Bless this food
Jesus said, “One does not live by bread alone” (Matthew 4:4), thus underscoring the universal necessity of food. We don’t live by bread alone, but we can’t live without it. No wonder food figures prominently in our church ministry—the Lord’s Supper, pantries, potlucks, soup kitchens, coffee hours, nutrition programs, environmental awareness and more.
Your download includes four pages of exercises and discussion questions, plus a copy of the article from The Lutheran.
Exercise 1: Feed the hungry
Exercise 2: Think globally, eat locally
Exercise 3: Keep of 'food diary'
Exercise 4: Food spending
Exercise 5: Food, glorious food!
Exercise 6: How much is enough?
Exercise 7: Poverty in America
Exercise 8: Community poverty levels
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Hearing faith in our everyday lives
What’s the best-kept secret in the Lutheran world? It may just be how Lutherans are working in their everyday lives in order to accomplish what our denomination’s motto claims: “God’s work. Our hands.” Across the nation our members and congregations are doing tremendous things. Don’t you think it’s about time we started letting everybody know?
Your download includes four pages of exercises and discussion questions, plus a copy of the article from The Lutheran.
Exercise 1: Shiny people
Exercise 2: Priesthood of all believers
Exercise 3: Your work is holy work
Exercise 4: God's work. Our hands.
Exercise 5: Christ's body
Exercise 6: I love to tell the story
Exercise 7: Ask for stories
Exercise 8: "The Blessings Board"
Exercise 9: Time of sharing
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Favorite hymns
“Music,” Martin Luther commented, “is an endowment and a gift of God.” The reformer loved music and wrote “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” and many hymns that are even today sung and loved by millions. Fittingly, Lutherans still put music and hymns at the center of worship, to glorify God and bring the faithful into the presence of the holy.
Your download includes three pages of exercises and discussion questions, plus a copy of the article from The Lutheran.
Exercise 1: Moving music
Exercise 2: Servant of the gospel
Exercise 3: Your favorite hymn
Exercise 4: Hymn texts
Exercise 5: A different song
Exercise 6: Music styles
Exercise 7: New life for hymns
Exercise 8: Humming hymns
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Catacomb churches
The 21st century has been challenging for mainline denominations, including the ELCA. Rapid changes in political, social and economic realms have diminished the role of the church in our culture, evidenced in declining attendance and giving. Most people agree the model of church needs to be updated, and some are experimenting with new ideas — such as “home churches,” of which Catacomb Church is one.
Your download includes five pages of exercises and discussion questions, plus a copy of the article from The Lutheran.
Exercise 1: The waning church
Exercise 2: Outdated model?
Exercise 3: A new model?
Exercise 4: What is 'church'?
Exercise 5: The 'Lutheran' definition
Exercise 6: Qualified leadership
Exercise 7: Your church's strengths
Exercise 8: Home church advantages
Exercise 9: Church issues
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hymn extras
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A new imagination
How do the things we do, learn and say on Sunday relate to the way we live on Monday — not to mention Tuesday through Saturday? The answer is “not much” for too many of our faith communities. Growing, successful churches are finding ways to help bridge the divide between Sunday living and the rest of the week.
Your download includes four pages of exercises and discussion questions, plus a copy of the article from The Lutheran.
Exercise 1: Who serves whom?
Exercise 2: To be the greatest
Exercise 3: Mission
Exercise 4: A typical week
Exercise 5: Busy lives
Exercise 6: Downton Abbey
Exercise 7: 'Welcoming' assessment
Exercise 8: Rapid change
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Now & forever
The environment may be the top issue facing humanity today, as the world population continues to grow and put stress on the systems that have sustained life for millennia. Wilderness is being consumed, species extinction is accelerating, and oceans are warming and acidifying. Amid mounting evidence of rapid climate change, Christian environmental activist Bill McKibben argues that we are already past the point where serious change can be avoided. What can churches do? We can speak prophetically, teach and model sustainable practices, work to clean up ecosystems and help protect God’s creation.
Your download includes five pages of exercises and discussion questions, plus a copy of the article from The Lutheran.
Exercise 1: God in creation
Exercise 2: Land use
Exercise 3: Building use
Exercise 4: Energy use
Exercise 5: Environment and worship
Exercise 6: Study the issue
Exercise 7: Local issues
Exercise 8: Your eco footprint
Exercise 9: Hottest year
Exercise 10: The home planet
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Pastoral Letter on Violence
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Resurrection wonders
Facing declining membership and tightening budgets, thousands of Lutheran congregations are asking the same question: How do we be God’s church for the 21st century? Fortunately, several congregations have stretched themselves to find renewal through service and transformational ministry. They are blazing a path for the rest of us.
Your download includes four pages of exercises and discussion questions, plus a copy of the article from The Lutheran.
Exercise 1: Stuck in neutral?
Exercise 2: Resurrection churches
Exercise 3: Inspiration
Exercise 4: Asset mapping
Exercise 5: Unmet needs, unserved people
Exercise 6: Community connections
Exercise 7: Mission statement
Exercise 8: Parish partners
Exercise 9: Healing
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Welcome home
They come to the U.S. and other safe-haven countries from far-flung corners of the globe. They speak different languages, worship in different ways, eat different foods. But all have a remarkably similar story to tell: their homelands are in crisis, they are on the run, they can’t return and want a new start. Some of them are finding a new life with help from Lutherans.
Your download includes four pages of exercises and discussion questions, plus a copy of the article from The Lutheran.
Exercise 1: What is a refugee?
Exercise 2: Starting over
Exercise 3: Millions of refugees
Exercise 4: God loves 'aliens'
Exercise 5: 'Love your neighbor'
Exercise 6: What can I/we do?
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