This year, Advent follows closely on Pope Francis’ visit to the US and converges with the crucial United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris (Nov 30 – Dec 11). The last two months of 2015 offer an extraordinary opportunity for churches to await the incarnation with attention to the earth, “our common home.” Through its EcoFaith Network, the Minneapolis Area Synod offers the following two resources for congregational use, developed by participants in Lutherans Restoring creation:

Lutheran Study Guide to Pope Francis, by Terra Rowe. A four session study guide on Laudato Si’. 

Eco-justice lectionary commentary for the Sundays of Advent, with appropriate references to Laudato Si’, by Dennis Ormseth;  petitions for the Prayers of Intercession by Pastor Ingrid Rasmussen; and hymn suggestions by David Sims; the team is from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Minneapolis.

Overview of themes