Posts tagged with ‘Elizabeth Eaton’

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A Message from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

by Melissa VanTassell

    “Our Common Witness” One of the distinct privileges of this call as presiding bishop is seeing the church at work at home an around the world. The Lutheran movement is alive and well, speaking the gospel in a distinctive voice. Sunday after Sunday the good news is proclaimed in accordance with Scripture and the Lutheran […]

    A Message from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

    by Melissa VanTassell

      “Happy New Year!” Editor’s note: This is a reprint of the January 2017 column from the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Ah, a new year! It opens up before us with infinite possibilities like brand new notebooks at the beginning of the school year or the beginning of football season in […]

      A Message from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

      by Melissa VanTassell

        “In the Wilderness” In the Hebrew Bible the book of Numbers is called “In the Wilderness.” It starts with great hope. God delivered God’s people from Egypt, from bitter slavery, grinding toil and infanticide. What a delivery! The entire people—ancients, infants and everyone in between—escaped from one of the world’s superpowers, walked dry-shod through the […]

        A Message from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

        by Melissa VanTassell

          “So Now What?” This month marks the 501st anniversary of the Reformation. Last year it was all Reformation all the time. It was our year! News, media and the public paid attention. Hundreds of Reformation-themed events took place. Documentaries were produced and joyful liturgies with our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters were held. I have […]

          A Message from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

          by Melissa VanTassell

            “We are the branches” Is it possible to be Lutheran and an ecumenist? Of course, the answer is yes. The ELCA has continued the work of our predecessor churches—the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, the American Lutheran Church, and the Lutheran Church in America—all of which engaged in dialogues with other denominations. When the ELCA […]

            A Message from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

            by Melissa VanTassell

              “Serving the Neighbor in Need” Editor’s note: This is a reprint of the June 2017 column from the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. These are politically charged times. This very sentence in the presiding bishop’s column is likely to raise eyebrows. Across this church I’ve heard stories of parishioners disturbed by […]

              A Message from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

              by Melissa VanTassell

                “God Loves” During a recent chapel service at the Lutheran Center, Rafael Malpica Padilla, executive director for Global Mission, shared his favorite Bible verse with us: “Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who […]

                A Message from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

                by Melissa VanTassell

                  “God’s Irresistible Call” When first elected presiding bishop, I was often asked what it meant to be the first woman entrusted with this call. I didn’t like that question then. I’m still ambivalent about it now. Why, in the 21st century, did my gender matter? Why, in 2013, was the election of a woman historic? […]

                  A Message from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

                  by Melissa VanTassell

                    “Church Speak” A colleague at the Lutheran Center related this story. An unchurched friend of hers was visiting and noticed her Advent calendar. “What is Advent?” she asked. A simple question. But my colleague soon discovered it wasn’t that easy to explain Advent to someone who had never heard of it, but who also had […]

                    A Message from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton

                    by Melissa VanTassell

                      “October 32 and Beyond” This is the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. For the past year it has been “All Reformation All the Time!” Everything Martin Luther. The really observant have branched out to Philipp Melanchthon and Johannes Bugenhagen. True believers will dress their children up as Martin and Katie for Halloween, or if they […]