How do we encounter that gift of abundant life in times of sickness? | more »
Education
Help families move beyond denial; acknowledge the devastating impact of the abuse on all family members. | more »
When anger is left unresolved, it intensifies and may be projected inward or outward to find an expression beyond reason. | more »
Here is a sampling of the past 500 years of Lutheranism. | more »
“God’s work. Our hands.” is not just a tag line or even a mission statement. It is, instead, the story of God’s reforming work in the world. | more »
Here are 10 ways to help children and their families dive into God's word. | more »
Children at an Ohio congregation didn’t receive new Bibles from their congregation but rather slightly used — and as a result more meaningful — ones.
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Potlucks can combat world hunger! | more »
Having four basic forces is unsettling for those who seek an elegant unitary picture of the world. | more »
Disasters can happen at any time and place, often without warning, and it is vital for each of us to prepare ourselves. | more »
Many children wonder about prayer. This nondenominational, multicultural book offers answers. | more »
Every day of the week, Jim Freeman can count on a warm meal delivered to his home, thanks to ELCA World Hunger. | more »
It’s about God working through you and the members of your congregation that you might become vibrant witnesses to the good news of Jesus Christ. | more »
Attention to health has a positive impact, not just on our own lives, but on the lives of those around us. | more »
Sexual images and explicit word references have become increasingly common among groups that are younger by the year. | more »
Attitudes that non-adoptive families have can play an important role in the support, or lack thereof, that adoptive families experience. | more »
The whole Christian community has the privilege and responsibility to celebrate and support God’s gift of baptism in a number of ways. | more »
We asked the ELCA Resource Center directors: What devotional resources would you recommend for individual or small-group use during Lent? | more »
It is all about God working through you and the members of your congregation.
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The goal should go beyond merely raising enough money to pay the bills. | more »
Participants in this small-group study are often amazed to discover the contemporary implications of the Large Catechism. | more »
Here are some interesting ways to celebrate the “coming” of Christ. | more »
We aren’t just a loose federation of churches. We are a communion of churches. | more »
If you haven’t tried it before, maybe this is the year to try to incorporate some child- or youth-led elements into your holiday services. | more »
On three successive nights Nicholas tossed bags of gold through the sisters' window, saving them from being sold into slavery. | more »
Look to provide opportunities for everyone to grow in a relationship with Jesus in a gracious, welcoming and redeeming community.
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Stewardship is not only about money; it’s also about using the gifts God has given you. | more »
Oct. 31, the date that Lutherans observe as Reformation Day, is also the eve of All Saints Day (All Hallows Day), commonly known as Halloween.
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Katharina von Bora Luther farmed, raised cows and pigs and brewed beer, earning almost as much as Martin Luther did as a professor.
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Queen Elizabeth’s assistance with the Protestant Reformation was invaluable. | more »
As it turned out, nailing the documents to a church door was the easy part of starting the movement. | more »
There is a new resource available to help pastors walk parents and sponsors through the various parts of baptism. | more »
These activities contribute to the health and well-being of congregations by building
on the strengths and confidence of those who are involved.
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It’s called “animate. Faith” and isn’t your typical devotional for small groups. | more »
How we worship reflects our commitment to God's saving mission for the whole world. | more »
Education is an important faith practice of the ELCA because it belongs to our Lutheran baptismal vocation and is fundamental to the church's mission in the world. | more »
Fill the awkward gap between the end of Sunday school in May and the end of public school in June with global exploration! | more »
People over 55 will soon make up over a third of the U.S. population, but few congregations focus on this emerging area of ministry. | more »
Over a period of four weeks, emphasis is placed on God, the creator of all; Christ, the redeemer of creation; and the Spirit, the sustainer of life.
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Must you choose either faith or science, or are they different disciplines that can strengthen each other? | more »
Here are some ways to involve youth in the preparation for Easter. | more »
Vulnerable moments in people's lives can be important entry points to connect with them in practical, emotional and spiritual ways. | more »
The ELCA Archives may be able to help ELCA congregations struggling to compile the names and dates that mark their history. | more »
Sales from fair-trade fairs benefit internationally small farmers and artisans who do not have access to traditional markets. | more »
The AIDS crisis called the ELCA to an even higher level of commitment in its focus on health care.
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During these hard economic times there are many people struggling in silence, their pain invisible. | more »
The stigma of HIV and AIDS was enough that even her closest friends and family members were afraid to care for her. | more »
It’s not about some people being irrelevant. It’s about “how God is becoming relevant to new people and how we can all get behind that,” says Bjorn Peterson. | more »
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service helps America's newcomers by resettling refugees, reuniting families and rekindling dreams. | more »
HIV can now be managed as a chronic condition, and HIV-positive people can live long and productive lives. | more »
The Guyana Mission Network furthers the book of faith initiative’s cause to “open scripture and join the conversation” in South America.
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Are we providing ministries that nurture the most basic needs for faith and identity in community? | more »
There's support for the ways we are an evangelizing church, centered in word and sacrament.
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We must reshape our attitude about those with cognitive or intellectual disabilities by building from the perspective of similarities rather than differences. | more »
Advocacy affirms our Christian mission in this world and speaks, prophetically, to the powers that be in the spirit of biblical truth.
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The use of an "Affirmation of Christian Vocation" in worship affirms the varied vocations of the baptized and underscores the common call of the community to participate in God's mission in our daily lives. | more »
“From Here to Community: Enhancing Christian Community in Today’s Society” is a 12-session adult-education curriculum written by Richard and Judith Reuning. The resource explores the roots of Christian community, how that community is affected by modern society and how Christian... | more »
The ELCA has made significant progress in its vision and support of women’s leadership since the ordination of Elizabeth Platz and Barbara Andrews in 1970 in predecessor bodies of this church. Women now serve as six of the 65 elected... | more »
Two resources are available to help your congregation talk about Christian unity. “Your Guide to Ecumenical Life in the ELCA” is an easy-to-read, four-color “road map” intended to help people learn about the ELCA’s vision and important work in the... | more »
Who were the women of the early church? What was their role in the formation of the faith? Why do we know so little about them? Recorded on location in Rome, “Women in the Early Church” (2004), produced by the... | more »
If inquiring minds want to know, then information-overloaded brains want to scream. That’s what happens to our minds in a world in which too much information is chasing too few brain cells. Because our brains are beset by information at... | more »
Online there are a variety of practical and inspirational resources to promote stewardship as a response of gratitude to God's abundant generosity. | more »
This resource is good for a confirmation class or a youth retreat. | more »
The course addresses basic questions and problems confronted daily by the pastor or lay administrator of a parish. | more »
The Youth and Family Institute in Bloomington, Minn., offers two resources to help ELCA members and their loved ones discuss their beliefs.
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Camp Noah and its week-long program of healing and hope is a faith-based day camp for children, kindergarten through sixth grade.
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A new book by John Drane is a reader-friendly resource for the beginning student of the Bible. | more »
The first English translation of "Wondrously Sheltered" is a great introduction to Dietrich Bonhoeffer's thoughts on faith and life. | more »
Kim Winchell's 50-page resource is a study guide for faith-based small groups. | more »
Award-winning author Alice Camille takes readers through a colorful catalog of biblical creatures. | more »
Martin Marty's book is for those already baptized as well as those who are considering baptism. | more »
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