Faith Lutheran Church of Salisbury, MD

06/15/2026

In this reflection, we pause to pray for and celebrate nonbinary siblings in Christ, and celebrate Pride Month.

06/15/2026

Fear is loud in our world.
But as followers of Christ, we are called to carry something stronger.

Carry hope when others are discouraged.
Carry compassion when others are hurting.
Carry courage when justice is needed.
Carry the love of Christ into places longing for healing, dignity, and peace.

This is the work of faith lived out in the world.

06/15/2026

Update from Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad on Natalie Abudayyeh:

Dear friends and partners,

We give thanks to each of you who have prayed and advocated for the safety and release of ELCJHL youth Natalie Abudayyeh after she was detained by Israeli forces on June 2nd. Unfortunately, Natalie has still not been released.

We have been informed that she had a court appearance yesterday, and the proceedings will continue in ten days. The other three women who were detained with Natalie remain in prison as well. We are deeply concerned about their continued detention and that these proceedings are being held in Israeli military court, where administrative detention can be extended without official charge or trial.

Disturbingly, Natalie’s ongoing detainment is part of a pattern of recent Israeli raids, arrests, and restrictions on Palestinian universities, limiting academic freedom and restricting the right of education. Our youth feel targeted. We are losing an entire generation as our young people struggle to imagine a future in their homeland. Our ELCJHL youth are incredibly dismayed and anxious about the wellbeing and future of Natalie, their sister and friend, and for their own safety here.

This pattern of violence, erasure, and fear is destroying Palestinian life.

We once again call on the global church to remember your commitment to work for justice, peace, and fullness of life, and we ask you to continue to advocate for Natalie’s immediate release.

Please continue to hold Natalie and her family in your prayers.

Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad

Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

06/15/2026

Friends! We have a great opportunity coming in July.

How do we create churches where people feel safe, seen, and welcomed?

Through a grant from the Episcopal Evangelism Society (EES), St. Paul’s By-the-Sea is offering a FREE Trauma-Informed Ministry Training on July 15-16 in Ocean City.

Day One features professional training on understanding trauma, trauma-informed principles, de-escalation, healthy boundaries, and responding to grief, addiction, and PTSD.

Day Two will include worship and lunch in our Outreach Center, followed by reflection and conversation about how trauma-informed ministry connects to hospitality, outreach, and evangelism—not as recruitment, but as mutual relationships grounded in dignity, listening, and belonging.

Whether you’re clergy, a lay leader, volunteer, seminarian, or simply interested in building more welcoming faith communities, this training is for you.

📅 July 15–16, 2026�📍 St. Paul’s By-the-Sea Episcopal Church, Ocean City, MD

📧 RSVP by July 8: [email protected]

You will be sent a registration form to fill out.

We hope you’ll join us as we explore how creating communities of safety, compassion, and belonging can be a powerful witness to the Gospel.

06/14/2026

Reminder: we have no service today as we gathered for worship yesterday.

06/14/2026

"Christian" Right Bigotry Against LGBTQA+ People Is Based On Misinformation And Bad Interpretation — It's Time To Break It Down And Disseminate Truth To The Masses
https://christianleft.substack.com/p/christian-right-bigotry-against-lgbtqa

06/14/2026

06/14/2026

Serve God with gladness; come into God's presence with singing. -Psalm 100:2

Joy is not simply a feeling. It is a way of living that flows from knowing we belong to God.

As we gather for worship today, may our gratitude overflow into acts of kindness, compassion, and service. May we carry the joy we experience in worship into the world God loves.

Blessed Sunday from the Deaconess Community.

06/13/2026

Saturday, June 13, 2026
Third 'Sunday' of Pentecost