By Courtney Hall, Lutheran Office of Public Policy – California [ABOUT THE AUTHOR]

In all honesty, I feel I have lost sense of what the phrase “common good” even means today. In a world so divided, what I view as the common good may be the antithesis of my neighbor’s beliefs; so, who decides? Is it those with power, is it a popular vote, is it those with the most influence? As I try to understand how my role as a faith-based advocate contributes to the common good, I am left with more questions than answers.  

It is in times like these, I think, that our faith is most important—not just our faith in a God, but our faith in each other – our faith in our neighbors that despite any differences we may have, we all want the same thing.  

STRUGGLES WITH LEGALITY AND MORALITY  

In college, I studied history, so that is often the lens through which I view the world. History can often be cyclical, providing a road map of what is to come based on what has already happened. Today, I believe we find ourselves headed down an all too familiar road, facing an internal struggle of legality and morality opposing each other. Throughout history, there have been many examples of this. Just because something is legal does not mean it is moral. There are, of course, the obvious examples of this, such as the apartheid in South Africa. However, there are also smaller instances that we may not think about day to day. For example, it is illegal to steal; however, is it moral to punish a starving person who is stealing food to survive? Should the legal consequences of such an act be placed on the individual who is suffering or the system that puts them in that situation to begin with?   

Neither train of thought is inherently evil nor corrupt; rather, it is simply a variety of opinions.  In both instances, it would be valid to say that holding the chosen party accountable is for the common good. 

GUIDING LIGHT  

I often find myself feeling hopeless and disillusioned with the world around me as if I am a ship lost at sea, surrounded by darkness. The world is overwhelming, and it is easy to feel lost. Our differences and disagreements can often cloud our judgment and make us lose sight of what is truly important.  

And just when I think it is time to give up, I see a faint light off in the distance. This light is my faith, guiding me like a lighthouse guides a ship to safety through the darkness.  

INSTEAD OF BLAME 

Faith-based advocates can point to that guiding light when people feel overwhelmed and lost in the world of politics. One of their roles is to help people make sense of the confusion and chaos of all the different policies that are proposed, especially when policies conflict with our values.  

A lot of my work thus far has been focused on the governor’s proposed budget and how we can work to ensure the safety of vital programs that help marginalized communities. Understandably, there are major concerns over the continued support of such programs in the wake of the devastating wildfires in Southern California, which will take up a lot of available resources. Realistically, programs that are important will be cut, and people we know will have to deal with the consequences of those decisions.  

These budget cuts will likely sow further divisions in our communities if we place the blame on each other for an impossible situation. However, it is not your neighbor’s fault if a program they use is saved and a program you use is not. Instead of blaming each other, we need to lean on each other, lean on our shared communities to help those who are struggling.  

POINTING TO THE GUIDING LIGHT

Yes, these times of divisiveness raise questions about our futures, however, my work with faith-based advocates has given me hope that as long as we continue to follow that guiding light, we will make it to shore safely. We simply need to keep track of our shared goals, where our actions support a world and humanity created in God’s image, with love, grace and compassion for all who inhabit it.  

Courtney Hall (she/her) began working with the Lutheran Office of Public Policy in California as an ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow in October 2024. Miss Hall is originally from Long Beach, California but lived in South Carolina for the past four years attending Clemson University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History with a double minor in Political Science and Religious Studies.  

Proposed cuts to Medicaid advancing in Congress threaten the wellbeing of millions of vulnerable Americans. We have a critical opportunity to raise our voices and share our values and experiences that shed light on the valuable role Medicaid fills. Proposed cuts would have far-reaching impact, potentially hampering the work of our ministries that serve low-income children, seniors and individuals with disabilities. ELCA social teaching emphasizes both fiscal responsibility and moral obligation (see ELCA social statement Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All). These  principles can work together to strengthen our healthcare system while responsibly stewarding taxpayer resources.  

“We of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have an enduring commitment to work for and support health care for all people as a shared endeavor. Our commitment comes in grateful response to God’s saving love in Jesus Christ that frees us to love and seek the wellbeing of our neighbor.” – ELCA Social Statement Caring for Health: Our Shared Endeavor.

UNDERSTANDING THE PROPOSED CHANGES

Among a menu of cuts that could be introduced in the 119th Congress as soon as this spring, the most concerning proposals include: 

• Converting Medicaid to a block grant system. Under block grants, federal funding would be capped, with states receiving only a fixed amount of federal Medicaid funding, irrespective of states’ actual costs. This would potentially lead to reduced coverage and benefits, increased state taxes, or reduced funding for schools and local services as states search for alternative ways to fund the program.  

• Giving states broader authority to cut benefits and restrict eligibility.

• Expanding existing work requirements for vulnerable populations. 

• Lowering reimbursement rates for targeted groups, such as children and pregnant mothers, triggering immediate cuts to families in nine states and potentially more.  

For detailed analysis of these proposals, we encourage you to review resources from: 

• “Medicaid: An Overview” from the Congressional Research Service  

• “2025 Budget Stakes: Millions Could Lose Health Coverage or See Costs Rise” from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 

• “Medicaid and Work” from the Kaiser Family Foundation 

• ELCA social statement Caring for Our Health, Our Shared Endeavor  

URGENT CONCERN ABOUT PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITY

Deeply troubling reports indicate that new Administration officials may be accessing Medicaid databases without proper authorization. This raises serious concerns for individuals and organizations such as Lutheran social ministry service providers, including: 

• Potential freezing of vital funding to states and beneficiaries.  

• Compromise of sensitive beneficiary information. 

• Violation of established procedures for database access and constitutionality. 

• Disruption of healthcare delivery for millions of Americans for whom the support is essential.  

OUR ACTIONS AS PEOPLE OF FAITH MATTER

      1. Use the Partner Action Alert to contact your elected official.

Please consider taking action on an advocacy alert from the ELCA’s social ministry partner, Lutheran Services in America (LSA), on the vitality of Medicaid.  

• Go directly to the LSA Advocacy Alert, “Urge Your Lawmakers to Protect Medicaid and Oppose Cuts and Caps,” here, or select it from ELCA.org/advocacy/actioncenter.  

The LSA network reaches one in 50 people in America each year, and it brings the collective power of its national network and strategic partners together in new ways to advance innovation and achieve a healthier, more equitable future for all people in America.  

      2. Attend the upcoming ELCA Advocacy webinar, “Understanding Medicaid Cuts: A                        Lutheran Response,” for updates. 

Registration will open soon for a Thu., March 6 webinar with key leaders from the Lutheran community. Watch socials @ELCAadvocacy and our ELCA Advocacy Connections e-news for the link.  

      3. Coalition Action Opposing Harmful Medicaid Cuts. 

Our ELCA advocacy team and partners are working together to make our elected officials aware of the impacts of proposed Medicaid cuts. In addition to your letters and local efforts, an opportunity is being organized for your social ministry or congregation to sign together a letter to members of Congress. As details finalize, look for announcements in the ELCA Advocacy Connections e-news. 

      4. Directly Connect with your Elected Official 

Consider inviting your member of Congress to your congregation or social ministry to discuss or illustrate the impacts Medicaid will have on your ministries and your community. Guidance in the “Virtual Visits” guide among ELCA resources will help you get prepared. 

IMPORTANT TIME TO ACT

In our households, communities and ministries, we know many of us will face serious consequences of changes to federal Medicaid policy. It is an important time to act. Together, we can make a difference in protecting this vital program. 

For more information or assistance with any of these action items, please contact our advocacy team at washingtonoffice@elca.org.  

By Jake Summerville, Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota [About the Author]

In a time as tense and divided as ours, ideas like a united church working together toward a common good feel more and more idealistic. Our neighbors are hurting, yet barbs of hatred and division wound. How can we expect to take any meaningful action?

The Corinthian church faced a similar problem. As the early church began to grow, theological and ideological differences began to drive wedges into budding Christian communities, threatening to destroy them before they could truly begin. Paul’s letter in 1 Corinthians served as a stern reminder to them that their differences need not divide them, and in fact are parts of God’s creation.

BRINGING IT ALL TO THE TABLE

We have all been blessed with powerful, meaningful spiritual gifts by the same Spirit. Alone, these gifts can be used to help ourselves, our neighbors and work for the common good. However, changing our and our neighbors’ lives for the better, and actually achieving that common good, requires more than any single one of us can give. We need to work together, not by setting our differences aside, but bringing those differences to the table.

We live in an age where collective good means collective action, and the work of all kinds of spiritual gifts. God’s call to love our neighbor extends to our political lives. Our choice in those that lead us, our opinions on who is deserving of assistance or even basic necessities, and our willingness to stand up to power for the sake of our neighbor are all reflections of our values.

TRIP TO THE FAMILY CABIN

My uncle is a good man. He is a kind, dedicated, hard worker who would do just about anything for the people he loves. He also holds many views that I not only disagree with but find extremely challenging from someone who I love. Over the years, various members of my family, me included, have tried to talk about these issues with him. This has been largely unproductive and has only made any and all political issues banned topics at family gatherings.

It wasn’t until my fiancé’s first trip to the family cabin that things changed. From inside the cabin, we all watched as my uncle and my fiancé talked animatedly on the deck outside. With bated breath, we waited for the fireworks, and this tension only got worse as we heard the topic of their conversation.

Nearly an hour later, they returned to the group smiling and joking. After the shock wore off, I pulled my fiancé aside and asked how things went. She said that for the first part of their talk, she just asked him questions, made no assumptions, and tried to understand how he had come to his views. By taking the time to listen to his perspective, however strongly she disagreed with him, my fiancé helped him feel heard and seen as someone deserving of dignity and respect.

My uncle’s mind did not change that day, and he is still working through a lot of what he has internalized over the years, but my fiancé set an example for the rest of us and opened up an avenue to talk to one another again. The two of them could not be more different, but she took the time to hear him as a person, not as a political enemy. Though things are still divided among my family, we no longer need to be on the lookout for landmines in our conversations.

WORST ACTION IS TO GIVE UP

The news, social media and so many other massive presences in our lives spin lies that we are too far gone. We are told from all sides that we cannot reconcile our differences, and that our country may simply be too divided to fix. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians reminds us that this is never the truth. We are divided, yes, but the worst thing we can do is give up on each other.

These issues that push us apart, whether they are political, religious, personal or related to our identities, pale in comparison to what brings us together. In my time working in advocacy, I have stood shoulder to shoulder with people whose skin color, gender, age, sexuality, political party or faith background differs from my own. However, in each of these advocates and those we advocate with, that same Holy Spirit is moving. Beneath all the layers that our society tells us must divide us, there is common ground: We are all beloved children of God.

OUR STRENGTH

With this firm foundation to stand on, those things that we have allowed to weaken us, those things that nearly broke the Corinthian church, can be strengths. We can learn from one another, witness each other’s struggles and triumphs, and live in a Christian community that values the Holy Spirit’s presence as we build a society that is diverse, equitable and inclusive.

Advocacy is not a fight against any particular group or political party; to me it is a fight for a better future for all of us. As long as one of us is suffering, there is work to do. I hope that in a media landscape that seems determined to fill our heads with what divides us, we can be encouraged by this passage, our faith journey, and our God that unites us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jake Summerville (he/him) is a Hunger Advocacy Fellow with Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN). Summerville was born and raised in the ELCA with a professional background in youth ministry and direct service work. He has just finished up at Luther Seminary and has been approved for ordination as a deacon in the ELCA. Ask him about his fiancé, his cat, the outdoors or Dungeons and Dragons

Get inspired with this quick video featuring highlights from Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy’s advocacy day in January 2025!

“God calls us to do justice, to love kindness, to walk humbly with our God – and that includes abundant life for all people and abundant life is often tended to by our government our elected leaders, and the civic life that we live,” said the Rev. Kelly Bayer Derrick, Assistant to the Bishop, ELCA Virginia Synod, as she took part in the Day for All People hosted by Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) in January 2025. “Being engaged as an active citizen in government,” she says, “is one of the ways I live out my faith.”  

Across the country, people of faith are also asking what it means to tend to abundant life for all people in their Christian discipleship. Many ELCA-affiliate state public policy offices will be holding advocacy days over the next few months. Although the content of each advocacy day varies, these events seek to help people of faith mobilize in order to articulate priorities with a moral foundation for policies passed in state legislatures. As the federal government has undergone significant changes in recent weeks, the importance of local voices remains pressing. Lutherans and advocacy partners advocate for policies which enact the principles of justice and peace while contributing to sufficient, sustainable livelihood for all. 

ADVOCACY DAY IN YOUR STATE

“Seeing so many people of different faiths gather together in Virginia for the common goal of advocating for policies that center the inherent dignity of all people was incredibly refreshing and inspiring,” said Joey Chin, ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow, following his experience at VICPP’s Day for All People. Over 400 participants came together that day, and the cold weather and strong winds didn’t stop faith-based advocates from waiting in line for almost an hour to enter the Virginia General Assembly office building to discuss issues related to housing, hunger, migration and the environment. 

 Use the list below to find a local event in your area or contact your ELCA-affiliated state public policy office or your synod office for ways to get involved.  

Thank you for your advocacy!

by Deacon Erin Brown – Lutheran Office for World Community [About the Author]  

Being a part of the advocacy team at the Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC) has given me the opportunity to meet amazing advocates from the communion of churches that form part of the Lutheran World Federation. God has called these advocates to use their prophetic voice in different ways– sometimes formally in international, federal and state advocacy offices; sometimes as pastors; sometimes as professors; sometimes as student activists. I have the privilege to see the diverse ways in which our global church works for the common good. 

Each of the individuals I’ve met with their different gifts, passions and prophetic voices are essential to ensuring that the human rights of all people are respected and upheld across the world. We need the symphony of prophetic voices that declare God’s desire for compassion, justice and love when the gifts and identities of God’s creation are dismissed, negated, or even threatened.  

CLEAR STRENGTH IN VARIETY AT CSW 

The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) – the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women – is one of the places where I have witnessed these varieties of gifts, services and activities of our Lutheran communion come together clearly. The issue of inequality for women and girls still hasn’t been resolved in the 69 years the CSW has been in existence, and sadly, many issues regarding women’s rights and autonomy have even regressed.  

In 2025 when the CSW meets in New York City in March, the theme is a 30-year review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This is the most widely endorsed global agenda for women’s rights, and it is rooted in the experiences and demands of women and girls. The Beijing Declaration outlined 12 critical areas for action, including violence against women.  

Our LOWC team and all of the individuals participating in our Lutheran delegation at CSW69 will bring prophetic voices that amplify the work for gender justice across the global church. They carry power and courage that fight back against systems that continue to exclude, shun and oppress. They bring stories, expertise and best practices working toward a world without violence against women. 

AMPLE SUPPLY OF DIVINE LOVE  

Even when the panorama looks bleak, Lutherans still engage in these spaces, reminding people that Divine love is not in short supply. Divine love is something that is poured out upon the entire world. Even in our own day, when established powers have sought to limit God’s love by the exclusion of others from full participation in the community, divine compassion for the oppressed and divine passion for justice have called forth prophets to declare that God’s love includes all, regardless of age or race, nationality or creed, gender or sexual orientation.  

And our work – as advocates, as pastors, as students, as gender justice activists, as global citizens – is to continue to share that vision, to work toward that vision for God so loved the world, not just parts of it.  

I think within God’s communion about how each of us are called to use our gifts. Our gifts can be used in a way that ensures all of God’s creation is respected, celebrated and loved. Our faith informs our advocacy for the common good of all. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Erin Brown (she/her/ella) is a deacon consecrated by the Lutheran Diaconal Association. She is passionate about multicultural exchange, language, and the power of storytelling. Before joining the Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), Brown worked at Saint Peter’s Church in Manhattan as a fellow in cross-cultural ministry. Previously, Brown taught English to university students in Colombia and to Haitian adults seeking refuge in the greater Boston area. Prior to this, she lived in Costa Rica, completing her diaconal internship with a focus on refugee rights. Brown holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish & Global Service from Valparaiso University and a Master of Arts in Latin American & Caribbean Studies from Indiana University. In her free time, Brown enjoys spending her time outdoors hiking and exploring creation. She’s thrilled to continue her work with the LOWC team this year and continue to engage in international advocacy.

by Emily Ahern, ELCA Advocacy [About the Author]

As a young person, I am more than familiar with the concept of living in unprecedented times. In fact, I yearn for times which are precedented. As the prior U.S. presidential administration has left, and the new administration takes hold, the future feels uncertain.

In my personal life, I am blessed to live in what I lovingly call a bubble – a pocket of peace and wholehearted acceptance.

In my public life, such peace and acceptance feel wavering, and can feel like a precipice of something foreboding. In the past few weeks alone, we’ve seen mounting fear among a number of marginalized groups – trans Americans, immigrants, women and so many more.

It has been so easy to doom scroll, to get stuck thinking and imagining the worst possible outcomes for our future. I feel fear for my friends and neighbors. I feel fear for the people I love who are trans or queer, the people I love who are immigrants, and all friends and neighbors who are constantly subjected to scrutiny and attacks. It is so easy to lean into this fear.

It is easy to become isolated, cut off from that very same bubble I hold so dear. However, in the face of adversity, I find comfort in the concept of community.

COMMUNITY AND MATTHEW 25

In reflecting upon the idea of community, I’ve felt called to the words of Matthew 25. This is a text which emphasizes exactly this – community. In a passage referenced as the Judgement of the Nations, we hear a warning:

“Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You who are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me’” (v. 41-43).

The passage then says,

“Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me’” (v. 45).

This passage emphasizes the sheer importance of community and mutual aid. We are called to love and care for one another, to uplift one another and ensure one another’s safety, security and happiness. In the face of discrimination, we are called to love each other – to form our own little bubbles of peace and wholehearted acceptance. This passage serves as a reminder to me that we are not powerless–there is strength in love and comradery.

IMPLEMENTING COMMUNITY

Times may be unprecedented, but we have precedence to rely on. To support ourselves and those around us and fight against discrimination, we must work together in love and power.

Though large-scale community organizing, protesting, etc. may come to mind when thinking of combatting discrimination and injustice – it is important to remember advocacy happens on the small-scale, too. We can engage in mutual aid – ensuring neighbors have enough to eat or a safe place to return to. Look after and stand up for friends and neighbors who may be subject to discrimination or violence. These expressions of community are just as important as other actions of advocacy.

In the coming days, join me in reflecting upon Matthew 25 and discerning the importance and impact of community in our own lives, challenging ourselves to extend community to those in need for the common good.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Emily Ahern (she/her) is the Hunger Advocacy Fellow – Federal Policy with ELCA Advocacy. She is originally from Allentown, Pennsylvania, and a lifelong member of congregations of the ELCA. She graduated from American University this past spring with a degree in Political Science, and is on track to graduate (once again) from American University this upcoming spring with a Master’s in Public Administration. Ahern is so excited to research and lobby for policy which will alleviate the effects of hunger and poverty for all Americans! In her free time, she can be found collecting vinyl, going to concerts, and watching Star Wars.

by Sagi Rudnick, Kansas Interfaith Action [About the Author]

I am a Jewish progressive young adult who immigrated to the United States from the Holy Land as a child. Since my teenage years, I have felt a particular draw to political activism as a path for goodness to prevail. I also knew from that point that I wanted to build my career around that path. Since then, I have been fortunate to be able to lend my talents to a variety of causes.

Last summer, about a year after graduating from undergrad, I found myself looking for an opportunity where I could grow professionally as well as spiritually. That’s when I learned of the ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellowship with Kansas Interfaith Action (KIFA) on social media, and I knew this was a unique opportunity that I wanted. What drew me was the emphasis on being rooted in the values that drive us to champion the common good, and equally, the encouragement of my personal spiritual development.

At the core of my ongoing personal passion, and my philosophy regarding the theory of change, is the juxtaposition of two realities: the whole community is greater than the sum total of its individuals, and every person is a whole world unto themselves. This interplay is explored and celebrated in numerous elements of Jewish tradition, as well as other faith traditions. In this reflection, I seek to lay out the importance of both realities in tandem as a path for collective liberation and dignity for all of God’s creation.

ONE OF VALUE

While celebrating the power of the common good, it is important as well to hold space and reconcile the fact that on some days, in the face of great adversity, community activism for the common good can feel truly futile. Looking to the Tanach, aka the Hebrew Bible, I find that the Book of Ecclesiastes provides apt inspiration in this regard. This text, traditionally read during the Jewish fall holiday of Sukkot, aka the Festival of Booths, takes a hard look at our temporary existence, authentically recognizing our mortality and at the same time empowering us to make the most of our lives, precisely because our time on this Earth is limited.

The labor of each and every child of God, in moving us all towards a more equitable world, renders each of us as valuable as the whole world. Piecemeal progress cannot be discounted. Indeed, “Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 4:6).

TWO STRONGER THAN ONE

With that being said, to achieve positive change on a macro level, it is imperative to work beyond the individual level, and to build a better world harnessing diverse stakeholders to achieve results for the common good.

I do my best to live this out in my own activism, which has included lobbying for hundreds of millions in public dollars for public universities and working with faith communities and organized labor to raise the minimum wage and enact paid sick leave. I also recognize that I have a lifetime of learning from fellow activists, who all bring unique experiences and contexts to the table. Indeed, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-11).

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

As a child, I remember being struck by the reality of how easy it is to snap a single wood pencil or two into pieces, but how three or more pencils together were impossible to break, and remained unified. To truly achieve common good in and for the community, it is critical not only to work with a fellow activist, but to scale up and use our collective labor in broad, diverse coalitions.

There is great strength in numbers paired with authentic community organizing. Indeed, “And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken!” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

THE WHOLE EQUATION

At the end of the day, for me, it comes down to the following. In 50 years, when our grandchildren ask us how we made the most of life, what will we say to them? Did we harness our individual God given gifts? Did we work in solidarity to strengthen the fabric of our society? Did we do our best to achieve liberation for all of God’s creation?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sagi Rudnick (he/him) is a political organizer, strategist, and activist with over half a decade of experience fostering community in Kansas and Missouri with over a dozen campaigns and organizations. Rudnick graduated with Honors from the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 2023 with Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Professional Communications, and a Minor in International Studies.

from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C. – the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Senior Director

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: January 2025

CONTINUING RESOLUTION IMPACTS | COP29 CONCLUDES | PREVENTING ARMS SALES TO SUDAN | H.R.9495 AND NONPROFIT TAX-EXEMPTION | FY25 BUDGET AND THE HOMELAND SECURITY BILL

CONTINUING RESOLUTION IMPACTS: In December 2024, Congress passed a three-month Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government temporarily funded through March 14, 2025, while additionally providing about $110 billion in emergency disaster relief and farm aid. The measure also extended the lapsed authorization of the Farm Bill through Sept. 30, 2025. Lawmakers will be working to address at the end of January an expiring debt ceiling limit, while needing to quickly pivot to resolve the federal budget under new Republican majorities in the House and Senate.

Why It Matters to the ELCA

Within the budget, housing and homeless advocates are concerned that continued flat-level funding for Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs after many CR delays will start to put constraints on critical affordability and shelter programs, which are seeing increased housing costs and need extra funding to renew existing efforts. Federal agencies may soon need to stop renewing some vouchers and shelter contracts each week if a full budget isn’t reached – which could impact our wider ministries active in serving those of us who are displaced and in need of a home.

Many of our congregants and churches, and neighbors we serve, are dependent on the critical policies passed in the Farm Bill – including clarity on agriculture policy, farm disaster relief, rural development and support for emergency food assistance such as SNAP. Continued delays and lack of certainty could pose critical challenges to our communities, especially for those of us jeopardized by absence of clear policy and support.

What’s Next

The ELCA has an active Action Alert urging Congress to support critically underfunded housing and homeless programs, and is working with relevant lawmakers to ensure a disaster supplemental is passed for people displaced by recent hurricanes. As activity on the Farm Bill moves to the 119th Congress, look to the ELCA Farm Bill Updates page on the ELCA Advocacy Blog as our advocacy staff monitors developments.

COP29 CONCLUDES: After two weeks of negotiations in Baku, Azerbaijan, during the UN Climate Summit (COP29), world leaders reached agreement about an updated commitment to deliver urgently needed climate finance to developing countries for greenhouse gas mitigation and climate adaptation and resilience. ELCA leaders in-person and virtually participated in a faith delegation. COP29 output also included agreement on the final structural elements of the Paris Agreement provisions concerning carbon markets (Article 6). On finance, negotiators adopted language that requires developed countries to contribute $300 billion each year by 2035 for climate action in the developing world, and at the same time for all countries to work together to scale up financing from all sources to $1.3 trillion per year by that same date.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

The ELCA staff members present at COP29 engaged across governments, the United Nations and alongside other faith communities to call for increased climate action. The faith community had a strong presence at COP29 in several ways: hosting a Faith Pavilion, official UN side events and some demonstrations to highlight the call to action. There was collaboration between the faith community and the negotiators that highlighted the importance of the faith voice and presence here considering reluctance from countries toward taking action.

What’s Next:

The outlook for continued U.S. federal participation in international climate action looks bleak, but states and local governments in attendance were clear and steadfast in their commitment to continue delivering on the goals of the Paris Agreement using all means available to them. The private sector was also fully engaged and made similar statements about climate action not being solely, or even primarily, determined by how the next U.S. administration proceeds.

PREVENTING ARMS SALES TO SUDAN: Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) has introduced legislation and a joint resolution of disapproval in response to the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) material support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The joint resolution of disapproval (S.J. Res.118) is a companion to legislation (H.R.8501) already introduced by Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Africa. Jacobs’ bill would prohibit U.S. arms sales to the UAE until the Biden administration can certify that the UAE is no longer providing material support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan. The Joint Resolution of Disapproval would block a specific $1.2 billion arms sale to the UAE due to its role in arming the RSF.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

Commitment to peacemaking “in all times and places” is a core Lutheran value expressed in For Peace in God’s World (p. 1). In April 2023, fighting between rival Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary RSF erupted, resulting in the displacement of more than 11 million people. Successive U.S.-led peace negotiations have failed to stop the ongoing war. There have been multiple reports indicating that the UAE is providing weapons to the paramilitary group RSF. The war has led to catastrophic humanitarian crisis, leaving half of the Sudanese population in need of humanitarian assistance and protection.

What’s Next:

Sen. Van Hollen and Rep. Jacobs are seeking additional co-sponsors of the bills to generate support for it in Congress. Advocacy staff will work to generate congressional support and push for change of U.S. policy that turns a blind eye to the flow of weapons from abroad into Sudan.

H.R.9495 AND NONPROFIT TAX-EXEMPTION: On Nov. 21, H.R.9495, the “Stop Terror Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act” passed in the House of Representatives. H.R.9495 would give the secretary of the Treasury unilateral power to designate nonprofits as suspected “Terrorist Supporting Organizations,” taking away their tax-exempt status unless they are able to prove they are not terrorist supporting. Originally on Nov. 12 this bill had been brought to the floor of the House under a different set of rules requiring a two-thirds majority but failed. The vote on Nov. 21 required only a simple majority. ELCA advocacy staff along with numerous other non-profit organizations have forcefully advocated against the passage of this bill which is seen as extremely dangerous to any organization with non-profit status.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

Due to the ELCA’s non-profit status and its work and relationships in the Middle East, and specifically with the Palestinian community, the passage of this bill in the House is extremely concerning. It is concerning to give unilateral authority to the IRS, which carries out the responsibilities of the secretary of the Treasury, to be able to strip a non-profit of its legal status without due process or providing clear evidence of material support to terrorism. Such legal authority could easily be misused for political and/or ideological reasons.

What’s Next:

This bill will likely be brought up in the Senate of the 119th Congress in January/February 2025. Our ELCA advocacy staff will continue to build and work with a faith-based coalition to push against this bill’s passage.

FY25 BUDGET AND THE HOMELAND SECURITY BILL: In mid-November, Senate Democrats released the FY25 Homeland Security bill. This bill is one of the most polarizing in Congress, touching on border security, immigration, disaster funding and more. The released bill includes funding to Custom and Border Protection’s (CBP) Shelter and Service Program and immigration backlog reduction, and an increase in overall funding for CBP detection and border security.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

Decisions around the budget have a profound impact on policy. The ELCA supports a generous policy of welcome for refugees and immigrants. Providing these important resources through the budget make our system fairer and more efficient, for those currently navigating it such as DACA, TPS, permanent residents, temporary workers and others as well as people are arriving to seek safety in the United States such as refugees and asylum-seekers.

What’s Next:

Action is still needed to pass robust funding in migration related federal accounts. This includes the Homeland Security bill, but also Health and Human Services and State and Foreign Operations. An Action Alert has been recently updated, encouraging constituents to voice their support for robust funding in 2025.

Receive monthly Advocacy Connections directly by becoming part of the ELCA Advocacy network – http://elca.org/advocacy/signup , and learn more from elca.org/advocacy .

by Joey Chin, Hunger Advocacy Fellow – ELCA Advocacy Communications [About the Author]

A remarkably powerful windstorm known as a bomb cyclone devastated parts of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California about a week before Thanksgiving this past year. As I saw videos on the news of trees falling and power lines collapsing in the area I call home, I contacted family and friends to see if they were safe. Many people I knew were without power for almost a week but thankfully did not experience anything worse. Nevertheless, many homes, families and communities had to contend with the irreversible damage of the powerful storm.

Hearing about this weather-related event drew my thoughts to a passage in Isaiah [43:1-3].

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

In the book of Isaiah, the prophet mentions such storms when writing about the rivers, waters and flames of life. For individuals in our communities and across the globe, these storms are not metaphorical troubles but literal disasters. For the region I grew up in, the bomb cyclone was just one of many unexpected weather-related incidents that have occurred over the last few years.

PROMISES IN STORMS

Isaiah offers us a guide for how to approach these issues as people informed and guided by faith. To begin, Isaiah names that there are waters, rivers and flames to pass through. We cannot confront the most pressing problems of our time if we fail to acknowledge they exist.

Secondly, Isaiah says that as we enter into a season of taking on such challenges, God will be with us. This is a promise that should ground our work and keep us rooted in an abiding ethic of love and justice. It is a promise that provides comfort and hope while propelling us into meaningful action and change-making.

EXPERIENCES AND VALUES SHARED WITH ELECTED LEADERS

Two weeks after the bomb cyclone subsided, a group of young adults taking part in an ELCA organized climate summit visited a series of federal congressional offices to discuss the importance of addressing climate change. I had the privilege of getting to sit in at one of the meetings with a staffer from Washington state. During our time together, a few of us discussed the recent effects of the cyclone. The staffer asked how our families were doing and listened to us describe the ways in which climate change has affected our local and global communities. Everyone shared their invaluable insights, and we ended the meeting in prayer.

The experience was incredibly refreshing as I watched the foundation for further work being built and established by young adult activists of faith.

SEEKING THE COMMON GOOD FOR COMMUNITIES

Last month as I flew home to Seattle to be with family for the holidays, I looked out the window of my plane amazed at the vast ocean of greenery covering the sacred ground we call home. As we enter into a new year with new changes, may we consider how our advocacy can contribute to the common good of our communities while remaining firmly rooted in the promise of a God who is with us always.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joey Chin (he/him) is the Hunger Advocacy Fellow – Advocacy Communications with the ELCA advocacy staff in Washington, D.C. He grew up in the greater Seattle area and earned a degree from The University of Washington in communication and political science. Most recently Chin began pursuing Master of Divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

Updated September 5, 2024

STATUS ON CAPITOL HILL | ACTION ALERTS | RESOURCES AND WEBINARS | OUR COLLECTIVE VOICE

The Farm Bill, which guides much of U.S. agriculture, rural and food policy, is currently being debated in Congress. The ELCA urges Congress to pass a 2024 Farm Bill that promotes:

• food for hungry neighbors at home and abroad,
• healthy rural and farming communities,
• inclusion of people of all backgrounds,
• care of creation to feed future generations

In a world of abundance, we strive for an end to hunger and poverty, and towards a just world where all are fed. Additionally, we are to work with each other and the environment to meet needs without causing undue burdens elsewhere. The Farm Bill is one of the most influential pieces of legislation affecting hunger and conservation in the U.S. and around the world.

Our social statements call for policies that provide adequate nutrition for all and create livelihood opportunities that are genuinely sustainable. We urge lawmakers to pass a 2024 Farm Bill that reflects these faith-based values.

Status on Capitol Hill

Action Alerts

UPDATE 1/15/25 – As the 119th Congress begins their work, Action Alert opportunities will be assessed to help you express your priorities to lawmakers as this vital bill advances. It is critical that lawmakers hear from us.

Future Farm Bill Action Alerts will be added to this page – but you can be notified directly by signing up for the ELCA Advocacy Network. New Action Alerts and monthly updates are sent to the network, which you sign up for here.

Resources & Webinars

From the ELCA Witness in Society advocacy team

ELCA advocacy has produced resources stemming from ELCA Farm Bill Listening Sessions held last year.

Farm Bill Leave Behind – This summation of themes heard in listening sessions groups important priorities. Our ELCA advocacy staff has been sharing this with lawmakers, and you can too.

• It reads in part: “We heard from hundreds of Lutherans across the country who asked that their voices reach policy makers in the farm bill reauthorization process. Members brought their vocational, ministerial and civic experiences from varied parts of this country to ELCA listening sessions. They emphasized their deep concern for neighbors at home and abroad — especially the most vulnerable — and for faithful stewardship of God’s good creation.“

Farm Bill Reauthorization – Invitation to Action – At the request of state partners, this overview of the Farm Bill and template letter was prepared and can be used in various settings.

From other sources

• WEBINAR | Why is the Farm Bill Important to Us?
  • Thu. June 13, 6-7:30 p.m. PT
  • Presented by Faith Action Network, an ELCA-affiliated state public policy office in Washington state, with the ELCA.
  • This presentation was recorded and uploaded to YouTube, where it can be viewed in its entirety at this link.

Our Collective Voice

By raising our collective voice, we can help enact a more just Farm Bill that leaves no one hungry. In your location and federally, let’s act boldly to end hunger and poverty in our time and ensuring healthy creation to feed future generations.

Here are some other ideas for making your voice heard.

• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper on the importance of anti-hunger and pro-farmer policies in the Farm Bill.
• Attend town halls or public events this August Recess with your members of Congress to ask questions about their Farm Bill priorities.
• Pray for those experiencing hunger and for our elected officials to have wisdom and compassion.