notice that the threat he describes is not external. It’s internal. We need to prevent ourselves from becoming the stumbling block more than worry about others causing trouble for us. We need to focus on how we function rather than fear the functions of others. Of course, external threats still exist. In just a few verses, Jesus will find opponents in the religious and political elite that believe his teaching threatens their power.

Jesus’ teaching does threaten the powers of this world. It does so by reminding us that we’re on the same team because, as humans, we’ve got the same ultimate goal: abundant life. That kind of shared goal threatens powers of this world because it turns standard logic upside down. But Jesus doesn’t call us to such temporary thinking. Christ calls us to eternal wisdom, the kind of vision that sees everyone as a possible teammate rather than a potential enemy.

After all, “whoever is not against us is for us.”

Discussion Questions

• Why do you think the disciples felt threatened by the other people casting out demons?
• Who are the people that you feel threatened by without reason?
• How could you simplify “whoever is not against us is for us” and share it with a friend?

Activity Suggestions

• Play a game like Amoeba Tag or Blob Tag where, as participants are tapped, they develop larger groups with a shared goal of including everyone.
• Take time to journal in response to Jesus’ words in this Gospel.
  • What are the goals you’ve got that others share with you?
  • If “whoever is not against us is for us,” then who are the people on your team that you’ve never considered a teammate?

Closing Prayer

God of community, inspire us to find peace with one another. Give us the ability to consider strangers as possible friends. Confront us when we assume the worst and help us to appreciate the image of God you’ve placed in all people. In times of both normalcy or disaster, remind us that we all share the goal of abundant life, which we find in Jesus Christ, our Savior: Amen.

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

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: September 2024

PRESSURE FOR FARM BILL ACTION | INTERIOR AND ENVIRONMENT APPROPRIATIONS FOR FY25 ADVANCE | CONFLICT IN SUDAN | INCREASED CALLS FOR CEASEFIRE & HUMANITARIAN AID, AND RELIGIOUS EQUALITY | ELCA BISHOPS’ HILL VISITS YIELD DIVIDENDS

PRESSURE FOR FARM BILL ACTION: In congressional meetings across the House and Senate over August recess, ELCA Witness in Society staff continued to press for passage of the Farm Bill alongside many Lutheran constituents from their districts. Congressional staff from both sides of the political aisle have indicated determination to pass a Farm Bill this year – but with limited legislative days remaining in the calendar year, the opportunity to advance a measure is quickly slipping away.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

This month, the Department of Agriculture released a new report showing food insecurity has continued to increase – to now 13.8% of all U.S. families, or 47.4 million food insecure Americans. Ahead of Election Day, it is critical that lawmakers continue to hear that hunger, our food systems, and the vitality of our rural communities and our environment are of core concern for Lutherans across the United States. In particular, it is important to highlight the need to preserve and boost support for BOTH hunger programs AND our farming communities in a Farm Bill.

What’s Next:

Advocates can continue to take action on domestic hunger programs via the ELCA Action Center, in addition to the highlighted Farm Bill Action Alerts in our “Farm Bill Updates” blog page. Sending a customized letter this fall urging lawmakers to pass a meaningful Farm Bill before Jan. 1, 2025, will make a critical difference.

INTERIOR AND ENVIRONMENT APPROPRIATIONS FOR FY25 ADVANCE: Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate have been working toward approving a budget for 2025 (FY25). This includes the budgets for government agencies and programs like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and many environmental justice programs. The House passed a bill that would reduce funding to the EPA by 20% and eliminate these environmental justice programs. The Senate passed their proposed Interior & Environment budget out of committee. Their bill fully maintains topline funding for the EPA and environmental justice programs alike and had bipartisan support through the committee vote.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

The ELCA has a history of advocating for the importance of creation care and environmental justice. The strides that the U.S. government has made in addressing environmental justice in particular can only be made possible if we continue to provide robust funding to these programs.

What’s Next:

If the Senate version passes a whole floor vote, these House & Senate versions of the Interior and Environment budget will need to be conferenced (i.e. aligned) to determine how to reconcile the differences and agree on a final budget for 2025. With little time left for Congress to get this done in September, it seems likely that an extension will be passed until the lame duck session in November/December for budget talks to continue.

CONFLICT IN SUDAN: Negotiations in Switzerland over the conflict in Sudan came to a close at the end of August without sound agreement to end the hostilities, but with major progress in access to humanitarian aid and inclusion of civil society. While Sudan’s military did not send a representative to Switzerland, both sides agreed to greater aid access through the Adre border crossing with Chad and through Port Sudan along the Red Sea. After a consultation meeting with the Department of State and U.S. Government representatives to the talks in Geneva, it was also notable that civil society and marginalized voices were heavily included.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

The conflict in Sudan has displaced over 10 million people and more than 25 million people (over half the population) is facing acute hunger, making this one of the largest and most consequential conflicts in the world and a key focus for our global, anti-hunger advocacy. The ELCA has been in many meetings with the U.S. government to express concerns and priorities that would bring an end to the conflict in Sudan, address hunger through humanitarian aid and include voices in the negotiations that are often neglected in peace processes. With both sides moving promisingly toward greater aid access and with the inclusion of a Sudanese women’s delegation – which produced this list of priorities – steps are being made to allow for greater progress in the future.

What’s Next:

The ELCA will continue to meet with U.S. government administration officials to keep up the work that has allowed for progress on humanitarian aid access and inclusivity, while also continuing to urge that future negotiations implement the recommendations of those included voices and focus on durably resolving the violence.

INCREASED CALLS FOR CEASEFIRE & HUMANITARIAN AID, AND RELIGIOUS EQUALITY: [Editor’s Note: This message was compiled days ago and does not reflect recent developments which ELCA staff is monitoring.] ELCA Middle East and North Africa policy staff have organized meetings with Senior State Department and White House officials to discuss humanitarian aid in Gaza, a ceasefire and recent developments on Israeli taxation of Palestinian churches. In parallel, ELCA staff joined Churches for Middle East Peace-hosted meetings with National Security Council officials on Gaza policy.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

In the Message on the War in Gaza (6/5/24), our ELCA presiding bishop affirms that Lutherans care deeply about the people of the Holy Land and about seeking a just resolution to this conflict. “As Christ taught, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God’ (Matthew 5:9). Let us continue to hope and to live our faith.” The ELCA’s relationship with our companion church the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land continues to inform our care for the victims of the current conflict, the ongoing dehumanization of the occupation, and the specific ways in which policies like imposing taxes on churches threatens their witness and ministry in the Holy Land.

What’s Next:

The ELCA will continue communicating directly with and advocating to senior administration officials who oversee U.S. policy to the region. Congress will return from August recess in the second week of September, when ELCA advocacy staff will take ELCA policy objectives to members officials on the Hill. Current policy adviser Susannah Cunningham (contractor) has been onboarding and transferring responsibilities to newly hired Program Director for Middle East and North Africa Policy Sasha Ghosh-Siminoff, and she will be staying on until early-October to fully transition Ghosh-Siminoff into his new role with the ELCA’s vital advocacy.

ELCA BISHOPS’ HILL VISITS YIELD DIVIDENDS: On June 10-12, ELCA Witness in Society and Global Refuge hosted several bishops for advocacy in Washington, D.C. Throughout their visit, the bishops were able to express how immigration policies are intricately connected to the welfare of families within their communities from Southeast Minnesota to Texas. The bishops who participated were Bishops Brenda Bos, Susan Briner, Jim Gonia, Regina Hassanally, David Nagler and Michael Rinehart. On Capitol Hill, they discussed federal policies and legislation including the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act (H.R.1325), the Afghan Adjustment Act (S. 2327/H.R.4627) and FY25 appropriations for refugee and immigrant accounts.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

The bishops, joined by ELCA and Global Refuge staff, met with senior staff at the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department, as well as congressional staff. The visit concluded with an interfaith town hall on immigration accompaniment, featuring administration officials and faith-based organizations. The visit showcased the effectiveness of tying federal policies to local impacts. Bishops wove stories from their congregations to make the case for the Biden Administration and Congress to act in support of immigrant communities.

What’s Next:

In the days that followed, the Biden Administration acted on three policies highlighted during the bishops’ visit: Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberia and relief for undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens, supporting thousands of immigrant families. The last of these, parole in place (PIP) spousal provisions, made over 500,000 undocumented spouses of American citizens eligible for legal status within the US, supporting the goal of keeping families together.

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 .

Warm-up Question

• Who is the best teacher that you’ve ever known?
  • What made them so good?

A GOAT in the Pressbox

Recently, Tom Brady began calling professional football games as an announcer on FOX. Brady is often considered the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). This expertise led to him receiving a massive contract worth $375 million to move from the field and into the pressbox.

After two weeks of calling games, reviews are mixed on Brady’s performance in his new role. Some—including many fans whose teams lost to Brady during his playing career—are taking this chance to tease that Brady can’t be good at everything. Others noted progress in his second week after a fairly pedestrian first outing. Still others complain that, regardless of how good someone is at that particular job, no one deserves hundreds of millions of dollars to talk about football on television.

Brady’s transition from the gridiron to the sidelines reveals a couple of things. One is pretty simple: no one becomes the greatest at anything without experience or practice. Another is no less true: our definitions of the greatest don’t necessarily translate into other parts of life.

Discussion Questions

• What is it like to try something new, especially with an audience?
• What is it like to struggle trying something new when other people have high expectations of you?

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

• Jeremiah 11:18-20
• Psalm 54
• James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a
• Mark 9:30-37

(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

In this Gospel, Jesus challenges the disciples’ assumptions about greatness. First, he confronts their bickering about which one of them is the best of the bunch. Of course, its not uncommon for friends to compare themselves to one another. With so many county and state fairs going on right now, I imagine teens in every state have argued with their peers about who raises the best livestock, who wins the most midway games, who can eat the most fried Oreos, and so forth.

But the disciples arguments here are simultaneously more significant and more absurd. Who is the greatest at following Jesus? Following Jesus is definitely among the most important things in our lives. Turning faith into a contest? That’s bizarre.

Yet, the human propensity for competition doesn’t stop at the fairground or on the football field. Too often, we let our desire to win invade our relationship with Jesus. We let a yearning for victory misdirect our spiritual journey.

Fortunately, Jesus steps in at these moments for us, Just as he stepped in for the disciples in Mark 9. Jesus reminds all his disciples that greatness in the Reign of God is not the same as greatness in this world. God desires innocence more than excellence. God desires humility more than pride. Jesus teaches disciples, then or now, that God’s greatness is found in those society most ignores and least values.

Not only does Jesus challenge our assumptions about greatness. Jesus turns the definition on its head with both word and deed. Ultimately, Jesus shows us greatness in a willingness to suffer on others’ behalf. As he forecasts in the first verses of today’s Gospel, Jesus shows us that success doesn’t look like a military victory, but an empty tomb.

Discussion Questions

• Using Jesus’ definition of greatness, share some examples of the people who are greatest in your community.
  • What makes them so great in God’s eyes?
  • How can we learn to appreciate them in the same way?

Activity Suggestions

• Who are those who Jesus would call the greatest that we’ve been ignoring? Take time this week to contact people who often go unnoticed and tell them why you appreciate them. This could be people that serve you food or take out the trash. It could be kids at school who aren’t terribly popular. Whoever it is, let them know why you think they’re great.
• Develop a service project that a group can do together that serves others. In some parts of the country, its already time to rake leaves. Older congregants might appreciate assistance with that. With climate change wreaking havoc across the globe, creating and sending disaster relief kits through partners like Lutheran World Relief is another powerful way to serve. Whatever the project, find ways to practice the greatness that Christ teaches.

Closing Prayer

God, you are the greatest of all. You show us that greatness through becoming one of us, a human, a baby. You show us that greatness by washing feet and welcoming outsiders. You show us that greatness by living humbly, suffering willingly, and rising to new life vibrantly. Inspire us to embrace your greatness and to follow in that path of humility, service, and abundant life. We pray this in your name, Jesus: Amen.

Pastor Mack Patrick (he/they) serves as an Assistant to the Bishop in the Northern Illinois Synod focusing on communications, stewardship, and works with youth and young adults. As a transgender pastor in the ELCA, Pastor Mack strives to make the church a more inclusive and accessible place for all of God’s beloved children. Outside of work, you can find Pastor Mack reading in a hammock, building things with Legos, tinkering with technology, or riding roller coasters. Pastor Mack is proud to have served on the 2024 tAble Planning Team for the ELCA Youth Gathering.

Our blog post for this month is a sermon preached by Pastor Mack Patrick at the opening worship at the tAble, a pre-event to the 2024 Youth Gathering. Based on Psalm 139, it grounded attendees and staff in their time together, exploring “how we are created to be wHoly”.

Originally posted at: Created to Be: wHoly You (mackpatrick.blogspot.com) 

Issue 95 of Administration Matters

Created to Be

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.” —Psalm 139:14

Last month the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans brought together 14,235 youth participants, 292 young adult participants, 595 MYLE participants, 72 tAble participants, 712 volunteers/team members and 225 partners in interactive learning. Over five days these participants:
• Represented 1,207 congregations.
• Visited 207 accompaniment sites around New Orleans.
• Donated 3,000 relief buckets going to 20-plus communities across southeast Louisiana.
• Cooling towels were the most donated item!
• Occupied 37 hotel properties.
• Cruised back and forth to the airport 150 times.
• Communed together with 340 chalices and 170 patens.
• Shuttled teams and participants around the city with 60 rental cars and 123 buses.

What the numbers don’t tell us are the stories. Of Lutherans showing up for local organizations that were accustomed to broken promises. Of volunteers and team members who took vacation time to be part of this experience because it was part of their faith journey. Of smiles and high fives that, locals said, brought joy and a few pedestrian traffic jams to the city (maybe more than a few!). Of the work we do as a church, around this country and around the globe. Of speakers who were brave, authentic, free, disruptive disciples. Of the congregations that rallied around sending their young people to this event, and the adults who made it happen. We should write a book.

Thank you to each of you for the ways you helped make this event happen. Blessings on all that you do.

Politics, the pulpit and tax-exempt status

As we approach another contentious election, we often receive inquiries about permissible political activity for congregations and other ministries of the church. Our primary resource for this topic is here. Links to other resources can be accessed here.

It’s important to remember that all 501(c)(3) organizations — including congregations, schools and social ministry organizations — have an obligation to adhere to these guidelines. The short version is that congregations and other ministries may not support or endorse candidates for office, but they are permitted to engage in issue advocacy and neutral political activity (e.g., nonpartisan registration drives, serving as a polling location, etc.). Pastors, deacons and other church employees can endorse or support candidates, but only if they are clearly acting in their personal capacity and not in their capacity as leaders or employees of their congregations or other ministries. For instance, pastors are prohibited from endorsing a candidate from the pulpit or on the congregation’s Facebook page, or from placing a candidate’s political advertising on the congregation’s property.

Portico will offer value copay and Roth in 2025

During this fall’s annual enrollment, for 2025, Portico will offer a new ELCA-Primary health benefit option and a Roth after-tax retirement contribution option. The new Value Copay health option will help make plan members’ costs for many health care visits and lab tests predictable and manageable, with a price for sponsoring organizations that falls between the current Gold+ and Silver+ options. The Roth retirement contribution option will be effective Jan. 1, 2025, for members with an ELCA Retirement Plan account.

Sponsoring organizations and plan members were notified in August via email of 2025 rate and benefit changes. If your organization currently provides Portico benefits, talk to your members about their health option preferences, if possible, then select your organization’s 2025 ELCA-Primary health option on EmployerLink, Oct. 1-14. The 2025 Decision Guide and Custom Comparison Report are now accessible for registered EmployerLink users.

8 ways to get the most from outsourced accounting services

Outsourcing can provide a range of benefits, from cost savings to improved financial reporting. Working with an outsourced accounting provider allows you to tap into a team of highly skilled and experienced professionals who specialize in financial accounting. >More

5 tips for hiring a church secretary

A church office is a busy place that requires the talent of a strong administrator. Churches often hire a secretary or administrative assistant to keep things organized and assist with the flow of church communications. This valuable staff member is often the person that connects all the dots! Hiring a secretary is no small decision for a church because it requires financial resources to cover the employee’s salary and benefits, unless you can identify a faithful volunteer who can fill this role. >More

Be prepared for severe weather and storms

Having a plan in place makes for safer people and property. Preparation is key to making sure your organization is primed and ready before the weather takes a turn for the worse. To help your organization minimize potential damage and destruction, we have compiled information and resources. >More

Drew Tucker, Westerville, OH

Warm-up Questions

• Have you ever had to move to a new home?
  • If so, what was that like?
  • If not, what do you imagine are the biggest challenges to moving?

Finding a New Home

Recently, both on social media and in political discourse, the city of Springfield in Ohio has gotten a lot of attention. A viral TikTok accused Haitian immigrants of stealing and eating pets in the area. Despite the fact that Springfield police, Haitian community leaders, and local residents from across the political spectrum all deny these unfounded accusations, the story has become a talking point throughout the internet and in the 2024 presidential campaign.

What’s particularly sad about this is that it ignores how a rustbelt city and refugees found a new home together. Springfield is a place that, like many midwestern towns, was abandoned by manufacturers in the late 20th century, leading to population decline and poverty. Over the past few decades, residents of Haiti have faced political instability as well as natural disasters that led many to immigrate to the United States. Haitians, along with Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, are able to do so under a special immigration process allowed for humanitarian benefit.

This photo of downtown Springfield, featuring a sign that says “Welcome to Our City,” comes from the AP article linked above.

As Haitians began to settle in Springfield, the increased population brought increased need for basic amenities. Since employment is expected of immigrants, this also increased the number of taxpayers. This has led, in turn, to a redevelopment of downtown Springfield and increased investment by both public and private investors. Together, immigrants and longtime residents found a new place together in a renewing Springfield. Of course, that’s not without complications. Bringing different cultures together, in the midst of shifting employment opportunities and economic trends, can highlight challenges.

And yet, citizen and refugee alike are finding ways forward together in Springfield. In this Ohio hamlet, all of them are finding and making a home.

Discussion Questions

• What does it feel like to find a place or a community where you fit comfortably?
• What does it feel like when people make assumptions or false accusations about your community?
  • How about your neighbors?
  • How about you?

Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost

• Isaiah 50:4-9a
• Psalm 116:1-9
• James 3:1-12
• Mark 8:27-38

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

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

Gospel Reflection

In this week’s Gospel, Peter makes a bold move. Peter tells God “no.” It’s not a move I would recommend! 

To be fair, we don’t know exactly what Peter said to Jesus. All we know for certain is that Peter “rebuked” him.

To be rebuked is a specific kind of response. It’s more than a correction, and way beyond a question. A rebuke is particularly strong. A rebuke comes from a place of perceived authority, supposedly undergirded by wisdom. Being rebuked isn’t just being told that you’re wrong. It is critical disapproval, if not outright disappointment. 

And Peter rebuked Jesus.

So though we don’t know exactly what Peter said, it’s clear that it wasn’t good. Let’s just imagine for a minute the times that we’ve been rebuked by someone. What did they say from that position of supposed authority, with theoretical wisdom, that communicated their dissatisfaction. You’ve got that in your mind?

Now imagine saying that to Jesus. Yikes.

Peter didn’t understand his role. He didn’t recognize the boundaries at hand.

To be clear, this doesn’t mean that Christians should never question God. After all, in just the last chapter, a SyroPhoenician mother held Jesus accountable to his promises and his theology. She challenged him to remember the good news he preached and Jesus responded, not with a rebuke, but with affirmation. 

So Peter’s failure here is not in questioning God. It’s assuming authority over God. What gets Peter in trouble is that he tries to lead, rather than follow. 

Peter’s confusion is understandable. After all, Jesus just suggested that he’s going to die. Peter’s been told the Messiah can’t possibly die. Plus, from his experience, no person can rise from the dead.  Further, Peter knows this kind of talk is economically dangerous. More than that, it’s politically absurd, risking condemnation of chief priests and Roman officials alike. This all puts their movement at risk and Peter doesn’t want that. 

But here’s the problem. To tell God “no,” or otherwise rebuke God, presumes a kind of pride. It indicates we’re trying to take God’s place in our lives. That we know better than God. We don’t, and to presume so is dangerous.

That’s why Jesus’ response is “get behind me, Satan.” Peter is out of line and Jesus invites him back into place. 

The name Satan, while harsh, is simply a response in kind: Jesus rebukes Peter’s rebuking. More than just the Devil’s proper name, satan is the Hebrew word for adversary. By calling Peter “Satan,” Jesus points out that Peter’s left the position of disciple and taken up the position of Jesus’ opponent. Though harsh, Jesus doesn’t condemn Peter, but calls him back into the place of a disciple. Jesus rebukes Peter in kind to emphasize the importance of what is to come. Jesus also makes sure Peter knows he has a place in it. 

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever had someone speak to you harshly in a way that was helpful?
• Describe a time when you, or someone you know, tried to take God’s place of leadership in your life. What was that like?

 Activity Suggestions

• In a group, use an activity that requires everyone to pay attention to the leader’s actions or instructions. Games like “Simon (or Simone) Says” and “Following the Leader” are both good examples. Another option is to use a simple worksheet that emphasizes the importance of reading and understanding directions. A number of options are available here.
• Use a prayer journal to respond to the following prompts:
  • Where is it most difficult for you to follow God’s leadership?
  • How do you wan to grow as a disciple?
  • Imagine you’re in Peter’s place, having just been rebuked by Jesus–after rebuking him first! How would you want to respond to Jesus?

Closing Prayer:  

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.

Association of Lutheran Church Musicians

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

ALCM Fall Webinar Series

“For all that is to be” Summer conference
Aug. 4-8, 2025
Raleigh-Durham, N.C. 

Join us in Raleigh! Mark your 2025 calendars now for August 4-8 and plan to register in the “Early, Early” category, which will offer substantial savings. Registration opens in September.

Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival

Transforming and connecting lives through faith and music since 1981.

New FREE Arrangement from Lutheran Summer Music by Anne Krentz Organ

Download a new FREE arrangement from Lutheran Summer Music 2024 by Anne Krentz Organ: The Ash Grove for a solo instrument with keyboard accompaniment. The Ash Grove is a theme and variations based on the beloved Welsh folk tune and is this year’s installment in the LSM Hymn Tune Project. Free sheet music download: LSMacademy.org/resources.

Institute of Liturgical Studies

An ecumenical conference on liturgical renewal for the church today.

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

The American religious landscape is characterized by declining participation in religious institutions, increasing uncertainty about matters of faith, and a growing population identifying as non-religious. Nevertheless, many people continue to turn to churches at some of the most significant moments in their lives—such as the birth of a child or the loss of a loved one—and many others show up to support them. At last year’s Institute, Rev. Dr. Sarah Kathleen Johnson introduced the idea of occasional religious practice to describe a way of relating to religion that is characterized by participation in religious practices occasionally rather than routinely, most often in connection with certain types of occasions, including holidays, life transitions, and times of crisis. She encouraged us not to rush to judge occasional practitioners’ lack of involvement or to come to hasty conclusions about why they are seeking out these practices but instead to listen to and learn from them.

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

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

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 invites you to consider the following events and resources for continuing education, community building, professional development, and celebrating this practice of paperless communal song-sharing:

MMC is offering a few workshops in the South, Northeast, and Upper Midwest this fall. Join us in:

+ Waco, Texas: Saturday, Sept. 28 for a One-Day Community Singing Workshop at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church. As part of the 3-day residency, join us for a Friday evening Community Sing and/or worship on Sunday morning. Click here for more details.

+ New London, N.H.: Saturday, Oct. 5 for a One-Day Community Singing Workshop at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Click here for more details.

+ Chippewa Falls, Wis.: Oct. 11-12 for a Friday night Community SING and Saturday morning, 1/2 Day Community Singing Workshop at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. Sponsored by the Lay School of Ministry, Northwest Synod of Wisconsin, ELCA and several local churches. Click here for more details.

The Sacred Lands Playlist Project is in the process of reviewing submissions. Thank you to all who submitted! Mark your calendars for 6-7:30 p.m. Central on Wednesday, Oct. 2, for a hybrid gathering in Minneapolis to learn songs on the playlist, meet their creators, hear the stories of how they came to be, so you can faithfully carry these important songs into your communities. This event will be recorded so you view it afterwards. Stay tuned to register for location details and a Zoom link.

Communities around the nation are gathering together to sing and build bridges of connection. Join one of these if they’re near you or start your own (we can help you with that; just reach out!):

Albuquerque, New Mexico – 1st Tuesdays
Brownsburg, Indiana – 1st Tuesdays
Chicago, Illinois – 3rd Wednesdays
Ellensburg, Washington – 2nd Thursdays
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota – varies

Resources from the Center for Church Music

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

“Profiles in American Lutheran Church Music” presents video interviews with prominent ELCA church musicians Scott Weidler (interviewed by Rev. Gerald Spice, 2016) and Paul Bouman (interviewed by Michael Costello, 2013) as well as many other Lutheran Church musicians.

Augsburg Fortress Events and Resources

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

Augsburg Fortress hosted five Music Clinics this summer, welcoming hundreds of church musicians and other ministry leaders to workshops; reading sessions for handbells, keyboard music, and choral pieces; and an evening festival choir. Music clinician David Cherwien’s workshop was especially poignant, as he led attendees through the hymn texts written by his late wife, Susan Palo Cherwien. Explore and experience her creative works in four hymn collections, including the recently-released Living in Wonder: Hymns of Susan Palo Cherwien, Volume 4.

The new program year is getting started, and that means one thing—new church year calendars aren’t far behind! We are thrilled to offer the breathtaking work of Ukrainian artist Ivanka Demchuk in the Calendar of Word and Season, Year C 2025. This spiral-bound wall calendar for planning helps you keep time in the office, sacristy, and home.

Our Advent Devotional is hot of the presses. When they’re gone, they’re gone, so order now! Good News, Great Joy: Devotions for Advent and Christmas 2024-25 is available in pocket size, large print, and ebook editions. Tip: if you have a handbell choir, this year’s devotion is an especially fitting gift!

The ELCA has released social teachings for decades. Our NEW book series reengages these teachings to help individuals and groups who wish to revisit these statements in today’s context. The first two titles in the Re-Engaging ELCA Social Teaching series are ReEngaging ELCA Social Teaching on The Church in Society by James M. Childs Jr. and ReEngaging ELCA Social Teaching on Abortion by Caryn D. Riswold.

This blog post is written by Dr. Benjamin M. Stewart. Stewart is Distinguished Affiliate Professor of Worship at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and pastor to Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Two Harbors, Minnesota.

A view of Assisi the day before the Feast of Creation Ecumenical Seminar began in March 2024

With growing mainstream awareness of environmental crises, several experiments with a liturgical “Season of Creation” have emerged. Now, a significant ecumenical movement is championing the inauguration of a liturgical “Feast of Creation” to be shared across Eastern and Western branches of Christianity. The possibility of the new festival is being discussed by church leadership in the major global denominations and is being considered for introduction as part of the commemoration of the 1700^th anniversary of the Council of Nicea in 2025.

The potential new feast would likely be associated with the time between September 1 and October 4, already observed by some as a season of creation. The dates have ecumenical significance: September 1 is the beginning of the Orthodox liturgical year, and in recent decades the date has become associated with care for creation among the Orthodox. It has even more recently been adopted as a day of prayer and action for creation by the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church – though usually without a liturgical celebration. October 4^th is the commemoration of St. Francis of Assisi, one of the most popular occasions on the church calendar associated with care for creation.

Photo of the in-person participants at the Feast of Creation Seminar in Assisi, March 2024

An ecumenical conference – with participation by LWF and ELCA theologians – convened in March 2024 in Assisi, Italy, to study the possibility of a new liturgical festival of creation. (A report designed for wide readership about the conference and next steps is available online here as a PDF.)

There was considerable enthusiasm at the Assisi conference for the new ecumenical festival. Some ongoing questions included:

• How would the potential feast balance the emphases on creator, creation, and creation’s woundedness/healing?
• What would the festival be called? (e.g. “The Feast of Creation” or “The Feast of the Mystery of Creation” or “The Festival of God the Creator,” etc.)
• Would the date of the festival be associated with September 1^st or with the September equinox, a day of global balance between light and darkness? Would the festival be marked on a precise date or the Sunday following?
• Which scriptural themes – and specific readings – should anchor the festival? (This is where the first question above gets very real!)
• How might the festival be introduced in the relatively short time before September 2025, and to what extent is ecumenical consistency important in the introductory process and in the liturgical practice of the feast?

It is worth remembering that our existing chief festivals already include creation themes at their heart: the chief gospel reading at Christmas is John 1 (“In the beginning was the Word”), and the first reading of the Easter Vigil is from Genesis 1 (“In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth”). As early as Justin Martyr some Christians have noted that every Sunday is a feast of creation as much as it is a feast of the resurrection:

“We hold this meeting together on the day of the sun since it is the first day, on which day God, having transformed darkness and matter, made the world. On the same day Jesus Christ our savior rose from the dead.” (1 Apology 67. Translation in Lathrop, Holy Things, 45.)

The most recent feast to be introduced ecumenically was Reign of Christ / Christ the King, in response to rising fascism in the 1920s (though it was only adopted by Western churches). The possibility of a new Feast of Creation being inaugurated across the global church in both Eastern and Western Christianity holds profound theological promise – even as it too comes at another moment of global crisis.

Jon Fry, Champaign-Urbana, IL

Warm-up Questions

• How do you pass the time while traveling?
  • What are your favorite traveling games/activities with friends or family?

Weird Internet Outage

A few weeks ago my newsfeed was blowing up with articles from medical professionals suggesting that abstaining from in-flight entertainment, food, drink, and sleep, on long flights was a bad decision. This was in response to folks on TikTok posting their record setting performances on multi-hour flights and boasting about their mental stamina.

Numerous doctors, self-help professionals, and meditation specialists began chiming in with their two cents on the trend. Most experts agree that detoxing from technology and spending less time on screens is a good practice; however, combining that with a fast from food, water, and sleep for upwards of seven hours is decidedly not.

Likely this is just another example in a long line of the internet freaking out about something for no reason. There is no real evidence that many individuals are actually committing to this “in-air fast.” In my opinion, it seems more likely that if one were to refrain from electronics, food, drink, and sleep, it wouldn’t result in a zen state but rather irritability and outbursts.

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever fasted like this (intentionally or unintentionally)?
• What is one of your worst travel experiences? How were you feeling?

Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost

• Isaiah 35:4-7a
• Psalm 146
• James 2:1-10 [11-13] 14-17
• Mark 7:24-37

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

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

Gospel Reflection

Our Gospel reading for today finds Jesus setting out and traveling to the region of Tyre, where he wants to stay anonymous. Crowds of people had been chasing him and bringing their friends and family to be healed by him. He then had a very public discussion with the religious leaders who were concerned about the disciples eating with unclean hands, and it sounds like Jesus was a bit tired of all the attention.

When he’s noticed and approached by a Syrophoenician woman seeking healing for his daughter, he says that it’s unfair to “take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs”.

This text always makes me recoil a bit, as this isn’t the Jesus full of unconditional love that I’m used to hearing about. This Jesus is drawing a line between the Jewish people (the children) and the Gentiles (the dogs), those at the table and those on the outside.

Yet, this Syrophoenician woman doesn’t miss a beat saying, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” This woman was not deterred by Jesus’ harsh words and grumpy demeanor. She stands strong in her understanding of Jesus’ ministry and advocates for her place at the table.

It’s through her toughness, grit, and determination that we see Jesus’ love shine through. He commends her for her words and sends her home to a daughter who had been healed of her unclean spirit.

To me, Jesus’ “humanness” shines through in this story. His exhaustion and desire to get away from the crowds cloud his vision, and he doesn’t treat this Syrophoenician woman with the respect she deserves. It’s also “human-like” to be faced with a competing opinion and to change one’s mind.

We don’t need to make excuses for Jesus’ behavior and we can be frustrated with his treatment of this woman, but this story offers us a glimpse at a Jesus who has experienced the stress of human existence. Through this story, and because of this woman’s faith and determination, we see a God that is willing to change to show grace, forgiveness, and compassion to the world.

Discussion Questions

• Have you ever changed your opinion on an issue or topic? What prompted that change?
• How do you know when to hold onto your convictions like the Syrophoenician woman or to allow yourself to be changed like Jesus?

 Activity Suggestions

• Brainstorm “curious questions” you could ask when you are talking to someone with a different opinion than you. Practice both asking and being asked these questions in small groups. Then reflect together on questions and strategies that could be helpful in talking across difference.
• Consider asking an older trusted person in your life about a time they remember changing their opinion on a topic. What prompted the change? How did it make them feel? What reflections can they share about their experience?

Closing Prayer: