December contents DECEMBER 2014 VOLUME 27 NUMBER 12 28 3 Advents of Christ 36 Offering sanctuary


18 Wait, it’s Advent Lutheran News


8 ELCA by the numbers 9 Declaration 20 years old


10 Ebola response in Sierra Leone


Cover story


18 Wait, it’s Advent 25 Study guide


Features


12 A graceful benediction 30 A God who gets messy


32 ‘I can’t imagine a child without toys’ Pa. congregation is trying to change that


34 Joy to the world all year round


40 Church serves up calzones & hope


38 10 years after the tsunami Departments


3 Challenging conversations 4 Editor notes


16 Deeper understandings 26 Reflection 41 Our Lutheran heritage 42 Two months out 43 Faces 44 Best this month 45 Deaths 46 Classifieds 47 Light side/Crossword 48 Letters 49 My view/Picture this 50 Presiding bishop


COVER ILLUSTRATION: GERTRUD MUELLER NELSON


For breaking news, see www.thelutheran.org or www.elca.org/news


December 2014 5


The


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