News

For eight horrific months war has raged in Gaza. Thousands of people have died, and thousands more are suffering. In recent days we have seen unspeakable images of violence in Rafah and escalating violence in the West Bank. Like the prophet Isaiah, we lament, "How long, O Lord?" (Isaiah 6:11).

The Rev. Bryan J. Penman, Conshohocken, Pa., was elected May 4 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, May 3-4 at Franconia Mennonite Church in Telford, Pa.

Dear church,In 1 Corinthians 12:26 the apostle Paul reminds us that "if one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it." For 15 years we have accompanied our full-communion siblings in the United Methodist Church (UMC) through joyous and challenging times....

The Rev. Jen Nagel, Minneapolis, Minn., was elected May 4 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, May 2-4 at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Ramsey, Minn.

The Rev. Susan J. Briner, Seguin, Texas, was reelected May 5 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Southwestern Texas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election was held during the synod assembly, May 3-5, at the Omni Hotel in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The Rev. Timothy R. Oslovich, Vernon, Conn., was elected April 27 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Alaska Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, April 26-28, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Anchorage.

The Rev. Meghan Johnston Aelabouni, Jerusalem, was elected April 27 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Rocky Mountain Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, April 25-27, at the Embassy Suites in Loveland, Colo.

The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) gathered at the Lutheran Center in Chicago, April 11-14. The council, which serves as the ELCA churchwide organization’s board of directors and interim legislative authority between meetings of a churchwide assembly, carries out its work in support of the ELCA’s priority areas of being a welcoming church, a thriving church, and a connected and sustainable church.

Building on a shared vision for gospel-centered hospitality and inclusion, Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) and AMMPARO, the migrant ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), have entered into a partnership to better train and support asylum-seeker sponsors.

The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) added its voice to concerns about international and domestic situations during its meeting Feb. 27-March 5 at Eaglewood Resort in Itasca, Ill. The conference is an advisory body of the ELCA that comprises 65 synod bishops, the presiding bishop and the secretary.

We, the members of the Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), consistent with our church’s social teachings, stand in full solidarity with people of faith who respond to God’s call to serve their neighbor.

The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is adding its voice to the growing group of faith leaders urgently calling for a permanent bilateral cease-fire in Gaza.

The Rev. Khader El-Yateem has been appointed executive director of the Service and Justice home area of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). El-Yateem will begin his service March 18.

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will feature A Time for Burning, a film of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The film will be shown Dec. 17 as part of the museum series "Works of Enduring Importance: 35 Years of the National Film Registry."

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recently announced the Rev. Louise Johnson, Executive for Administration, has accepted the Executive for Vision, a new position in the churchwide organization.

The leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) and The Episcopal Church (TEC) have released the Churches Beyond Borders 2023 Advent Cycle of Prayer.

On Nov. 16, the North American heads of Churches Beyond Borders met online with their Lutheran and Episcopal counterparts in the Holy Land for a time of solidarity and prayer.

The ELCA Church Council of the appointed the Rev. Michael Burk as presiding bishop pro tempore after its Executive Committee approved Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton’s request for a four- to six-month leave of absence, to begin Nov. 17. The council, which serves as the ELCA churchwide organization’s board of directors and interim legislative authority between meetings of a churchwide assembly, gathered at the Lutheran Center in Chicago, Nov. 9-12.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Church Council Executive Committee approved Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton's request for a 4-to-6-month leave of absence. Her leave starts Nov. 17, 2023.

The ELCA's commitments call on us to denounce unequivocally any attacks — past, present or future — by any party that lead to civilians becoming victims. Our hearts are with all those who have been killed or injured, and with their families and friends.