Dear Partners in Mission:

Having had a wonderful time at the ELCA Youth Gathering and with the start of school looming my family took our summer vacation last week to Washington D.C. As we often do when we travel we drove from Fort Worth to our nation’s capitol. Along the way we took in some sights and historic locations such as the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. King was assassinated.

In D.C. we were lucky to be able to take a tour of the White House, the Capitol, and many other of the monuments and museums. In all these places we were greeted warmly by the staff, our national park rangers, and those who live in the city. Welcoming us to these special places in our nation’s history and life. Our visit to the National Archives was awe inspiring to see the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and the Bill of Rights preserved in their original form. These documents outlining a vision for a government of and for the people.

We live in a very divided and divisive time. Washington D.C. is often spoken of in negative terms, a place of waste and corruption. And indeed those things exist in every human institution. But as Luther reminds us in the small catechism, part of our daily bread for which we pray is good government. This trip encouraged me again as a citizen of this nation to pray that prayer ever more fervently and to reject the politics and rhetoric of negativity. To engage my civic duty, to pray, and to encourage one another towards justice. That we live ever more as a country into the vision of those founding documents.

#TogetherInMission,

Bishop Gronberg