Today’s blog post is from Megan Neubauer, Interim Program Associate for the ELCA Strategy on HIV and AIDS.

Each year, December 1^st marks World AIDS Day; a day to commemorate all of those who have and continue to be affected by HIV and AIDS. The day is a powerful one to remember, but also a day to look, with hope, toward the future. This year marks 35 years since the first reported case of what would come to be known as AIDS in the United States by the Centers for Disease Control. Since that time, we have learned much more about effective treatment and prevention. However, there is much progress to be made. HIV continues to affect many in our communities and throughout the world, including more than 1.2[i] million people in the United States alone, and approximately 36.7[ii] million worldwide.

In 2009 the Church Council passed the ELCA Strategy on HIV and AIDS. In it, we outlined the many ways that we must respond. Together we are called to reflection, and we are called to action. This year on World AIDS Day, let us join in prayer, worship and reflection for HIV and AIDS in our community. This church can be a resounding voice in speaking out against stigma and discrimination; Let us examine how we become or maintain a welcoming community for all affected. In remembering World AIDS Day in our worship, we continue to raise awareness. December 1^st is a day we join in prayer, reflection and remembrance, and we go forth renewed to continue the response.

World AIDS Day worship resources are now available at www.elca.org/hiv.

If your congregation will be commemorating World AIDS Day or wishes to integrate commemoration into your Sunday worship on Dec. 4th, prayers, a brief healing rite, hymn suggestions and more worship components are available here.

[i] Centers for Disease Control, 2016. HIV in the United States: At A Glance [10/5/2016]. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/overview/ataglance.html

[ii] UNAIDS, 2016. Fact Sheet 2016[10/5/2016] www.unaids.org/en/resources/fact-sheet

As Advent approaches, Bishop Elizabeth Eaton has co-authored a devotional resource for your congregation with three other Lutheran and Anglican leaders.

Along with Bishop Eaton, the weekly devotions were contributed by the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, presiding bishop and primate, The Episcopal Church; the Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, primate, Anglican Church of Canada; and the Rev. Susan C. Johnson, national bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. The resource is, in part, a way to celebrate the full communion partnership between the contributing churches.

As the bishops write in a joint cover letter, “May our prayers united be a modest but hopeful sign of what our churches can do together as we bear witness to the One who first reconciled himself to us.”

The themes of each week’s reflections are: “Liberated by God’s Grace,” “Creation-Not for Sale,” “Salvation-Not for Sale,” and finally, “Human Beings-Not for Sale.”

The Advent devotions, formatted for easy printing with your congregation’s bulletin, are available in PDF here:

http://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/2016_Advent_devotions_all.pdf?_ga=1.80319888.683376320.1466460903

In September the ELCA released a new marriage resource intended to supplement the existing ELW marriage service with language suitable for all couples.

“These supplemental resources have been created to offer more inclusivity in language, pastoral care, and openness for all persons who seek to be married within this church,” said the Rev. Kevin Strickland, ELCA executive for worship. Strickland emphasized that the resources are supplemental to the marriage service included in both the Evangelical Lutheran Worship and the Evangelical Lutheran Worship Occasional Services for the Assembly.

The new resources offer materials for each section of the service, which include the gathering, word, marriage, prayer, meal and sending.

“It has been said that marriage is a gift of God, intended for the joy and strength of those who enter it and for the well-being of the whole human family,” said Strickland. “It is my hope that these supplemental resources help point us as a church, in offering this gift for the whole human family.”

See for yourself! A downloadable pdf of the new resource is available online here: http://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Supplemental_Marriage_Resources.pdf

Today’s post is from Scott Weidler, ELCA Program Director for Worship and Music.

One of the things I’ve learned in these many years serving on the ELCA worship staff is that perspectives often vary between congregations and parts of the church. For example, a musical setting of the liturgy by Marty Haugen might be called “contemporary” in one congregation but be the most “traditional” music used in another. Worshipers speaking out loud the names of those for whom we pray is common in many communities but would be strange and unexpected in another. The lists can go on and on.

“When differing expectations turn to disagreement, it is a good thing to seize the opportunity to explore the diversity of music, art, and ritual practice within our own church.”

These examples, and a myriad of others, often reflect deeply held practices and traditions. It is a good thing that people have strong feelings and emotions about these things. This may mean that worship is central to their life as a Christian. Sometimes, when differing expectations turn to disagreement, it is a good thing to seize the opportunity to explore the diversity of music, art, and ritual practice within our own church, engage in healthy conversations and discover a creative curiosity of others and their ways to worship.

Recent arrivals at a church mailbox near you!

Can We Talk: Engaging Worship and Culture is a small booklet, a study guide of sorts, that has recently been mailed to all ELCA congregations as an encouragement to join this journey of discussion and experience about how worship and culture engage one another, and how we, God’s people, engage this sometimes challenging, but important, topic.

Drawing on the wisdom from the Nairobi Statement on Worship and Culture from the Lutheran World Federation in the mid-1990s, Can We Talk provides contemporary commentary on the statement, along with suggestions on how to use this material in an engaging and helpful way in your congregation.

This is an exciting and timely topic. We hope that your congregation will dig in and join the conversation.

If you did not receive the paper copy in the mail, do not worry! Can We Talk is easily accessible at www.elca.org/worship. Click on the Can We Talk link to download the booklet. Even if you received the paper copy, you’ll want to get this electronic version so the many links to examples will be active.