Letter from the Presiding Bishop

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, The hard but undeniable fact of deeply embedded racism in American society has come to the fore in painful ways this past year through high-profile occurrences of racial discrimination, hatred and violence – including racially motivated killings. As Lutheran Christians, what should be our response and witness? As members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, how are we called to confront the sin of racism? We need to talk and we need to listen, but we also need to act. As one important step in this process, I invite you to join me and William B. Horne II, an ELCA lay leader and member of the ELCA Church Council, for a live webcast conversation on the complexity and implications of racism on Thursday, Aug. 6, at 8 p.m. (CDT). Through our church’s social statement – “Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture” – the ELCA collectively has expressed its calling to confront racism and advocate for justice and fairness for all people. You can read this social statement here. In addition, I have made several public statements on behalf of the church recently on this subject. Those statements are available here. God’s intention for all humanity is that we see the intrinsic worth, dignity and value of all people. Racism undermines the promise of community and fractures authentic relationships with one another. As Christians, though, we live in the conviction that the church has been gathered together in the joyful freedom of the reign of God announced by and embodied in Jesus. That reign has not come in its fullness, but the message of God’s “yes” to the world breaks down all dividing walls as we live into that promise. I urge you to deepen your involvement in and commitment to this important work to which we all are called. I believe our live webcast on this topic on Aug. 6 is one useful way for us to pursue this together, and I hope you will view and take part in it. You may read more about this webcast at www.ELCA.org/webcast, where a link to the live webcast will be embedded. A live stream also will be available at www.Facebook.com/Lutherans. Twitter hashtag is #ELCAConfrontRacism. If you would like to submit a question to be considered during the live webcast, please send it to livinglutheran@elca.org and provide your name and your congregation’s name, city and state. Join me for this important conversation. Your Sister in Christ, The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

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More murder this week in the neighborhood. Prayers for peace. Prayers for reconciliation. Prayers for families and friends of the young man who died and for those who took his life. Prayers that we stop killing each other and begin to fight battles worth fighting for the good of all of us. Prayers for a just world where oppression and poverty no longer live, and no longer give birth to violence and fear.

This Sunday Join us for worship on Sunday (10:30 am) as we welcome the amazing Lauren Mache.  Since her time as an occasional preacher at First Trinity, Lauren has served as a full time hospice chaplain for several years, and a hospital chaplain for 4 1/2 years working with the psych unit, and with maternity, intensive care, same day surgery and emergency. She's rad. You'll love her. The mustard seed becomes a great shrub that shelters the birds, recalling ancient images of the tree of life. We'd expect a cedar or a sequoia, but Jesus finds the power of God better imaged in a tiny, no-account seed. It's not the way we expect divine activity to look. Yet the tree of life is here, in the cross around which we gather, the tree into which we are grafted through baptism, the true vine that nourishes us with its fruit in the cup we share. It may not appear all that impressive, but while nobody's looking it grows with a power beyond our understanding. Readings: Ezekiel 17:22-24, Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 [11-13] 14-17, Mark 4:26-34 The Art Bowl Thanks to all those who came out last night.  Photos will be up on Facebook and the Blog soon! School to Summer Service + Worship and Celebration Sunday, June 21at 10:30am - Come help us celebrate the good work of our students as they complete another year of school. They have worked hard to get good grades, and now get a much needed break! #MoralMondaysIL Monday, June 15, Lutheran Bishop Wayne Miller will be joining faith leaders, people of faith, and all people of good will as we stand on the side of the poor, the downtrodden, the vulnerable, the 99%. Join us as the #MoralMondaysIL movement moves.    Monday, June 15at 10:30am - 12:00pm James R. Thompson Center 100 W Randolph St, Chicago, Illinois 60601 Community Meal at SLCM On Sunday, June 28, volunteers from First Trinity will be joining our friends at South Loop Campus Ministry to help serve their monthly community meal. Those interested in volunteering or donating food are encouraged to contact rene@firstrinitychicago.com. This is a very worthwhile experience that consists of preparing and serving a meal, and then joining in eating the meal with our guests. After clean up we gather to discuss the experience and what it means. If you can make it, you don’t want to miss this. Current and future college students are especially encouraged to come.