News

October 31 Commemoration

On October 31, 2017, the ELCA commemorated the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in Washington, D.C. with a day-long program livestreamed across the country. Below are the recorded presentations (full and individual) available via YouTube.  (Videos are not “public” on YouTube. Please return here to open and view each video.)

Complete event (edited)
Complete event (unedited livestream)

Ministries of Reconciliation: 500 years of division & 50+ years of dialogue

Lutheran-Catholic relations
A conversation with Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton and Bishop Denis Madden, auxiliary bishop emeritus of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and co-chair of the U.S. Lutheran-Dialogue.

Lutheran-Jewish relations
Litany of Confession, led by  The Rev. Dr. Darrell Jodock, professor emeritus, Gustavus Adolphus College, and chair of the ELCA Lutheran-Jewish Consultative Panel; and the Rev. Peg Schultz-Akerson, interim pastor at Lutheran Church of the Master in West Los Angeles, Calif., and member of the Consultative Panel.

Rabbi Jonas Dov Pesner, director of the Religion Action Center of Reform Judaism.

Lutheran-Muslim relations
A conversation with The Rev. Amanda France, former intern at Grace Lutheran Church in Dawson, Minn., and pastor at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Bird Island, Minn.; and Dr. Ayaz Virji, family doctor in Dawson, Minn., and lecturer on Islam.

Racial justice and reconciliation
Bishop W. Darin Moore, presiding prelate of the Mid-Atlantic Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and incoming chair of the board, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA.

Bishop William J. Gohl, Jr., Delaware-Maryland Synod.

Future Directions: Stories of the church

Will Bevins, Lutheran Theological Seminar at Philadelphia graduate and ELCA Fund for Leaders recipient, Air Force chaplain candidate (2nd Lt.)
St. Paul Thai Lutheran Church, Forest Park, Ill., Metropolitan Chicago Synod
The Rev. Cary Bass-Deschenes, Lutheran Church of the Cross, Berkeley, Calif., Sierra Pacific Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church Africa Mission in South Sudan, Lutheran Clinic and Center, Juba, South Sudan
Rebel Hurd, Church on the Street, Sioux Falls, S.D., South Dakota Synod
CJ Clark and Sharon Mamuya, Bridge Builders, a program of Living Waters Ministries at Stony Lake, New Era, Mich.
The Rev. Tom Knoll and Amanda Wahlig, First Trinity Lutheran Church, Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Synod
New Life Lutheran Church, Dripping Springs, Texas, Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod
Servant’s Table, Tulsa, Okla., Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod
Rick Steves, PBS host, filmmaker, travel writer and member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood, Wash., and Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton

Closing Worship

The following materials were made available during the ELCA’s October 31 commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.
October 31 commemoration event program
October 31 worship program