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Theological/Pastoral Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic

Beginning in February 2020 a new reality began to dawn on the world, a novel Coronavirus outbreak that quickly became a global pandemic named COVID-19. Suddenly we are told to wear masks, maintain social distance, and stay at home except for essentials. Events and group gatherings are canceled, including public worship. Churches are closed. We are connecting through online technology like Zoom and social media like Face Book. How do we maintain worship and pastoral care in a situation in which we can only communicate virtually?

We invite pastors and theologians to submit sermons and articles that address the COVID-19 pandemic from theological, liturgical, spiritual, and pastoral perspectives. It is precisely in crisis situations that we must draw deeply from the well of the theological tradition. Share how you are doing this.

We invite submission of papers and talks from members of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the ELCA, talks given to members of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, or articles from other pastors and theologians, not limited to ELCA. Send submissions in Word docx. to fcsenn70@gmail.com.

Observing Ash Wednesday 2021

January 20, 2021 by Matthew Riegel

Matthew Riegel is Bishop of the West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod of the ELCA.  He answers the question: “What shall we do about Ash Wednesday in 2021?” This article appeared on the website of the West Virginia/Western Maryland Synod and is reposted here with Bishop Riegel’s permission. How this question gets answered in any particular place […]

Filed Under: Covid-19, Liturgy Tagged With: adiaphora, ways of imposing ashes, worship practices

Sermon on Embodied Racism

July 21, 2020 by Frank C. Senn

Preached in Zoom Service, St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, Wilmette, IL. Fifth Sunday after Pentecost. Year A. July 5, 2020 Text: Romans 7:15-25a I haven’t given a sermon since before COVID-19 made us go into Zoom church. So this is my first experience of preaching to virtual images on my computer screen. I trust that there […]

Filed Under: body, Covid-19, racism

As I See It: Public Health and Public Worship During COVID-19

May 14, 2020 by Frank C. Senn

By Frank C. Senn For years I wrote an opinion column for Let’s Talk at the invitation of the editorial board called “As I See It.” Even though Let’s Talk has adopted a blog format rather than an issue number format, I feel the need for another one as our states begin opening up society […]

Filed Under: A Discussion of Liturgical Norms, Communion and Community, Covid-19 Tagged With: body, hea;lth, sacrament

Is Fasting from the Reception of Holy Communion the Same as Fasting from the Eucharistic Liturgy? A Lutheran Liturgical-Sacramental Reflection on Eucharistic Praxis during COVID-19

May 12, 2020 by Maxwell E. Johnson

By Maxwell E. Johnson What will become of the centrality of the Eucharist in Lutheran worship as a result of the current pandemic?  I have been thinking about this question ever since many of our congregations moved rather quickly to Zoom and You Tube liturgies with an increased emphasis upon the oral proclamation of the […]

Filed Under: A Discussion of Liturgical Norms, Communion and Community, Covid-19

Jesus Known in the Breaking of the Bread

April 28, 2020 by Nadia Stefko

Sermon preached at St. Augustine’s Episcopal (Zoom) Church26 April 2020 Easter 3A: Acts 2:14a,36-41 & Luke 24:13-35 I want to start my reflection here with an observation:Today’s readings show us two pretty different ways of telling the resurrection story. In Acts, Peter is all confidence. He gives this powerful speech. Full of conviction, and with […]

Filed Under: Communion and Community, Covid-19, resurrection

Communion at Home

April 21, 2020 by Mark D. Williamson

The following is the pastor’s column appearing in the May Grace Notes newsletter of Grace Lutheran Church, Dodgeville, Wisconsin Breaking Our Fast from the Lord’s Supper: Sharing Communion from Home One of the hardest things about our suspension of in-person gatherings since mid-March has been the related hiatus on celebrating Holy Communion together. Numerous bishops […]

Filed Under: Communion and Community, Covid-19

Jessie: A Palm Sunday Parable in the Midst of the Pandemic of 2020

April 14, 2020 by John A. Lang

By John A. Lang When the religious leaders saw the outrageous things He was doing, and heard all the children running and shouting through the Temple, “Hosanna to David’s Son!” they were up in arms and took Him to task, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”  Jesus said, “Yes, I hear them.  And […]

Filed Under: Covid-19, Grace in the City

Forsaken

April 7, 2020 by Pastor David Lyle

Pastor David R. Lyle offers his Palm Sunday sermon. He is senior pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest, IL. Together with Pastor Michael Costello they have been live streaming services from the sanctuary of the church. There is social distance between the chancel and the organ loft. We thought that the sermon brings together the context of the at home congregation, the COVID-19 social context, and the readings for Palm/Passion Sunday.

Filed Under: Covid-19, Passion of Christ

Why Virtual Communion Is Not Nearly Radical Enough

April 2, 2020 by Paul R. Hinlicky

A question has been raised about whether virtual communion is a possibility. This question is addressed negatively by Professor Paul R. Hinlicky of Roanoke College in an article entitled, “Why Virtual Communion Is Not Radical Enough.” He draws on the Lutheran insistence on bodily eating and drinking and the eucharistic fellowship (koinonia). But he also suggests that we should be preaching about the wrath of God in this situation. Dr. Hinlicky gives a Pauline and Lutheran understanding of the wrath of God.

Filed Under: body, Communion and Community, Covid-19 Tagged With: Koinonia, Original Sin, Wrath of God

“Eternity,” You Thunder Word

December 17, 2019 by Frank C. Senn

Johann Sebastian Bach Gwen GotschMark Bangert Edited by Frank Senn On November 24, 2019 (what for us contemporary Lutherans was Christ the King Sunday, a twentieth century Roman Catholic festival we adopted in 1978, but for the old Lutherans the Last Sunday after Trinity with its eschatological theme of the last judgment) the Bach Cantata […]

Filed Under: Hell, Lets Talk 2020, Religion and the Arts

Farewell Sermon: Home Rejoicing

November 30, 2019 by Benjamin Dueholm

Pastor Benjamin Dueholm Preached at Lutheran Church of the Messiah, Wauconda, IL on September 17, 2019. Sisters and brothers, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. I found some lost sheep this week as I cleaned out my office. Lots of them, actually, lost and hiding in […]

Filed Under: Lets Talk 2020 Tagged With: sermon

Self-Care: Being Present to God and to our Bodily Selves

November 25, 2019 by Frank C. Senn

Frank C. Senn   We all need dedicated times to be present to God and to our bodily selves. In both we address our soul, that which makes us uniquely who we are. I could just say: you should have a time for personal prayer, maybe first thing in the morning using a good prayer […]

Filed Under: body, Lets Talk 2020, Spirituality

Holy Living

November 25, 2019 by Richard O. Johnson

Richard O. Johnson It is my pleasure and my joy to be with you this evening for this event, and to contribute in some way, I hope, to “refreshing the hearts of the saints” here in the Metropolitan Chicago area. My thanks to Pastor Keith Forni for inviting me, and for being such a splendid […]

Filed Under: Lets Talk 2020, Spirituality

Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Season of Advent

November 25, 2019 by Maxwell E. Johnson

the Brown Virgin (La Morenita)

Maxwell Johnson December 12, 2016 Professor Johnson invited Let’s Talk to use a version of his talk published in Church Life Journal. A journal of the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame. Tim O’Malley, the director of the Institute, immediately gave us permission to republish this article. For some Christian […]

Filed Under: Lets Talk 2020, Religion and the Arts

Historic Medallion Commemorating the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation

December 18, 2017 by Frederick J. Schumacher

From Conflict to Communion Joint Commemorative Medallion - photo of obverse and reverse

From Conflict to Communion – The First Joint Commemoration of the Reformation – Lutherans and Roman Catholics Together PDF of figures referenced in text PDF of this entire article: Historic Medallion Commemorating the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation – Schumacher It is widely known that had it not been for the invention of the printing […]

Filed Under: Commemorative Projects, Reformation Jubilee 500

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Recent Articles

Observing Ash Wednesday 2021

Sermon on Embodied Racism

As I See It: Public Health and Public Worship During COVID-19

Is Fasting from the Reception of Holy Communion the Same as Fasting from the Eucharistic Liturgy? A Lutheran Liturgical-Sacramental Reflection on Eucharistic Praxis during COVID-19

Jesus Known in the Breaking of the Bread

Communion at Home

Jessie: A Palm Sunday Parable in the Midst of the Pandemic of 2020

Forsaken

Why Virtual Communion Is Not Nearly Radical Enough

23.1 Advent 2019

the Brown Virgin (La Morenita)

“Eternity,” You Thunder Word

By Frank C. Senn

Farewell Sermon: Home Rejoicing

By Benjamin Dueholm

Self-Care: Being Present to God and to our Bodily Selves

By Frank C. Senn

Holy Living

By Richard O. Johnson

Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Season of Advent

By Maxwell E. Johnson