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Gather, the magazine of Women of the ELCA, offers a mix of articles, theological reflections, devotions and stories of comfort and challenge that help readers grow in faith and engage in ministry and action.
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Winter 2026: “Embodied prayer” by the Rev. Liv Larson Andrews
Prayer is an important part of our relationship with God, and one of the ways we respond to God speaking in our lives. At the same time, we may carry all kinds of baggage or heavy questions about prayer: Am I doing it “right?” Do I pray enough? Is prayer always done...
Gather’s “Advent words” coloring book devotional – $7
Gather’s “Advent words” devotional coloring booklet makes a great gift for a friend—or for yourself! Featuring 25 daily devotionals—one for each day of Advent—each page contains an image for coloring, a passage from Scripture, a brief reflection and a prayer. This...
Conflict and boundaries
One of the first words that toddlers learn is “No,” which I used to think this was a bad thing. After all, I’m more of a “yes” person. I want to be helpful. I want to be of service. I don’t want to let people down. I learned this in my family of origin. In some ways,...
Dog days of summer
Shu-shu sprawls at my feet. She exudes a jolly, earthy grace. What a happy accident (or is it divine humor?) that “dog” is “god” spelled backwards! This dog keeps me in the now. This wasn’t my idea. She’s a 2020 COVID puppy. Our family had just moved to Albuquerque,...
Be not afraid!
March 25th is the celebration of the Annunciation. On this day, we remember the angel coming to Mary with the words, “Be not afraid.” By most accounts, Mary had many reasons to be afraid. Simply encountering a powerful spiritual being is cause for one to tremble. In...
How to befriend someone
Friends don’t just magically appear. We make friends from among the strangers all around us. Since no two people are alike, no two people approach making friends the same way. Here are seven suggestions: Accept variations. Even Jesus, who we sing about in the hymn...