The Associated Press asserts “From battlefronts in Ukraine to the destruction in Gaza, 2025 was marked by conflict, political upheaval and extreme weather across the globe…There were moments of global attention and human resilience as well…”
In times of division, disruption and fear, God calls us, through love, to lift up one another just as Christ lifts us up. The Rev. Yehiel Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, reminds us of all the ways in which we – the ELCA – testifies to that love in daily service and ministry: mobilizing to serve meals and distribute food, supporting neighbors harassed by immigration authorities, helping people devastated by climate disasters, supplying meals, meeting daily needs, providing gift cards for those un- and under-employed.
Despite the brokenness of sin, the mystery of God’s grace claims, frees and sends us to be messengers of hope in a hurting world. Bishop Curry draws strength from the writings of Martin Luther, who used the example of Mary and the words of the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) to urge the rulers of his time to exercise power in ways that serve all people.
Jesus gave us an image of a vine and its branches (John 15:1) to illustrate our connectedness to him and, through him, to one another. Our rootedness in Christ sustains us with his love. His love connects us to one another. We must stay connected to face the challenges of this moment and in 2026.
God, open our hearts and hands to your leading, that we might made a difference in this world you love so much. Amen.
Adapted from A Pastoral Message for These Troubled Days by Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry, from 11/12/2025
