Forgotten Luther Symposium
Reclaiming a Vision of Global Community We are facing a global crisis - ecological, political, and economic. A Spirit-led response from churches in the Global South reminds us of Martin Luther’s oft-neglected conviction that God’s gift of grace in Jesus...
Lord of Life’s 50th Anniversary
It was 82 degrees--sunny with a slight breeze--when I pulled up to Shelter B in Burke Lake Park in Springfield, Virginia. Four large gold balloons--two sets of “50”--welcomed me to Lord of Life Lutheran Church’s 50th Anniversary celebration. Cornhole is...
From the Bishop’s Desk on 9/11/19
Eighteen years ago today I was a student at Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York City. I lived in Mt. Vernon with my cousin (far from school) and would often stay my dear friends' in the Bronx (8...
Pastor Ray Ranker – Lutheran Campus Ministry
Photo Credit to Katie Simbala. Fun fact about this photo: while we were outside, a drumline was practicing across the road, and Pastor Ray sang along to UMD's Alma Mater. The Memorial Chapel at the University of Maryland is a...
Farewell Service and Reception for Bishop Graham
The Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America invites you to theFarewell Service and Reception for Bishop Richard H. GrahamSunday, August 25th at 3:00 PMSaint Luke Lutheran Church (9100 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910) Follow...
From the Desk of the Bishop: A Response to Craziness
The following note was written from Kalamazoo, Michigan, but sent to the staff while the Bishop was at Churchwide Assembly. August 1, 2019 Dear friends,I am writing you this letter from Kalamazoo, Michigan. We are here visiting Nancy Ann’s mother,...
Notes from Synod Assembly: Day One
The first morning began nice and early for our volunteers--we had them trickling in at about 7 AM (for anyone who wants to do some math, many of us did not get back to our rooms till about midnight) and...
Synod Assembly Quick Tips
Preparations are in full swing for the Metro D.C. Synod Assembly; they have been for a while. For me (Laura!), this is my first ever Synod Assembly. So I took to our social media to ask: What should newcomers know...
We Are Called to Such a Time as This: Highlights from the SWO Acting Boldly Retreat
At 5:50 AM, I climbed into the packed van with other volunteers and departed for St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Washington, D.C. The van is packed with food and supplies for the Metro D.C. Synodical Women’s Organization Annual Convention—Acting Boldly....
The Parable of the Sower
On April 14th, 2019, Bishop Graham provided the sermon for the service and ordination of Pastor John Mbatta at the Swahili Lutheran Church in Rockville, Maryland. The sermon was on the reading of Matthew 13:1-20. For those who might be...