Lutherans Restoring Creation In-Person Gathering, Jan. 23-25 at Lutheridge Camp, Arden, SC

Lutherans Restoring Creation In-Person Gathering — Jan. 23-25 — Lutheridge Camp, Arden, SC —  In our sacred Creation story in Genesis, God asks us to “replenish” the earth and to “multiply” our community. It is time to do just that: make disciples for the good of all of our co-Creation! This event will bring creation care leaders together from across many synods in the ELCA. This time will allow us to revitalize and be in community with each other, but also to equip us to go home an activate our local congregations, synods and networks for our common home. Learn more and register here.

The experts we will hear from are largely from the grassroots: church green team leaders, synod ecofaith experts, rural and urban pastors, powerful lay leaders. Also among us will be ELCA staff, outdoor ministry leaders, seminary professors, musicians, activists, and eco-theologians including Rev. Dr. Chad Rimmer and Rev. Dr. Barbara Rossing.

LEANing into the Week: Epiphany

Epiphany reminds us that God’s light shows up in unexpected places—and often leads us down unfamiliar roads.

The Magi follow a star not because they have certainty, but because they trust a promise. Their journey crosses borders, challenges power, and ultimately reveals that God’s presence is found not in domination, but in vulnerability and love.

As we lean into this week, we remember that faith is not about standing still. It is about movement. About listening again. About being willing to take another road when the old one no longer leads to life.

At Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada, Epiphany calls us to keep following the light—especially when it leads us toward our neighbors most impacted by injustice. God’s grace is expansive. God’s hope crosses boundaries. And God is still revealing what justice and compassion look like in the public square.

May we have the courage to keep walking.
May we trust the light we’ve been given.
And may we lean into this week guided not by fear, but by faith.

National Day of Racial Healing

The ELCA, in partnership with Augsburg Fortress, will observe the 2026 National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH) with a free evening program on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 6-8 p.m. Central time. 

Gather for “Just Us Narratives: A Night of Centering Multiracial Voices Across the ELCA” online and in person at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Naperville, Ill.

As a sacred practice, story sharing highlights history, preserves language, engages culture, offers wisdom, sustains survival and teaches lessons that foster connection. Join us for a night of intentional storytelling, deep listening and reflection, featuring diverse voices that will draw us closer together. Learn more about the gathering and presenters here.

The NDORH is hosted by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as part of its Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation efforts to raise awareness of the need for racial healing and encourage actions that build a more just and inclusive church and society.

Lutheran Ethicists Gathering 2026: Ethics and Democracy — Jan. 7-8 — Washington, D.C. and Virtual

How do our roles in the church shape our ethical commitments and activities today, when democratic institutions are under threat? At the 2026 Lutheran Ethicists Gathering, we will explore the church’s distinctive presence in society, including how the different parts of the church work together as one body for the well-being of all. Washington, DC, will provide both an apt setting and the opportunity as a community to learn from local advocacy partners about practical strategies for living out Lutheran ethics together after we return home. Registration for virtual particpation open until Jan. 7!

Find out more and register here.