The Rev. Scott Alan Johnson (he/him)

A letter from Bishops of the ELCA to the Church October 8, 2025

A letter from bishops of the ELCA to the Church

Largest US Lutheran denomination installs first Black presiding bishop Rev. Yehiel Curry succeeds Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, who served for 12 years and was the first woman to lead the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Rev. Yehiel Curry succeeds Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, who served for 12 years and was the first woman to lead the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Largest U.S. Lutheran denomination installs its first Black presiding bishop Rev. Yehiel Curry, 53, is only the fifth presiding bishop of the ELCA, a predominantly white denomination.

First African American presiding bishop, Bishop Yehiel Curry, installed by the ELCA. His predecessor was the first woman presiding bishop. And this is a progressive mainstream denomination? @ericowens.bsky.social
www.cbsnews.com/news/luthera...

Welcome Central States Synod, ELCA in Kansas City, Missouri.

“Traveling the way of Jesus, who commanded his followers to love one another as Christ has loved, and believing that all persons are created in the image of God, this synod welcomes people of every ...

www.reconcilingworks.org/news/

Bp. Simon issues a pastoral letter on political violence. "As Christians--Lutheran Christians--we must meet this moment of division and unrest with a servant heart. To paraphrase Martin Luther, God doesn’t need our peacemaking, but our neighbor does." www.css-elca.org/post/pastora...

ELCA statement on Supreme Court ruling allowing racial profiling in immigration enforcement - Living Lutheran ELCA statement on Supreme Court ruling allowing racial profiling in immigration enforcement  Living Lutheran

ELCA statement on Supreme Court ruling allowing racial profiling in immigration enforcement - Living Lutheran

He who is in love with his vision of community will destroy community.
But he who loves the people around him will create community wherever he goes.
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer

ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grants - ELCA World Hunger The 2025 ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grant application cycle is now open!   Hunger Education and Networking Grants are one of the ways ELCA World Hunger accompanies congregations, synod...

Deadline Sept. 15.
#ELCA World Hunger Education Grants support work that:
educate ELCA congregations, groups, &/or synods to better action & engagement re hunger & poverty;
encourage sustainable participation in work of World Hunger beyond the conclusion of project.
blogs.elca.org/worldhunger/...

Man, that is a deep cut for a lot of us, even in the clergy. I will admit I had to look him up.

He chose to resign. Disciplinary procedures that would remove a pastor from the roster of ministers of Word & Sacrament don’t move this fast.

In Tenderness and Prayer - Mpls Area Synod ELCA Beloveds, As most have heard, this morning a mass shooter opened fire at Annunciation Catholic Church in south Minneapolis during a school mass, injuring dozens and killing at least two children in at...

Statement from #ELCA #Minneapolis Area Synod Bishop Jen Nagel:

“As people of faith, we are called to peacemaking towards a vast reduction of gun-related violence. The pervasiveness of #gunViolence in the U.S. is not a reality we should accept.”

#Lutheran

mpls-synod.org/news/in-tend...

True, but those who say Palestine = Hamas all point to Oct 7 as a reference point. It’s definitely a turning point for the conflict.

This is the point that needs to be stressed. “evangelical” is a transliteration of the Greek “euangelion” - the literal meaning is “good message” and is also translated “gospel”

The ELCA is in no way affiliated with the American ‘evangelical’ movement. We’re an entirely different church.

Hate to bust this bubble a bit, but we’re just under 3 million of us these days, and TBH a good chunk of those losses are because many ELCA leaders have gone too “LIBRUL” for some.

For instance, we had the audacity to suggest that the LGBTQIA+ community deserved to be treated like humans.

Of course we’re political. Nothing has ever suggested we shouldn’t be. Jesus himself was political at times.

What we are trying to be is non-partisan. By not endorsing candidates, we focus on issues and policies, not individuals and parties.

Before being elected bishop, I was a campus pastor in two separate calls. Conversations like this one are the reason we campus pastors love what we do. #ELCA

Well, you revealed the existence of the SD to me, so we’re both learning. Here’s hoping if I ever meet my family who are still there, they won’t be part of it. 🤞

Missouri Synod was German & Saxon in origin. The Swedish Lutherans who came to the US created the Augustana Synod, which over time and mergers became the ELCA.

ACTION ALERT: Speak Out for People in Immigration Detention New Action Alert

#ELCA ACTION ALERT
Urge your members of Congress to conduct oversight over ICE detention facilities & demand humane conditions. During August opportunities exist to meet with federal elected officials locally to use your voice.
“I was in prison & you visited me.”
-Mt 25
give.elca.org/page/86777/a...

Bishop Eaton sends letter to President Trump addressing situation in Gaza - Living Lutheran Bishop Eaton has issued a letter to President Donald Trump and members of Congress addressing the situation in Gaza.

Estimates show that 18,500 children have died in Gaza. That’s roughly one per hour since the also-horrific October 7 attacks. This campaign of violence and starvation simply has to stop.

Give justice to the weak and the orphan.
Maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
Rescue the weak and the needy.
Deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

—Psalm 82

Statement by Bp. Budde (EDOW) and Dean Hollerith (WNC), Rabbis of DC congregations, and UMC, ELCA, and PCUSA leaders:
cathedral.org/blog/dc-reli... ⚓

I can only speak for myself, but if I heard that one of the churches in my synod was requiring work in exchange for any kind of aid, they’d be hearing from me quickly and firmly. Better to not offer any aid at all than to do it with strings attached. I’m sorry that’s happened to you.

Mark your calendars for the Rostered Ministers Gathering on July 6-9, 2026 in Indianapolis! All ELCA deacons, pastors and bishops are invited. More information will be available in the coming months!

It was in some ways a very good week. Not in all ways - we still manage to trip over the simplest things sometimes - but I’m excited about these two elections.

Home - Reconciling Works Since 1974, ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation has advocated for the full welcome, inclusion, and equity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual/aromantic ...

Not sure what part of the country you call home, but if you’re looking for an openly affirming ELCA congregation, Reconciling Works could be helpful.

www.reconcilingworks.org

Fourth group of religious organizations sues US over ICE raids at churches (RNS) — “As people of faith, we cannot abide losing the basic right to provide care and compassion,” Bishop Brenda Bos of the ELCA’s Southwest California Synod, a plaintiff in the case, said in a…

“As people of faith, we cannot abide losing the basic right to provide care and compassion,” Bishop Brenda Bos of the ELCA’s Southwest California Synod, a plaintiff in the case, said in a statement.
religionnews.com/2025/07/28/f...

So true.

Well, @thelepper.bsky.social I can tell you nothing has changed!

Hope is a sewer rat, but no one wants to use that for liturgical decoration.