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Stewarding God’s Creation: Science Matters

By Ruth Ivory-Moore

“Colliding black holes, dinosaur parts in amber, potentially life-friendly planets: The year in science has at times felt almost cinematic in scope.”- National Geographic 

The year was 2016.  Phenomenal discoveries were made which may have life changing implications that range from better understanding the various forms of waves (i.e. light, x-rays) to finding new extraterrestrial objects to explore, such as the newfound potentially water bearing planet dubbed Proxima b. A global collaboration of scientists measured massive colliding black holes producing gravitational waves. This measurement validated Albert Einstein’s 1916 prediction of the existence of these waves in his General Theory of Relativity.  This collision actually occurred about 1.3 billion light-years away, but by the time the waves reached earth they spread like ripples and washed over earth in September 2016.  Scientists are using this discovery to see if there is any connection between gravitational waves and other waves such X-rays, radio, and light.    

(Photograph Source: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/160211-gravitational-waves-found-spacetime-science/ . A computer simulation shows the gravitational waves emitted by two gigantic black holes spiraling around each other. Illustration by C. Henze, NASA)

These discoveries show the importance of science. Unfortunately, the church has not always been welcoming of science. In 1633, Galileo Galilei was convicted of heresy for his teachings on the universe being heliocentric (sun is the center of the solar system) versus being geocentric (earth is center of solar system). The latter was the belief held by the church. As a result, he spent the rest of his life under house arrest.  It took centuries to prove that his theory was correct.

Today we have a better appreciation of the value of science, knowledge, and wisdom. Divine wisdom is apparent in the created order and guides how we are to live in it. “We are called to live according to God’s wisdom in creation (Proverbs 8), which brings together God’s truth and goodness. Wisdom, God’s way of governing creation, is discerned in every culture and era in various ways. In our time, science and technology can help us to discover how to live according to God’s creative wisdom”. (Social Statement, “Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice” (1993)).

Human wisdom is primary and fundamental to life.  When Solomon was given the opportunity to ask God for anything he desired, he chose wisdom (1 King 3). Wisdom synthesizes knowledge and experiences into conceptual visions and realities.  Knowledge is a tool while wisdom is the craft in which the tool is used.   God provides humankind with unique abilities compared to the rest of creation, namely to reason, research, analyze, and strategize. Wisdom allows us to make use of God’s gifts and deploy them in ways to give us a better understanding of this world; and to follow through on our mandate to be stewards of all of creation. We use wisdom in science to gather together scientific information and discoveries to further our understanding of our environment.

For example, science is the nucleus of our ability to understand the impact of the warming of the earth due to the accumulation of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.

  1. It is science that has allows humankind to measure the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over time showing the dramatic increase since 1950. (Photograph right: graph displaying carbon dioxide increase over time. Data source: Reconstruction from ice cores. Credit: NOAA. See:  http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/.)
  1. It is science that allows NASA to pictorially show the impact of the accumulation of carbon dioxide emissions globally over the entire earth. Click this link and view what NASA has been observing for in the span of one year compressed: https://youtu.be/x1SgmFa0r04.
  2. It was science that allowed Tesla’s Solarcity to convert the island of Ta’u in American Samoa from diesel to 100% solar. This seven-acre solar plant now provides all the power used on Ta’u Island.1  Photo by Daniel Lin. (Photograph below:  http://news.nationalgeographic.com/content/dam/news/2017/02/22/Samoa-Island-Solar/solar-energ-samoa-2-GOPR8043.ngsversion.1487791340572.adapt.710.1.jpg)

It is through science that we find the mechanism to alert us of problems that warrant our attention.  It is through our God-given wisdom that we utilize science to be God’s stewards while we are here on earth. Value science. Embrace it. Thank God for the gift of human wisdom that enables us to use science for the benefit of all. Let us pray.

Unison Prayer

Healing God, forgive us that we see dry bones in places where you see the full vitality of life.  Help us to remember that life comes from you alone.  You alone are the Creator of the universe; you alone are the savior of the whole world.  Help to celebrate the vision of life and to tend to the needs of your world.  Amen2

 1http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/02/tau-american-samoa-solar-power-microgrid-tesla-solarcity/

2Creation Justice Ministries:  https://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/50750/images/Gods%20World-1.pdf?key=85797681.

 

April Advocacy Update

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

ELCA Advocacy Office, Washington, D.C.

The Rev. Amy Reumann, director

Easter Message: 

“Jesus is Risen!” is an invitation to a new hope. It declares the Good Friday landscape of shadow, suffering and death as a persistent, but not a final, reality. Easter proclaims God’s power to write a new future for our lives and our world, a reality marked by love that transforms and reconciliation beyond what divides us. Advocacy can be an act of this Easter hope, witnessing to the God of resurrection when we speak to new possibilities for our life together. Lutherans highlight this hope in the descriptions below, as we speak to the suffering in the South Sudan, advocate for climate justice and give testimony for just and humane policies towards migrants and refugees.

ELCA.org/advocacy

ADVOCACY CONVENING: ELCA Advocacy hosted our 2017 Advocacy Convening in late March. This event brought together bishops, local community leaders, and faith partners in Washington, D.C. Convening participants, joined by religious representatives attending LIRS’ Lutheran Immigration Leadership Summit, urged lawmakers to welcome and protect vulnerable refugees and migrants. Through ELCA World Hunger and AMMPARO, our church is working for just and humane policies toward migrants in and outside the U.S. You can learn more and send an advocacy message to your elected officials at the ELCA Advocacy action center. (Photograph left)

CLIMATE CHANGE EXECUTIVE ORDER: On March 28, President Trump signed an executive order that calls for the review, repeal, or rescission of various Obama administration’s climate change initiatives, including rescinding the Climate Action Plan (and associated guidance/regulatory items implementing that Plan). This action will likely adversely impact our nation’s progress in combating climate change. The order also calls for the review of the Clean Power Plan (CPP) regulations which was a key part of the Climate Action Plan.

The implementation and objective of the CPP was a top ELCA Advocacy priority in 2014. Last month ELCA Advocacy released a statement on the executive order shortly after it was signed by the president. The statement encouraged the administration to re-examine its actions and remain true to its earlier stated commitments to stewardship, sustainability and justice.

SOUTH SUDAN: The United Nations formally declared that several regions of South Sudan are undergoing severe famine—its first case of making such a declaration since 2011. Across several neighboring countries, an estimated 7 million people are said to be affected by the famine, and more than  100,000 in South Sudan are reported to face imminent starvation.

Famine, coupled with the ongoing civil war, has taken a disastrous humanitarian toll across the region—with countless civilians being displaced or targeted for attack. International aid is essential to address the critical situation in South Sudan. Advocates can  take action on the issue at advocacy.ELCA.org and learn how the ELCA is responding in the region through Lutheran Disaster Response. (Photograph right)

HEALTH CARE UPDATE: The work on improving the Affordable Care Act continues. Click here to hear from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton on this important issue. Thank you for your continued engagement!

STUDENT GROUPS: Throughout March, a number of student groups from campus ministries visited the Advocacy office. After presentations that focused on the Lutheran values that underpin advocacy, groups went on congressional office visits. It has been tremendously encouraging that so many young adults are invested in learning more about what the ELCA is saying about social and political realities.

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

Dennis Frado, director

CSW61: The sixty-first session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York March 13-24. The theme was “Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Changing World of Work,” with the emerging focus area on empowerment of indigenous women. (Photograph left: group picture)

Our Lutheran delegation consisted of 22 delegates, including a LWF Women in Church and Society representative from the Costa Rican church. From the ELCA, we had representatives from ELCA World Hunger, Justice for Women Program, American Indian and Alaska Native Ministries, International Leaders program and Young Adults in Global Mission.

LOWC participated in the planning and execution of various projects and side-events throughout CSW, including Ecumenical Women’s Orientation Day, a Strategy and Advocacy Roundtable hosted by Faith and Feminism Working Group, and a Public Witness event to link up to end gender-based violence, organized by Ecumenical Women and co-sponsored by U.N. Women, UNICEF and the U.N. Interagency Task Force on Religion and Development.

In an unprecedented move by a U.S. administration, the United States sent controversial delegates to CSW from the conservative Heritage Foundation and the Center for Family and Human Rights (C-FAM), described as “an anti-LGBT hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

CSW ended with the adoption of  the agreed conclusions. The conclusions highlight barriers women face, such as unequal working conditions, gender stereotypes, occupational segregation, unequal pay, sexual- and gender-based violence etc. Countries committed to implementing economic and social policies that will lead to women’s economic empowerment.

California

Mark Carlson, Lutheran Office of Public Policy

loppca.org

During the ELCA Advocacy Convening in Washington, D. C., the Democratic Women’s Working Group on Immigration and Refugees held a forum at which a representative of LIRS testified about the separation of families, and Bishop Guy Erwin of the Southwest California Synod was introduced.  The photo includes five representatives from California: Nancy Pelosi, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Grace Napolitano, Nanette Barragán, and Zoe Lofgren (a Lutheran). (Photograph left)

Mark Carlson, director of LOPP-CA, found a friendly California office in Washington, D. C.  (Photograph right)

On April 4, the 49th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Carlson participated in an inspiring event at Miracles of Faith Church in Oakland linking the anniversary of the 95 Theses with a year-long remembrance of King. The Rev. Gregg Brown, center, hands the Rev. Phil Lawson (brother of Rev. James Lawson), right, some theses to nail to the church door. (Photograph left)

LOPP-CA helped welcome CHIRLA, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, as it opened an office in Sacramento, a voice for many of the 10 million people who live in Los Angeles County.  In its early days, CHIRLA’s L.A. office was at Angelica Lutheran Church. A priority for immigrant communities is SB 54, the California Values Act, which passed the Senate.  Faith advocates distributed a joint floor alert prior to the vote. (Photograph right)

Colorado

Peter Severson, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry–Colorado

Lam-co.org

LEGISLATIVE SESSION: The Colorado General Assembly has taken up consideration of our fiscal year 2017-2018 budget. The Joint Budget Committee proposed significant cuts to the hospital provider fee in order to deal with a significant shortfall created by automatically-triggered Taxpayer Bill of Rights  refunds. The total shortfall is approximately $264 million. Lutheran Advocacy is speaking out to legislators to say that cuts should not be made on the backs of low-income people. A proposed bipartisan fix to address the hospital funding piece, SB 17-267, is risky because it includes automatic 2 percent cuts across the board for all state departments. We are monitoring that bill and pushing for amendments in the House.

CONGREGATIONAL VISITS: LAM-CO has been on the road, visiting congregations throughout the season of Lent to preach and teach about advocacy and the current legislative session. Recent visits include St. Paul in Calhan, St. Andrew in Arvada, and Spirit of Joy in Fort Collins. Thanks to all who joined us in each congregation!

WASHINGTON, D.C., CONVENING: We participated in the 2017 ELCA Advocacy Convening in Washington, D.C., in March. LAM-CO Director Peter Severson, Bishop Jim Gonia, and community leaders Hendrik Samosir and Josh Stallings made up the Colorado delegation, visiting Capitol Hill offices to talk about refugee and immigration issues. (Photograph right: ELCA advocates visit Rep. Diana DeGette, center.) 

Minnesota

Tammy Walhof, Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota

tammy@lcppm.org

The last couple of months have been very busy for Lutheran Advocacy-MN!

ADVOCACY EVENTS: Lutheran Advocacy-MN and LSS of MN held Lutheran Leader Day at the Capitol for Minnesota bishops, pastors and church leaders. The advocacy focus was affordable housing, while workshops were also included on immigration, sex trafficking, and clean energy. Minnesota bishops led the opening worship and facilitated the closing reception with legislators, including comments by Rep. Alice Hausman, Sen. John Marty, and a moving childhood affordable-housing story by Sen. Dan Hall. (Photograph below: Sen. Jeff Hayden explains barriers people face in affordable housing due to race and rural workforce issues.)

Four bishops, a grad student, and LA-MN Director  Tammy Walhof represented Minnesota at the ELCA Advocacy Convening, including in meetings with members of the Minnesota congressional delegation about immigration. Earlier in March, Walhof joined other state public policy directors in Washington, D.C., for the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference and Lobby Day.

CLIMATE, HUNGER, AND CLEAN WATER:  For the Region 3 Hunger Event, Walhof facilitated Bible study sessions on words like dominion, earth keeping, and sabbath and led sessions on climate change basics and hunger, and to introduce LA-MN’s 2017 issue agenda. Ryan Cumming (ELCA World Hunger) introduced ELCA work on creation care, real stories about climate impact on poor people, and activities to increase understanding of climate impact on hunger. Walhof also worked with the Northeastern Minnesota Synod on their Water Summit and presented environmental issues happening at the state Legislature.

North Carolina

GeoRene Jones, North Carolina Justice & Advocacy Team

We are excited about a special opportunity arriving in the form of an anonymous-donor challenge benefitting ELCA World Hunger. Bishop Timothy Smith is preparing and will send details to leaders of our 201 congregations. We give thanks for those loving hearts who respond generously to the prompting of the Holy Spirit for the work God is doing in our synod.

Ohio

Nick Bates, The Hunger Network

hungernetohio.com

State advocates released a new “Report of Reports” on April 3 highlighting how Ohio measures up to the nation on a series of statistics. Each section takes only a few minutes to read – perfect for the busy church professional! Ohio has shown signs of improvement in health insurance access and preschool access but continues to trail the nation on issues of food security and job growth. Read our new report “State of Ohio  2017: A story through statistics.”

Lutheran advocates stormed Capitol Hill for our ELCA Advocacy Convening in partnership with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services. Bishop Abraham Allende, the Rev. Carmen Colon-Brown, Nick Bates, and Dr. Rev. Kristine Suna-Koro had the opportunity to speak with Sen. Sherrod Brown and Sen. Rob Portman about the important issue of immigration and how it impacts so many Ohioans. We also spoke with staff from the offices of Rep. Joyce Beatty (Columbus) and Rep. Warren  Davidson (Troy). Also pictured with Sen. Brown is one of Ohio’s favorite children, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton.

STATE BUDGET:  The Ohio Budget process continues to drudge along. Dozens of sub-committee hearings were held in the House throughout February and March. After the Easter recess, the House will reconvene and present its recommendations. We will host an advocacy day in May to help our state senators understand that the budget is a moral document. Pictured below are faith leaders with Hunger Network in Ohio, Faith in Public Life, and the Ohio Council of Churches meeting with state Rep. Andrew Thompson, a member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Marietta.

Join Our advocacy list! Sign up today at hungernetohio.com.

Pennsylvania

Tracey DePasquale, Lutheran Advocacy–Pennsylvania

Lutheranadvocacypa.org

LAMPa began March by organizing and participating in Ashes-To-Go at the state Capitol. This was the second year LAMPa and partners from the Council of Churches, Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania and Lutheran congregations offered prayers and anointing to mark the beginning of Lent.  The practice was welcomed inside and outside the building.  Drivers even pulled over and hopped out of their vehicles so that they and/or passengers could participate! (Photograph below)

LAMPa Director Tracey DePasquale was grateful to connect with colleagues from around the state and around the country at the Domestic Mission all-staff gathering in Chicago, followed by a productive ELCA World Hunger team-building day.  The following week, she participated in Trinity Institute 2017: Water Justice, hosted by the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, Lower Susquehanna Synod and the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania.  All are eager to work together on water advocacy, which LAMPa will resource and organize.

DePasquale joined ELCA Advocacy staff, bishops and lay leaders from around the country convened in Washington, D.C., the last week of March to advocate with members of Congress in support of refugee resettlement and increased funding for efforts to protect migrant children and address the root causes of migration in Central America. (Photograph right)

March ended with her in Pipestem, W.V., connecting with ELCA pastors, bishops and advocates at the State of Appalachia Conference, organized by Creation Justice Ministries, to support the church’s response to the spiritual, health, economic and environmental  needs in that region. (Photograph above)

Southeastern Synod

Hilton Austin

HUMAN TRAFFICKING: In Georgia, several of us joined 500-600 other advocates for the Anti-Sex Trafficking Lobby Day and were successful in pushing HB341, which adds those who patronize or solicit a person who is the victim of sexual servitude to the offense of sex trafficking, to be considered for passage prior to sine die. The bill was passed and is on the governor’s desk. HB86 adds acts involving trafficking a person for sexual servitude to the definition of sexual abuse in the code section delineating requirements for mandatory reporting of child abuse. The bill was passed and is on the governor’s desk. SB104 adds government buildings to the list of locations required to post the human trafficking hotline notice and requires government entities to have a hyperlink to the human trafficking hotline model notice on their websites. The bill was passed and is on the governor’s desk. (Photograph left)

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM: Joining with our other partners, SB174, which enacts several reforms recommended by the Georgia Council for Criminal Justice Reform, was successfully passed and is on the governor’s desk. The bill clarifies and improves protocols involving family treatment courts; revises provisions concerning non-violent felonies, probation and validation of the Department of Corrections’ Risk Needs Assessment. It also clarifies and revises provisions regarding probation, parole, conditional release and fees. The bill was passed and is on the governor’s desk. HB261 allows certain individuals sentenced to a prison term between March 18, 1968, and Oct. 31, 1982, to petition the superior court in the county in which he or she was convicted for exoneration of guilt and discharge. The bill was passed and is on the governor’s desk.

IMMIGRATION: Many of our folks joined with other partners for the Coalition of Refugee Services Agencies Lobby Day and New American Celebration. (Photograph right)

CONGREGATIONAL ADVOCACY TEAMS: While we are in the early stages of this grass-roots movement, congregational advocacy teams are popping up all across the synod. This past week our new Congregational Advocacy Guide was added to the resources tab on the synod website. This will be the focus of our presence at the Synod Assembly in May; we will be offering numerous ways congregations can be involved in advocacy. It is perfect timing considering the theme of our assembly is “We are Church for the Sake of the World.”

Washington

Paul Benz, Faith Acton Network

fanwa.org

LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS: We are in week 13 of our 15-week regular session. Most committee-hearing work is done and now the final budget negotiations for our 2017-2019 $42 billion biennial budget begins with a handful of budget leaders from the House and Senate caucuses. FAN testified along with more than 100 organizations in favor of the House Democrats’ revenue package that had three primary funding sources for the budget: instituting a capital-gains tax, increasing our business and occupation tax with a generous exemption for small businesses, and closing a few tax exemptions (of which Washington has close to 700). One bill from FAN’s legislative priorities that is still alive is the WA Kids Ready to Learn Act, which establishes a breakfast-after-the-bell type of policy for our high-poverty schools to increase accessibility for breakfast to be served in a variety of settings. Also, two anti-human trafficking bills have now passed and are awaiting the signature of the governor.

SPRING SUMMITS: As a part of FAN’s regular programming, we are now planning for our four regional summits in Yakima May 7, Spokane May 21, Vancouver June 4, and Seattle June 11. This is a great time to gather FAN advocates and our friends and allies to have table conversations about what the critical issues are for our state and hear and discuss how our state’s regular session went. (Photograph right: FAN advocates gather in issue work groups last year at our Seattle Summit.)

Wisconsin

Cindy Crane, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin                                    

Loppw.org

ADVOCACY DAY IN WISCONSIN:  LOPPW is part of People of Faith United for Justice, an interfaith group that holds an Advocacy Day during state budget years.  We focused on social safety-net programs, anti-sex trafficking, and water. (Photograph right)

ELCA ADVOCACY CONVENING IN D.C.:  LOPPW joined co-workers in Christ from around the country.  The speakers and panels gave us their expertise and their hearts.  LOPPW’s director joined Bishop Jim Arends, La Crosse Area Synod; the Rev. Walter Baires, Greater Milwaukee Synod; and Bishop Jerry Mansholt, East Central Synod to advocate for welcoming refugees and immigrants. (Photograph left)

FRAC IN D.C.:  LOPPW’s director joined colleagues for an informative and inspiring Food Research Action Center (FRAC) conference.  LOPPW will use information especially related to the farm bill and its possible impact on school meals.  We do not want federal funding diminished or turned into block grants.

LETTER WRITING:  The director was invited by Triangle Ministry, which is in a low-income housing complex in Madison, to lead a forum.  She used information from FRAC with an invitation to the residents to write personal notes on paper plates. (Photograph right)

WORKSHOPS:  Advisory Council members the Rev. Diane House and Joyce Anderson led a presentation on Martin Luther and economic justice at a Northwest Synod of Wisconsin event.  The director led the same presentation three times on the same day at an East-Central Synod of Wisconsin event. Meteorologist Bob Lindmeier led workshops on climate change in congregations for the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin/LOPPW Care for God’s Creation Team.

RENEWABLE ENERGY: Our table is planning ways to make local impacts with partners in strategic parts of the state.

 

“The Power of Women” at CSW61

My name is Charlotte Mildenberger. I am a vicar from Germany and currently interning at the Lutheran Office for World Community at the UN (LOWC).

It was my first Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). CSW has been an amazing experience for me. It was so inspirational and moving to meet women from around the world and to listen to their stories and also to share experiences.

God wants justice in our world. Having the opportunity to be here at CSW and to advocate for what god wants is fantastic.

“The power of women works”, women who worked and believed in their work: continuing the legacy”.

When I return to Germany I will get my first congregation and start working as a pastor.

Rev. Dionne was asking me: Charlotte, you are about to become a pastor, what does it mean for you continuing the legacy. Now after CSW?

So I was reflecting on Rev. Dionnes question: After talking to women from around the world and learning about biblical women and their work, I feel inspired to take concrete actions. So how could these concrete actions look like?

First of all it means to listen back home to the stories of all women and girls. Also to share with them my experiences I made here at CSW. To inform them about the situation of women and girls around the world. It would be great to build possible partnerships worldwide.

I want to encourage women and girls in my congregation to take action. To take responsibility in their congregation and to stand up for their rights in their community. Also I think it is important to talk with people about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) because many people have never heard about them. And especially about SDG 5 – gender equality.

The biblical women have inspired me to follow my own path. To be sensitive for what god wants me to do in our world. How I can help others.

In Germany we currently have a lot of refugees. Many of them are women and children. An issue that is close to my heart is empowering refugee women and children through education and employment.

Congregations are important places also for education. When I go back to Germany I want to make sure that refugee women and children will have access to education in my congregation, for example language courses.

Now being here at the UN during CSW is of course a great opportunity to do advocacy – but it is also extremely important to continue the advocacy work back home at the grassroots level.

During our opening service we saw a play where the biblical women were gathering. They were sharing their stories. It was a very intense scene watching the women sharing their stories, supporting each other, building networks.

This is for me the final frame and also the first step to be able to take concrete actions and to continue the legacy – supporting each other and building networks – because only together we can make a difference!

“Reflection” at CSW61

Sophia Chung reflects on her time at the 61st Commission on the Status of Women. Sophia is originally from Kota Kinabulu, Malaysia, and is a member of the Basel Christian Church of Malaysia. She is a member of the ELCA’s International Women Leaders initiative and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina. 

I truly appreciated the opportunity to attend CSW in New York not only because it was a chance to expand my horizon, but also because it helped me to see more possibilities and responsibilities now and in future. Everything I experienced and learned throughout those five days is more than I could list down or express through words. I am thankful for all the meaningful conversations I had with people I met or with my teammates during meal times because they helped me developed my thoughts with much more depth. Through all these conversations, God reminds me of His plan for me, His promises, and His grace which never leaves me. Through the preparation for CSW, I learned how shallow my knowledge was, and I realized I had stayed in a comfort zone for such a long time. I thought that I knew what was going on in my country, but I realized I was unaware of a lot the issues going on there. I realized that my country women’s status in the family is the second worst in Southeast Asia, it has the second highest “discriminatory family code” in the region (meaning women’s status are undervalued), women have less than 10% political representation, marital rape is not considered a crime in my country, and the government has no plans to change it. Not only that, according to the WEF Global Gender Gap study in 2014 shows that my country has the worst gender gap in Southeast Asia, and perhaps a lot of this stems from the country’s view of women. I realized that things like marital rape and other major issues may not be happening in my community, all the aforementioned issues are happening in my country. So, this left me with the question: what can I do?

This trip has helped me reflect and start thinking what my church back home can do so that we can reach both indigenous and Muslim women and young girls. These are sensitive topics in a Muslim majority country because of the many legal restrictions and limitations enforced by the government. So, providing government funded education, expecting new government policy, or giving out resources are not likely to happen. Also, it isn’t efficient or a long-term solution for the church back in Malaysia to simply supply economic resources in cases where the government care for women might be lacking. It’s easier to say that I’m going to be a part of changing the status quo than to actually take steps to make it happen, but attending the conference has motivated me to start planning so that this is not just a unilateral resource assistance, but a two-sided cooperation and management, that ensures a healthy relationship between church and community that can last to the next generations. This is a never-ending-learning process, and I wish that I could have stayed a few more days to learn and absorb. But I think it is more valuable to begin implementing the knowledge I do have in my church and community, and to begin writing down a real plan and share it with my pastors and church leaders.

Lastly, I am reminded of a quote from Thomas King, “Don’t say in the years to come that you would have lived your life differently if only you had heard this story. You’ve heard it now.” We are each confronted by pressing issues within our culture and society, instead of simply turning a blind eye, we must each identify our role in shaping the future and the change we hope to see.

“God’s Someones” at CSW61

This is roughly the sermon preached by the Rev. Meredith Harber during the Lutheran-led worship for the 61st session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women Ecumenical Women’s worship on March 14, 2017. Since sermons are lived experiences where the Holy Spirit shows up in her glorious and gracious way, these words aren’t verbatim. This sermon is based on Esther 4:16.

When I was 22 years old, I worked for an elementary school. One of my kids from the school invited me to come have dinner with her family. While her mother was working in the kitchen to finish dinner, I sat with my student’s grandma. In our general introductions, grandma learned my name and then asked me if I had a husband. I generally use humor in these situations, so I said, “No, no. Husbands are a LOT of work and I don’t want to deal with that!” She laughed and agreed, but she persisted. “Why don’t you have a husband?” she asked, with concern painted across her face. I said, “Well, I’m young and I don’t want to rush into anything.” She said, “Yes, you’re young, but you’re fat. And no man is going to want a fat wife. And really, you’re not that young.”

This moment has stuck with me over the last eight years, because this moment captured a feeling that I and many other women experience on a regular basis. My identity was attached to a husband – or my lack of a husband – and to my age and to my weight and to any other outside factor. Anyone else ever have that experience of being reduced to labels and property, rather than to be seen for your whole personhood?

This morning, we heard a bit of the story from Esther, specifically Esther 4:16 that says, “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” If you haven’t spent time with Esther, I invite you to do so, because she is a fierce woman. This one verse may not seem like much, but this one verse is the turning point in Esther’s story from powerless to powerful.

See, Esther was as powerless as she could possibly be. She was born a girl, to parents who both died in her childhood, leaving her as an orphan. When her uncle, Mordechai, adopted her, she became a tool for him to accomplish his political goals. She was also prejudiced against for her religion and culture as a Jew. King Ahasuerus, the ruler of the land, put out a call for the prettiest virgins to come present themselves to be considered for the king’s harem. Mordechai sent Esther to be reviewed for her beauty and virginity, and she was eventually chosen. She was sent by a man to be chosen by a man to be a sex slave.

Esther was labeled as property by the men in her life. Girl, orphan, Jew, sex slave. She was as powerless as she could be.

But see, Esther wasn’t just someone’s ward or someone’s sex toy. Esther was someone. She worked her way up through the harem, building relationships with those in power, to become the queen of the whole land. She was always powerful, despite the labels placed on her that tried to tell the world – and Esther – that she was worthless.

She was God’s someone.

The beauty of Esther’s story is that while she had harsh words from those around her about who she was and was not, the ultimate word from our God is that we are God’s someone.

YOU, dear friends, are God’s someones.

YOU are powerful beyond belief.

YOU, whether you’re …
old
young
skinny
fat
unmarried
divorced
widowed
married to your husband or wife or partner
a mother
an auntie
a stepmother
painfully childless
happily childless

YOU, no matter your …
race
socio-economic status
religion or denomination
gender identity
assigned place in society

YOU, dear friends, are God’s someones. And YOU, as God’s someones, are powerful beyond belief. Thanks be to God. Amen.

“I Carry Her with Me” at CSW61

Jennifer Kirkby is a member of the ELCA Young Adult Cohort and Eben Ezer Lutheran Church in Oaks, Oklahoma. 

In preparing for the trip to the 61st U.N. Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW 61), some thoughts would keep coming to mind: How will what is learned from this experience influence my work? How can I share with my church and community? How can I share with the team I work with on a daily basis? In this extraordinary space, there are signs of God’s work all around us, and as I hear the stories, it will become more clear for not just myself but also for all those in attendance what they will be led to do after this experience.

My maternal grandma’s face keeps popping up in my head when I hear the words “care giver,” “care work,” “domestic” and “economic impact of women.” As my grandma aged and was looking at how she was going to support herself in her later years, she was told she did not work enough in her lifetime to receive any Social Security benefits. The amount of money that she received was dependent on her husband’s work and the fact that she was his caregiver. Her worth in dollars was tied to her marital status and caring for him; therefore, it was deemed that she could receive an income. I remember thinking, as a kid, how could they say she has not worked enough? My grandma was always busy, working and taking care of someone else’s needs. She raised seven kids and helped raise several grandchildren, myself included. The regular income she worked for in her lifetime was for cooking, cleaning and caretaking jobs for a local school, children’s home and local people. As kids, if we wanted extra money for special events, she was the first one to tell us we needed to work for it, and she would take us to pick strawberries, wild blackberries, wild onions and walnuts to sell. Many times my grandma did those same things for extra money for gas, food or personal-care needs. Other times when she would need money, she would make pies. I would go door to door and sell the pies.

Looking back, I would give anything to have those times again, to be able to say,  Grandma, you have worked too hard, let me care for you, tell me what you need. She was a strong, Cherokee woman. She was a fighter, and she had great faith. She had faith that her Lord and Savior would provide for her family. She had faith that she would be taken care of despite her struggles, and she had faith that these values would live on in her family.

Throughout my time here, I carry her with me; I carry her spirit and her dreams of independence. There are many stories like this and many more that have not been told. Thank you to ELCA World Hunger, The Lutheran World Federation, and Ecumenical Women for advocating for women to be recognized for their work and contributions. I am honored to be here with such phenomenal women who use their gifts selflessly to make the world a better place for women and children.

In Honor of Wynona J. Fields (pictured)

 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.  1 Peter 4:10

“Never give up” at CSW61

Marit Johnson is the current Lutheran Volunteer Corps member serving as the Assistant for the Justice for Women Program at the ELCA churchwide offices in Chicago.

A kaleidoscope of color is streaming in from the stained-glass windows of the Church Center of the United Nations. The warmth of this light fills the room and the hearts of those singing, “Bambelela! Bambelela! – Never give up! Never give up!”

“Bambelela” is a South African song that our delegation Lutheran World Federation chose to match our given chapel text from Esther. Esther never gave up in protecting and advocating for her people. At times, gender-justice work seems overwhelming. This year is the 61st session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. Sometimes it feels appropriate to ask, “How much progress has been made in these 61 years?”

In his opening remarks on the theme of women’s economic empowerment to the General Assembly, Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, “Empowerment is about breaking structural barriers.” He continued by saying, “Women’s rights are human rights and attacks on women are attacks on all of us.”

We are all part of the body of Christ. When we harm one member, we harm us all. Gender-justice work is a marathon. As we move forward, we remember those who came before us. We think of those who will come after us. And we think of all of those that we are held accountable to in this work, and we remember that we carry hope in Christ Jesus and his love for all.

Bambelela! Never give up. Amen.

Bambelela, Bambelela,

Oh, Bambelela, Bambelela
Bambe, Bambe, Bambe, Bambe, Bambe
Oh, Bambe, Bambelela

Never give up, Never give up,
Oh, Never give up, Never give up
Never, Never, Never, Never, Never
Oh, Never, Never give up

ELCA Advocacy response to presidential executive order on “Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth”

 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is committed to supporting policies that safeguard God’s creation, address the impacts of climate change on our most vulnerable brothers and sisters, and fulfill our moral obligation to future generations. Because of these commitments, ELCA Advocacy is deeply concerned about the White House’s executive action taken on March 28, 2017 to eradicate our nation’s progress in combating climate change. 

All children of God have a responsibility to be caretakers of our natural world and to preserve our ecosystems for future generations. In striving for climate justice, we understand that the burden of environmental degradation, pollution, and lack of access to resources falls disproportionately on marginalized communities. Therefore, we must cultivate and maintain a healthy and abundant planet that meets the needs of current and future generations.

The ELCA is mindful of the economic challenges faced as individuals and communities transition from employment based on fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Any action taken to address climate change must also ensure sufficient and sustainable livelihood for all people.

We call upon the Administration to re-examine its actions under this executive order and to proceed with extreme caution. We also call upon the Administration to remain true to its stated commitment of protecting the environment and to base all actions on principles of stewardship, sustainability, and justice.

For more information on ELCA Advocacy’s commitment to caring for God’s creation, visit ELCA.org/advocacy.

What’s at Stake: The Importance of U.S. Support for the United Nations

By Lia Hansen, Program Associate at the Lutheran Office for World Community

To say that the United States plays a pivotal role in the work of the United Nations is an understatement. Since the formation of the United Nations, the United States has been instrumental in its conception, creation, and funding. The United States’ financial commitment has fluctuated. Many bills have been introduced in the U.S. Congress to decrease U.S. funding commitments since 1945. As an example, a 2005 UN Reform Act[1] passed in Congress called for a switch from UN Charter-based assessed dues plus voluntary contributions to a fully voluntary funding model, withholding dues until certain reforms were met. Although this act was never implemented, a strong desire exists in many sectors of U.S. society for decreased involvement in the United Nations continues to exist.

President Trump’s administration has capitalized upon and furthered an anti-UN stance. The new administration submitted two draft executive orders to the National Security Council that were withheld from approval pending further review by the State Department. The draft orders called for at least 40% overall decrease[2] in U.S. voluntary contributions. This would be difficult to implement immediately, but new administration’s goal to seriously diminish U.S. involvement in UN programs is clear.

As people of faith who do advocacy on behalf of and within the Lutheran church, we believe that justice is what God’s love and our love for our neighbors looks like in public. As such, it is alarming to think that many of the UN programs aimed at helping the world’s most vulnerable could be diminished or eliminated.

While the U.S. pays the maximum rate in dues to the UN by Member States (22% for regular operations and 28% for peacekeeping), this only encompasses about 0.1% of the total federal budget. Moreover, the U.S. derives economic benefits from continual engagement with the U.N.; for every $1 invested in the UN secretariat, the U.S. receives over $1.60 in return in economic activity in New York[3].

The Better World Campaign estimates that United States’ contributions to the U.N. directly provide vaccinations for 40% of children worldwide, assists 65 million refugees, funds 120,000 peacekeepers, fights poverty for 420 million rural poor, and has saved the lives of 30 million women through the promotion of maternal health.  Among all these initiatives, I will outline the contributions made and programs delivered by three critical agencies: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the World Food Program (WFP) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East was established in 1949, following the Arab-Israeli conflict, to provide relief and works programs to Palestinian refugees. UNRWA’s services range from education, health care, relief and social services, and emergency assistance; it has assisted generations of Palestinian people since its foundation. Lutheran World Federation has worked in partnership with UNRWA since 1949 to provide healthcare for many Palestinians in Jerusalem[4]. In the year of its founding, UNRWA responded to the needs of 750,000 refugees. Its operations have grown exponentially, now serving 5 million eligible refugees.

The United States plays a pivotal role in the provision of these services. In 2015, the U.S. donated $380,593,116, around 30% of the total budget[5]. As the biggest voluntary contributor, a potential reduction of 40% would be disastrous.

Not only would a U.S. funding cut impact the lives of millions of Palestinian refugees, but would also result in threats to livelihoods and create social disruption and insecurity in the societies of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria which host them, fueling major political and economic instability in the region.

World Food Program (WFP)

The World Food Program was founded in 1961 as part of the UN system. It currently assists 80 million people in more than 80 countries each year. It is the leading international organization fighting hunger. In a world where one in nine people worldwide don’t have enough to eat, the WFP food assistance services are essential. The WFP will be instrumental in reaching the Sustainable Development Goal #2 of zero hunger.

The WFP is funded entirely by voluntary donations. Out of its $5.9 billion budget in 2016, the U.S. funded around a third ($2 billion) of its total budget. In addition, the U.S. has funded special programs in emergencies, such as providing an additional $125 million in 2014 for the Syrian crisis[6].

The WFP recently declared famine in several regions of South Sudan, with 100,000 lives threatened in addition to the 5 million South Sudanese facing severe food insecurity. Food insecurity has increased in the region due to many factors that contribute to inadequate access and delivery. Climate change phenomena affecting the Horn of Africa has led to major droughts in Somalia. This combined with other factors has led to a major food crisis in East Africa, potentially affecting around 3 million people, with increased risk for famine. The WFP is instrumental in mitigating these and countless others protracted food insecure situations worldwide. Action must be taken, and a major U.S. withdrawal is likely to result in countless lives lost.

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Since its formation in 1950 the UNHCR has served and protected approximately 50 million refugees. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is the leading international organization aiding and protecting refugees worldwide, providing food, shelter, and medical services in over 126 countries[7]. The Lutheran World Federation is a historic and active partner, the fifth largest, aiding 1.4 million refugees in 2012. In addition to operations in Jordan, Mauritania, Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Nepal, the LWF closely collaborates with UNHCR in South Sudan[8]. Around 1.5 million people have fled to camps in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda, in addition to the 1.5 million internally displaced people within South Sudan[9]. The UNHCR’s work is critical in aiding and protecting these refugees.

The United States plays a critical role in this work, providing 21% (1.5 billion) of the UNHCR’s $7 billion budget. The shift in the U.S. President’s administration towards one that disparages the lives of refugees, in addition to the proposed UN budget cuts, seriously threatens the lives of the millions dependent on UNHCR’s protection and services.

This is not only a fiscal issue; it is a moral issue. Through the strong in our commitment to the values and programs represented by and carried out through the United Nations, and advocate for renewed U.S. financial commitment as vital to ensuring human rights and dignity for all.

Conclusion
At 22% of the general UN budget, and 28% of peacekeeping operation costs, the U.S. provides invaluable support to U.N. programs worldwide. Decreasing funding by the proposed 40% will inevitably forfeit United States’ leadership at the UN, and threaten critical programs worldwide. The ELCA recently signed on to a letter addressed to congressional leadership strongly urging congress to renew its commitment to and leadership in the United Nations.

This is not only a fiscal issue; it is a moral issue. Through the strong in our commitment to the values and programs represented by and carried out through the United Nations, and advocate for renewed U.S. financial commitment as vital to ensuring human rights and dignity for all.

[1] https://betterworldcampaign.org/us-un-partnership/importance-of-funding-the-un/why-congress-must-oppose-efforts-to-cut-funding-to-the-united-nations/

[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/28/world/americas/trump-un-funding-order.html?_r=0

[3] https://betterworldcampaign.org/us-un-partnership/importance-of-funding-the-un/un-budget-process/

[4] https://jerusalem.lutheranworld.org/content/history-91

[5] https://www.unrwa.org/sites/default/files/2015_donors_ranking_overall.pdf

[6] https://www.wfp.org/funding/year/2016

[7] http://www.unrefugees.org/about-us/

[8] https://www.lutheranworld.org/content/un-agencies

[9] https://www.lutheranworld.org/content/emergency-south-sudan-conflict

March Advocacy Update

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

ELCA Advocacy Office, Washington, D.C.

The Rev. Amy Reumann, director

ELCA.org/advocacy

ADVOCACY LENT DEVOTIONALS: This Lent we offer two advocacy resources:

ELCA World Hunger’s “40 Days of Giving” Lent devotional. focuses on the connections between faith and economic justice as we follow Christ’s journey to the cross. A number of pages highlight some of the work of our State Public Policy Offices with suggestions for advocacyactions.

The ELCA AMMPARO initiative released the “I Was A Stranger” challenge to focus on meeting people who have been displaced with the heart and love of God throughout Lent.

MIGRATION EXECUTIVE ORDERS: President Trump signed executive orders late January that cripple the asylum process, increase the detention of migrants, and expands border enforcement. Unaccompanied children and families currently arriving or who have arrived from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala will be among those most severely impacted by the executive orders. The policy changes encouraged by the Administration will strip children and families of critical protections, allowing them to be quickly pushed through detention facilities through an expedited removal process, and quickly deported without due process rights.

Some policy changes in the executive orders will need a Congressionally approved increase in funding to be implemented effectively. ELCA Advocacy has begun educating Members of Congress about the impact of policies included in the memorandum and asking that funding for programs to help the most vulnerable are not cut to implement inhumane and impractical immigration policies.

FEDERAL BUDGET UPDATE: The Trump Administration announced plans to boost military spending late February, and is expected to do so at the cost of deep cuts into the EPA and other annual domestic programs. Non-defense programs address several critical issues that ELCA Advocacy prioritizes, including foreign aid, addressing homelessness, providing education and veterans’ services, suicide prevention, and many others.

Faith and poverty advocates continue urging Congress to reauthorize a budget deal to prevent harsh cuts for people in the greatest need. As Congressional leaders move to respond to the release of the Administration’s proposal, ELCA Advocacy will conduct outreach to protect anti-poverty programs. An action alert urging Congress to maintain funding for affordable housing and homeless programs in the federal budget is live on the ELCA Action Center.

INTERNATIONAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT: A bipartisan group of senators is working to re-introduce the International Violence Against Women Act this March. Passing this important legislation continues to be a priority for ELCA Advocacy. In 2012, the Obama administration released a government-wide strategy to address the issue of gender-based violence around the world, and to make it a priority of U.S. foreign policy. The International Violence Against Women Act seeks to congressionally authorize this strategy.

METHANE WASTE STANDARDS: The new Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Methane Rule that was adopted last November has updated working standards and technologies for oil and gas companies on public land—helping better control methane pollution (a potent greenhouse gas). During the public comment period that led to the implementation of the Methane Rule, Lutherans across the country testified at public hearings in favor of the policy in 2015—citing health, community, moral and environmental concerns. But now, in the 115th Congress, lawmakers have prepared a bill that would overturn the methane rule. The methane repeal measure passed the House of Representatives in early February, and now makes its way to the Senate. ELCA Advocacy shared an action alert in support of the BLM Methane Rule, which now makes its way for a final vote in the Senate.

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

Dennis Frado, director

BREASTFEEDING ADVOCACY: The NYC Breastfeeding Leadership Council, Inc. held its Annual Breastfeeding Forum on February 17 at the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center. The forum brought together more than 150 representatives of local organizations involved in breastfeeding promotion. Delegates learned how to advocate, how New York won the nation’s strongest paid family leave law, Birth Equity in NYC and what is at risk for policies concerning breastfeeding in the 115th Congress. Presenters were Theresa Landau, MS, RDN,CDN Chairperson; Susan Vierczhalek, MD,IBCLC,FAAP Vice Chairperson; Kathleen Carpenter, MS,RDN,CDN,IBCLC Treasurer; Eric Williams, Paid Family Leave Coalition; Molly Weston Williamson, Attorney, A Better Balance; Sharon Marshall Taylor, NYCDOHMH and Susannah Pasquantonio, Legislative Aide to State Senator Liz Krueger. LOWC’s Christine Mangale gave the keynote speech (See photos).

FIFTEENTH COORDINATION MEETING ON INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION: On February 16 and 17, LOWC took part in the 15th annual coordination meeting on international migration at the UN headquarters, organized by the Population Division of the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The meeting focused on the progress made in the implementation of migration-related SDG targets, while discussing the preparation for the 2018 global compact for safe, orderly, and regular migration. The event was divided into six panels, including “The Roadmap for Implementing the New York Declaration”, “Implementing the migration-related commitments of the 2030 Agenda”, and “The global compact on migration: Regional and human rights dimensions”. (See photo right)

RESPONDING TO MIGRATION CHALLENGES FROM THE ECONOMIC ASPEC: On the margins of the Fifteenth Coordination Meeting on International Migration, a side-event “Responding to migration challenges from the economic aspect” was held at UN headquarters on February 17. Many individuals and families migrate from rural areas for economic reasons as they see migration as the most viable option for moving out of poverty within their own communities. Conflict, extreme weather events and political instability are also among the root causes of migration. Migration is part of the process of development. Migration should be a choice not a necessity. International cooperation should address the structural drivers of large movements of people and create conditions that allow communities to live in peace and prosperity in their homelands. Investing in sustainable rural development, climate change adaptation and resilient rural livelihoods are important parts of the global response to current migration challenges.

FIFTEEN CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS CALL FOR PEACE, JUSTICE, AND EQUALITY IN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: The ELCA joined 14 other Christian organizations in sending a briefing paper to all members of Congress and to the Trump Administration on February 15 calling for U.S. policies that promote peace, justice, and equality between Israelis and Palestinians.

California

Mark Carlson, Lutheran Office of Public Policy

loppca.org

BILL INTRODUCTIONS: February 19 was the deadline for bill introductions, and the next step in the legislative process is committee hearings over the next number of weeks. There are many bills addressing LOPP-CA subject priorities, including immigration, health, climate change/environmental justice, and housing. We are supporting a new version of The Disclose Act, which failed to reach the required 2/3 majority by one vote last session. It would improve the health of democracy by requiring more timely and visible reporting of contributions to support or oppose ballot measures.

EVENTS: LOPP-CA co-sponsored the Green California Summit, and participants were motivated in call-and-response style by our luncheon speaker, civil rights and environmental justice leader Dolores Huerta. LOPP-CA also co-sponsored the annual Day of Remembrance and Unity Candlelighting Ceremony to mark the 75th Anniversary of Executive Order 9066. Director Mark Carlson was blessed to spend a few moments with a 100-year-old honoree who was able to return to his farm and community, thanks to the care of neighbors during his family’s incarceration while he served in the Army (see photo left).

UPCOMING: March brings a small group of PLTS seminarians to the Capitol, who are focusing on LOPP-CA as an ELCA World Hunger grantee as part of Dr. Cynthia Moe-Lobeda’s Public Ministry Class. The annual conference of the California Budget and Policy Center is also taking place. The UC Sacramento Center continues its series of informative events with a lecture on the long reach of child nutrition programs.

Colorado

Peter Severson, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry–Colorado

Lam-co.org

FAITH ADVOCACY DAY: Nearly 100 advocates joined together for Colorado Faith Advocacy Day on February 11. Keynote speaker Rev. Amy Reumann, Rocky Mountain Synod Bishop Jim Gonia, and others put enlivening words to the theme “Luther at 500: Reclaiming Protest for Today’s Public Church.” Participants concluded the day by writing their commitments to action and advocacy on pieces of paper and nailing them to a door, painted to resemble the Wittenberg Castle door on which Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses. (Top-right: Colorado Faith Advocacy Day participants)

LEGISLATIVE SESSION: The Colorado General Assembly is approximately one-third of the way through its 2017 session. LAM-CO is currently advocating for bills that would extend the child care expenses income tax credit (HB 1002) and continue low-income household energy assistance (HB 1116). We are opposing a bill that would repeal the state’s health care insurance exchange (SB 003).

Bills we have supported that have already been defeated: HJR 1013 to oppose the executive order on refugee resettlement, SB 22 to support rural economic development, and SB 95 to repeal Colorado’s death penalty.

New Mexico

Ruth Hoffman, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry–New Mexico

Lutheranadvocacynm.org

LUTHERANS AND ADVOCACY PARTNERS GATHER: About 175 advocates, including members of ELCA congregations and their ecumenical and interfaith advocacy partners, attended the 2017 LAM-NM Bishop’s Legislative Luncheon as well as the annual issues briefing in the morning prior to the luncheon. Bishop Gonia spoke to the gathering about “Prophetic Love.” Archbishop John Wester from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe brought greetings at the beginning of the luncheon that was also attended by a dozen legislators. In the afternoon, Bishop Gonia accompanied the group of advocates who visited the capitol.

Pastor Anne Morwaski received the Haaland Advocacy Award presented by LAM-NM Policy Committee Chair, Judy Messal (See picture on left). Senator Howie Morales from Silver City received the LAM-NM Legislator of the Year Award (See picture right).

Ohio

Nick Bates, The Hunger Network

hungernetohio.com

FAITH LEADERS CONTINUE TO GATHER IN COLUMBUS to discuss our vision for a more just community. Jewish, Christian, Muslim and other traditions gather once a month for breakfast to discuss the prevalence of anti-immigrant and anti-Islamic rhetoric, racial injustice, policing issues, and how the faith community can respond in a meaningful way. In order to foster more diversity and community, the breakfasts rotate location in order to allow all of us the grace of receiving hospitality from one another. Breakfasts have been hosted by historically white and historically black congregations and the above photo was taken at Congregation Tifereth Israel – a Jewish Synagogue on the East side of Columbus. (See picture right)

BUDGETS ARE MORAL DOCUMENTS. The budget proposed by Governor Kasich doesn’t expand dollars for food banks or for the Ohio Housing Trust Fund. It also does very little to address to the opiate overdose rate in Ohio. The budget will be in the Ohio House until April. And we need your voice this Lenten Season!

On March 9th, people of faith will gather at the Ohio Statehouse to advocate on issues of hunger, housing and healthcare. Come and join us! You can register at www.hungernetohio.org/advocacy-day. Not able to make the advocacy day of action? Contact Hunger Network at Nick@HungerNetOhio.org and we can help set up an in-district meeting between you and your Representative.

Pennsylvania

Tracey DePasquale, Lutheran Advocacy–Pennsylvania

Lutheranadvocacypa.org

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania applauded the inclusion of an additional $2 million for school breakfast in an otherwise austere budget proposal put forth by Gov. Tom Wolf at the start of the month. LAMPa has been championing school breakfast expansion for several years. The governor’s plan, which includes level funding for other nutrition programs, confronts an estimated $3 billion deficit. LAMPa also supports proposed increases in funding for early childhood education, public school funding, and efforts to address both clean water and climate change.

LAMPa director Tracey DePasquale has been working with increasing numbers of individuals and congregations looking to become engaged in advocacy in response to turmoil in public life. Many are wrestling with how to strive for justice when even our faith communities are so politically divided. On Feb. 27, Tracey attended an interfaith event hosted by Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod titled “Coming Together: Supporting, Organizing and Pastoring to Our Members (and one another) in This new Political Landscape.” The event offered much that could be shared throughout the church. At the conclusion of the event, nearly 200 faith leaders held a news conference at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, condemning the weekend’s desecration of hundreds of graves at a Jewish cemetery in the city and committing to continue working toward peace and unity. (See picture right)

LAMPa is coordinating Ashes to Go at the capitol, the second year for the offering with the Lower Susquehanna Synod, the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Council of Churches.

Southeastern Synod

Hilton Austin

ANNUAL ADVOCACY GATHERING – “OPEN OUR EYES, LORD”:

On February 11, we gathered at St John’s Lutheran in Atlanta Georgia. Our Devotion was done by Patti Austin, National President of Women of the ELCA; it was based on Isaiah 58:6-12. The morning session was loaded with powerful speakers. Hilton Austin welcomed everyone and spoke briefly about the inter-connectedness of social issues and how each of them contribute to hunger and poverty and our new roll-out of congregational advocacy. Bishop Julian Gordy spoke briefly about the importance and significance of the church’s voice in the public arena. Roxann Thompson, interim chair of the SES Policy Council, told her story as an immigrant and encouraged congregations to become AMMPARO Welcoming Congregations (See picture). Angela Saxton, lead organizer for A.B.L.E. (Atlantans Buliding Leadership for Empowerment), spoke to the group about her experience as a black woman and the need for bringing people together for ‘sacred conversations.’ Our Keynote speaker was Sherry Boston, Dekalb County District Attorney; Sherry spoke on Criminal Justice reform and the inter-connectedness between education and the criminal justice system.

After lunch, attendees had the opportunity to choose 2 of 4 workshops; workshop presenters were: Melanie Johnson, Program Director Lutheran Services of Georgia – Immigration and Refugee Resettlement (See picture below left)

Mary Campbell, SES Green TEAM – Caring for Creation, Graham Younger, Faith in Public Life – How to write an Op-ed and current hot topics, Rev Ronald Bonner, Asst. to the Bishop, Criminal Justice Reform.

All of our ready benches continue to monitor what is happening in the state legislatures, as well as attending various Lobby Days. Several congregations have shown interest in building congregational advocacy teams; these folks are looking for guidance in this new ministry. With the help of our Policy Council, synod staff, and the Washington office, we look forward to furnishing them with an advocacy manual and developing a network of communication between congregational teams.

Texas

Samuel Brannon, Texas Impact

Texasimpact.org

Lutherans from around the state gathered at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas from February 12-14 for the third annual Lutheran Legislative Event. The gathering was cosponsored by Texas Impact, the Southwestern Texas Poverty and Justice Taskforce, and the by all measures, it was a smashing success. Attendance was up from previous years and enthusiasm for legislative engagement was demonstrably ardent.

The event’s two-day training portion included key note speaker Reverend Alexia Salvatierra, justice advocate and author Pastor Salvatierra guided attendees into a grace filled model of legislative advocacy. In drawing a distinct differentiation between faith-based advocacy and other models, she led participants into gentle but assertive Biblical best-practices that have borne fruit by tested advocacy experience.

Participants were also treated to a fact laden panel discussion on pay day lending led by Rev Amy Reumann, Director of the ELCA Public Advocacy Office in Washington D.C. and Rick Ertel of the SWT Poverty and Justice Task Force. Other speakers focused on the environment, immigration, refugees, children’s health coverage, and religious freedom.

After two days of instruction and prayerful discernment, Bishops Eric Gronberg and Ray Tiemann led a spirited caucusing exercise. The resulting legislative agenda ranged from stewardship of communities and creation, to child welfare and justice for the incarcerated. Everyone spent the third full day in the state Capitol building lobbying legislators and staff (See picture right). Many participants developed new connections and/or strengthened current relationships with their legislators.

Virginia

Kim Bobo, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy

virginiainterfaithcenter.org

Virginia’s General Assembly 2017 session ended on Saturday, Feb. 25, and the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy was able to celebrate several successes:

  • stopped the cutting of TANF benefits for low-income families.Proposals would have reduced from 24 to 12 months the length of time a family could receive public assistance. This was a mean-spirited bill and we stopped it on the floor.
  • supported expanding mental health and substance abuse services in Virginia. We joined partner organizations in expanding resources in the state for mental health and substance abuse services.
  • helped restore driver’s licenses to those who owe court fines and feesby leading the advocacy for ended the state’s practice of suspending driver’s licenses to those persons.
  • opposed and helped stop some of the worst of the anti-immigrant and anti-refugee bills. We were a vocal presence against these bills and in favor of making Virginia a more welcoming place. At a press event,VICPP volunteers called on Governor Terry McAuliffe to veto all the anti-immigrant bills that emerged from the session. … VICPP is partnering with the Sacred Heart Center on two Worker Clinics for the Richmond area. These sessions — March 1 and March 15 – will provide a safe space for workers to learn more about their rights and ask questions. Lawyers will be present for consultation, and both English and Spanish speaking volunteers will be available to help.

Washington

Paul Benz, Faith Acton Network

fanwa.org

INTERFAITH ADVOCACY DAY: On February 9, over 400 advocates of all faiths came to the State Capitol to learn about FAN’s issues in workshops, gather in caucus meetings by legislative district (people from 37 of our 49 districts came), hear from interfaith speakers and elected officials, and attend a total of 121 meetings with legislators or their staff. (See picture below left)

KEY LEGISLATIVE BILLS: FAN’s main bills are about the use of deadly force by law enforcement, and legislation called “Breakfast After the Bell.” Washington’s statute on deadly force i the most egregious in our country because a prosecutor has to prove the officer acted with malice. Those bills are stalled right now because of law enforcement opposition to changes in language, as well as a lack of political will. Requiring all school districts to allow student access to ‘breakfast after the bell’ will probably once again not reach the Governor’s desk because Senate Republicans emphasize parent responsibility over school mandates.

 

RESPONSES TO EXECUTIVE ORDERS: FAN has been busy responding to recent Trump executive orders, especially the travel ban and immigration orders. FAN has engaged by having a press conference in the capitol on Interfaith Advocacy Day, supporting numerous grassroots events, supporting immigrant protection legislation, and issuing statements to affirm our immigrant neighbors. See our two statements on our website here and here. (See picture below of Interfaith leaders at a press conference at the State Capitol to support legislation that protects Muslims from a possible religious registry) 

CONGRESSIONAL RECESS EFFORTS: FAN is participating in a statewide coalition regarding concerns about repealing the Affordable Care Act by meeting with some Members of Congress and their staff. We are also encouraging and coordinating our advocates to set meetings with their MOC during one of the upcoming recesses.

Wisconsin

Cindy Crane, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin

2017-19 STATE BUDGET: This budget draft is not as austere as the last on. We are pleased that funding for anti-sex trafficking is proposed to remain in the budget and would increase the second year. Part of the funding would expand the LSS-operated facility for trafficked girls in rural Wisconsin. LOPPW is thankful for the bishops signing a letter about anti-sex trafficking to the governor in November 2016.

We have serious concerns about the budget and expected bills in relationship to some public benefits:

  • New pilot program requiring FoodShare (Wisconsin’s SNAP) recipients who have children to work 80 hours per month for benefits.
  • Eliminating FoodShare eligibility for parents not in compliance with child support.
  • Denying FoodShare benefits for anyone not elderly, blind, or disabled whose household has over $25,000 in liquid assets. The paperwork required to prove eligibility is daunting. Pennsylvania stopped their asset test after 111,000 households were denied benefits because they had trouble producing all of the required documentation.
  • Drug testing and limiting the types of food someone can purchase via FoodShare will likely emerge again.

ADVOCACY DAY: People of Faith United for Justice organizes advocacy day every two years, during budget years. Brochure for the April 4th event:

CARE FOR GOD’S CREATION: LOPPW’s director and two volunteers will join groups from the Wisconsin Climate Table to meet with the Dane County supervisor about the county using more renewable energy. Our table is planning ways to make local impacts with partners in strategic parts of the state.