News

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.

The Rev. Lee M. Miller II, Buffalo, N.Y., was elected June 5 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Upstate New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during an online synod assembly.

The Rev. Brenda Bos, Glendale, Calif., was elected June 5 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Southwest California Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Bos will be the first openly lesbian bishop in the ELCA. The election took place during an online synod assembly.

Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2 NRSV). Since the global pandemic was declared in March 2020, many of us have endured extended emotional and psychological anguish. That experience may be dramatically worsened by the ugly realities of racism, sexism,...

The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met electronically April 14-17. The council, which serves as the ELCA's board of directors, took action on a variety of matters intended to advance this church's mission and ministry.

The trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minnesota police officer charged with the killing of George Floyd, has riveted our national attention these past weeks, and now a verdict has been reached. Together with people around the world, we have anticipated the jury's decision with troubled hearts. As members of...

"But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream" (Amos 5:24 NRSV). The last 16 days have been a microcosm of the original sins of racism and white supremacy in the United States. This has included the trial of Derek Chauvin in the killing of George...

O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.—Psalm 104:24Throughout Scripture, God promises to restore God's people to health and wholeness, a promise that includes the renewal of all creation. This promise is depicted dramatically in the final...

He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2:24).Dear church, As a nation we have lived through a very difficult two weeks following the mass shootings in Atlanta...

My enemies trample on me all day long, for many fight against me. O Most High, when I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I am not afraid; what can flesh do to me? (Psalm 56:2-4).As a nation,...

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have resumed a bilateral dialogue that will define a new ecumenical relationship for common mission and ministry.

The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, the Anglican Church of Canada and The Episcopal Church have issued a statement in observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21.

The ELCA Conference of Bishops held its online meeting March 4-5. The conference, an advisory body of the ELCA, comprises 65 synod bishops, the presiding bishop and the secretary.