News

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" (Matthew 5:9).I watch with grave concern as tensions continue between Russia and Ukraine, and I fervently pray that a peaceful resolution to the conflict will be reached. I affirm the statement of the Lutheran World Federation's general secretary,...

The ELCA introduces "Now Is the Time: A Study Guide for ELCA Declaration to People of African Descent" to help congregations wrestle with the meaning of the declaration, adopted at the 2019 Churchwide Assembly, and its accompanying explanation.

"Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain" (Isaiah 40:4).Eighty years ago, on a beautiful Sunday morning, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was tragically transformed from an island paradise into a bloody battlefield. After...

In response to the verdicts in the trial of Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William Bryan in Brunswick, Ga., for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, we offer a word of prayer and healing. We pray for Arbery's family because no verdict can ease the pain and suffering of the murder...

Dear church, In the book of Leviticus we read: "You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor" (19:15). Our social message on Community Violence urges us to become more involved in...

Gathering here Nov. 11-13, the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) began its meetingwith a shared time in remembrance of William B. “Bill” Horne II, ELCA vice president, who died Aug. 14 in Clearwater, Fla.

The ELCA and the three other member churches of Churches Beyond Borders have compiled a 16-day devotional focusing on the United Nations' "16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence" campaign.

The ELCA Foundation today announced the relaunch of its Endowment Fund Pooled Trust — also known as Fund A — under a new name, the Ministry Growth Fund, which better represents the foundation’s goals for the future.

Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton has issued a statement urging the Biden administration to vigorously pursue actions granting protection to migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and other members of the Circle of Protection coalition will meet today with senior officials at the White House to urge passage of economic bills the U.S. Congress is considering.

Presented by the ELCA, the 2021 Hein-Fry Book of Faith Challenge will explore the theme "Imagining Scriptural Encounters in the New Normal."

Five students were awarded 2021-22 Torrison Medical Scholarships, a program managed by the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities.

The Executive Committee of the ELCA Church Council has appointed Carlos Peña as the ELCA’s interim vice president.

William "Bill" Horne II, vice president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, died Aug. 14 of a suspected heart attack. He served as city manager of Clearwater, Fla., since 2001.

We lament the anxiety and turmoil this ruling is causing in our communities. We pray for all who may suffer due to the end of this program. We grieve this potential loss to our church and to the communities in which we serve.

As children of God, we give thanks for all of the LGBTQIA+ people who experience God's calling to the holy work of parenting. In particular response to the June 17 Supreme Court ruling onFulton v. City of Philadelphia, the ELCA stands with our LGBTQIA+ siblings in Christ and reaffirms our commitment to equal protection, opportunities and responsibilities under the law (Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust, p. 33).

The Rev. Dee ("Diane") Pederson, St. Cloud, Minn., was elected June 12 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Southwestern Minnesota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during an online synod assembly.

The Rev. Kevin T. Jones, Mason City, Iowa, was elected June 12 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Northeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during an online synod assembly.

In a joint statement addressing World Refugee Day, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Global Refuge share their commitment to empowering those driven from their homes by conflict, persecution, poverty, and climate change, continuing to honor the Lutheran legacy of generous and compassionate welcome for those who seek refuge in our communities.

The Rev. Paula J. Schmitt, Latrobe, Pa., was elected June 5 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Allegheny Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during an online synod assembly.