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ELCA Federal Credit Union opens
The ELCA Federal Credit Union celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 6 at its headquarters in the Lutheran Center in Chicago. The credit union serves ELCA members, synod employees, congregations and ELCA-related ministries. It is the first of the ELCA’s financial ministries to offer individual consumer loans.
“This is responsible stewardship,” said Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton at the ribbon cutting. “It makes services available to everyone. The ELCA Credit Union is socially responsible and is a great benefit not only to members of the ELCA churchwide organization but to all our members across the church.”
Learn more. | Watch the video.
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Religion – good for our health and well-being
The number of people who classify themselves as religiously unaffiliated (“nones”) has overtaken the number of Roman Catholics, mainline Protestants and followers of non-Christian faiths in the U.S. over the past decade. While this affects the worldview and might cause people to question religion’s relevance, there are several recent studies that cite the benefits of living a faith-filled life. Living Lutheran’s June cover story tells how keeping the faith can contribute to our well-being.
Learn more.
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South Sudan: A new church for
a new nation
ELCA Global Church Sponsorship has been sharing information about the Lutheran Center and clinic to be built in Juba, South Sudan. Local partners in South Sudan are hopeful the establishment of a Lutheran church and presence will contribute to peace and reconciliation efforts between those of different ethnic and religious backgrounds. After a groundbreaking ceremony in November 2015, construction has begun and some of the substructures are now up. Visit Global Church Sponsorship’s Facebook page and see the photos they received of the construction progress.
Learn more.
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WATCH THIS
A Place for All: Live Webcast Recording
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR
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FEATURED RESOURCES
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Building awareness of our church
This guide provides language for communicating about the ELCA and lists brand standards.
DOWNLOAD
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Walk for Water DIY Toolkit
Take ELCA World Hunger’s Walk for Water track experience home to your congregation.
DOWNLOAD
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Communion bread recipe
Bake a batch of bread from Luther Seminary’s well-used, well-loved recipe.
RECIPE
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BULLETIN BLURBS
These snippets are available for you to copy and paste into your bulletins.
Take action on predatory lending
Many households facing financial struggles may look to short-term loans to cover emergency expenses. In some states, payday lending companies that claim to provide support charge interest rates of 300 percent or more to borrowers. These steep rates and hidden fees can trap those who are not able to quickly repay loans. You can join ELCA Advocacy in opposing unjust policies and call for standards that will help lift people out of poverty. Go to ELCA.org/advocacy and click on “Advocacy Center” to send a letter to Congress calling on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop predatory lending traps.
How can your congregation energize giving for years to come?
The ELCA Foundation exists to sustain and grow ministries of the ELCA. We work in partnerships to support and strengthen congregations, synods and ELCA-related agencies and institutions through education, gift planning resources and investment management services. Contact your gift planner to get started today or visit ELCA.org/foundation.
Become a Monthly Partner to provide ongoing support for ministries that you love
With your monthly recurring gifts to the ELCA ministries that mean the most to you, join a steadfast group of members committed to advancing the work of the church. Sign up today and receive an exclusive Monthly Partners calendar each year that features photos and information about the work that we’re doing in the world together. Sign up at ELCA.org/monthlypartners.
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On March 8, the ELCA celebrated International Women’s Day with a call for members to boldly invest in the education of women leaders from our companion churches around the world. Through the generosity of our individual donors, congregations and synods, ELCA Global Church Sponsorship met and surpassed its $100,000 matching goal, enabling the ELCA’s International Women Leaders initiative to provide scholarships to up-and-coming women leaders. These women, making up the 2015 International Women Leaders class, would like to thank you themselves!
Save the date! The next International Women’s Day is Wednesday, March 8, 2017.
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