Contents

Departments

Voices
Conversions
Nancy Goldberger

Give Us This Day
Farewells and Greetings
Marj Leegard

Mothering Seasons
Tangible Expressions of Grace
Heidi Jo Hagstrom

Sermon in the Spotlight
The Problem of Good Reasons
Barbara Lundblad

Reader Call
What Bible passage have you struggled with, and how did your struggle end?

Bible Study
Everyday Surprises: The Parables of Jesus
Audrey West
Session 5: Guess Who's Coming for Dinner?
The first four sessions of our Bible study looked at parables from the Gospel of Matthew. We turn now to Luke, beginning with a celebratory feast and an extraordinary guest list.

Session 6: Empowering Persistence
Typically called the parable of the unjust judge, which obscures the significance of the attention–worthy woman, our study will focus on the widow, a woman who does not give up in her fight for what is right despite powerful circumstances that work to hold her back.

Grace Notes
Who's Welcome in the Circle?
Linda Post Bushkofsky

Amen!
Persistent Host
Catherine Malotky

Issue Theme: Gather Around The Table
Who is invited to the Great Banquet? Are you? Is your neighbor? Are there enough chairs for all? In this issue we will get to know our ELCA full–communion partners a bit better, and we will look at ways we are divided from one another and even ourselves. What can we do to strengthen Christian unity? And why is it important to do so?

Life is Good and Getting Better
Kathy Schnierle
The 2005 Triennial Gathering announced. Come join us!

Threads in Women's Hands
Susan Wilds McArver
A salute to church women at the dawn of the twentieth century.

Persistence and Peace
Leymah Gbowee
In the spring of 2003, Christian and Muslim women in Liberia joined forces for peace. Read how their persistence and strength created a more peaceful existence.

God's Table: Room for All
Linda Daniels–Block
Pull out the folding chairs. Jesus invited everyone to the table. Does our hospitality reach as far? Do we remember that we, too, are guests?

Ties That Bind: Full Communion Partnerships and Family Potlucks
Terry L. Bowes
Are you befuddled or bewildered by the ELCA's full–communion partnerships? Who are these relationships with and what does it mean in your church life?

Bold Relationships: Linking Heart and Hand
Susan M. Lang
Life is filled with relationships. Do you reach out with an open hand or a closed fist?

Plus...
Action & Advocacy Guide
Resources and links to help you in your advocacy efforts.

Directory of Reader Services
Valuable information for every reader.