In this Juneteenth reflection, historian and Lutheran scholar Dr. Denise Rector explores the history of emancipation and the enduring significance of freedom. Drawing on both historical truth and Lutheran theology, she reflects on how the delayed announcement of freedom to enslaved people in Texas echoes the importance of proclaiming truth and justice today.
Rooted in the promise of justification by grace through faith, the article reminds Christians that freedom in Christ is real—and calls us to love our neighbors, speak truth, and serve a world God loves. Read Dr. Rector’s full reflection on Juneteenth.
In my first call, my predecessor had to navigate the question of flags and their place in worship spaces. Although that debate was settled at the time, it resurfaced periodically. Today, many congregations are again asking questions about national symbols in worship, especially as the United States prepares to mark its 250th anniversary.
One of the most common, and sensitive, questions is simple: Are flags appropriate in church?
An ELCA worship resource offers a helpful pastoral response. Flags are not required elements in a Christian worship space, and whether to display them is a decision for the congregation. At the same time, the resource encourages congregations to think carefully about what symbols communicate, especially in the place where the church gathers around Word and Sacrament.
The American flag is a powerful national symbol. For many, including veterans and families who have lost loved ones in military service, it represents sacrifice, gratitude, and love of country. For others, it may evoke memories of political conflict, exclusion, or unfulfilled promises. Because the flag carries different meanings for different people, its presence in worship can sometimes become a source of tension rather than unity.
Lutheran worship already places powerful symbols at its center: water, bread and wine, the Bible, the cross, and the gathered assembly itself. These are not symbols of any nation. They point us to Christ, whose body includes people of every nation, language, race, and culture. In worship, our primary identity is not as Americans, but our primary identity is as people baptized into Christ.
This does not mean Christians should withdraw from civic life. In fact, Lutheran theology has always taken public life seriously. We are called to love our neighbors, seek justice, pray for leaders, participate responsibly in civic life, and work for the common good. Yet worship reminds us that our deepest loyalty belongs to God. As Luther teaches in the Small Catechism, we are to “fear, love, and trust God above all things.”
The ELCA resource also notes that flags may be appropriate in other areas of a church building, particularly spaces used for civic gatherings, scouting programs, voting, community events, memorial displays, or veterans’ remembrances. Such placement can honor the flag’s civic significance without placing it alongside the central symbols of Christian worship.
For congregations across Nevada, this is not simply a question of décor. It is a question of faithful witness. At a time when Christian nationalism continues to blur the line between devotion to country and devotion to Christ, congregations have an opportunity to be clear, gracious, and courageous. We can give thanks for the blessings of civic life without making the nation an object of devotion. We can honor those who have served while remembering that the church’s mission transcends every border. We can love our country by telling the truth, caring for the vulnerable, welcoming the stranger, and seeking liberty and justice for all.
LEAN encourages congregations to use this ELCA resource as a conversation starter. Decisions about flags should be made with humility, pastoral care, and attention to local context. Whatever a congregation decides, the guiding question remains the same: Do the symbols in our worship space draw us more deeply into Christ, the gospel, and love of neighbor?
In worship, Christ is at the center. Everything else must find its place around him.
Tens of thousands of people fleeing persecution remain in limbo – speak out for protection and welcome.
Since the U.S. refugee resettlement program was indefinitely paused in January 2025, tens of thousands of screened, vetted and conditionally approved refugees remain stranded overseas. Most of the world’s refugees now have no pathway to resettlement in the United States – with a narrow exception for a comparatively small number of white Afrikaners from South Africa.
At the same time, refugees who have already been resettled in the United States – often by faith-based organizations – face traumatic reevaluations of their refugee status, threatened arrests, and cuts to benefits like SNAP and Medicaid that help with their transition to a permanent life in the United States.
“Welcoming refugees is a true expression of our faith, and also a continuation of an American tradition of providing a home to those facing persecution because of who they are or what they believe,” said the Rev. Amy Reumann, senior director of ELCA Witness in Society. “We call for a refugee admissions process that does not discriminate based on race, religion or nationality, but that welcomes all based on need. Each of these people, we know, is a beloved child of God; each of them bears the image of God.”
World Refugee Day is observed on June 20, a day to honor the strength and courage of people who have been displaced by conflict or persecution and to build understanding of how to respond. We can use this observance to move our action!
Ask Congress to reaffirm America’s longstanding commitment to protecting people fleeing persecution through a refugee program that is adequately funded and prioritizes the most vulnerable. Urge your member of Congress to defend the contributions of refugees and to defend federal investments in refugee processing, admissions and resettlement services.
Customize this message with your faith convictions and connections to refugee resettlement in your community.
As the world observes World Refugee Day on June 20, Lutheran Disaster Response invites Lutherans to renew their commitment to refugees and migrants through learning, advocacy, and generosity. With global displacement at record levels, this reflection highlights our shared calling to accompany neighbors seeking safety, dignity, and hope.
Grounded in faith and solidarity, the article offers practical ways to respond through ELCA resources, advocacy opportunities, and support for Lutheran Disaster Response ministries serving displaced communities around the world. Read the full reflection from Lutheran Disaster Response.
Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada 