The “And It Is Good” photo exhibition is an invitation to contemplate the diversity of creatures that give glory to God in their being and who tend to our well-being. Que seamos inspiradas e inspirados a dar gracias por cada criatura de Dios y toda la creación divina. Each photo is paired with verses from the Bible. Cada foto se entrelaza con versículos de la Biblia.

May we be inspired to give thanks for each of God’s creatures and all of God’s creation. May we be moved to safeguard the conditions that make for justice, protect the integrity of creation, and promote peace and wellness in the web of life.

Launched in New York and Geneva in September 2019 during the United Nations Climate Action Summit, the exhibit draws attention to the importance of biodiversity and affirms that the creation is good. It is jointly presented by ACT Alliance, The Lutheran World Federation, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, and the World Council of Churches.

Select an image for an expanded view.

U.N. | California | Minnesota | New Mexico | Pennsylvania | Texas | Washington | Wisconsin

Following are updates shared from submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices.

Lutheran Office for World Community, United Nations, New York, N.Y. elca.org/lowc

Dennis Frado, director

UN LAUNCHES COVID-19 GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE PLAN: On March 25, António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, launched a US$2.01 billion coordinated global humanitarian response plan to fight COVID-19 in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries in a bid to protect millions of people and stop the virus from circling back around the globe. The plan “will be implemented by UN agencies, with international NGOs and NGO consortiums playing a direct role in the response. It will:

• deliver essential laboratory equipment to test for the virus, and medical supplies to treat people;
• install handwashing stations in camps and settlements;
• launch public information campaigns on how to protect yourself and others from the virus; and
• establish airbridges and hubs across Africa, Asia and Latin America to move humanitarian workers and supplies to where they are needed most.”

COVID-19 HAMPERS UN’S ABILITY TO GATHER MEMBER STATES IN NEW YORK: Since early March United Nations Headquarters in New York has struggled to hold its meetings of the Member States due to the COVID-19 situation. The need to ensure physical distance between all persons in attendance has meant that annual meetings dealing with the status of women, population and development and indigenous peoples have been curtailed, postponed or cancelled altogether. The General Assembly held at least one plenary virtually (by teleconference) and the Security Council haggled for weeks until late in the month over what constituted a “meeting”, i.e. whether it could meet virtually in line with the Charter (The Council is “to be able to function continuously” but “may hold meetings at such places other than the seat of the Organization as in its judgment will best facilitate its work”). The Council faced the expiration of several peacekeeping mandates at the end of the month which forced it to allow for the submission of written statements about proposed resolutions and voting upon them via e-mail. Another result of the extraordinary safety measures at all meetings since mid-March has been that civil society voices have not been heard, a troubling by-product.

California

Regina Q. Banks, Lutheran Office of Public Policy- California (LOPP-CA) lutheranpublicpolicyca.org

While COVID-19 has turned our world upside down in unprecedented ways, our advocacy work continues to be essential in developing coordinated and inclusive responses that support all Americans.

The California Legislature went on an extended recess beginning in mid-March which has been extended for the next month. Advocacy has therefore focused on urging the Governor to enact a true moratorium on evictions and mortgage protections, include Individual Taxpayer Identification Number filers in any relief at the state level, and more. Even so, we continue to support state bills related to COVID-19 relief, such as CalFresh, Simpler for Seniors and CalFresh, Prison Preenrollment and the Racial Justice Act for when the Legislature reconvenes. We are also assisting our partners in accessing federal CARES and Families First provisions and shifting our advocacy to the federal level when necessary.

The Lutheran Office of Public Policy – California instituted a new program to engage our Policy Council, pastors and members of Lutheran congregations in California. We call it Advocacy in Quarantine.

• We set a weekly Wednesday Zoom meeting where LOPP-CA staff offer a roughly 25 minute overview of the federal government’s response to Covid-19, the State of California’s response, and pending state legislation we are following and sponsoring. We also highlight the work that our allies and ministry partners are doing in the state.
• We then direct them to actions that would take them about 5 minutes to complete (I.e.; call or tweet the governor to release prisoners and ICE detainees on #FaithfulFridays)

We are grateful for an incredible response from our members, and we’re getting feedback from our ministry partners that the calls are already being noticed. We are seriously contemplating how this can become a part of our programing when we go back into session.

Minnesota

Tammy Walhof, Lutheran Advocacy- Minnesota (LA-MN)  lutheranadvocacymn.org

LEGISLATIVE SESSION: Monday, March 16, legislative leaders announced they were curtailing legislative activity, would be on call until April 14, and would only consider bills 1) COVID-19 emergency-related, 2) mission critical, like bonding, and 3) with broad bipartisan support. Before leaving that evening, legislators passed bills allocating $21 million to the Department of Health and $200 million to hospitals for COVID-19 preparation.

COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE: The Homes for All Coalition (H4A) kicked into high gear, recognizing that homeless populations, low-income families, and kids home without school meals are particularly vulnerable. H4A’s Policy Team (on which Tammy serves) called for rental assistance and shelter funding, while anti-hunger partners worked to boost food shelf funding. Lutheran Advocacy-MN pushed out three separate action alerts to thousands of Lutherans within less than 10 days, helping Homes for All reach its goal of contacting legislators in every MN House and Senate district. On March 26, both chambers returned for part of a day, passing HF 4531, a COVID-19 relief bill, 99-4 in the House & 67-0 in the Senate. The $330 supplemental appropriation included food shelf support, shelter & housing assistance, small business loans, and more. Funding levels were lower than hoped, but we continue the work.

EVENT/OFFICE CHANGES:

JRLC (Joint Religious Legislative Coalition) Day on the Hill, April 1: – Cancelled. Replaced by Day on the Screen. A recording will be available soon.

Now the Green Blade Rises EcoFaith Summit, March 28: – Postponed until 2021. Contact Tammy to get on list for resources/videos/online events related to youth/young adult speakers, & breakout sessions.

Earth Day Capitol Events, April 22: In-person activities cancelled. Online & social media options available soon (#MNEarthDay).

Work from Home: Tammy can be reached at tammy@lutheranadvocacymn.org or 651-238-6506 (cell/text). Most days she is in multiple Zoom meetings but will reply.

New Mexico

Kurt A. Rager, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry—New Mexico (LAM-NM)   lutheranadvocacynm.org

POLICY COMMITTEE OF LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY—NEW MEXICO HOLDS SPRING MEETING: For the over 35 years that Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – New Mexico (LAM-NM) has existed, the Policy Committee has served a vital role in leading and shaping the ministry. This year’s Spring Meeting was held entirely via Zoom due to a state-wide stay-at-home order in place for New Mexico. The committee is currently comprised of members of various ELCA Lutheran congregations located around the state, as well as a non-voting member representing the Presbytery of Santa Fe. Important work at this past month’s meeting included:

• Reviewing the 2021 Bishop’s Luncheon and Issues Briefing. (The event included 135 participants from not only ELCA congregations but 7 other denominations as well.)
• Reviewing the 2021 Legislative Session report.
• Reviewing and approving financial reports.
• Continuing planning for the annual Fall Advocacy Conference to be held in November.
• Nominating new members to the Policy Committee.
• Saying good-bye to faithful committee members who are no longer able to serve.
• Revising the working document, “Role of Policy Committee Members.”
• Receiving and discussing the Director’s Report.

As LAM-NM moves into the coming month there is much unknown. Yet to be determined is how the New Mexico State Legislature’s Interim Committees will meet and work considering the COVID19 crisis. Also, in question is a possible special session of the Legislature to deal with ramifications of the dramatic drop in oil on the state’s budget.

Pennsylvania

Tracey DePasquale, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry–Pennsylvania (LAMPa) lutheranadvocacypa.org

RALLY TO VETO TAX BREAKS FOR PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY: LAMPa staff and volunteers joined creation care advocates from around the state March 9 for a rally to urge Gov. Wolf to veto a bill that provides potential billion dollars in subsidies to petrochemical plants and gas infrastructure for the next 30 years – a time when we need to be cutting greenhouse gas emissions for the sake of our common home.

ADVOCATE ENGAGEMENT: During a 30-day period, seven action alerts were shared with LAMPa constituents. Topics included multiple alerts related to COVID-19, violence against women, and surprise medical bills.

COVID-19 RESPONSE: LAMPa staff have been coordinating with partners in ELCA Advocacy and Lutheran Disaster Relief in response to COVID-19. Advocates have acted to urge policymakers to act swiftly to protect the vulnerable and promote the common good at the local, state and federal level. LAMPa participates in the state’s emergency feeding and sheltering task forces, sharing information on the calls and relaying out to our network, but also serving as a witness of the church’s accompaniment to public agency and volunteer leaders. We have been sharing vital information with our synods, congregations and social ministry partners as well as reaching out to assess their needs at this time and responding as quickly as we can to their queries, particularly about grants, unemployment insurance and loans for nonprofits. We’ve connected Lutheran camps, colleges and seminary to the state emergency sheltering effort, and our feeding ministries to support from the state’s emergency feeding effort and shared ways those experiencing job loss or reduced hours can apply for benefits.

STANDING AGAINST HATE: Pa. synods and congregations signed a public letter calling for support of people of Asian Pacific descent in the face of COVID-related xenophobia and shared information from Pa. State Police for reporting anti-Asian Pacific American bigotry as part of our work with the Pa. Coalition Against Hate.

CENSUS2020: LAMPa is equipping our advocates to #GetouttheCount. See one of our youth and family directors share the message in Swahili in this video made to encourage all people to be counted, regardless of immigration status.

PA ELECTION REFORMS: LAMPa is sharing information about additional election reforms adopted in response to COVID-19 and monitoring progress on implementation before the primary – now scheduled for June 2.

Texas

Bee Moorhead, Texas Interfaith Center for Public Policy texasimpact.org

COVID-19 RESPONSE: Texas Impact is resourcing local congregations to share best practices on how they are responding to meeting unmet needs in their local communities and how they can effectively advocate on behalf of vulnerable populations in their communities. Texas Impact has been sending Action Alerts and producing Weekly Witness podcasts on federal and state actions. The first Action Alert on the CARES Act generated about 200 telephone calls. This week, our E-News will focus on denominational leaders—including all three Texas ELCA bishops—clarifying that while theTexas Governor correctly identifies worship as an “essential service,” in-person worship is to be suspended during the COVID-19 crisis in favor of online and “drive-in” models.

TEXAS INTERFAITH ADVOCACY DAYS: Planning is underway for the 2021 Texas Interfaith Advocacy Days, scheduled for March 7-9.

Washington

Paul Benz, Faith Action Network (FAN) fanwa.org

COVID-19: As regulations, concerns, and information on federal stimulus packages change almost daily in light of COVID-19, FAN has sought to be a beakon of hope and a source of up-to-date information for our statewide partners. We have kept our communities connected by sharing faith services from a multitude of traditions as they move their services online, and Co-Director Paul Benz is working with the African American community and other heavily-impacted faith communities to find funding and resources to stream their services online. FAN has also signed on to letters and participated in action campaigns to release undocumented detainees from detention centers, as well as youth and adults in prison who have been convicted of nonviolent offenses, in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 in prisons and allow for social distancing. Our hearts go out to our partners around the country in this struggle to protect our communities.

CENSUS 2020: Census day was April 1, and FAN has been active in sharing the message that even in the midst of a national crisis, it’s never been easier to fill out your census! Data is starting to come in about which counties and communities are falling behind in their response to the census, and our statewide Census team will start to hone in on those historically-undercounted communities.

WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION: As Governor Inslee continues to sign bills into law, we celebrate the passage of 23 bills FAN worked on or supported in the 2020 legislative session. A few of the major successes include Courts Open to All (COTA) which prevents immigration agents from speaking with or arresting undocumented people at or around court houses, Sustainable Farms & Fields to incentivize carbon sequestration in agriculture, the creation of the Washington Office of Equity, and two bills that work to prohibit private detention in the state though they were greatly amended in their passage. See a full list of successes at fanwa.org/advocacy/legislative-agenda/

Wisconsin

Pastor Cindy Crane, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (LOPPW) loppw.org

CARE FOR GOD’S CREATION: LOPPW participated in a Wisconsin Climate Table meeting in Racine. Dr. David Rhoads, Greening Greater Racine, discussed working with car dealers and other businesses on sustainability and beginnings of developing hydrogen energy. Rep. Greta Neubauer discussed Governor Ever’s new task force on climate change and offered to be accessible to the Table members throughout the task forces hearings.

Pr. Cindy Crane began to prepare a presentation on climate change and COP25 for an East-Central Synod event before events like this one were canceled.

WEDNESDAY NOON LIVE: We interviewed Molly Dobberke Riehle, Executive Director of Centro Legal in Milwaukee. Molly talked about her work as a volunteer attorney at a detention center in Texas with AMMPARO. Cindy’s co-host Rev. Andy Twiton then discussed his experience at the border with the National ELCA Vitality Training. We began planning for a focus on the Coronavirus and Racism as our theme for April.

IMMIGRATION: LOPPW met with the director of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference and discussed our possible actions to support our Hmong and Laotian neighbors in Wisconsin.

VOTING: LOPPW contacted youth leaders and clergy to promote recruitment of poll workers. We cancelled our project and shifted our focus to encouraging people to vote early and created this video: https://www.facebook.com/LOPPW/videos/2712099135526073/

We also began advocating for the change of election time.

CHANGED FOCUS—COVID-19: LOPPW is participating in conference calls with Lt. Governor about how the state can assist faith-based groups, especially in light of how they provide services. In one call, we received details of what the Governor’s Safer at Home Order meant for churches. LOPPW made details known broadly.

We are also building awareness of statements and resources related to public benefits from the Governor’s office and D.C. and sending action alerts related to being inclusive of those most vulnerable in public policies.

By guest blogger Dr. Ryan LaHurd, retired Lutheran leader in higher education
and member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Chicago, Ill.

Joshua Jipp argues in Saved by Faith and Hospitality that the God of Scripture is a God of hospitality, a God who extends hospitality to all and who requires, in turn, that we embody hospitality to our neighbor. God’s hospitality to us is the basis for ours. To persons of Arab heritage, this observation is no surprise.

Bedrock value of hospitality

Hospitality is a bedrock value in Arabic culture. Anthropologists say it probably arose from the harsh desert conditions in the Middle East and the need to offer food, drink and rest to travelers who might appear at your dwelling. Without hospitality such visitors could die. So important is this value for Arab Christians and Muslims that it has become ritualized. You will get pretty much the same treatment in the home of any Arab or Arab-American.

No sooner is someone greeted at the door and seated in the most comfortable surroundings the host has than drinks and snacks — usually coffee or tea, nuts, dried fruits and sweets — are served. No amount of protestation or arguing that you are not hungry can prevent a drink being poured and your plate being filled for you. Ultimately, Arabs will do everything in their power to make guests feel at home, which also means: “no” isn’t an answer.

Karam, the Arabic term for generosity, signifies treating guests with the utmost kindness and honor. Failing to do so brings shame upon the host. If the host has to do without later because of sharing with a guest, the host feels proud of being selfless. Indeed, a guest is anyone who comes your way in need.

The shared geography and similar cultures of the Hebrew Bible, New Testament and Quran are evidenced in their stories of hospitality. Abraham and Sarah’s entertaining the strangers who turned out to be angels, the widow who gave the last of her food to Elijah, Jesus at the Cana wedding and Martha’s preparing food are among the hospitality stories in the Jewish and Christian traditions. The Quran contains the story of Abraham, who greeted his strange guests, “Then he turned quickly to his household, brought out a roasted fattened calf, and placed it before them. He said: ‘Will you not eat?'”* The Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad also enjoin Muslims to practice hospitality to strangers.

Practicing hospitality from a distance

In this time of national crisis, it is uplifting to see evidence of people from many faith traditions joining to extend generosity and hospitality to strangers and friends. Stories about interfaith groups advocating for the needs of the most vulnerable and supplying them with food and necessities fill the media. It is the least we can do. As Christine Pohl, author of Living into Community, has said: “A life of hospitality begins in worship, with a recognition of God’s grace and generosity. Hospitality is not first a duty and responsibility; it is first a response of love and gratitude for God’s love and welcome to us.”

Fortunately, hospitality can be practiced from a distance as well, as the current crisis situation requires. We can provide food for others by donations of funds until we can sit together. We can advocate for those who have not been invited into the health care system. We can support and recognize those extending heroic hospitality through care of the sick and providing needed supplies to those who must stay at home. We can welcome with our hearts and resources for now, if not with our arms and homes.

* Surat adh-Dhariyat: 24-27

Our guest blogger, Dr. Ryan A. LaHurd, formerly served as president of Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, N.C. in 2002, which is an ELCA higher education institution. Dr. LaHurd, an Arab-American of Lebanese ancestry, has served as a teacher, administrator, author and leader in many capacities, including with the ELCA Association of Lutherans of Arab and Middle Eastern Heritage.

By Dennis Frado, Director, Lutheran Office for World Community

There’s too much “othering” today of people we don’t know or haven’t met. And, in a related way, awful hate speech abounds.* It is as if we have forgotten that each person has been made in the image of God and thereby has dignity and deserves respect.

We are all different and yet the same in God’s eyes. Identity – race, gender, nationality, etc. – is based on human constructions, but it is not how God sees us. Whatever identity we have or is imposed on us should not become our god.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, is going after hate speech, xenophobia, racism and intolerance – including rising anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim hatred and persecution of Christians. He said:

“Hate speech is a menace to democratic values, social stability and peace. As a matter of principle, the United Nations must confront hate speech at every turn”; and

“Addressing hate speech does not mean limiting or prohibiting freedom of speech. It means keeping hate speech from escalating into something more dangerous, particularly incitement to discrimination, hostility and violence, which is prohibited under international law.”

With so many efforts around the world to drive people apart rather than recognize their humanity and promote reconciliation and peace, let us resolve to work for the common good.

In its call to foster “a dynamic vision of difference in unity,” the ELCA social statement For Peace in God’s World affirms: “All people in their amazing diversity are God’s creatures, sinners for whom Christ died,” and continues:

“This vision calls us to engage differences, not to ignore or fear them. The hope for earthly peace challenges people to strengthen their own particular communities in ways that promote respect and appreciation for people in other communities, for all share a common humanity.”

* NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This commentary was prepared prior to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, the situation has spawned additional hate speech or racist remarks and actions directed against, for example, Asian Americans and China.

On this National Census Day, commit to complete your form – but also encourage the community as well! Undercounting is a significant issue among groups which benefoit most form anti-poverty programs and from greater representation in decision-making. “Hard to count” individuals in census experience include persons residing in rural areas, young children, LGBTQIA persons,m people experiencing homelessness, people who do not speak English, indigenous peoples and racial and ethnic minorities.

“An accurate count ensures that resources more justly go where they are needed most. It is also critical for representation I the political process as census information determines electoral maps,” says the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Director of ELCA Advocacy. Before in-person census takers are scheduled to facilitate this once-every-10-years count, let’s encourage everyone we can to complete the census online, by mail or by phone – accessed at 2020census.gov.

The ELCA is an official partner of the 2020 Census. Use these voices of Lutheran leaders, also available on social media @ELCAadvocacy, to help encourage the most accurate count possible.

“The Central States Synod encompasses two states (Kansas and Missouri), large metropolitan centers, small towns and rural communities, places where the population is growing with thriving businesses, and wide open spaces where homes are few and far. Our landscape from the Lake of the Ozarks to the plains of western Kansas is quite diverse as are our political views and agendas. But through the church we recognize and dare to proclaim, as Jesus did in the gospels, that we all have value and worth, that everyone counts and is important, that it is our diversity which reflects the image of God in our midst. And because everyone counts, everyone needs to be counted in the upcoming census to get a truer and more accurate picture of who we are.”
– The Rev. Susan Candea, Bishop, ELCA Central States Synod  [PHOTO CREDIT: FB@LRC-Central States Synod]

“People of color and indigenous people – we can’t afford the illusion of having the luxury of not engaging in this census, because the system doesn’t work for us. We have to do both: making sure our communities are counted and equitably represented in this census, and working to change systems and structures, elected leaders and representatives until they do work for all of us.”
– The Rev. Albert Starr, Jr., ELCA Director, Ethnic Specific and Multicultural Ministries

“Those of us struggling with homelessness and at risk of frequent eviction are often missed in our critical census count. Taking part in the census helps direct critical housing and homeless resources to our communities in the greatest need. From the Emergency Shelter Grants Program to the Special Milk Program for children, these programs depend on a complete and accurate count. In coordination with local census offices, houses of worship, shelters, service providers and others might be the only opportunity many have to take part in the census. Help your ministry, soup kitchen, or service program expand the count which can be completed online, by phone or by mail.”
– Andrew Fuller, ELCA Advocacy Coordinator

“Forty-five million versus 13 million. That’s the enormous disparity between the average number of words children with white collar parents who read to them hear by the age of four in contrast to children growing up with less access to books. However, reading and being read to has a significant life-long impact on our children and our society. Access to libraries becomes essential for healthy communities, and yet there are “book deserts” all across our nation. Without voice or vote themselves, kids cannot tell you how much reading matters to them – and they are often overlooked when it comes to census taking. Encourage counting the kids in the 2020 Census.”
– The Rev. Janelle Hooper, ELCA Program Director for Ministry with Children

“As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and as a person of faith, I know the importance of being seen, named and cared for by the communities I am part of. One way care for LGBTQIA+ people can increase is for us to be seen and counted across the country. For those from the LGBTQIA+ who are not in danger of losing their employment or housing by sharing their identity in the 2020 Census, I invite you to do so – knowing it will make a way for others to receive care.”
– Aubrey Thonvold, Executive Director, ReconcilingWorks  [PHOTO CREDIT: FB@ReconcilingWorks]

“The benefit of the census is deeply personal to our communities. Undercounting is a significant issue among groups which benefit most from anti-poverty programs and from greater representation in decision-making. Like our federally recognized tribes, our unrecognized untreatied undocumented people benefit from the very personal infrastructures that affects our lives, like healthcare, food programs, our education from Head Start and libraries to tribal colleges and Pell Grants being available. Counting matters.”
– Prairie Rose Seminole, ELCA Program Director, American Indian and Alaska Native Ministries  [PHOTO CREDIT: USFWS Mountain-Prairie]

For your neighbor and yourself – encourage your community to be counted!

On March 27, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, H.R. 748 (CARES Act), a third economic aid package to help bring direct relief to families, reinforce struggling industries and the healthcare sector, and extend assistance to vital state and federal support programs.

Members of Congress and their staff worked intensely to deliver bipartisan initial response to the crisis, and we thank the many Lutherans who called their lawmakers to advocate for important faith-rooted principles and policies that support those of us at greatest risk in this pandemic. The first bill put $8.3 billion towards healthcare, including funding for global response to the pandemic. The second bill strengthened nutrition assistance programs and unemployment benefits, allowed for free coronavirus testing predicated by kits availability, and also provided extra sick leave for millions of workers.

SOME ELEMENTS OF THE CARES ACT

In the third relief package, Congress passed aid to people experiencing unemployment and economic uncertainty and relief to families and businesses, including several provisions consistent with ELCA Advocacy prioritization of faithful and timely attention to pressing concerns that affect our neighbor’s well-being and the wholeness of creation.

• Unemployment insurance benefits expanded to people who have exhausted their state unemployment insurance and to people who do not qualify for the traditional state unemployment insurance, such as gig workers, self-employed people and contract workers;
• Housing assistance of $7 billion offered, including targeted funding for those of us experiencing homelessness;
• State, tribal and local government support of $150 billion for urgent needs and $150 billion for healthcare system reinforcement designated;
• Child Care and Development Block Grants made available to states to provide immediate assistance to child care centers;
• Evictions moratorium for 120 days enabled for renters in homes covered by a federally backed mortgage;
• International COVID-19 response increase allotted of $1 billion, including support for repatriation of U.S. government personnel and American citizens, for displaced populations and for global disease detection.

PUTTING ASSISTANCE INTO MOTION

In these trying times, many of us are experiencing difficult circumstances. Provisions of the CARE Act as well as the first and second packages will make a significant difference to some of us, and congregations can have an important role to play connecting their communities with sources of aid as well as providing support in the application process. Use these links to learn more about programs for eligible individuals seeking assistance.

• “SNAP state directory of resources” – from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service
• “Unemployment benefits finder” – from careeronestop.org
• “Applying for child support” – from the Office of Child Support Enforcement
• “National energy assistance referral” – from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Many crucial decisions on access to benefits will be made by the states. Additional information on applying for benefits and ministry resources may be available from a state public policy office in the ELCA Advocacy network.

A FOURTH BILL

As members of Congress turn their attention to a fourth bill addressing jeopardy caused and exposed by the coronavirus, ELCA Advocacy activity will focus on measures to support our vulnerable neighbors through difficult days ahead.

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits boosted for all households receiving SNAP regardless of their immigration status
• Support for children of immigrants established
• Earned Income Tax Credit and Charitable Tax Credit extended
• Health care coverage and COVID-19 treatment provided for those who are uninsured
• Testing and treatment for incarcerated individuals ensured
• Additional assistance designated for those on Medicaid, straining to fund childcare and struggling with homelessness
• Emergency rental assistance directed to protect low-income renters at risk of eviction
• Safety ensured for immigrants and asylum seekers
• Broadband and energy grid connectivity funded through robust infrastructure allocation, especially in rural areas
• Child Tax Credit bill supported in House in order to include 26 million children in low- and moderate-income families excluded from tax bill passed in 2017
• Population reduction in centers housing detained immigrants facilitated as soon as possible, especially facilities not regulated by Performance-Based National Detention Standards
• Paid-leave and direct cash benefits reached to include most undocumented immigrants and/or their families

YOUR ADVOCACY MATTERS

The initial draft of the CARES Act proposed that people too poor to pay income taxes would get smaller cash payments than people with higher incomes. Your advocacy made a difference in removing that inequity in the final version – thank you! We will also need your voice in the time ahead to advocate with populations not guaranteed automatic cash stimulus payments, such as recipients of Social Security or Supplemental Security Income. There is more to do.

As Congress will likely adjourn for several weeks, we encourage you and other advocates to watch for possible tele-conference town halls and other forums to connect with your lawmakers while they are in-district. The ELCA Advocacy resource, “August Recess Guide,” contains some tips for in-district opportunities. Express both your thanks for their action and share your specific concerns and community needs as we live aware of our role doing “God’s work. Our hands.” in this uncharted time.

Guidance updated on March 27, 2020, was shared through the coronavirus for faith leaders White House briefing network. ELCA Advocacy staff participate in the opportunity for access to public health experts and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advice for religious communities.

ORIGINAL INTRODUCTORY NOTE: The following recommended preventative practices and answers are in response to common questions [DHHS Partnership Center has] received and are based on what is currently known about the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019  (COVID-19). Should  you  have  questions  not  listed  below,  please  contact  the  Partnership  Center:partnerships@hhs.govor 202-260-6501. We will do our best to respond in a timely fashionand will continue to update this document as further questions and information come to our attention.

Frequently Asked Questions (section reprinted from DHHS Partnership Center resource)

• What Are the Signs and Symptoms of COVID-19?

Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed COVID-19 cases. The following symptoms may appear 2–14 days after exposure:

• • • Fever
    • Cough
    • Shortness of breath

• Should We Have a Gathering at All? How Close Does an Infection Need to Be to Our Community to Consider Cancelling Our Gathering?

The President’s Coronavirus for America recommends avoiding social gatherings of 10 or more people. Check with your state and local health authorities for the latest information. Public health officials may ask you to modify, postpone, or cancel events if it is necessary to limit exposure to COVID-19. Be mindful of the vulnerable members of your community and seek to protect them from exposure to other people.

Review “Implementation of Mitigation Strategies for Communities with Local COVID-19 Transmission.”

Use the CDC’s Guidance on Mass Gatherings as a guide for reviewing your community’s calendar and to make decisions on which events may need to be canceled and by when.

Track efforts by the federal government, the following websites have been launched:

• • • English: www.USA.gov/Coronavirus
    • Spanish: https://gobierno.USA.gov/Coronavirus

• Are Elbow Bumps Enough to Keep Us from Spreading the Virus?

Practice social distancing however possible ― staying at least six feet away from other persons.

Review the “Interim Guidance for Administrators and Leaders of Community- and Faith-Based Organizations to Plan, Prepare, and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)” for best practices.

At this time, community members should not hug or touch one another, but offer hand signals like a peace sign or the American Sign Language sign for “I Love You.”

Greeters at all gatherings should be especially aware and refrain from offering handshakes. As one community noted, “Greeters can model hospitality with their words and their smiles.”

• What Should I Tell People Who Are Concerned?

Reassure them that your faith- or community-based organization, as well as local, state, and national authorities, is taking all necessary precautions to ensure their health and safety. Your response can soothe concerns and create an atmosphere of calm. The best way to prevent illness is to practice routine and common sense hygiene practices. These everyday practices also help to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including the flu:

• • • Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
    • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and then throw the used tissue in the trash.
    • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially
      after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing,
      or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
    • Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands, especially your eyes, nose, or mouth.
    • Clean high-contact surfaces and objects thoroughly and repeatedly.

Leaders may find it helpful to review the guidance provided by the CDC in its “Interim Guidance: Get Your Community- and Faith-Based Organizations Ready for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).”

Check with your state and local health authorities to learn if your community has experienced a COVID-19 outbreak.

• How Can We Advise the Elderly, Those with Special Health Considerations, Their Caregivers, and Other High-Risk Populations?

Provide special consideration in communicating risk to vulnerable populations in your community, including older adults and others with access and/or functional needs. Assign, or encourage those whom you serve to seek out, a “buddy” who will check in on and help care for them, should they get sick.

Make plans to stay connected.

• • • Ensure community contact lists are up-to-date and that ‘calling trees’ ― or other practices to account for individuals who may be living alone, elderly, and vulnerable ― are in place.
    • Convey ways they can stay connected via virtual worship, gatherings, and staff and leadership meetings.
    • Ensure there are clear means to communicate any “connection plans” with them.

• What Should I Do if Someone at a Community Gathering Says They Are Feeling Sick?

Identify space in your facility or event to separate people who may become sick and may not be able to leave immediately.

Designate a separate bathroom for those who are feeling sick. Develop a safe plan for cleaning the room regularly.

Isolate the individual immediately from staff and participants.

Assist the person in CALLING AHEAD to their health care professional if they have a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or difficulty breathing. Tell them to avoid taking public transportation, ride-shares, and taxis.

People with confirmed COVID-19, with a loved one in the home with a confirmed case, or those experiencing symptoms should remain under home isolation. The decision to discontinue home isolation precautions should be made on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with health care providers and state and local health departments.

For more information: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/.

• Is Information About COVID-19 Available In Spanish?

The following website provides a wide range of information on COVID-19 in Spanish: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index-sp.html

Los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) tienen información en español sobre COVID-19 en su sitio web en www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index-sp.html

• Does the Virus Live on Surfaces?

COVID-19 is a new disease and experts are still learning how it spreads. It may be possible to be exposed to COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes; however, this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. Review the CDC’s “How COVID-19 Spreads.”

Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects several times daily (e.g., tables, countertops, light switches, doorknobs, cabinet handles, smart phones, and keyboards) using an appropriate cleaner to minimize the event of a COVID-19 outbreak in your community. For disinfection, most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective. A list of products that are EPA-approved for use against the virus that causes COVID-19 is available here. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products.

If an object is frequently touched, for example as a part of religious observance, it should be cleaned, as appropriate within the religious tradition, after each use.

If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent and water prior to disinfection.

For the future, consider ways your community can reduce the number of objects that are collectively handled.

• • • For example, consider no longer passing offering plates down the row; instead, place the offering plate on stands and ask people to leave their offering. Remind those who oversee and administer offerings, or similar items and elements, to wash their hands after administration or use.
    • Organizations may also consider removing shared books and encouraging people to bring their own.

• What Type of Items Should We Have in Our Emergency Preparedness Kit?

Consider having supplies on hand, such as hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, extra tissues, and trash baskets.

Refer to the CDC’s “Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Communities” for additional information about supplies and materials.

By Ruth Ivory-Moore, ELCA Program Director for Environment and Corporate Social Responsibility

“Psalm 104 celebrates the way in which water pours… This flowing water serves, in the psalm, as a sign of God’s overflowing blessings on creation, pouring down from God to the earth and giving life to creatures,” writes Benjamin M. Stewart in A Watered Garden: Christian Worship and Earth’s Ecology (p. 28).

Raising awareness of the impact of climate change on the water supply is the goal this year of World Water Day, observed March 22. The United Nations’ secretary general writes: “Climate Change exacerbates the lack of availability of water. Today, some 2.2 billion people lack safe drinking water and 4.2 billion people live without access to adequate sanitation. Unless we act with urgency, the impacts of climate change are projected to exacerbate these figures.” Climate change is changing our landscape, and water is showing us its power seen by devastating effects of floods and coastline erosion.

Water is powerful, and it is our lifeline. World Water Day can also remind us of its magnificence. These photos* tell of that magnificence.

Water holds a sacred place in our relationship with God.

All of creation…

…depends on water for survival.

Water plays a crucial role in almost every aspect of the global and domestic economy. Farms use a large amount of water. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, agriculture is a major user of ground and surface water in the U.S., accounting for approximately 80% of the nation’s consumptive water use and over 90% in many western states.

Water presents a place of solace as it acts as a natural mirror to surrounding landscape.

God’s gift of water makes available incredible sustainability powers** to all creation.

We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and by your Word you created the world, calling forth life in which you took delight. – Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 230

*PHOTO CREDIT: Chuck Moore (Random Snap Photography)

**Find more in the ELCA Advocacy resource “Caring for God’s creation: Stewarding the gift of water“

from the ELCA Advocacy office in Washington, D.C. – the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, director

COVID-19  |  LANDMINES  |  HMONG AND LAOTIAN DEPORTATIONS |  FY2021 BUDGET |  FAIR HOUSING RULE

COVID-19 OUTBREAK: With daily developments in the spread and scope of the COVID-19 outbreak, our anxiety and uncertainty tempt us to curve inward and fixate on self-preservation. Last week, Congress passed emergency funding to bolster local, state and federal governments’ public health response to the virus. This is an important first step, but we must do more so that our nation’s economic and health care systems work together to minimize the impact of the outbreak on poor and low-wealth communities, the elderly and other vulnerable people. ELCA congregations and ministries are responding to the outbreak in their communities to ensure the health and safety of worshipers, staff and neighbors by adopting practices to prevent or slow transmission of COVID-19. But as church in this pandemic, we can also illuminate the impact on our most vulnerable neighbors. God calls us to stand by them in advocating for dignity, equity and justice, and ELCA Advocacy staff are monitoring the situation for policy-response opportunities for our network.

LANDMINES: On Jan. 31 the Trump administration announced a decision to lift existing U.S. prohibitions against the use of landmines, saying the prohibition could put U.S. troops at a “severe disadvantage.” As a member of the U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines, the ELCA signed a public statement, posted Feb. 20, that opposes the action. It says in part, “Landmines are inherently indiscriminate weapons that maim and kill long after conflicts end.” It concludes, “To roll back the progress the global community has made would not only be a tragedy but an affront to the dignity of landmine survivors around the world.”

The Jan. 31 action reverses a 2014 Obama administration ban on the use of such weapons, which applied worldwide except in the defense of South Korea. Lifting the prohibition represents a break with many nations around the globe that have banned landmine use, including more than 160 countries that are party to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (known as the Mine Ban Treaty), agreed on in 1997 and implemented in 1999. Take action through the ELCA Action Center.

HMONG AND LAOTIAN DEPORTATIONS: Laotian and Hmong refugees are preparing to face a possible increase in deportations, in part because the U.S. government is funding a reintegration program to help Laos accept nationals with final orders of removal. Concern is being felt by congregations and members, particularly in the Minneapolis Area Synod, Saint Paul Area Synod and East-Central Synod of Wisconsin. St. Paul, Minn., has the largest Hmong population per capita in the United States (28,591 Hmong Americans, or 10%), followed by Wausau, Wisc. (3,569, or 9.1%).

Lao, Hmong and other Laotian ethnic groups fled the Southeast Asian country after a nine-year bombing campaign by the United States during the Laotian Civil War, which ended in 1975. Many of those refugees resettled in the United States, which is home to about 186,000 foreign-born Laotians, according to the 2017 American Community Survey, as reported by NBC News. On Feb. 28, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) introduced a bill that would prohibit the administration from deporting individuals to Laos.

FISCAL YEAR 2021 BUDGET PRESENTED TO CONGRESS: President Trump presented Congress with his fiscal year 2021 budget, which includes a number of proposals rejected by Congress when they were included in previous budget proposals. Proposed cuts to SNAP amount to $181.9 billion over 10 years. With all our interfaith partners, we will work with Congress to reject these efforts once again.

FAIR-HOUSING RULE UPDATE: Through March 13, public comments can be submitted through the ELCA Advocacy Action Center on a proposal that would substantially challenge prevention of discrimination in housing. Under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposal, the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule — first designed to help localities promote diversity and inclusivity under the 1968 Fair Housing Act, and to take proactive steps to reverse the effects of housing segregation — would be rendered almost completely ineffectual.

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 .

With daily developments in the spread and scope of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), our anxiety and uncertainty tempt us to curve inward and fixate on self-preservation. Appropriately, ELCA congregations and ministries are responding to the outbreak in their communities to ensure the health and safety of worshipers, staff and neighbors by adopting practices to slow transmission of COVID-19. Resources and links on ELCA.org/publichealth offer guidance to inform and prepare our worshiping communities. But as church in this pandemic, we can also shine a light on impacts for our most vulnerable neighbors. God calls us to stand by them in advocacy for dignity, equity and justice.

As a church for the sake of the world, committed to God’s call to love and serve our neighbor, we must turn our attention to those who will be most impacted by what may be massive disruptions. The probability of lockdowns, quarantines, and intensified health and safety precautions is growing. From employment and income to government services, from access to testing and emergency health care to schooling for students, disarray can cause hardship.

Our heightened concern extends to neighbors, including:

• The elderly and those in fragile health.
• First-line health care workers under stress as they meet unprecedented demand.
• The poor, people in low-wealth communities and workers in the gig economy, facing risks that include no paid sick leave, unavailable childcare, inadequate health care or lack of a savings cushion.
• The unhoused who have few choices for protecting shelter or health care access.
• Immigrants, mothers, fathers, daughters, sons and children in detention centers that are crowded and lack sanitary conditions.
• People who are incarcerated, with no access or options to appropriate prevention or care.
• Indigenous community and village residents, especially if they live in isolated areas where health care and infrastructure may not have immediate resources to respond to a large-scale crisis.

Last week, Congress passed emergency funding to fund local, state and federal governments’ public health response to the virus. This is an important first step, but we must do more so that our nation’s health care and economic systems work together to minimize impacts on poor and low-wealth communities, the elderly and other vulnerable people.

We call on Congress to strengthen programs that serve as an economic backstop for individuals and families. In doing so, we can help prevent unnecessary harm to communities and the nation-at-large, especially in vulnerable populations who may be overlooked.

Social teaching

ELCA social teaching understands that caring for health is a shared endeavor among individuals, government and the wider society that “expresses both love for our neighbor and responsibility for a just society” (“Caring for Health: Our Shared Endeavor”). We must be faithful stewards of our own health, but that is not all. “The Church also supports the just obligations of a society to serve those who are often left out and to be present with those who suffer” (page 9).

At this moment of global crisis, God calls the church to promote the health of and ensure care for those who suffer during this pandemic and their loved ones. We will use our voice to advocate for government services and societal actions that will support the public health and well-being of all people and communities, especially those without power who may be forgotten or left behind.

Policy points

To achieve these ends, ELCA Advocacy will prioritize policy points with the administration and on Capitol Hill to help our nation respond compassionately to the most impacted. The ELCA Advocacy network will be invited to act* when there are opportunities for our collective voice to make a difference. Areas being monitored include:

• Funding for testing and treatment for the underinsured and uninsured so health access for individuals is not financially prohibitive, and health care providers and hospitals can focus on treatment.
• Access to food and nutrition programs, which will be essential for the most vulnerable people to feed their families and maintain health, especially if movement is restricted or they fall ill. Important measures include ensuring continuation of school meal programs if schools are closed and addressing campus hunger, services on tribal lands, delivery of food to the elderly and access to food in rural areas.
• Housing assistance for the homeless or those at risk of losing their homes will ease the process of tracking and treating the sick and in doing so help reduce infections. Shelter system expansion that allows for safe distancing and personal hygiene will help protect the unhoused.
• Proper care and medical services for detainees in government custody is essential.
• Awareness that fears could prohibit beneficial public health access at entry points for migrants living in our communities is relevant. Screening and health care without fear of a documentation litmus test or detention should be emphasized in sensitive locations for individual and community wellness.
• Global health systems may be quickly overwhelmed, reducing ability to prevent transmission and provide health care to those who might acquire COVID-19. The ELCA can walk with global partners to advocate with the U.S. Congress for global public health resources to address international needs.
• Xenophobic harassment and attacks are on the rise at this time of heightened uncertainty. The church must lead in denouncing stigmatism and displays of racism by modeling welcome and inclusion and disseminating accurate information.

Our life together

In our civic engagement:

• Voting remains critical, and measures must be taken to ensure access to the ballot and election integrity during the increased risk due to COVID-19. Early voting, mail-in and other methods may be increasingly attractive options, and adjustment to registration methods may be advisable.
• As Census 2020 gets underway, congregations can use ELCA Census materials to encourage participation through online and paper formats so door-to-door census worker visits are kept to a minimum

Learning from this experience includes pointing to underlying policy decisions that better equip us to handle the unexpected, which will require improved policy.

• Infrastructure — multiuse medical facilities are needed in times of crisis.
• Food access — rural communities and other food deserts have unique challenges.
• Unemployment benefits — policy should be shaped to respond to such unexpected and urgent economic disruptions.
• Mental health needs — the body of knowledge on the long-lasting impact of traumatic events needs to increase.

Spiritual support, prayer and accompaniment by God’s faithful is needed to provide for those children and adults experiencing anxiety during this crisis, including witness to the healing work of God. Health care workers in particular may be in need of witness to God’s healing and presence as they tend to the growing and perhaps overwhelming number of sick.

——–

A prayer for caregivers and others who support the sick
God, our refuge in strength, our present help in time of trouble, care for those who tend the needs of the sick. Strengthen them in body and spirit. Refresh them when weary; console them when anxious; comfort them in grief; and hearten them in discouragement. Be with us all and give us peace at all times and in every way; through Christ our peace. Amen (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, page 85).

* Receive updates and Action Alerts from ELCA Advocacy by signing up at ELCA.org/advocacy/signup,
and connect on social media @ELCAadvocacy.