“We are a people on the move following Christ Jesus.” This is the invitation to Susan Briehl’s workshop at the 2024 Institute for Liturgical Studies called On Our Way: The Purpose and Practice of Processing.
Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church
Kennewick First Lutheran Church Wins Wiseman Award
Back to the Basics
We are called to be the church, the Christian community gathered and sent week after week. We gather around Word and Sacraments and that is unique. When I say that we would do well to get back to basics I mean we need to read scripture well, create worship experiences that are faithful to the tradition and our local contexts, and love and care for our neighbors.
Discerning How Your Faith and Civic Life Relate
Did you know that the phrase ‘separation of church and state’ does not appear in our U.S. Constitution? It was first attributed to U.S. President Thomas Jefferson in 1802 in a letter to Danbury Baptist Association in Connecticut as he attempted to clarify his understanding of the Constitution’s First Amendment, Freedom of Religion, Speech, and the Press. Specifically, it states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." Jefferson wasn’t saying our religious beliefs and government should be separated, but only that the U.S. Government cannot establish, for the country, a national religion. Similarly, it cannot prevent the free expressions of one’s faith.
Update about Church Mutual from the ELCA Churchwide Office
Updated Misconduct Policy
One of the important pieces of work approved at the January 2024 Northwest Intermountain Synod Council meeting was an updated Misconduct Policy. God intends for the Church to be a safe place for all people to experience God’s love and mercy, grow in faith, and equip themselves for ministry in the world. And yet at times the church has not been a safe place and sexual misconduct has caused injury and pain to individuals and communities.
Bowen Spring Conference
Bowen theory engages a wide audience. Many in traditions of faith have found the theory central to how they think about themselves and their relationships with others, offering insights into theology and the practice of care and counseling, leadership, teaching, and research.
The two-day Faith, Functioning, and Bowen Theory conference will explore the implications of Bowen theory specifically for communities of faith. It is intended for anyone with a professional or personal interest in this area.