Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod, ELCA

No place for white supremacy

"White supremacy has no place in the kingdom of God, only the love and healing of the reign of the Prince of Peace," asserts ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton in social media posts on August 13. In advance of events in Charlottesville this weekend, the ELCA Virginia Synod shared the following*: “As members of the [ELCA], we stand against all forms of hatred and discrimination. We believe that cultural, ethnic and racial differences should be seen and celebrated as what God intends them to be – blessings rather than means of oppression and discrimination. We are a church that belongs to Christ, where there is a place for everyone. Christ’s church is not ours to control, nor is it our job to sort, divide, categorize or
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Everyday work done together

“God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday is only one month away. “A Christian is lord of all, completely free of everything; a Christian is a servant, completely attentive to the needs of all,” said Martin Luther. Area congregations will be among those across the ELCA participating in a dedicated day of service on Sunday, Sept. 10 – or another date if more convenient for your congregation’s schedule. “This is work you do in your communities every day, and we look forward to working together again this year,” writes Christina Jackson-Skelton, ELCA Mission Advancement. Worship resources, door hanger invites, t-shirts and more to help you plan are available from http://elca.org/dayofservice. Consider advocacy related to your
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Companionship on campus with LCM

Campus ministries are a strong connection for young adults at a pivotal time of life – and a quick online Student Referral Form can help you find a location for you or someone you care about where they study and live. “If you want to be told all the ‘answers,’ this is NOT a place for you. If you want to explore what it means to be a Christian and follow Jesus, and wrestle with difficult questions in a grace-filled and welcoming community where you are accepted for who you are, this IS the place for you.” This self-description of Lutheran Campus Ministry is proclaimed by University of Maryland’s “Humble Walk” group, a “voice of grace, service and justice” in College Park, Md. Find ELCA-wide connections from
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Katie’s posed like Rosie the Riveter

“Drawing, coloring, and doodling are great activities to help focus the mind and center the soul,” writes Robbin Isenhour, who drew 44 contemporized images for an all-ages coloring book to use with "Ever Reformation: A Reformation 500 Cross-Generational Study" prepared by the ELCA North Carolina Synod. Inviting others to freely share the drawings she created, Isenhour writes, “I hope these coloring pages help you and your congregation commune with the Holy Spirit and one another in a new and creative way.” In an article highlighting the project in Living Lutheran magazine, she said, “Some concepts were hard to capture, but it was important to me for them to be appealing and not turn anyone off, but rather get through the
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Making new and active connections

Introduced by heartfelt and inspiring voices captured on video and captioned in Spanish, the New Connections Campaign was officially launched at the 2017 Synod Assembly. The communities and people our synod serves are among the most diverse areas in the country. Our effort to renew our congregations, to establish new connections, in the midst of such diversity must be equal in strategy. The opportunities to live out our faith, to be God’s hands and feet in our communities are significant. Learn more on the new website: www.newconnectionsmetrodc.com.
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