Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. —Matthew 5

The Rev. #YehielCurry will be installed as the #ELCA ‘s next presiding bishop on Saturday, Oct. 4, in #Minneapolis, #Minnesota All are welcome. Details in link. www.elca.org/about/church...

For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. ‍He alone is my rock & my salvation, my fortress. ‍On God rests my deliverance & my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. ‍Trust in him at all times, O people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. —Psalm 62

“They’re looking for a place to hear words of compassion and love and also action,” said the Rev. Dr. Mark Knutson, the pastor at Augustana #Lutheran. “It’s about saying to this administration: Portland is not in any war zone. It’s a beautiful city.” www.koin.com/news/portlan...

There’s been a lot of talk and discussion about the Black Church and Black churches lately. As someone who earned a certificate in Black Church Studies, I figured I’d share a snapshot of some of the books in the “Black Church and related topics” section of my bookshelf.

Will you have a golden cup made but not give a cup of water? Do not, therefore, adorn the church and ignore your afflicted brother, for he is the most precious temple of all. —John Chrysostom

When the wicked prevail, people go into hiding,  but when they perish, the righteous increase. —Proverbs 28

Those who trust in their own wits are fools,  but those who walk in wisdom come through safely. ‍Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing,  but one who turns a blind eye will get many a curse. —Proverbs 28

Anyone who robs father or mother  and says, “That is no crime,”  is partner to a thug. ‍The greedy person stirs up strife,  but whoever trusts in the Lord will be enriched. —Proverbs 28

To show partiality is not good,  yet for a piece of bread a person may do wrong. ‍The miser is in a hurry to get rich  and does not know that loss is sure to come. —Proverbs 28

Happy is the one who is never without fear,  but one who is hard-hearted will fall into calamity. ‍Like a roaring lion or a charging bear  is a wicked ruler over a poor people. ‍A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,  but one who hates unjust gain will enjoy a long life. —Proverbs 28

When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory,  but when the wicked prevail, people go into hiding. ‍No one who conceals transgressions will prosper,  but one who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.  —Proverbs 28

When one will not listen to the law,  even one’s prayers are an abomination. ‍Those who mislead the upright into evil ways  will fall into pits of their own making,  but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance. —Proverbs 28

…affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. —Romans 5

Do not be provoked by evildoers. Do not be jealous of those who do wrong. For they soon wither like the grass, and like the green grass fade away. Commit your way to the Lord. Put your trust in the Lord, and see what God will do. —Psalm 37

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. You will know them by their fruits. —Matthew 7

AI Jesus will lead you astray.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. —Romans 8

ACTION ALERT Contact your reps. #ELCA’s social message on Immigration states: “We draw on the best of our nation’s traditions as a refuge and haven for the persecuted and destitute when we affirm that we support a generous policy of welcome for refugees and immigrants.” act.elca.org/page/88334/a...

There is the music of Heaven in all things. —Hildegard of Bingen

ACTION ALERT Proposals in the House of Representatives would make deep cuts to the Clean Water & Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, & Superfund cleanup & environmental justice programs—rolling back progress on safeguarding public health & creation care. give.elca.org/page/88136/a...

We’ve lived under the illusion that we could have both: We could idolatrously worship this world order and, at the same time, say, “Thy Kingdom come.” Yet we can’t say, “Thy Kingdom come” unless we’re willing to say, “My kingdom go.” —Richard Rohr

Is not this the fast that I choose:
    to loose the bonds of injustice,
    to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
    and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
    and bring the homeless poor into your house? —Isaiah 58

Thus says the Lord: Stand at the crossroads and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. —Jeremiah 6

Statement from #ELCA Bishop Eaton: “Scripture is clear: every human being is created in the image of God. Racial profiling denies that image and violates the dignity it confers. Racial profiling, a legacy of white supremacy, is rooted in the sin of racism.” www.elca.org/news-and-eve...

The wise lay up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near. Lying lips conceal hatred,
and whoever utters slander is a fool. The hope of the righteous ends in gladness, but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing. —Proverbs 10

Faith is empty without love. With love it is the faith of a Christian; without love it is the faith of a demon. —Saint Augustine

ACTION ALERT Soup kitchens & food pantries serve as the backbone of hunger aid across the nation, incl #ELCA partners.It is critical that the #Lutheran voice is heard.Contact yr reps & urge them to support full funding for #WIC & other nutrition programs in the budget. give.elca.org/page/87937/a...

But when he heard this, he became sad, for he was very rich. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” —Luke 18

It is not we who can sustain the Church, nor was it our forefathers, nor will it be our descendants. It was and is and will be the One who says: "I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. —Martin Luther

Learn to do good, seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. —Isaiah 1

He who is in love with his vision of community will destroy community. But he who loves the people around him will create community wherever he goes. —Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The collection comprises more than 300 publications & 35,000 pages that embody more than 100 years of ecumenical reflection on social ethics & action. The WCC invites all to visit the collection, a living legacy of the WCC’s work today for life, justice, & peace. www.oikoumene.org/news/wcc-rel...

Deadline Sept. 15. #ELCA World Hunger Education Grants support work that: educate ELCA congregations, groups, &/or synods to better action & engagement re hunger & poverty; encourage sustainable participation in work of World Hunger beyond the conclusion of project. blogs.elca.org/worldhunger/...

There are 1,157 #ELCA congregations with significant Latine populations in their zip code. Is your church one of these? You are invited to join learners and practitioners wanting to enhance their cultural and ministry competence. www.wartburgseminary.edu/ctlm/

All real living is meeting. —Martin Buber

Praise the Lord!  Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in his commandments. ‍ ‍They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright. They are gracious, merciful, and righteous. ‍ ‍They are not afraid of evil tidings. ‍Their hearts are steady. They will not be afraid.   —Psalm 112

Christendom adjusts itself far too easily to the worship of power. Christians should give more offense, shock the world far more than they are doing now. Christians should take a stronger stand in favor of the weak rather than considering first the possible right of the strong. —Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. —Psalm 33

“When news of the shooting broke, #Lutheran Church Charities deployed five additional dog teams to Minneapolis from the region.” #LCMS #Minneapolis #AnnunciationChurch #LCC #dogs www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0...

To do righteousness & justice  is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. ‍Haughty eyes & a proud heart—the lamp of the wicked—are sin. ‍The proud, haughty person, named Scoffer,  acts with arrogant pride. ‍All day long the wicked covet,  but the righteous give & do not hold back. —Proverbs 21

“…although the particulars of enforcement & consequences are still a mystery, there doesn’t seem to be much doubt that putting these strings on this grant money is a way of stopping the work of mainline & liberal churches — & potentially to silence them…” dianabutlerbass.substack.com/p/religion-i...

“To seek justice and love kindness in today’s world means standing with the displaced and the oppressed. It means creating a culture of welcome. It means recognizing that the stranger at our #border might be the Christ child fleeing violence.” #ELCA #Lutheran lamaz.org/news-blog/st...

There is something deeply hypocritical about praying for a problem you are unwilling to resolve. —Miroslav Volf

Statement from #ELCA #Minneapolis Area Synod Bishop Jen Nagel: “As people of faith, we are called to peacemaking towards a vast reduction of gun-related violence. The pervasiveness of #gunViolence in the U.S. is not a reality we should accept.” #Lutheran mpls-synod.org/news/in-tend...

It’s the guns.

ACTION ALERT The #ELCA #Lutheran Church joins the growing condemnation of the continuing catastrophe of violence, starvation & forced displacement in #Gaza, which many international voices are now calling genocide. With your help, we can do our part to act for justice. give.elca.org/page/87300/a...

For Paul, the resurrection was God’s yes to Jesus and God’s no to the domination system. The consequence: the rulers of this world are “doomed to perish.” It is not simply that emperors and kings will die. Rather, the domination system itself must end. —Marcus Borg

Signs sprinkled throughout the crowd were emblazoned with slogans such as “Jews against ICE,” “Jesus was a refugee” and “May God have mercy on ICE.” religionnews.com/2025/08/25/o...

O Lord, give strength to your people. Give them, O Lord, the blessings of peace. —Psalm 29