– Ally McDonough

The Youth Gathering was a wonderful, faith-filled experience that left me with more memories and friends than I will ever get in a lifetime. In the summer of 2015, I went to the Gathering in Detroit. Before the trip, I heard many rumors of churches not going to Detroit because of the stigma surrounding the city. Honestly, I was a little apprehensive as well. As soon as my group got to Detroit, however, all of my preconceived notions were gone. Detroit was beautiful inside and out. Through many hardships, the city is still living and thriving one day at a time.

My favorite part of the Gathering and reason I am writing this article is because of one little girl who impacted me more than any speaker did at the Gathering. Her name is Hope. Pictured with me (I am in the pink bandana), Hope was the shining light on an otherwise wet and dreary day.

She was a local kid who lived in the neighborhood where we were working. Every day for three days, Hope came out and helped create the beautiful mosaics on the back of the dug outs. Hope came over to my group’s dugout and asked if she could help. A system was soon put in place where I would put the mortar on the back of the tile and Hope would choose the final resting place of the tile on the dugout. For over four hours, it was a beautiful symphony of working together to beautify a city so surrounded by negativity and media-bashing. Hope was living out the true meaning of her name in creating beauty in her city and community.

My day with Hope taught me that even with all the negativity, a helping hand and a serving spirit will unite us all.

 

Today’s post from Craig Mueller, pastor at Holy Trinity in Chicago, IL.

 

With cremation growing more common, so are memorial services. For many people today, having a body present for a funeral is considered unnecessary. Families may want some time with the body of the deceased immediately after death, but then they want the body taken away so they don’t have to deal with it anymore.

Most people today feel that the “soul” is the essence of a person, making the body of no significance after death. Yet the bodies of the faithful are washed in baptism. Bodies receive the laying on of hands at confirmation and anointing with oil in rites of healing. And most importantly, the eucharist is a meal which involves bodily eating and drinking.

I sense an absence when at a memorial liturgy that has neither the body or the ashes of the deceased present. To say the words of commendation—“Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Jane”—to the air suggests that it is a soul, not an embodied person that we are commending to God.

I would highly recommend a significant book on funeral practices by Thomas Long: Accompany Them With Singing: The Christian Funeral (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009). Long acknowledges there are plenty of situations in which a body, coffin, or ashes cannot be present for a memorial liturgy and that Christians can certainly “raise the resurrection song,” but questions this as the new norm. Despite a biblical anthropology that does not divide body and soul, Long wonders whether a body seems of lesser importance at a funeral because “we esteem the spirituality of the mind over the materialism of the body.”

Even though we talk about the body as a “shell,” we go to great lengths to recover a body or even some of the remains when someone is lost at sea or crushed in the World Trade Center disaster, for example. By paying attention to these deep human responses to death we might rethink why the presence of a body, or at least the ashes from cremation, should be present at a Christian funeral or memorial service (Long, pp. 33-44).

Though a pastoral case for the presence of the body at worship is going against the grain of societal practice, I urge religious leaders to have these important conversations: not necessarily when a family has already decided what they want to do following the death of a loved one, but in less anxious contexts such as sermons, classes, and other congregational settings. For example, I would encourage a family to have the ashes of the deceased present at a funeral—perhaps along with photographs—to emphasize the importance of the body of their loved one.

 

 

Pastor Mueller’s recently released book, Any Body There? Worship and Being Human in a Digital Age, includes further reflection on the importance of the body in worship. For further resources on funeral planning, see the newly released In Sure and Certain Hope: A Funeral Sourcebook.

 

 

 

 

Ginger Litman-Koon, Chapin, SC

 

Warm-up Question

Many relationships, personal and professional, are based on a system of credit and debt. People invest in others with the hope of receiving something in return; employees show up to work with the intention to be compensated later; ER doctors provides treatment with the expectation the cost will be covered. Does a credit/debt system promote the good of all involved? What happens when a debt is forgiven?

Debts Forgiven

For much of history, unpaid debts were legally punishable with prison time. Only fairly recently in history has the use of so-called “debtors’ prisons” been outlawed as a penalty for unpaid debts or fines. Nevertheless, in some states and municipalities, laws still allow for individuals to be jailed for “willful refusal” to pay what they owe. Consider the story of Edward Brown reported on NPR:

On a night last week when the temperature dropped to 17 degrees, Edward Brown, who’s 62 and homeless, slept at the bus stop in front of the Jennings, Mo., city hall in St. Louis County… Brown’s troubles started when he tried to fight the city of Jennings, and his story shows how court fines and fees can grow, turning an impoverished person’s life upside down. The city wanted to condemn his small, crumbling house, where he had lived for 25 years. Officials sent him a citation for letting the grass grow too high. Brown stayed in the house after it was condemned, and received a citation for trespassing. Brown had been bedridden from injuring his back, and was unable to push a lawnmower. He was ticketed, too, for not getting a rabies vaccine for his dog, Matrix. Altogether Brown owed the city $464. But Brown lives on a $488 Social Security check and food stamps, so he didn’t pay his fines. “I went to jail for that,” he says. Since 2009, he’s been jailed several times — once for 30 days, another time for 20 days.

In the case of Mr. Brown, he was jailed because of “willful refusal” to pay his fines, even though he was disabled and unable to work. Others like him have been jailed for defiance of the court because they know they’re be unable to pay, have health problems, have limited access to transportation, or are unable to get the time off from work or child care necessary to go and appear in front of a judge.

While these practices may be legal, they often effectively punish people for being poor, to add indignity to poverty, and to introduce added instability into the lives of those who may already be struggling to get by. One advocacy group that has taken up this cause defines the “human costs” of debtors’ prisons in this way: “Debtors’ prisons waste taxpayer money and resources by jailing people who may never be able to pay their debts [and create a system] in which the poor receive harsher, longer punishments for committing the same crimes as the rich, simply because they are poor.” Advocacy and legal teams have been working in recent years to tackle this injustice on a case-by-case system in the municipalities around the country.

Fines and fees are put in place in order to accomplish certain goals: to deter people from violating laws, to maintain the legal boundaries of municipalities and to raise revenue for the enforcement of laws. Their intent is, at its core, a good thing. However, as we see, the burden of fines and fees on those who live in poverty can become overwhelming and detrimental. Christians are called through our baptisms to be a voice for the voiceless – in this case, for those who wield little political power due to their socioeconomic status. One way we can do that is through advocacy – promoting the rights of the poor and speaking out against unjust policies. The ELCA Advocacy Office makes speaking up for those living in poverty a priority. You can become an advocate by learning more about the laws in your town, by writing a letter to your local officials, by learning more about ELCA Advocacy, or by simply remembering this issue in your prayers and in the work of your church.

Discussion Questions

• What do you think of Mr. Brown’s situation? What parts of his story surprised you or made you think?
• What is prison like? Do you think temporary imprisonment an effective way to get people to pay their debts? Why or why not?
• Many states maintain jail time as a permissible punishment for those who fail to pay owed Child Support. What do you think about that?

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Genesis 50:15-21

Romans 14:1-12

Matthew 18:21-35

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

 

Gospel Reflection

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus teaches about forgiveness. He tells his disciples that they should not only forgive, but they should be prepared to forgive (almost) infinitely. Jesus then goes on to tell a story about the slave of a king who was forgiven a seemingly infinite debt. Ten thousand talents was an unimaginable amount for a slave to try to repay. By telling this story, Jesus is comparing us to the indebted slave and God to the merciful king. God has and will forgive all our sins, as infinite as they may seem, and he will continue to do so. Therefore, we are called, not just to forgive, but to become forgiving people – that is, to make it our business to regularly practice forgiveness, just as God regularly forgives us.

However, in this story, the slave who has been infinitely forgiven turns around and does the opposite. He goes to one who owes him a debt and refuses to forgive him. And on top of that, he turns violent and demands that he be jailed as recompense. In prison, not only would that slave have to suffer harsh and inhumane conditions, but he would also miss out on the opportunity to return to work and to provide for his family.

We see two kinds of poverty in this story. The second slave is impoverished financially. He has no money to repay the debt that he owes. He has to work, not only to please his master the king, but also to repay the debt he has accrued by borrowing from another slave. He is at the bottom of this social hierarchy, and he faces further suffering at the hand of a fellow slave. On the other hand, the first slave in the story is impoverished spiritually. He is morally bankrupt, because he is unable to show mercy, even after being shown an incredible amount of mercy by the master himself.

What about us? If we recognize the tremendous mercy that was shown to us – to the point of God sending his own Son to suffer and die for our sake – do we ourselves show mercy? Do we repay the never-ending forgiveness of our loving God by forgiving others? Or do our hearts harbor grudges, judgment, or resentment for those we feel have wronged us, knowingly or unknowingly? And do we use the gifts given to us to provide for the needs of others? Do we use the voices given to us to speak out for those in need? Do we use the faith given to us to bring others to faith?

As Christians, we are rich. No matter what kind of income our families bring home, we are rich because of the love God pours out on us in Christ. God’s love enriches us with an over-abundance of love, forgiveness, mercy, and generosity to share with others. When we use these riches, we are truly living out our baptismal covenants with the God who so richly blesses and loves us.

Discussion Questions

• What are the debts you owe to others…that are owed to you?  Remember this is about more than money.
• The first slave is blind to the absurdity of his being so harsh to a fellow slave on the heels of having received a massive gift from  his master.  Why do you think it is easy for us to take blessings as our right instead of seeing them as tools to help others?

Activity Suggestions

Option A: Forgiveness takes practice. The more we forgive, the more we train our hearts to forgive. Write a short letter thanking God for specific things you have been forgiven of. Then write a letter to someone that you need to forgive. Specify what they did, how it made you feel, and how you are going to move on from it. You don’t have to send the letter, but commit yourself to truly letting go of the grudge/resentment/hate and ask God to free you from that burden. 

Option B: Play the SPENT money challenge and poverty simulator at www.playspent.org

Closing Prayer

Giving God, you provide everything that we need, and you bless us richly with our time, talent, treasures, and your never-failing mercy. Give us grateful hearts for the forgiveness you give us every day and make us generous in giving and forgiving.

Racism: A Different Face

“We are torn between becoming the people God calls us to be and remaining the people we are, barricaded behind old walls of hostility…. A burning cross reminds us that blatant acts of intimidation, hatred, and violence continue.” (ELCA social statement on: Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture)

 

The burning cross is visual evidence of racism. It serves as a sign of our human brokenness that the cross –a symbol of redemption, forgiveness and reconciliation with God– is used for such unconscionable expressions of intimidation.  Paul speaks of the cross as being the power of God for those of us who are being saved. (1 Corinthian 1:18) Christ’s death on the cross is an expression of love that is beyond human comprehension. Equally difficult to understand is that the cross could be used to signal in the worst way a mix of power, privilege, and prejudice: racism.

 

But racism does not always come with a proclamation. Sometimes those that are systematically disenfranchised; disempowered by the political leadership; and forced to suffer from ethnic disparities find themselves being placed in marginalized or vulnerable situations.  They are often placed in these situations by the very system that they had entrusted to those whom are elected to carry out the duties mandated by laws in our society. Those in positions of power often overtly or inadvertently make decisions that can over time allow for the creep of injustice in our lives, impacting every fiber of our being from health to environment to living conditions.

 

Alabama

As recently as May 1, 2017, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) filed court documents to close a 14-year-old civil rights complaint against a landfill (the Stone’s Throw Landfill) in a predominantly black community located in the town of Tallassee, Alabama. This community was settled by newly freed slaves after the Civil War. The Agency told the court that legal challenges over its slow response to the case are moot (of no value). But residents claim they were not consulted in the agency decision. They also claim that the landfill will cause air and water pollution, harm wildlife, diminish property values and uproot property owners. (Read more about  Ashurst Bar-Smith Community.)

 

Michigan

For example, in 2014, Flint, Mich. (with a population that is greater than 57% black) switched its water intake supply source as a cost cutting measure. The switch was done without proper treatment of the water flowing through city pipes and caused the piping to corrode. The corroding pipes allowed lead to leach into the water at levels that were well above federal standards. Lead ingestion can cause significant health problems for children and adults, such as damage to the nervous system and kidneys. (Read more about the Lutheran response in Flint.)

 

 

Pennsylvania

Then there is this small city (with a population that is over 70% black) in southeastern Pennsylvania. A 1995 study conducted by the USEPA and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources revealed that over 60% of children’s blood lead samples were above the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommended action level.  The study also showed that both cancer and non-cancer risks from the pollution sources at locations in the city exceeded levels which USEPA believed were acceptable. (Read more about Chester, PA.)

 

These three cases are only the tip of the iceberg, but they share a common factor: each community suffered from environmental racism. It is not as visible as other actions, that is, no one marches in with a burning cross or spray paints derogatory remarks on a wall, but it is real. As a church, we must recognize that racism does not always march in plain sight or announce itself. It can creep in over time.

 

Environmental racism is like a cancer that spreads slowly over time. It creates debilitating consequences, particularly as it relates to health.  “Racism… infects and affects everyone. It deforms relationships between and within racial, ethnic, or cultural groups. It undermines the promise of community and exacerbates prejudice and unhealthy competition among these groups… Racism, both blatant and subtle, continues to deny the reconciling work of the cross. God’s forgiveness frees us from the enslavement of racism. For some, this may mean giving up power or privilege; for others, it may mean giving up anger or prejudice. Let us know this reconciliation in our lives! “(ELCA social statement “Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture”)

 

We must seek God’s will in all things and God’s guidance to navigate the paths to overcome these challenges of biases in decision making, whether conscious or unconscious. God is and must be our source, strength and our refuge.

 

“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 5:30)

For more information on environmental racism, please see the following.

 

• “Environmental Racism”, http://www.ucc.org/environmental-ministries_environmental-racism.
• A Social Statement on   “  Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture”,    http://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/RaceSS.pdf?_ga=2.255741391.692850663.1496723705-119156230.1467996413
• A Social Statement on  “Caring for Creation:  Vision, Hope, and Justice”, http://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/EnvironmentSS.pdf?_ga=2.49725025.692850663.1496723705-119156230.1467996413

 

Ruth Ivory-Moore is ELCA’s Program Director, Environment and Energy.  She believes it a blessing  to have the opportunity to be able to combine  her engineering and  legal education with her Christian beliefs  to advocate and to work to care.  She operates in the realm of hope, that is , she believes that the faith-based community has a unique opportunity in the current political climate to be the voice of reason and persuasion.

 

 

 

Lutherans are taking action across the country! Below you will find our monthly State Advocacy Newsletter. Share with your friends!

---

ELCA Advocacy Office, Washington, D.C.

The Rev. Amy Reumann, director

ELCA.org/advocacy

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS: The day of fasting and action this month is Thursday, Sept. 21. This month, we focus on programs that help end hunger and offer critical nutrition resources for working families in need. Proven and traditional support such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and child nutrition programs have helped reduce hunger and food insecurity for decades. Looming federal decisions to cut these programs could leave thousands, if not millions, unsure of where their next meal may come from. Food security gives children and adults the fundamental elements needed to grow, thrive and succeed. As churches and places of worship dedicated to ending hunger, we call on our national leaders to maintain programs for struggling low-income households.

‘GOD’S WORK. OUR HANDS’ SUNDAY: ELCA Advocacy has prepared several congregation resources for those interested in including advocacy on their day of service on Sept. 10. Congregations and volunteers are encouraged to participate in letter-writing campaigns to their lawmakers on critical issues, such as: hunger, international aid, care for creation and more.

Preparing advocacy letters for a group activity is easy! Simply:

• Print out copies for your group or congregation. *Be sure to make three for each person if you want to write to both Senators and Representative!
• Fill out the member of Congress’ name and address info.
• Write your own personalized message in the body of the letter, sharing why this issue is important for you or your congregation.
• Send the completed letters to ELCA Advocacy (instructions on the letter PDF).

Interested congregations can download sample letters to fill out on the “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday resource webpage.

DACA STATEMENT: The Trump administration announced on Sept. 5 the plan to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program with a six-month delay on implementation. The program has allowed nearly 800,000 “Dreamers” to have a temporary work permits, driver’s licenses and student aid, with the vast majority now contributing to the U.S. workforce. If Congress fails to pass a bill that protects DACA recipients, these young people will be at risk for deportation.

Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., who has sponsored two bills that would grant lawful status to Dreamers, has indicated that he will be pushing to pass a legislative solution to protect them. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has likewise supported paths to citizenship and immigration reform in the past, but passing an overhaul bill in Congress will be a challenge. ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton shared a statement with lawmakers on Capitol Hill following the DACA announcement. Meanwhile, ELCA partner Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS) issued a statement, as well as the corresponding LIRS action alert calling in support of passing the 2017 DREAM Act. As Congress discusses possible next steps, ELCA Advocacy will continue to advocate to protects Dreamers and other vulnerable communities.

---

Lutheran Office for World Community, United Nations, New York, N.Y.

Dennis Frado, director

Election of the President of the General Assembly for the seventy-second session

U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY: In the coming weeks, the 72^nd session of the U.N. General Assembly will convene under  Miroslav Lajčák, minister of foreign and European affairs of Slovakia. Lajčák has proposed “focusing on people: striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet” as the theme for this year’s general debate. The General Assembly also will hold several thematic meetings:

High Level Meeting on New Urban Agenda and UN-Habitat, Sept. 5-Sept. 6

High-level Forum on the Culture of Peace, Sept. 7

Progress made on SDG implementation during 71st Session,  Sept. 8

Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, Sept. 27-Sept. 28

OTHER EVENTS LOWC WILL JOIN:

“Leading by Example: Faith and HIV Testing,” interfaith service and testimonies, sponsored by the World Council of Churches–Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance with the support of UNAIDS and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) on Sept.12.

Interfaith prayer breakfast on “fostering partnerships for fast tracking access to testing and treatment to infants, children and adolescents,” sponsored by the World Council of Churches, UNAIDS and PEPFAR on Sept. 13.

---

California

Mark Carlson, Lutheran Office of Public Policy

loppca.org

HOSPITALITY AND HATE: On an ugly and sad Saturday in Charlottesville, an amazing gathering of California’s diversity gathered in the social hall at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Sacramento, where the Lutheran Office of Public Policy–California was site host for the statewide meeting of the California Environmental Justice Coalition. From Calexico through Coachella (photo), the rural San Joaquin Valley, West Oakland, Bayview (SF), and an Indian rancheria in Mendocino County, the group met to build community and momentum and prepare for meetings with state agencies and legislators on a variety issues.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: The first half of the 2017-2018 session of the California Legislature concludes Sept. 15, and Gov. Jerry Brown has until Oct. 15 to act on bills that reach his desk. LOPP-CA hosted the August lobby day for California Interfaith Power & Light and participated in the Green California lobby day and awards reception. LOPP-CA-supported bills to reform the bail system have been held until next year. Requiring a two-thirds vote, the outlook is shaky for long-negotiated legislation to add a small charge to water bills to support drinking water cleanup and affordability for low-income Californians. Other two-thirds vote, “heavy lift” legislation, including measures to place a low-income housing bond and a parks-for-all bond on the November 2018 ballot, and reform campaign finance reporting for ballot measures, are current priorities. Mark Carlson, director, spoke at a capitol lawn rally for the DISCLOSE Act, asserting that we will not let the mountain of dark money eclipse the Range of Light.

---

Colorado

Peter Severson, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry–Colorado

Lam-co.org

Mount Crested Butte, Colo.

ANTI-POVERTY CONFERENCE: The Colorado Community Action Association held their annual anti-poverty conference Aug. 7-11 in Crested Butte. Lutheran Advocacy was present alongside government officials, direct-service providers, advocates and organizers for four days of learning and relationship-building in service of fighting the root causes of poverty in Colorado.

Presenters focused on a variety of issues, including policy mapping, affordable housing development and funding, using data in health policy making, and building relationships of trust in rural communities, among many other topics. We’re thankful to the CCAA for gathering this diverse group together to address critical human needs in our state.

FALL EVENTS: Lutheran Advocacy is preparing for several events this fall, including the Rocky Mountain Synod Theological Conference Sept. 18-21 in Colorado Springs. We are cosponsoring the Colorado Social Legislation Committee Fall Forum during the final week in October, which will focus on the impact of the federal budget on Colorado. And we’ll be traveling around Front Range communities to visit ministries and  congregations to share updates on our advocacy work, including Greeley, Longmont, Broomfield and Denver. Keep in touch through our email list, Facebook page and Twitter to get the latest updates!

---

Minnesota

Tammy Walhof, Lutheran Advocacy–Minnesota

lutheranadvocacymn.org

Kendrick Dwight, holding the “L,” is the third from the left.

HUNGER ADVOCACY FELLOW: Please welcome Kendrick Dwight as our new Hunger Advocacy Fellow. More information about Kendrick and the work he will be doing with congregations and hunger teams coming soon!

FAITH LEADER LETTER ON CLEAN ENERGY: The Renewable Energy Standard Minnesota passed in 2007 with broad bipartisan support mandated that 25 percent of Minnesota’s energy come from renewable sources by 2025 (30 percent for Xcel Energy). Minnesota is on target to exceed the mandate, and various studies have shown that Minnesota could dramatically increase renewable energy use without sacrificing reliability or causing grid problems. Wind is Minnesota’s cheapest energy, and now solar is also competitive. Bipartisan legislation for an updated standard of 50 percent renewable energy by 2030 was introduced during the 2017 legislative session. Unfortunately, several legislators oppose these changes based on outdated concerns, cost misunderstandings, and significant pressure from fossil-fuel campaign contributors. Lutheran Advocacy-MN, Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light, ISAIAH, and the EcoFaith Networks from the Minneapolis Area Synod and the Northeastern Minnesota Synod, ask church leaders to sign a letter and add a note for legislators in support of the improved standard. An educational event is also being planned for Oct. 24.

PROTECT OUR HOMES: Some Homes for All Coalition groups, including Lutheran Advocacy-MN, have formed “Protect our Homes” to address federal affordable housing concerns. In August, we met with Rep. Keith Ellison to talk about severe cuts proposed to housing programs and to consider what can be done in Congress to save them. Watch for upcoming action alerts!

---

New Mexico

Ruth Hoffman, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry–New Mexico

lutheranadvocacynm.org/

FARM BILL LISTENING SESSION: U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M., recently held a listening session about the federal farm bill. She is a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, which has primary responsibility for the development of the legislation to reauthorize the farm bill, which includes the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) as well as other vital nutrition programs.

LAM-NM was invited to participate in the session and to provide input about crucial provisions of the farm bill. LAM-NM Director Ruth Hoffman made these points: not enacting new work requirements for SNAP recipients, rescinding the SNAP ABAWD work requirements, increasing the monthly allotments for SNAP recipient,; making no cuts to SNAP eligibility standards, and not block granting SNAP funding.

 

---

Ohio

Nick Bates, The Faith Coalition for the Common Good

Nick@HungerNetOhio.org

HUNGER NETWORK IN OHIO: We would like to thank three congregations in the Clintonville neighborhood of Columbus for their public witness and advocacy over the weekend on hunger issues. Clinton Heights Lutheran Church, North Community Lutheran Church, and Maple Groove United Methodist Church sit within 2.5 miles of each other along the main corridor of High Street. The Lutheran congregations sponsored a hunger walk on Saturday where they witnessed to the community and raised awareness about hunger in Ohio. They also collected food and money to support local hunger ministries. On Sunday, Maple Grove  sponsored their food-for-all Sunday, where the congregation dedicated their worship time to service projects.

All three congregations understand that we cannot just feed people today but must also engage policymakers on these issues. Members wrote letters to Sen. Rob Portman, encouraging him to protect the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other programs that address hunger. Our budgets are moral documents, and we need to make sure our legislators know this.

The Hunger Network will gladly help other congregations identify ways to incorporate advocacy into their charity projects. As key hunger advocates around Ohio have repeatedly said, “We cannot foodbank our way out of hunger. We need a public commitment to it.” Please contact us at Nick@Hungernetohio.com with any questions or to request a facilitator for an advocacy project.

---

Pennsylvania

Tracey DePasquale, Lutheran Advocacy–Pennsylvania

Lutheranadvocacypa.org

In August, the state budget remained half-complete, with a spending plan passed, and a revenue package awaiting action by the House, which remained on recess. The House is scheduled to return to Harrisburg Sept. 11. Lawmakers are facing a $2.3 billion deficit. The Senate passed a revenue plan in late July that included a variety of revenue sources, including a severance tax on Marcellus Shale that was lower than that requested by the governor in return for rollbacks on environmental protections – a trade that LAMPa opposes. Among House proposals being circulated to close the gap are attempts to transfer money from non-General Fund accounts – in effect taking money already set aside for specific projects and diverting it to the overall budget.

LAMPa Director Tracey DePasquale had the opportunity to update the board of directors of SpiriTrust Lutheran on Aug. 17 about the LAMPa agenda and what is happening and not happening in Harrisburg. LAMPa remains grateful for the continued support and partnership with SpiriTrust in caring for our neighbors in southcentral Pennsylvania.

On Aug. 20, LAMPa offered two advocacy workshops at the convention of the Lower Susquehanna Synod Women of the ELCA and thanked them for their work against human trafficking, particularly sex trafficking of minors in Pennsylvania.

In addition, LAMPa has been preparing congregations around the state to add advocacy to their “God’s Work. Our Hands.” Sunday, Sept. 10, and planning for our annual policy council retreat later this month.

---

Southeastern Synod

Hilton Austin, Director

We continue to encourage and support congregations with, or in the process of developing, advocacy teams, while continuing to educate folks on current social issues. Melanie Johnson has been busy making presentations to congregations interested in Circle of Welcome. At present, there are two Southeastern Synod  congregations involved, St John’s and Resurrection (Trinity is doing the same thing; they just started pre-program); I am sure that number will continue to grow.

“FOR SUCH A TIME …” : On Aug. 26, I attended Atlantans Building Leadership for Empowerment’s (ABLE) “For Such A Time As This” banquet. That night it was announced that the Rev. Ronald Bonner, assistant to the bishop, is the new president of ABLE. This will bring a new dimension to our advocacy partnership; Ron and I have already discussed how we can expand this relationship across the synod. In September, we will have an exhibit at the Women of the ELCA convention, and in October, we will be at the SES Leadership Convocation.

IMMIGRATION: We are still in the process of gathering folks to participate in the AMMPARO Guardian Angel program in Georgia. Twelve people will participate by accompanying immigrants at the Atlanta Immigration Court. They will work in pairs, one must speak Spanish; training will be provided by AMMPARO. Mary Campbell will set that up as soon as we have the 12 people; we are well on our way.

As Congress comes back from recess, we are mobilizing all of our people to react to the important issues that affect many of our neighbors. We are here “For Such A Time As This.”

---

Virginia

Kim Bobo, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy

virginiainterfaithcenter.org 

The Rev. Juan Gutierrez Palomino was deported last week to Peru, a country he hasn’t been to for 15 years. His wife and children in Dumfries, all U.S. citizens, are left without their father, husband and breadwinner. VICPP had been working for his release and now is helping his family. Palomino was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at a regular check-in, as he had been doing faithfully for years, and was not granted a day in court to make his case. Deporting pastors, fathers, husbands and community members serves no purpose other than amplifying fear and distrust in the community. In the wake of the Aug. 11-12 tragedy in Charlottesville, it’s clear Virginia and the nation have not sufficiently grappled with our racist history and systemic racism. If our democracy is going to stand and our nation to prosper, we must find new ways to address our history and break down barriers that harm and exclude our neighbors based on race, religion or ethnicity.

VICPP has a petition online that calls on the Legislature to take action to welcome all, specifically in tracking hate crimes and establishing a task force to address racism and exclusion in Virginia. You can sign the petition here. Our Richmond Chapter is partnering with the Richmond Office of Community Wealth Building to develop a Living Wage Certification program. We are also developing this program in Charlottesville and Alexandria. Find a copy of the application on the website, or email Kim@virginiainterfaithcenter.org for more details. VICPP’s Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration will be Dec. 7 in Richmond.

---

Wisconsin

Cindy Crane, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin                                    

Loppw.org

CARE FOR GOD’S CREATION: LOPPW is advocating for legislators to amend a bill, which includes diminishing environmental regulations for companies that build in electronics and information technology manufacturing zone, to not ease any of the state environmental regulations it proposes to ease. The director attended the public hearing for the bill and also spoke on the radio about our concerns.  Here is LOPPW’s news release: thewheelerreport.com/wheeler_docs/files/0830loppwi.pdf.

BISHOPS AND ADVISORY COUNCIL: The director recently met with all six bishops to prepare for our annual advisory council/staff retreat to discuss LOPPW’s priorities. The bishops expressed concerns about poverty and opioid abuse in their communities, the treatment of people who are immigrants and refugees, human trafficking and affordable housing.  The director began working with an advisory council member to plan our September retreat.

ADVOCACY RETREAT FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS: The campus pastor at UW-Madison, a volunteer and the director are finalizing a flyer to advertise our Nov. 3-4 retreat for college students interested in taking leadership in advocacy. This will be an ELCA event advertised via our campus ministries in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and it will include information on how young adults can be more involved in the ELCA. The retreat will be open to any interested student.

MONDAY QUOTES: LOPPW has invited people via our database and social media to send us quotes that inspire them. We share at least one quote we receive with a reflection on Mondays.

– Don Romsa

As someone involved in Lutheran Campus Ministry, I was asked, “Why a Youth Gathering?”  My answer?

I’ve seen firsthand that the Gathering builds community, deepens faith, inspires service, and even transforms lives.

During my thirty years of working with college and university students in Lutheran Campus Ministry, I have listened to many of those students talk about their personal experiences at a Gathering.  These young adults have often said that the Gathering was a turning point in their life and also in their faith. It was an experience in which Jesus became real and relevant for them, and they were touched by God’s invitation to “change the world.”

I have listened as young adults shared memories and moments of their time at a Gathering – memories and moments like these:

As I sat in the large gatherings with other youth, I felt surrounded by people who had important hopes and dreams – just like me.

I was challenged to think in new ways about how my faith and life are connected.

We didn’t just talk about the need to love others – we went into surrounding neighborhoods and acted on that love.

I was deeply moved by the words and thoughts of the speakers who shared their real-life faith stories.

I was treated as if I was really part of the church – not at some future time, but NOW.

I realized the Lutheran faith community is much larger than I could ever have imagined – it extends all around the world.

I had a chance to talk about things that really matter in my life, and how those things are shaped by my faith.

I felt the presence of a gracious and loving God in my life – it was a transforming event for me.

Almost 45 years ago, I accompanied a group of youth to the 1973 Youth Gathering in Houston.  Not only was their faith deepened and their lives transformed, but mine was, too.  May the 2018 Youth Gathering in Houston be the same kind of gift to all who come!

Pastor Don Romsa is the ELCA Program Director for Campus Ministry.

 

“Disasters are a leading cause of hunger, affecting all aspects of food security: economic and physical access to food, availability and stability of supplies, and nutrition,” according to the World Food Programme. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that as much as 25 percent of the damage and economic losses caused by disasters in developing countries falls on the agriculture sector – a huge problem when we consider the sheer number of people dependent on agriculture worldwide.

The immediate losses of homes and lives caused by Hurricane Harvey have been devastating in Texas:

• 93,942 homes damaged or destroyed
• 33,800 people in shelters across the state
• At least 46 deaths

But these numbers don’t fully capture the long-term and long-range effects the disaster may have on food security and the economy, particularly for farmers in Texas and beyond. Whether left in the fields or stored in bulk, crops such as grain, corn, wheat cotton are all likely to be affected.

“I can’t think of a crop that is designed to handle four feet of rain in a short period of time,” Mike Steenhoek said in a recent interview. Steenhoek is the executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition. While many crops in Texas have already been harvested, anything still waiting for harvest will be at a risk of a total loss. Crops that have been harvested – rice, corn and the like – are at risk of contamination from floodwaters.

Even crops shipped from other states are at risk because of structural damage to infrastructure. Damage to roads and railroad lines may cause grain elevator operators to lower commodity prices that are paid to farmers from as far away as Kansas and Illinois. Steenhoek estimates that nearly a quarter of the country’s wheat is shipped through the Texas Gulf region, creating uncertainty for farmers across the country.

The road to recovery from Hurricane Harvey will be long. The pictures and videos coming across the news wires today are important calls to action to respond in the here-and-now, but as a recent editorial in the Chicago Tribune points out, “it’s important to remember Houston and neighboring areas once the sun is shining” and the storm (and media attention) has passed. Lutheran Disaster Response, the ELCA’s primary ministry accompanying communities faced by disaster, has been hard at work through its affiliate in the area to respond to the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. But we know from experience that this will be a years-long effort. Local congregations and affiliates of Lutheran Disaster Response are still at work in communities now years past their own disasters.

We also know that hurricane season is far from over, and even now, authorities are keeping a close eye on Hurricane Irma as it winds its way across the Atlantic.

It may be easy to see vulnerability to storms like Harvey as a regional issue, but with the widespread effects on food supply and livelihoods for farmers, the effects of disaster aren’t limited by regional or state borders. Thankfully, neither is the concern of our church and of other people of goodwill. Please keep in your prayers the people affected – directly or indirectly – by the storm, the first-responders working tirelessly to assist victims and the many folks who will be invested in long-term recovery.

For more information on the recovery effort, visit the Lutheran Disaster Response blog to sign up for updates. You can also read an article featuring interviews with staff from Lutheran Disaster response here. To support Lutheran Disaster Response’s accompaniment of communities affected by Hurricane Harvey and other hurricanes in the United States, please visit https://community.elca.org/ushurricanerelief?_ga=2.153566650.3498744.1504023048-1341912399.1476461047.

 

 

 

Amy Martinell, Sioux Falls, SD

 

Warm-up Question

Do you forgive easily or do you tend to hold a grudge?

Forgiveness:  Hard Healing Work

For months Margot Van Sluytman traded emails with Glen Flett.  It was not your ordinary email exchange.  In 1978 when Margot was only 16, Flett  killed her father while he attempted to rob the convivence store at which her father worked.  After being released from prison, Flett attended an event aiming at bringing victims and perpetrators together where he received help  connecting with Margot and they begin to email.

According to Margot, “They were emails filled with humanity. His words helped to heal me, but after a while the words weren’t enough and I knew I needed to look into his eyes. So, three months later I met the man who killed my father.”  When they first met, they both sobbed and hugged each other.  Margot shared that after her father died a part of her seemed to go blank, but after this meeting she felt the color begin to return to her life.

This was a long process to get to, at first Margot could not even contemplate forgiveness, it made her too angry.  Later as she began to work through her anger with poetry, she became more open to the concept, and soon as she began to consider forgiveness, she noticed a change in her whole body, that she felt more complete and more at peace.  Forgiveness was a healing process.  Before Van Sluytman begin the path to forgiveness she felt a void full of nothingness, now  that the void has begun to be filled by the friendship she has with the man who killed her father.  This friendship has helped put meaning back into her life.

Margot Van Sluytman’s story is one of the many stories collected by The Forgiveness Project.  The Forgiveness Project is an organization that collects stories of forgiveness to share the power of reconciliation, help build understanding, and empower people to tell their stories and reconcile with the pain of their past. (theforgivenessproject.com)

 

Discussion Questions

• Margot Van Sluytman was open to forming a relationship with the man who killed her father. In her situation, do you think you would be willing to do so?  Why or why not?
• Margot helped work through her pain and anger by writing poetry. What activities help you when you feel hurt and angry?
• When have been times you have had a hard time asking for forgiveness or accepting others’ apologies?

Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost

Ezekiel 33:7-11

Romans 13:8-14

Matthew 18:15-20

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

 

Gospel Reflection

Jesus talks about a truth we all know well.  We know what it feels like to be hurt by others and we know what it feels like to hurt others.  It happens all too often.

We can guess the people who first read Matthew’s gospel were dealing with this problem as well.  “What do we do in our church when people hurt each other?”  In our reading, we have a set of instructions for dealing with conflict.  The focus is on rebuilding relationships, not on handing out punishments.  It is about restoring the person to the community, not about making sure everyone gets what they deserve.

And we restore relationships with face to face talks.  This is hard.  Today it sounds so much easier to send an email or text than to have to tell someone to their face that they have hurt us, but it is when we sit down in person that we are best able to see the other person’s point of view and become open to forgiveness and reconciliation.

Forgiveness is hard work; sometime we need to include others people, sometimes we may need more time before we are ready to forgive, and sometimes the person may not be open to hearing how they hurt us or what they have done wrong.  Forgiveness is hard work, but we can trust that our Lord is with us through the process we can reach out with love and forgiveness.

Discussion Questions

• When you are upset with someone do you prefer to go and talk with them face to face or would you rather do it over text or email? Why might it be important to have these conversations in person?
• When someone close to you has hurt you is it hard for you to trust them again and welcome them back into your community?
• Have you ever been part of a group or team where members were not getting along? How did this affect everyone else?

Activity Suggestions

• Visit The Forgiveness Project website and read another story and discuss together the power of forgiveness.
• Brainstorm different constructive ways to deal with hurt and anger (poetry, exercise, music, etc.). Make a list of all the different options and give students time to explore one or two of the options.

Closing Prayer

Gracious God, you call us to love one another, but it is hard to be in community together.  Forgive the pain and hurt we cause our neighbors and help us to reach out with love and forgiveness when others hurt us.

 

Today’s post is from Paul Vasile, Executive Director of Music that Makes Community.

 

For over ten years Music That Makes Community has hosted workshops around the United States and Canada inviting participants to experience the power of paperless singing. The work started with a question and a challenge: how could we invite worshippers to participate in liturgy without hymnals, bulletins, or screens? How might clergy and musicians develop the skills – non-verbal communication, modeling and imitation, focused listening – to lead song (and liturgy) with sensitivity and care? And without minimizing the richness and depth of musical experiences mediated through paper, how could singing ‘by heart’ strengthen community and invite the participation of reluctant or disenfranchised singers?

 

A central piece of our work has been finding and creating repertoire that lends itself to paperless singing. Looking to ancient sources, songs and song forms used in cultures where communal singing is the norm, as well as a talented group of living composers, MMC has been developing a body of song for use in liturgy and community life. Singing in Community published by Augsburg Fortress in July 2017 is our newest compilation, with 50+ songs drawn from our first collection, Music By Heart, global songs, and new material written by our workshop facilitators and participants.

 

There are gathering songs, prayer songs in several languages, Eucharistic responses, songs for distribution, and table graces, as well as tunes and texts well-suited to ecumenical and interfaith gatherings. The range of musical styles is intentionally eclectic and broad, and we encourage congregations to discover the songs best serve their worship context and needs. Introductory essays give helpful guidance in leading and introducing paperless song to your community.

 

We invite you to pick up a copy of ‘Singing in Community,’ find additional resources and repertoire on our website,  or join us for an upcoming workshop and experience our work firsthand!