| May 2022 |
| Stories of Service and Justice |
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| The Rev. Elitha Moyo (center, black mask) and Kenneth Sibanda (center, sports shirt), presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe, join “Orange the World” attendees as they demonstrate the “Africa Unite” gesture. |
The Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla, executive director for ELCA Service and Justice, opened the 2022 spring-summer edition of “Service and Justice Updates” by comparing followers of Jesus to the 3,000-year-old sequoias in Redwood National Park. “Grounded in God’s love,” he says, “we ‘become Christ to one another,’ as Luther wrote, forming an intricate and interconnected ecosystem to support and nourish one another. Like the sequoia we grow tall and strong. Together we grow into the full stature of Christ.”
The stories that follow illustrate many of the ways the ELCA walks alongside global companions, growing and strengthening our global community of faith. The photo above was taken in Zimbabwe, where the ELCA Africa Gender Justice team participated in 16 days of activities under the United Nations theme “Orange the World: End Violence Against Women Now!” The event was hosted by youth and young adult groups of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN). The hosts expected a low turnout due to the COVID-19 pandemic, yet 120 people participated in person, including the ELCZ’s presiding bishop.
“Service and Justice Updates” also contains stories about skills training in Hungary, a virtual pilgrimage in Palestine, transitional housing for LGBTQ youth and young adults in New York, and more.
Read the full report here
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| News Around the World |
In October 2021, the Lutheran Church of Poland voted to ordain women pastors, and on Saturday, May 7, the first nine women — all of whom have been serving as deacons — will take their vows. The service will take place at Holy Trinity Church in Warsaw and will stream live on the church’s YouTube channel at 11 a.m. Central European Time (that’s 5 a.m. Eastern).
Watch the service here.
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| Mission Personnel |
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Young Adults in Global Mission prepare for service
After a two-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) volunteers are preparing to venture out into the world again! The 2022-23 cohort recently participated in a virtual discernment interview and placement event where members received their country program placements.
The YAGM program is welcoming approximately 25 new volunteers, who will depart on Sept. 7 to programs in Senegal, Jerusalem/West Bank, Argentina/Uruguay and the United Kingdom. The YAGM team is celebrating its most diverse pool of candidates ever across all intersections while recognizing that our work of equity and inclusion is never done.
Learn more about Young Adults in Global Mission here.
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| Get Involved |
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- Interested in serving abroad? The ELCA offers many different opportunities to serve with our global church companions and international partners. Visit our global opportunities job board to see our open positions. Contact globalserve@elca.org with any questions.
- Attend a virtual celebration for the 2022 class of International Women Leaders scholarship recipients! The event will premiere on Facebook on June 16 at 10 a.m. Central time, and it will be rebroadcast on YouTube at 7 p.m.
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