News
Pastoral Message from Bishop Malpica
If you have personally experienced or been witness to any abuse or misconduct by ELCA Clergy, please notify the Synod Office (office@lacrosseareasynod.org or 608-788-5000) and ask for an appointment with the Bishop.
We strive to respond to these situations as quickly as possible, offering care and support to victims and holding clergy accountable.
Prayers for the Week
Let us join together as a community in prayer for ministry sites, emerging leaders, pastors, partners in ministry and special requests.
June is considered Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
During this month it is important to understand the different signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia, but also to understand how to care for someone who may be suffering from either of these diseases.
Accompaniment
Our trip focused on accompaniment—listening, observing, and participating in activities with our hosts in Peru to understand their lives, culture, and ministries. They welcomed us into their congregations and the Children’s Festival. Our experience was enriched by gathering with a Texas group, led by Bishop Felix J. Malpica from the La Crosse Area Synod and Bishop Mike Rinehart from Texas. Their leadership fostered collaboration, allowing us to share ideas, stories, and support, transforming us from two distinct groups into a united and interactive one.
HUMANITARIAN AID TO GAZA - ELCA ADVCACY
The critical situation in Gaza and the ongoing conflict continues to directly impact the ELCA’s Lutheran siblings in the Holy Land, in addition to putting the wider Christian community of the Holy Land at further physical risk. The conflict is also further eroding and destroying the interfaith relationship between all three Abrahamic faiths, which is impacting the ELCA’s interfaith relationships here in the United States.
The WCC Joins Press Conference After the Arrest of Judge Dugan in Milwaukee
My name is Rev. Dr. Kerri Parker. I am the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Council of Churches, which connects twenty three Christian traditions here in Wisconsin. I am here with my colleagues to speak on behalf of Justice, righteousness, and the responsibilities of true leaders in caring for those among us who are in need.
Proclaim: Immigrants Welcome Here
Our faith is filled with examples of welcoming the stranger and the immigrant. As immigrant communities are increasingly under attack, we are inviting you to proudly proclaim welcome through a visible campaign. Created with help from our friends at the East Central Synod of the ELCA, your congregation is invited to download resources and proclaim your welcome both online and physically throughout your space.
Digital files include social media assets and files that can be downloaded and printed on banners, yard signs, window clings, and more.
Pastoral Message on the Death of Pope Francis
On this Easter Monday, we join with people around the world in heartfelt grief at the death of Pope Francis, and we celebrate his life eternal in Jesus Christ.
Australia Ordains First Woman Pastor
The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) congratulates the Lutheran Church in Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ) on the ordination of its first female pastor the Rev. Maria Rudolph on Palm Sunday.
North America- Holy Land Solidarity Visit Statement
Read a statement from Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land Bishop Sani-Ibrahim Azar, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada National Bishop Susan Johnson on a visit of solidarity to the Holy Land.
Faith Lens Devotion: Evidence of Life
Catalyst Question What kind of evidence do you need to believe something is true? Evidence of Life Recently, the possibility of life on another planet hit the news. While studying a planet 124 light years away from Earth, scientists made...
No Plastics for Lent: Other Options for Use Instead of Plastic
Gifting or donating baked goods – another instance in which plastic zip-top bags are all too convenient. Instead, try some of these other options. Learn more…
No Plastics for Lent: Compostable Plastic Benefits & Limitations
In some cases, compostable plastics may be a preferred environmental alternative but the case is complex. Learn more…
ELCA Draft Social Message on Child Protection and Maltreatment
The prevalence of child maltreatment in the United States is staggering. At least 1 in 7 children has experienced abuse or neglect in the last year, according to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), though the CDC cautions that abuse and neglect are often unreported.
Recognizing the church’s important role in addressing this, the ELCA Church Council authorized the develop a social message on child protection and maltreatment, as requested by the 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Social messages are ELCA teaching documents that draw from existing social teaching but focus direct attention on a particular social issue.
ELCA Presiding Bishop Issues Transgender Day of Visibility Video Message
ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton has issued a video message for Transgender Day of Visibility. In her message, Eaton speaks out against the inhumane actions by legislatures and executive orders while also speaking directly to the transgender and nonbinary community.
No Plastics for Lent: Plastic Wraps & Bags
You can recycle clean and dry plastic wrap and bags at many grocery stores and other retailers. Learn more…
Synod Spotlight: The Rev. Dr. Robert Young
The life and ministry of the Rev. Dr. Robert Young, a pastor of the La Crosse Area Synod
Religious Leaders from Wisconsin Issue Statement on Religious Liberty
“Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias” Executive Order violates religious freedom, corrupts separation of Church and State, asserts power that belongs to the Church
The Ash Wednesday Ecumenical Declaration: Defending Refuge
Every day, families seeking refuge face fear, separation, and uncertainty. Parents are forced to make impossible choices. Children endure journeys no child should have to take. And as our nation reckons with how it will treat the most vulnerable, we are called—as people of faith—to respond.
This Ash Wednesday, we remember. We remember our shared humanity. We remember that we, too, were once strangers in a foreign land. And we remember that faith calls us to act.