March 12-18, 2024

Below you will find all the resource links you will need for each day of the challenge. The links are also on the challenge document.

The Daily Schedule as a PDF

Topic 3: Social Message

Human Rights

This mid-week shift will bring us some insights on the Human Rights Social Message and tie into the social statement Freed in Christ; Race, Ethnicity, and Culture. We will circle back to being an advocate, leadership, and next steps after we look at how this message is integral to everyday life of the church, living out our call to be disciples of Christ, and to work for justice in local communities and around the world.
On Sept. 27, the ELCA Church Council approved on behalf of the ELCA “A Declaration of the ELCA to American Indian and Alaska Native People.” This declaration addresses Indigenous ELCA communities, Indigenous communities in the U.S., and non-Indigenous ELCA communities. This is a continuation of the work from the 2016 Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the ELCA Church Council.
At the 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, Vance Blackfox, Director of Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations, addressed the assembly about the work the ELCA is doing alongside the presentation of the declaration.  While the whole presentation is only 36 minutes long, you can watch Vance Blackfox at 10:20-20:16
Intentional time set aside to journal initial thoughts, ideas, and reactions.
What does it mean to go “home”? To visit lands where your parents, your grandparents, or even your ancestors originated? Would your understanding of home change if your history and your ancestors were forgotten, ignored, or denied?
Intentional time set aside to journal initial thoughts, ideas, and reactions.
Given Christianity’s role in these boarding schools:
What are some ways you believe the church could and should reconcile our harmful role in the lives of our Indigenous Neighbors and Jesus’ call to love our neighbor?
Intentional time set aside to journal initial thoughts, ideas, and reactions.
 Trans rights are major talking points in the news cycle right now.  How does this topic hit you?  Have you engaged in conversation with others on this matter?  If yes, how did it go?  If no, what additional resources, knowledge, language, etc. would you need to do so?
Journal Prompts after the Bible Study:
  1. Have you ever considered reading scripture through an LGBTQ+ lens?  How was this experience for you?
  2. How could you use a resource like this to allow for more intentional inclusion in a congregational setting?
Reflection, catch-up, and/or your gathering with a zoom group.