Honesty requires vulnerability, awareness, and a willingness to really listen. Assumptions and half-truths can lead us to misunderstand the situation and story. What does reconciliation mean as we strive to move from places of misunderstanding? God calls us to be honest. Sometimes, that may look like lament and confession, and other times hymns of praise and gratitude.

Questions to Consider:

  • What is a time you didn’t tell the whole truth… or were not honest?
  • What piece of history should you/could you explore with a lens of honesty?
  • In what way are you being dishonest in your life?
  • GO and express gratitude by saying thank you to someone who deserves it.

Prayer: Reconciling God, we ask for forgiveness for the times we have not reconciled our differences and acknowledged the hurts and wounds we have caused. Amen.

Suggested Songs: Amazing Grace (ELW 779) & Be Present at Our Table Lord

Be Honest: Resources

Be Honest Handout

Downloadable handout that is great for bulletin inserts, enewsletters, or posting on a bulletin board!

Download Resource
Lakota Prayer Traditions

November's Prayer Practice shares words from Lakota Prayer Traditions. Read, prayer, and reflect on the words of this prayer.

Download Prayer Practice
Be Honest Slide

A downloadable PowerPoint slide available for sharing!

Download Slide
The Thank You Book

In the spirit of being honest, we all could do a better job in life of saying thank you. Join Elephant and Piggie in this fun children's book as they discover what it means to say thank you!

Download the Summary
All Saints Sunday

All Saints Sunday is on our calendar, but we don't always know what to do with it. This Sunday provides an opportunity to name the saints in our own lives. This article from Living Lutheran was written in 2020 when we were not gathered for worship and the suggestions are valid still today!

Read the Full Article
Being an Everyday Advocate

As Christians, we are called and anointed to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, and freedom to the oppressed. In The Everyday Advocate, Deacon Ross Murray helps Christians explore our individual callings to justice and start taking practical steps to live that out.

Download the Reflection
ELCA Truth & Healing Movement

The ELCA’s Truth & Healing Movement is an opportunity for this church to increase our understanding of our colonizing impacts on Indigenous people in the past and present.

Access Resources
Food Tell Our Stories

What is your favorite recipe? What is the story behind it? Consider a recipe exchange that includes recipes handed down through generations and/or new favorites. Whether exchanged online or gathered in person, what stories are you hearing?

Living Resistance: An Indigenous Vision for Seeking Wholeness Every Day

Kaitlin B Curtice, a citizen of the Potawatomi nation, has several amazing books, writes poetry, and is a public speaker. Her book "Native: Identity, Belonging, and Rediscovering God" is packed with insights, examples, and a fresh perspective. Curtice draws on her personal journey, poetry, imagery, and stories of the Potawatomi people to address themes at the forefront of today's discussions of faith and culture in a positive and constructive way.

Learn More About the Book
Finding Your Roots

The PBS series "Finding Your Roots" renowned scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. guides influential guests into their roots, uncovering deep secrets, hidden identities, and lost ancestors. Does the series open questions for you? Notice how individuals responded to information. How might you respond if you discovered something surprising in your history?

Learn More & Watch Here
Five-Finger Turkey Prayers

Why not add a fun and creative aspect to your family thanksgiving? Take some time to make a hand-turkey drawing and use it as a way to share a five-finger prayer! Share your prayers and make it a fun and meaningful way to connect with those around the table or virtually. Don't forget to capture the moment by taking a photo of yourself with your five-finger prayer turkeys and send it to goand@nebraskasynod.org. Who knows, this could become a new family tradition!

Download Instructions
Podcast: The Freedom of Real Apologies

Layli Long Soldier is a writer, a mother, a citizen of the United States, and a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation. In this podcast episode, Layli Long Soldier offers entry points for us all — to events that are not merely about the past, and to the freedom real apologies might bring.

Click to Listen
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