On Tuesday, February 25, the church commemorates Elizabeth Fedde, deaconess, died 1921. Born in Norway and trained there as a deaconess, Fedde was asked to come and minister to the poor and to seamen in New York City. She established the Deaconess House in Brooklyn as well as Deaconess Hospital in Minneapolis. Join me in giving thanks for the ministry of Deacons in the ELCA! (You can learn more about ELCA deacons in this Living Lutheran article and about the Lutheran Diaconal Association.)

Let us pray: God of compassion, your Son came among us not to be served but to serve. We give you thanks for the women and men whom you have called to the diaconal ministry of word and service. Give them faith to serve you with gladness; sustain them with a living hope, especially in the time of despair; and kindle in them your love, so that they see in every neighbor the face of Jesus Christ, our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen. (From ELW p. 75)

Darkness/Black:

Devoid of Light

Lacking knowledge or culture.

Wickedness.

Evil.

Lack of spiritual or intellectual enlightenment.

Ignorance.

Sullen.

Foul.

Hostile.

Throughout our complex and convoluted history, forcibly exiled to these divided United States , we as People of Color specifically, children of the African Diaspora, have had the label affixed to our very being, everything that could be seen as negative and malevolent, based on the color of our skin. Our ancestral home, was known as the dark continent

Brooke De Jong is the Program Assistant for Hunger Education with ELCA World Hunger. Previous to this position she worked managing grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for a housing agency in Chicago, IL.

When it comes to responding to homelessness in our congregations, often there is a will but not a way. We would help if we only knew how to do it safely, if we could guarantee that our money was not going to support an addiction, if we had more time to understand best practices and so on. Fear causes us to freeze and walk or drive past the neighbor in need on our everyday Jericho roads. We all have been the Priest and the Levite when we wanted to be the Good Samaritan. And sometimes we have been the person victimized on the hazardous road, waiting for our Good Samaritan.

The crossover phase of the General Assembly is in full swing. Bills that passed out of the House are being heard by the Senate and vice versa. The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy has written up some of the important updates this week highlighting paid sick days, minimum wage increases, driver's licenses for all, predatory lending reform, and more!

This Lent, you’re invited to join with fellow supporters to study, reflect and give during ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving. Experience how the grace of Christ moves us to engage in transformative works of love around the world as God calls us into the ministry of hope, liberation and restoration. Resources include:  a devotional calendar ,  weekly study ,  coin jar wrappers  and more!

To order these resources,  click here .

In the ELCA Young Adults blog, the Young Adult Ministry of the ELCA offers inspiration, opportunities, and resources for young adults and for others. In this post - #NoPlasticsforLent - Savanna Sullivan, Program Director for ELCA Young Adult Ministries, shares insights into creation care and the Season of Lent.