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Connecting Mental Health and Hunger

Leah Shelton, ELCA Advocacy

One in five  children in the United States experience a mental disorder each year. That’s nearly 16 million children every year. Mental disorders can be extremely debilitating, leading to isolation, self-harm, and a life-long stigma of weakness and danger. These effects, if not treated in childhood, can affect the child’s entire life.

With that statistic in mind, now consider that only 20% of childhood mental disorders are treated. This is the 20-20 effect: 20% of children have a mental disorder and 20% are treated. Treatment exists for such a small number for many reasons, including a scarcity of pediatric and adolescent psychiatrists and the cost of treatment. Childhood mental health awareness and treatment in the United States is detrimentally dismal.

We have a problem.

What is causing mental illness in children? There is an innumerable set of influences, but among the many risk factors is poverty. Recent evidence points specifically to poor nutrition. While there is not yet evidence of a causal relationship (lack of/poor nutrition causing mental disorders), it is evident that there is a definite relationship between child nutrition and mental health. The grips of poverty force families to go hungry, and without proper nutrition children may have an increased risk of developing a mental disorder or worsening a pre-existing one.

Childhood nutrition in the U.S. is as bleak as mental illness: 1 in 5 children in the U.S. do not know where their next meal will come from. Approximately 16 million U.S. children are food-insecure.  Although I have never experienced the kind of anxiety that comes from searching for food, during my time interning at the ELCA’s Advocacy Office in Washington D.C., I’ve witnessed advocates from across the country telling their members of Congress stories about the constant anxiety they and their friends suffer because of food insecurity. Their stories opened my eyes to both the desperation of hunger and the vital role that public policy must play to keep them from starvation.

The federally funded National School Lunch Program makes possible school breakfasts and lunches, which these children depend on as a consistently reliable source of nutrition. While it may appear as if these hungry children will receive at least one meal a day for the rest of their school years, Congress has the power to change this, for better or worse. The National School Lunch Program and other programs, such as The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), are set to expire at the end of September. ELCA Advocacy is calling upon Congress to reauthorize  these programs in order to continue providing nutrition for low-income families and children. So far, Congress has not reauthorized these programs, leaving 16 million children with food-insecurity.

By defunding programs such as the National School Lunch program, Congress is essentially sweeping the carpet out from under the feet of these children and telling them that their lives are not worth the $16 billion school breakfasts and lunch cost, combined. Even in terms of money, compared to the $247 billion childhood mental healthcare costs each year, funding nutrition programs is much more fiscally feasible and responsible. Even if the programs are reauthorized, special interest groups are lobbying Congress to neutralize federal nutrition standards for these programs. Students, some of whom find school lunch to be their only meal of the day, could find lower health standards in their food and continue this long term problem.

Why would Congress remove a program which is so closely linked to a risk factor for mental illness when the rates for both child nutrition and mental illness are oppressive? This  would be detrimental, not only for children like the ones I met, but also for the federal budget. It is moral, fiscal, rational, and imperative that Congress fund child nutrition programs.

ELCA Advocacy has long supported child nutrition programs and intervening in the cycle of hunger and poverty which mental illness is so frighteningly connected to. As Lutherans, we must raise our voices to this injustice and ask Congress to stand by Matthew 23:35: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” By doing this, we stand by our challenge to ourselves to “become good stewards of … physical and mental health by attending to preventive care, personal health habits, diet, exercise, and recreation” (ELCA Health Care Statement).

*Check out  how Lutherans are getting involved in healthcare initiatives at Lutheran Services in America.

**For more information on other public policy initiatives for preventing common mental disorders click here.

ELCA Advocacy Update- August 2015

ELCA Advocacy

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

​​​Washington, D.C.

Mary Minette,

Interim Director of Advocacy

www.elca.org/advocacy

 

LOGUMEPA CLEAN POWER PLAN ANNOUNCED: This week, President Obama unveiled details about a new EPA Clean Power Plan. The plan will work with states and industries to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and help combat climate change. Following the release of the rule, ELCA Advocacy’s new interim director, Mary Minette, released the following statement applauding the announcement:

“Reducing carbon emissions from power plants must be a top priority for the U.S. and the world if we hope to prevent the worst impacts of climate change and protect communities around the world.

The rule released today by the Environmental Protection Agency is a critical step in reaching that goal. It provides individual states the flexibility to implement the rule in ways that make the most sense for their economies and power needs while still reducing overall emissions and demonstrating our country’s leadership in combating climate change.

Climate change is already affecting all of us. Most importantly, it will cause countless problems for our children, our grandchildren, and our most vulnerable neighbors if we fail to take bold action now to curb its worst impacts. We have a moral obligation to leave our children a healthy and safe world, and to care for our neighbors. The rule released today is an important step on the path to meeting that obligation.” 

youthADVOCACY AT THE ELCA YOUTH GATHERING: ELCA Advocacy joined with ELCA Young Adult Ministry for engagement and action at the ELCA Youth Gathering this July in Detroit. Youth took action in support of Child Nutrition reauthorization, called on the United States to lead in addressing climate change, and learned about how to continue connecting with the ELCA as young adults. We are excited to build our partnership with ELCA Young Adult Ministry by supporting efforts to foster connections and engage on important issues in our communities. Watch for important social media conversations by following @elcayoungadults and #elcayoungjustice!.

RESTORING RELATIONS WITH CUBA: On July 23, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved three amendments on Cuba. The first amendment lifts the travel ban to Cuba for one year. The second amendment repeals the costly and outdated requirement that any ship entering Cuban ports shall not load/unload cargo anywhere in the United States within 180 days without a license from the secretary of the treasury. Lastly, the committee voted to allow the private sector to provide financial services to Americans for sales of permitted agricultural goods to Cuba. While these amendments have yet to pass the full Senate, it is indicative of the growing bipartisan consensus in Congress and around the country for our government to normalize relations with Cuba. Through advocacy and high-level dialogue, the ELCA continues to support all efforts to fully restore relations with Cuba.

childCHILD NUTRITION REAUTHORIZATION: The Senate Finance committee will consider child nutrition program legislation starting Thursday, Sept. 17. This legislation will determine the continuation of cost-effective federal programs that are critical to the wellbeing of children in schools across the nation. Take action today to support these programs at the Advocacy Action center. NOTE: For advocates who collected and shared ELCA child nutrition postcards on this issue, please send in all signed postcards to the ELCA Advocacy office as soon as possible! (Mail to: 122 C Street NW, Suite 125, Washington, D.C. 20001).

U.S. MIGRATION:  In late July, Judge Dolly Gee ruled that the U.S. government must stop detaining families because it violates a 1997 agreement that upholds the best interest of children. The U.S. government has until the week of Aug. 10 to appeal the decision. However, in a move signaling their willingness to appeal, the Department of Justice has already asked the judge to reconsider her decision. The faith community has stood together asking the administration to release families as soon as possible and not appeal the decision.

CENTRAL AMERICA/MEXICO: The Senate released their version last month of the funding bill that would address migration from Central America. Their version focuses on addressing poverty, violence and corruption. This stands in contrast to the House version, which incentivizes stopping children and families at all costs by releasing funding only if Central American and Mexican governments increase border security and stop migrants. Although neither bill is expected to be approved, the ELCA is advocating for the continuous resolution, which keeps funding levels the same as the previous fiscal year, to contain the provisions in the Senate version of the bill.

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New York, NY

Dennis Frado​, Lutheran Office for World Community

lwfTRAINING WORKSHOP ON ADVOCACY FOR FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON WOMEN’S HUMAN RIGHTS: The Lutheran World Federation Women in Church and Society program organized a training workshop from July 6 to July 11 in Geneva on women’s human rights advocacy.  It was held jointly with the World Council of Churches, Finn Church Aid, the ACT (Action by Churches Together) Alliance, and the World YWCA. The  workshop’s aim was to help participants from member churches or other faith-based organizations to better understand and use U.N. mechanisms and treaties, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Universal Periodic Review, and the U.N.  Commission on the Status of Women to advance gender quality. Submitting “shadow” reports is one of the avenues faith-based organizations can report on human rights situations in the countries being reviewed. The Lutheran Office for World Community’s Christine Mangale presented and moderated a workshop that explored the linkages between Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Universal Periodic Review and the proposed U.N. Post-2015 Development Agenda, including the proposed Sustainable Development Goals.

LUTHERAN WORLD FEDERATION GENERAL SECRETARY VISITS LOWC: In early July, the general secretary of The Lutheran World Federation, the Rev. Dr. Martin Junge, visited the Lutheran Office for World Community.  The primary purpose of his visit was to attend a donor-faith-based organizations-U.N.  consultation and reflect together in depth on three areas: governance and democratization, peace and security, and gender equality and women’s empowerment. They will be included in the Post-2015 Development Agenda. While in New York, he also visited the offices of U.N. Women, UNICEF, the U.N. Development Program, and the U.N. Population Fund to discuss possible future areas of collaboration. LOWC staff accompanied him to all of the meetings.

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California

Mark Carlson

Lutheran Office of Public Policy

www.loppca.org​

 

STATE LEGISLATURE: The California Legislature is on summer recess until Aug. 17, when it will reconvene for three weeks of final activity for the year. Before recess, LOPP-CA expressed support in the Assembly Human Services Committee for a bill, SB 23, to repeal the Maximum Family Grant rule that prohibits additional cash assistance for a new pregnancy and birth in a family already enrolled in CalWORKS/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, except for reported rape and incest, or specified, medically documented contraceptive failure. Ending this harsh, “thin the soup” policy based on demeaning stereotypes, which contributes to one-quarter of California’s children living in poverty, is a high priority for women’s advocates.  A coalition is planning a “Stronger Together” action day at the Capitol on Aug. 26.

CA1Director Mark Carlson’s activities included a half-day briefing by the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (focus on health access for undocumented immigrants); attendance at the funeral of the Rev.  Richard Bowley, a leader in justice and anti-racism ministry; anti-racism training offered by Faith Lutheran, Meadow Vista, and Bethlehem Lutheran, Auburn; panelist at a forum on police-community relations at Our Redeemer, Sacramento; and hosting a Day at the Capitol for participants in the Lutheran Episcopal Volunteer Network, sponsored by Lutheran Episcopal Campus Ministry at UC Davis (see photo with legislative director for Senate majority leader).  A highlight was viewing a Senate hallway press conference by about eight senators who condemned the anti-immigrant rhetoric of Donald Trump.

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Colorado

Peter Severson, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – Colorado 

www.lam-co.org

Co2ELCA YOUTH GATHERING: Director Peter Severson was present at the Youth Gathering in Detroit to raise the profile of advocacy, partnering with ELCA Young Adult Ministry and ELCA World Hunger to create action stations in the Interaction Center. The advocacy offices in Colorado, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., were represented. Hundreds of youth and group leaders filled out child nutrition postcards for members of Congress and signed the Interfaith Climate Petition, and even Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton came to visit us!

You can see more pictures and updates from the Youth Gathering by searching for #RiseUpELCA and #ELCAYoungJustice on Twitter and Facebook. Follow us @LutheranAdvoCO and like us on facebook.com/LutheranAdvocacyCO to hear more about what we’re up to.

CHILD NUTRITION: LAM-CO has been deeply involved in raising the profile of child nutrition issues in Colorado this summer. As Congress looks ahead to working on the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act this fall, LAM-CO has joined members of the anti-hunger coalition in planning events for the Colorado delegation during the August recess to highlight the importance of summer meal programs, especially for low-income households.

In addition, pastors and lay leaders in rural counties are preparing to attend town hall meetings this month hosted by the Colorado Department of Human Services in order to speak out on hunger issues.

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​Minnesota
Tammy Walhof, Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota
tammy@lcppm.org  

KIDS COUNT: The new KIDS COUNT report ranks Minnesota No.1 for well-being of children, based on education, economic well-being, health, and family and community. However, significant concerns still exist for Minnesota children: 14 percent live in poverty; one-third live in households with overly high housing costs; more than 3,500 (half  under age 6) are homeless with their parents on any given night. The report confirms that “children in low-income families that have limited access to affordable housing are more likely to live in crowded housing or become homeless, and are more likely to be food insecure and have to postpone accessing health care.” [Emphasis added.]

MN KIDS Count report

National KIDS COUNT Data Center

National website and links to report(s)

AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS: The Homes for All Coalition has started the process to determine priorities for the 2016 legislative focus. Over several previous months, more studies on housing and homelessness have shown the importance housing stability plays for families, especially in hunger and health (reaffirmed in the new KIDS COUNT). Also, senior homelessness is increasing at dramatic rates. LA-MN will push to address these concerns.

CLEAN ENERGY: Analysis following the difficult 2015 session suggests a significant lack of knowledge around clean energy and the damage coal burning causes to people and the environment. LA-MN fall education will try to address this deficit.

Director Tammy Walhof also fulfilled her civic responsibility of jury duty this month, serving on one trial and jury pools for two others.

Twitter: @LuthAdvocacyMN   Facebook

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​New Mexico

Ruth Hoffman, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – New Mexico 

www.lutheranadvocacynm.org

NM1Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-New Mexico joined with many other groups and individuals to urge that new work requirements not be imposed for families receiving SNAP benefits. The Martinez administration through the New Mexico Human Services Department intends to institute work requirements for recipients from the age of 16 to 60 and for families with children over the age of 5. LAM-NM Director Ruth Hoffman was member of a panel that presented to the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee on July 16 in Las Cruces.  Ruth emphasized that over 30 percent of New Mexico’s children live in poverty and that our economy is lagging far behind in the recovery from the great recession. She also stated that there is little or no evidence that the Human Services Department is prepared to or able to administer such a new program that will involve tens of thousands of recipients. Because LAM-NM now is in a covenant advocacy relationship with the NM Conference of Churches, LAM-NM spoke on behalf of that ecumenical organization as well.  Here is a link to an interview that Ruth did (along with our advocacy partner, the NM Conference of Catholic Bishops) with KUNM radio about the proposed requirements.

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​Ohio

Nick Bates, The Faith Coalition for the Common Good 

nick@oneohionow.org

 

Happy fiscal new year from the state of Ohio! On July 1, 2015, fiscal year 2016 began with Ohio’s new budget. It’s a month into the new fiscal year, and advocates and faith leaders continue to scratch their heads at missed opportunities to expand food access, help low-income families through a refundable earned-income tax credit, and help rural poverty-stricken school districts. Recent reports continue to show Ohio’s unacceptable infant mortality rate and child poverty rates. While Capitol Square has quieted down this month, faith advocates continue to ask what does it mean for us to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.

If you would like to get involved with faith-based advocacy in Ohio, contact Diaconal Minister Nick Bates atBatesyep@gmail.com.

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Pennsylvania

Amy Reumann, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania 

Tracey DePasquale, Associate Director

www.lutheranadvocacypa.org

The state budget is now more than a month overdue. Rank-and-file lawmakers are in summer recess as their leadership and the Wolf administration negotiate in the wake of last month’s vetoed spending plan.  The budget impasse has begun tohurt nonprofits and ministries.

LAMPa continues to help Lutherans connect with Harrisburg lawmakers through email advocacy, editorial writing and congregational postcard campaigns on the key issues of housing trust fund expansion and fair education funding. LAMPa acted with PA175 other organizations to urge the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to address loopholes in its draft payday lending rules.

Tracey joined advocacy colleagues at the Youth Gathering, engaging Pennsylvania youth in advocacy on the Interfaith Climate Petition, federal Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill and the ELCA Day of Service and inviting them to connect with LAMPa upon their return. LAMPa is inviting youth to bring their #Proclaim Justice Day activities home with resources for youth to combat blight and act on clean water in Pennsylvania.

PA2LAMPa connected the State Education Association with the state’s food security coalition, resulting in training more than 100 teacher leaders on poverty and hunger and their connection to learning. That partnership, which will be ongoing, has also yielded the association’s August newsletter devoted to child hunger and nutrition.

Check out our resources for preachers during Six Weeks of Bread Texts: Preaching on John 6.

We bid a fond farewell to Pastor Paul Lubold as he leaves LAMPa staff – but not Lutheran advocacy! We are grateful for his friendship and his entire ministry.

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Virginia

Charles Swadley

Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy     

www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org

The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) provided support for an ELCA Hunger Summit with Bishop Jim Mauney on July 25. It was well attended by interdenominational partners from across Virginia.  At the summit, presentations on feeding programs were provided by state government representatives. With lively discussion, strategizing, and a focus on the future, a follow-up meeting will be held in Charlottesville on Nov. 18 to include interfaith leaders.

VA1Seminary student and Public Policy Fellow Lana Heath de Martinez is leading VICPP’s organizing efforts to expand ethnic, age and faith diversity through the statewide chapters. VICPP is partnering with a new coalition of agencies called RISE for Youth with the intention of closing juvenile prisons in Virginia. A partnership with the Center for American Progress continues and will culminate with the co-hosting of a Poverty Summit in Hampton Roads in September.

VICPP and its health care program, Virginia Consumer Voices for Healthcare, met with Ben O’Dell, a representative of the White House Faith and Community Relations Office, to discuss working together on advocating for Medicaid expansion during the forthcoming General Assembly session. The health care program supported two events on July 29 and 30 in the Hampton Roads area to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid. The regional director for the Department of Health and Human Services presented at both events, noting the impact of these programs on improving Americans’ lives. VICPP is assisting the Chesapeake Foundation in organizing an interfaith conference focused on the environment at the Living Waters retreat center in Hampton Roads this September.

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Washington

Paul Benz, Faith Action Network 

www.fanwa.org

POLICY UPDATE: Washington’s Legislature, after three special sessions and 176 days, finally adjourned on July 7, with its final decision being the suspension of a class-size reduction initiative approved by voters last November. All three budgets (operating, transportation and capital) were signed just before midnight on June 30 by the governor to avoid state layoffs. (The 2015-2017 biennium began July 1.) A summary of the issues we worked on this past legislative session can be viewed at http://fanwa.org/2015-end-of-session-report/.

CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE: FAN’s goal every year is to meet with as many of our congressional delegation (12) as possible. Our latest meeting was with key staff of Sen. Maria Cantwell in her Seattle office, where we discussed the Green Climate Fund, I-VAWA, Child nutrition/summer hunger bills, and recognition for the Duwamish tribe (first peoples of Seattle).

PROGRAMMING AND ORGANIZING: FAN is now in its third programmatic season of the year, convening our 17 geographic clusters that make up our Network of Advocating Faith Communities, which now numbers 101 faith communities around the state. The purpose is to deepen relationships and discuss ways to better advocate individually and collectively on issues FAN is working on. FAN is planning two forums on taxation called “What Kind of State Do You Want to Live In? A conversation and mobilization about our state’s regressive tax structure.”  Washington state has the most regressive tax structure in the nation.

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Wisconsin

Cindy Crane, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin 

www.loppw.org

PAY DAY LENDING:  LOPPW has a history of trying to protect Wisconsinites, especially those living in poverty, from predatory lending.  Recently our constituents responded to the sudden state budget addition to allow payday lenders to provide more services, such as insurance, annuities and financial advice. The proposed addition created bipartisan resistance.  We are pleased that Gov. Scott Walker responded to the advocacy against the measure and vetoed it.

LIVING WAGE COALITION:  The coalition initiated by Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice is made up of faith-based and secular partners.  We recently met for a second time and explored broader issues  beyond raising the minimum wage, including predictable, stable hours (Hours that Work); paid sick leave; paid family leave; affordable, quality child care; access to public transportation; and pension protection.

ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONSORTIUM: At the most recent statewide meeting we discussed the newly formed Safe Harbor Bill; consensus is that this bill will have more of a chance of passing than previous bills related to Safe Harbor.

DIALOGUE WITH BISHOPS:  The director contacted all the Wisconsin bishops to introduce the idea of creating a project that would focus on one of the root causes of hunger – money in politics impacting public policies.  She will and all six bishops will meet at a Region 5 gathering at the end of August to discuss the project further. LOPPW’s director also participated in two half-day trainings for our advocacy office’s new database.

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What advocacy efforts are going on in your synod or state? We want to hear about it!

Contact us at washingtonoffice@elca.org ​​

American by Grace, Compassionate by Action

Sean Bonawitz, ELCA Advocacy

Rethinking Perspectives of Migration in The Northern Triangle

We do not choose where we live, who our families are, or the time that we are born into. We are thrown into the mystery of life. Some land gracefully while others crash and crash hard. For those of us who are born as citizens of the U.S.A., our environment is a stable one. Not without its own challenges, but with general safety. Life is difficult at times for all, but have you ever felt a strong enough presence of danger that forced you to flee from your home? Rarely do we ever look across the Gulf and wonder what our lives would be like had they begun in Honduras, Guatemala, or El Salvador; the Northern Triangle of Central America.

Children and families in the Northern Triangle continue to leave their homes due to complex and interrelated reasons, including chronic violence, poverty, environmental displacement and lack of opportunities. These problems are exacerbated by the failure of governments to address these issues, leaving many with no choice but to flee. Children are forcibly recruited and targeted by gangs as they cross gang territories to attend school. Many business owners are forced to pay a “protection” fee to criminal actors to avoid harm. Although numbers of migrant children and families at the U.S.-Mexican Border have dropped significantly this past year, deportations and detentions of Central Americans along the Southern Mexico Border have increased drastically due to Mexico’s 2014 Southern Border Plan, which is backed by the United States.

Why do we continue to prevent Central Americans access to the protection our nation’s stability has to offer? It is possible we have been labeling migrants from the Northern Triangle incorrectly. So far we have refused to identify them as needing international protection or refugees, but rather, have colloquially categorized these children and families as “illegal immigrants”. The 1951 Refugee Convention under Article 1(A)2 says, “the term refugee shall apply to any person who fear(s) being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion”. Although persecution via gang violence does qualify many of these people for international protection, most children and family members do not qualify as textbook refugees, and fail to receive adequate aid. Why are these persecuted children and family members not regarded as deserving of this legal status? In a region where homicide rates and gang violence run rampant, fleeing from a community culture such as this should qualify these people as refugees.

Those of us who were born in America were handed this privilege by chance, not choice. As one of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, once proclaimed, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights”. We are endowed with, we were gifted these rights as humans and people of God. Our privilege as Americans is that we, as a nation, persistently fight for these values. So why should we deny these rights to others who actively seek acknowledgement of their unalienable rights? Should we not embrace our neighbor with open arms?

We as Americans should provide a safe haven for these refugees and welcome our neighbors, who have shown extreme bravery, courage, and faith. We should listen to the words in Philippians 2:4 which states, “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others”.  We should welcome refugees, as we previously have, and continue the idea of America as “The Great Salad Bowl” of diverse communities. America was founded and forged by immigrant communities. We should not turn away those who seek life, liberty and pursue happiness.

ELCA Advocacy Update – July 2015

ELCA Advocacy

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

​​​Washington, D.C.

Advocacy Director, Stacy Martin

www.elca.org/advocacy

 

LOGUMVatican Encyclical “Laudato Si”:  On June 18 Vatican officials released “Laudato Si,” an encyclical letter on caring for creation. In the encyclical, Pope Francis I places a special emphasis on our moral obligation to address the growing threats to our world caused by climate change. Arriving shortly before the upcoming global climate summit in Paris, the pope’s encyclical affirms that climate change is largely a man-made dilemma, and is a principal challenge facing humanity today. Immediately after its release, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, praised the encyclical noting parallels to our own social statement “Caring for Creation.” Bishop Eaton also called for action to help less-privileged nations that must now face the most brutal effects of climate change.

Smarter Sentencing Act: ELCA Advocacy took action earlier this month to support The Smarter Sentencing Act, now in the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, as part of our ongoing effort to address mass incarceration and racial justice in our communities. The bipartisan Smarter Sentencing Act makes modest reforms to our justice system by alleviating overcrowding in our prisons, restoring the ability of federal judges to determine fairer and more realistic sentences, and creating more transparency about how federal laws and regulations are applied. You can take action now at the ELCA Action Center.

1Mexico and Central America: This month, members of ELCA Advocacy and the churchwide organization staff traveled to Mexico to learn about the detainment and treatment of migrant children and families from Central America. Staff met with civil society leaders and government officials to learn more about the ongoing crisis.This visit came in the wake of the Obama administration’s ongoing foreign policy discussion that continues to focus on encouraging increased border security measures by the Mexican and Central American governments without acknowledging the immediate need to protect migrants who are forced to flee. ELCA Advocacy continues to urge lawmakers to support the protection and human rights of all God’s children and will be releasing a full report on the findings in Mexico within the coming weeks.

Mother Emanuel AME in Charleston, S.C.:  Presiding Bishop Eaton and leaders of the ELCA offered their prayers to the victims of the Mother Emanuel AME tragedy earlier this month. Two of the victims, including the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, were graduates of the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, an ELCA seminary in Columbia, S.C. Bishop Eaton, who later attended Pinckey’s funeral, reaffirmed in a statement the immediate urgency to address racism as a society and as a church. ELCA Advocacy recognizes that we cannot truly seek justice and peace through advocacy without being committed to ending racism. We commit ourselves to working toward this goal and ask that you join us in this effort. Follow our Advocacy efforts and ELCA Racial Justice Ministries to learn how you can join in the conversation.

2The Endangered Species Act: On June 25, ELCA Environmental Policy Director Mary Minette was on a panel of experts about our moral obligation to care for creation by protecting endangered species. The event was attended by Senate and coalition-partner staff. In her message, Mary reaffirmed our religious calling to be stewards of nature by caring for creatures and the environments around them. To protect God’s creation, we must make environment-friendly choices as well as advocate for continuing the Endangered Species Act, which is, as Mary put it, “a modern-day Noah’s ark.”

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New York, NY

Dennis Frado​, Lutheran Office for World Community

Ministerium meeting at LOWC: On May 12, LOWC welcomed the Lutheran pastors from Manhattan to the Church Center for the United Nations. The meeting of the ELCA Manhattan Ministerium Conference started with worship on social justice under the heading “Sing a new song to the Lord.” Afterward the ministers had an opportunity to learn about the work of the Lutheran office and discussed possible areas of cooperation. The LOWC staff also expressed their offer to visit congregations that are interested in our work to the United Nations.

Peace Not Walls gathering:  About 30 members of the Peace Not Walls network gathered in mid-June at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio to discuss recent activities and future work plans. They shared ideas for synod engagement, heard reports on advocacy activities, proposed teleconferences with speakers from the Holy Land, heard updates about future young adult trips to the region, discussed the intersections of work between Peace Not Walls and racial justice and received an update about staff efforts to explore “positive investment” in connection with the 2013 Churchwide Assembly request.

Lutheran World Federation Council meeting: As has become the custom, Dennis Frado served as co-opted staff for several of the committees of the annual meeting of the Lutheran World Federation Council when it met last month in Chavannes-de-Bogis, near Geneva, Switzerland. The council adopted four public statements and four resolutions. The public statements were on climate justice, protracted conflicts and over-stretched humanitarian response, the situation in Tanah Papua (West Papua, Indonesia) and the sin of racism (in response to the shooting in South Carolina).  The four resolutionscovered the Middle East, Migrants, the post-2015 Development Agenda and the recent Nigeria elections.

Unaccompanied and migrant children consultation: Following a number of conversations with synodical bishops, the ELCA Church Council and others, the churchwide organization called together a consultation last month to provide input for a proposed churchwide unaccompanied and migrant children initiative. Dennis is serving on the writing team to prepare the document related to the initiative with Alaide Vilchis Ibarra of the ELCA Advocacy office and Megan Brandsrud, program interpreter for Lutheran Disaster Response.  It is expected to be reviewed by the Conference of Bishops later this year and be considered by the Church Council at one of its future meetings.

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California

Mark Carlson, Lutheran Office of Public Policy

www.loppca.org​

Sadness about Emanuel AME is mixed with good feelings about a state budget that includes a new state Earned Income Tax Credit, over $300 million in new funding for preschool and child care, health insurance coverage for undocumented children, resources to assist immigrant integration into society, and money for access to scarce water in disadvantaged communities as the drought worsens.  There is good news about housing, as the first grants of carbon cap-and-trade funds were announced under the Affordable Homes and Sustainable Communities program, with more to come.  LOPP-CA was part of the collective effort needed to achieve this progress.

3On Friday following the Charleston massacre, LOPP-CA Director Mark Carlson attended a prayer service at Murph-Emmanuel AME (site of a former ELCA congregation) and left Bishop Eaton’s statement and spoke with the pastor of St. Andrew’s AME, the oldest AME church west of the Mississippi.

On his own time, Mark went with family to see “Inside Out,” a “a major emotion picture,”the Pixar-animated tale of Riley Anderson, age 11, who moves from Minnesota, where her “core memories” were made, with her parents to more diverse “San Franstinktown.” Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust live in her head.  She is engaged with Islands of Friendship, Family, and Honesty, among others, which crumble as she and her family try to adapt to a new life. Joy and Sadness work in grace for renewal, including a new Island of Friendly Argumentation, what we might call “moral deliberation.”

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Colorado

Peter Severson, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – Colorado 

www.lam-co.org

Self-Sufficiency Standard: The Colorado Center on Law & Policy recently released the 2015 Colorado Self-Sufficiency Standard, a measure of how expensive it is to live in Colorado. Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-Colorado was present at the launch event alongside many other interest groups. The standard calculates the income required for a family to meet basic needs without assistance. On average, costs increased by 32 percent across Colorado between 2001 and 2015. While the amount needed to be self-sufficient varies considerably by geography, 7 out of 10 of the most common occupations in Colorado pay median wages below the standard. Closing that gap will require both reducing costs and raising incomes, both of which will be part of LAM-CO’s economic policy agenda for the 2016 legislative session.

Other events: LAM-CO Director Peter Severson was invited to give the benediction at the graduation of the Family Leadership Training Institute, a civic engagement program run by the Department of Public Health. Severson shared the stage with more than 100 graduates as well as Secretary of State Wayne Williams. Severson also recently attended the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative annual summit, took part in the commissioning of summer staff at Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp, and participated in Together Colorado’s summit of Denver faith leaders at Shorter Community AME Church.

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​Minnesota
Tammy Walhoff, Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota
tammy@lcppm.org  

The legislative special session: Gov. Mark Dayton had been cut out of negotiation processes through much of the session and vetoed three funding bills, necessitating a special session. A month of negotiations finally reached adequate agreement to call the special session, though even then it was not a smooth process. LA-MN’s priority issues saw little change, although both housing and clean energy were in a vetoed bill.

Homes for all priorities (final): The coalition, supported by grassroots action, secured a $25.5 million boost for housing and homeless services (including $10 million in bonds for housing). Homeless Youth programing increased $1 million per year. New funds will help thousands of Minnesotans access safe, stable and affordable housing. (For funding table, click here, and find the full bill here.)

Clean energy (final): There were no improvements to the Renewable Energy Standard or energy efficiency (original goal). Success became stopping roll-backs taking Minnesota significantly backward. The faith leader letter (see May update) played a significant role in that regard.

Papal encyclical: LA-MN used news of the new encyclical to draw attention to the ELCA social statement on the care of creation. Plans are to use the encyclical for study, to emphasize our stewardship role, and to tie poverty to climate and environmental degradation.

Synod-related activities: LA-MN Director Tammy Walhof led a workshop on housing, homeless youth and advocacy at the Southwestern Minnesota Synod.

Continuing education:  A theological retreat with colleagues, focused on Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “Ethics,” made for interesting reflection in the advocacy context.

Twitter: @LuthAdvocacyMN   Facebook

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​New Mexico

Ruth Hoffman, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – New Mexico 

www.lutheranadvocacynm.org

4Learning about advocacy ministry:  Youth from Peace and Trinity Lutheran churches in Las Cruces stopped at the Roundhouse, as the New Mexico state Capitol is nicknamed, on their “mystery trip.”  LAM-NM Director Ruth Hoffman spoke to the group about advocacy ministry in a legislative committee room where they were able to sit in the legislators’ chairs and learn about how to be involved in advocacy. Ruth also took them on a tour of the Capitol.  Thanks to Laura Carson, AIM and the Christian education and youth ministry director at Peace Lutheran for inviting LAM-NM to be a part of the adventure.

5Ecumenical connections:  Rocky Mountain Synod Bishop Jim Gonia and LAM-NM Director Ruth Hoffman were part of the ecumenical and interfaith attendees at the installation of the new archbishop of Santa Fe. The Most Rev. John C. Wester comes to the archdiocese from Salt Lake City where he served as bishop and worked in partnership with local ELCA pastors on issues of immigration and poverty.  Utah is within the territory of the Rocky Mountain Synod so we look forward to continuing our partnership with Archbishop Wester.

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​Ohio

Nick Bates, The Faith Coalition for the Common Good 

nick@oneohionow.org

Gov. John Kasich signed the Ohio budget on Tuesday, June 30. Faith advocates are pleased that the conference committee restored Medicaid services for pregnant women up to 200 percent of the poverty level, removed a last minute amendment that would have cut homeless and affordable housing programs in half, and increased funding for emergency food banks. Faith advocates in Ohio will continue to advocate for increased access to emergency cash assistance, more equitable school funding, and a more progressive state tax system – including a refundable Earned Income Tax Credit to help lift Ohio families out of poverty. For more information, please contact Nick Bates at batesyep@gmail.com.

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Pennsylvania

Amy Reumann, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania 

Tracey DePasquale, Associate Director

www.lutheranadvocacypa.org

6As the July 1 budget deadline looms without promise of being met, Lutheran advocates are making their voices heard in the Capitol.

LAMPa led a prayer service on the Capitol steps June 23 in conjunction with a rally by the Campaign for Fair Education Funding and a faith-based organizing fast. Lutherans from around the state joined in the day of advocacy.  The Rev. Carlton Rodgers, Philadelphia, preached on the Capitol steps.  7Read his stirring sermon. The Rev. David Byerly, Shamokin, a LAMPa policy council member, spoke at the press conference. Both called for an end to the injustice of the state’s record of being the worst in the nation for school funding equity.

The LAMPa network responded quickly to help stall a bill that would have created a lifetime ban for those with felony drug offenses from receiving nutrition benefits. Lutheran advocates have also been active in alerting lawmakers against supporting another bill that would legalize payday lending.

LAMPa submitted testimony in support of the death penalty moratorium and assisted in publishing a letter from the state’s seven bishops in support of legislation to prohibit discrimination in areas of employment, housing and public accommodation on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Staff attended seven assemblies, which included advocacy-related resolutions on hunger, non-discrimination and the environment.

 LAMPa also equipped confirmation campers for their calling to strive for justice and a trip to Washington, D.C., where they advocated for clean water and child nutrition.

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Virginia

Charles Swadley

Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy     

www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org

On June 30, VICPP’s Virginia Consumer Voices for Healthcare program held a highly successful event, “Healthcare Access as a Moral Imperative,” which was co-organized by VICPP’s Richmond Chapter. Donations were generated for the Health Wagon, which provides remote-area medical services in Virginia and has been featured on “60 Minutes.” A capacity crowd of more than 150 was called into action for affordable health care access and expansion in Virginia! We are now planning to replicate this event with the two nurses of “60 Minutes” fame in Hampton Roads, Northern VA and Roanoke in the months ahead!

On June 18, Virginia Interfaith Center members joined people of all faiths at a prayer vigil at Second Baptist Church to trump fears and setbacks associated with the Charleston murders the previous day. Those assembled are organizing for unity and faith in action about the chronic issue and the solutions for hate crimes.

VICCP joined the Virginia Council of Churches in developing Virginia’s interfaith condemnation of the murders in Charleston.

Members of VICPP’s New River Valley Chapter joined members of the NAACP, Common Cause, and League of Women Voters in a Voting Rights Act rally in Roanoke on June 25. VICPP is joining with the Center for American Progress to produce an Anti-Poverty Summit to be held in the fall in Hampton Roads. VICPP is helping to lead a statewide anti-hunger effort with faith communities and partners, including the ELCA, the Office of the First Lady and the Virginia Poverty Law Center.

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Washington

Paul Benz, Faith Action Network 

www.fanwa.org

Policy: The state Legislature, after three special sessions, finally got the 2015-2017 biennial operating budget approved and signed by the governor just before midnight on June 30 – the last of day of the current biennium. The $38.2 billion operating budget (capital and transportation budgets were approved separately on the same night) raised only $185 million in new revenue by eliminating two tax exemptions (Washington state has 600). Funding for the K-12 public school system is under a state Supreme Court order – we await the court’s response as to whether this portion of the budget is adequate to fund education. The state education secretary is adamant that it’s not enough and does little to change the unfair levy funding system.

One key policy/revenue-related bill that passed allows counties (by a vote of the people) to raise one-tenth of 1 percent in local sales tax dedicated to housing and mental health services.

On the congressional front, our four primary issues are: trade (Trans-Pacific Partnership), Child Nutrition Reauthorization (summer hunger bills), Green Climate Fund, and the International Violence Against Women Act. FAN’s goal is to meet with all 12 members of our congressional delegation. A FAN delegation had our first meeting on July 1 with Rep. Derek Kilmer, and later this month we’ll meet with Sen. Maria Cantwell.

Organizing and programs:  FAN’s Network of Advocating Faith Communities reached a milestone with our 100th faith community joining: Three Rivers Unitarian Universalists in eastern Washington. Our outreach continues with the Muslim community by attending the beginning of Ramadan in an eastern Washington mosque and an interfaith Iftar dinner in a Seattle-area mosque. FAN also released its statement on the Charleston murders and signed on to the Statewide Ecumenical Executives statement. FAN is in its third program season of the year, which is the convening of our Network of Advocating Faith Communities by 17 geographic clusters around the state. The purpose is to deepen relationships among local faith communities and strengthen our joint advocacy efforts. We’re beginning to plan two fall forums on taxation and its role in building a more equitable and sustainable state. Planning is also underway for our annual dinner in November.

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Wisconsin

Cindy Crane, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin 

www.loppw.org

State budget: The Legislature will likely make final decisions about the state budget soon. We are pleased with the $2 million included in the budget to assist youth victims of sex trafficking but are disappointed in some of the deep cuts and the decision to add the requirement for drug testing for recipients of public assistance to the budget. 

Other bills: The bill that would return 17-year-old non-violent offenders to the juvenile justice system will now be addressed apart from the budget. Safe Harbor, ensuring youth under 18 caught in the sex trade will be treated as victims, has officially become a bill and will likely go to committee later in the summer or fall.

Synod assemblies: LOPPW had a display table and held the following workshops at four synod assemblies:

9La Crosse Area Synod: “How to be an Advocate from a Faith Perspective,” co-led by the director and Council Member Bridget Crave.

10Greater Milwaukee Synod: “Human Trafficking in our Backyard,” led by the director. The Assembly was held at Carthage College.

Northwest Synod: “Advocacy and the Proposed State Budget,” co-led by the director and Council Member the Rev. Diane House.  11

12South-Central Synod: “Poverty and our State Budget,” co-led by the director and Council Member Lisa Hassenstab.

Sermon after Charleston deaths: LOPPW’s directorpreached at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Madison on June 21.

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What advocacy efforts are going on in your synod or state? We want to hear about it!

Contact us at washingtonoffice@elca.org ​​

Living Earth Reflection: We have no such right

Mary Minette, program director, Environmental Policy and Education

June 2015

But ask the animals, and they will teach you; the birds of the air, and they will tell you; ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being. – Job 12:7-10

Last week, when Pope Francis released his encyclical, “Laudato si,” on care of creation, most of the media attention around the world focused on what he had to say about climate change and how Catholics might react to this message. However, Pope Francis addresses a broad range of issues affecting God’s earth in his teaching document, and his call to care for God’s creation is addressed to “every person living on this planet,” not just to those of the Catholic faith. This encyclical also reflects many of the same concerns and approaches as the ELCA’s “Caring for Creation” social statement.

One issue that is featured prominently in “Laudato si” is the protection of plants and animals from the threat of extinction.From the first chapters of Genesis to the end of the book of Revelation, the Scriptures that lie at the core of the Christian faith celebrate creation and our fellow creatures as a gift from God. God calls us into a relationship with our fellow creatures that is one of stewardship and care. God calls us to name “every living creature” – a responsibility that we are still fulfilling as new species are discovered. When God becomes angry with humanity for its corruption and plans to destroy the earth in a cleansing flood, God picks a righteous man, Noah, and tells him to save two of every living creature – a breeding pair – from the waters of the flood along with his own family. After the flood, God makes a covenant not just with humanity but with all creation to never again destroy the earth. And in the book of Job, God tells Job that his fellow creatures have much to teach him about the power of the creator and the connections between all of life.

The ELCA’s social statement on caring for creation notes that “humans, in service to God, have special roles on behalf of the whole creation. Made in the image of God, we are called to care for the earth as God cares for the earth.” We are to name the animals, uniting us in relationship, and to love the earth as God loves each of us.

In “Laudato si,” Pope Francis argues that concern for our fellow creatures and concern for our fellow humans are deeply related: “A sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be real if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings … . It follows that our indifference or cruelty towards fellow creatures of this world sooner or later affects the treatment we mete out to other human beings.”

Today, Earth is losing mammal species at 20 to 100 times the rate in the past – a rate so rapid it could rival the event that killed the dinosaurs. Since 1900, 69 mammal species are believed to have gone extinct, along with about 400 other types of vertebrates. Pollution, habitat destruction, hunting and poaching and increasingly climate change all cause God’s creatures to vanish from the earth.

Pope Francis also describes this extreme rate of extinction in his encyclical:

Each year sees the disappearance of thousands of plant and animal species which we will never know, which our children will never see, because they have been lost forever. The great majority become extinct for reasons related to human activity. Because of us, thousands of species will no longer give glory to God by their very existence, nor convey their message to us. We have no such right.

Earlier this spring a number of media outlets shared pictures of Sudan, the last male northern white rhino on our planet. Sudan lives in a nature preserve in Kenya surrounded by armed guards tasked with protecting him from poachers who want to kill him for his horn (powdered rhino horn sells for as much as $75,000 a kilo). He is 42 years old – rhinos typically live between 40 and 50 years – and so far, attempts to breed him with one of the four remaining female northern white rhinos have failed.

We are failing in our task of protecting God’s creation and our fellow creatures, and by doing so we are failing ourselves and those who come after us. We have no such right.

Learn more

In 1973, Congress passed (and President Richard Nixon signed) the federal Endangered Species Act to protect our nation’s native plant and animal species from the threat of extinction. For more than 40 years the act has protected species and their habitats and has dramatically increased populations of iconic species, such as the bald eagle and the grey wolf. Unfortunately, despite its successes, some would like to weaken the protections of the act. This is why we must work to fulfill our call to protect all of God’s creation.

ELCA Advocacy Update – June 2015

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

 

​​​Washington, D.C.
Advocacy Director, Stacy Martin
www.elca.org/advocacy

LOGUMReport on Central America: This month, ELCA Advocacy completed a report on the findings from a recent trip taken by ELCA leaders to El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala to better understand what drives so many children and families to flee their homes. This report, titled “Our Communities in Crisis,” takes a faithful look at the root cause of Central American forced displacement and the repatriation of children and families after the summer of 2012. The ELCA continues to be committed to lifting up the voices of our communities in Central America. Take action today by urging President Obama to speak out for the protection of those fleeing violence and persecution in Central America – visit our Action Center now to send a message to the president.

Global Food Security Act: Recently, members of the House and Senate reintroduced the Global Food Security Act – an act that will enhance international development programs and investments, such as Feed the Future. The Global Food Security Act will help institute a comprehensive strategy to promote global food security, strengthen existing monitoring and evaluation practices to ensure efficiency and accountability, and support initiatives, such as improving maternal and child nutrition. ELCA Advocacy is taking action to help promote food security by urging members of Congress to pass this legislation. Learn more about Feed the Future and our efforts to support responsible international development in our Global Food Security Act fact sheet.

Green Climate Fund: ELCA Advocacy announced its support of the Green Climate Fund last month. This international initiative mobilizes support for developing nations struggling to combat the growing effects of climate change. The consequences of climate change fall hardest on our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are least able to adapt because they live in communities already struggling with poverty and hunger. The fund will help pay for developmental initiatives for marginalized countries, increasing their ability to adapt to new environments and expanding their capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. You can learn more about the fund at our ELCA Green Climate Fund Fact Sheet.

Financial debt in Nepal: Jubilee USA Network, an alliance of organizations and faith communities of which the ELCA is a member, is spearheading an international effort to support Nepal’s recovery efforts by cancelling the country’s overwhelming debt. ELCA Advocacy joined Jubilee USA in urging the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to provide immediate debt relief to Nepal so that the government can redirect these funds toward recovery and rebuilding efforts. Take action on this issue by visiting our Action Center.

New York, NY
Dennis Frado​
Lutheran Office for World Community

Peace Not Walls conference call with Presiding Bishop Eaton: LOWC joined other staff in planning for a conference call held on May 19 by ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and Global Mission Area Program Director Cindy Halmarson with ELCA members with a keen interest in the Peace Not Walls campaign. It was an opportunity for those listening to hear about the Presiding Bishop’s recent January visit to the region and her perspectives on the current situation there.

U.N. Post-2015 Development Agenda: The fifth session of intergovernmental negotiations for the Post-2015 Development Agenda took place between May 18 and 25 in New York. Just three more sessions are planned before the conclusion of negotiations in late July. Disagreements remain as to whether implementation of the proposed Sustainable Development Goals will involve “follow-up and review” (which most developing countries support) or “monitoring, accountability and review” (which many developed countries support). There appears to be emerging consensus that the High-Level Political Forum, created at the Rio+20 conference in 2012, will be the venue for follow-up activities once the agenda is adopted. Consensus has not yet been reached on the means of implementation for the goals or on the relationship of the findings of the August Financing for Development conference to the Post-2015 Agenda.  A “zero-draft” of the outcome document, which would be considered at the late September U.N. Summit to the Adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda, is to be released on June 1.

Visitors: LOWC has hosted a variety of visitors in recent weeks. These included Caroline Tveoy, Lutheran World Federation World Service Program officer for the Middle East and North Africa, based in Geneva, who stopped in New York to discuss the ELCA’s Peace Not Walls campaign, while in transit to Haiti. The Manhattan Ministerium of the Metro New York Synod visited to learn about LOWC’s work. The Rev.  Joachim Tröstler of the North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church is on sabbatical and was interested in comparing the linkages between ministry with migrants and congregational-based community organizing in Germany and in the United States and how the issues are handled at the United Nations. Lastly, a group of Upstate New York Synod participants in a Peace Not Walls-related visit to the Holy Land stopped by on their way to the region.

California
Mark Carlson, Lutheran Office of Public Policy
www.loppca.org​

Synod Assemblies: LOPP-CA Director Mark Carlson participated in one day of the Pacifica Synod Assembly in Riverside, affording a chance for renewal and reconnection after missing last year’s in Hawaii. Mark left early to return to the Sierra Pacific Assembly in Sacramento, where LOPP-CA and Lutheran Episcopal Advocacy in Nevada hosted a breakfast for about 55 people with California Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross on the topic of food, farming, drought and climate change. As Texas was devastated by floods, the Central Valley Flood Control Agency heard a report that the Sierra snowpack, which provides about one-third of California’s water supply, is at 2 percent of normal.

1aLobby days: Mark teamed with Mark Lowry, a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Orange and executive director of the Orange County Food Bank, for legislative visits on Hunger Action Day, supporting repeal of the Maximum Family Grant aid limit for TANF/CalWORKS families, an increase in the minimum wage, “breakfast after the bell,” and simplification and expansion of tax credits for California farm product donations. Mark gave a prayer of thanksgiving at the interfaith service to open Immigrant Day at the Capitol, followed by lobby visits. He and a “dreamer” from Ventura County broke away to attend an event with state and local elected officials where solar panels were placed on the roof of a low-income homeowner in a “disadvantaged neighborhood,” using carbon cap-and-trade funds.

UPCOMING – California Interfaith Power & Light Lobby Day, June 17. LOPP-CA is the site host.

Colorado
Peter Severson, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – Colorado
www.lam-co.org

The first legislative session of the 70th Colorado General Assembly is officially in the books. With control of the two chambers split between parties, it was a tough year for many groups to get their priorities passed, but LAM-CO had several important bipartisan victories.

Child Support Pass-through: Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-Colorado and several of its partners in poverty-related legislation were thrilled that Senate Bill 12 made it through both the Senate and House and is currently awaiting a signature from Gov. John Hickenlooper. The bill, which allows families receiving TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) benefits to also receive child-support payments that were previously withheld by county governments, is one of the measures that will directly benefit families living in poverty that survived this year’s Legislature.

Affordable housing: Several late-breaking bills on affordable housing were quickly advanced through the House before being killed in the Senate. These bills would have used surplus funds from a state trust fund to invest in affordable housing construction and rent subsidy for low-income workers, as well as extending the life of the low-income housing tax credit.

Other priorities: A measure to provide an affirmative defense for the crime of prostitution to minor victims of human trafficking was passed and signed by the governor. The House narrowly killed legislation that would have created paid family and medical leave insurance. A Senate committee defeated a bill to create a rural economic initiative grant program.

Illinois
Jennifer DeLeon, Lutheran Advocacy Illinois
www.lutheranadvocacy.org

Legislative session: We are at the end of the legislative session, and it seems like the Legislature will not pass a balanced budget by their May 31 deadline and that they will be called back for a special summer session. There is still time to act:

Budgets are choices. It’s time for politicians to choose Illinois children, families and communities. Illinois doesn’t have to make the deep cuts proposed in the governor’s budget; we have a choice. Instead of painful cuts to vital programs for our children, families and communities, lawmakers and the governor must choose revenue.

Act NOW! Tell lawmakers to choose to stand up for Illinois families and communities and prevent cuts by choosing revenue to close the budget hole. Do two things today:

  • Call your lawmaker tool free at 844-311-CUTS (844-311-2887) and tell them to choose revenue to prevent cuts to children, families,and communities.
  • Click here to send an email and for more information.

We continue to work with Judith Roberts, director of Racial Justice, and we have submitted a criminal justice resolution at both the Metro Chicago Synod and Northern Illinois Synod assemblies , which calls on congregations to advocate for social justice and to support Lutheran Social Service of Illinois prison and family ministry programs.

 ​Minnesota
Tammy Walhoff, Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota
tammy@lcppm.org  

The legislative session is (sort of) over: Differing visions made “final” legislative negotiations difficult. Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed three budget bills, meaning the Legislature returns for a special session.

Health and human services: Despite a $1.9 billion surplus, hundreds of millions were cut from low-income programs. Nevertheless, intense advocacy efforts achieved moderate increases in some housing-related services. Notably, $2 million was added to base funding for homeless youth over two years.

Affordable housing and clean energy: Affordable housing, jobs, economic growth and energy were all in the same bill. LA-MN and Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light presented their clean energy faith-leader letter with 300+ signers to Gov. Dayton, conference negotiators, leadership and legislators. LA-MN also generated letters, cards, emails and calls from key districts regarding affordable housing.

Conference negotiations on the bill never occurred, but the chairs introduced replacement language in the final moments of session. Watch the House pass it in the last two minutes, with the wrong bill number, amidst chaos! Energetic advocacy efforts prevented renewable energy and energy-efficiency roll-backs and cuts to housing. The bill was vetoed, so LA-MN and its partners hope more gains may be made.

Synod-related activities: Tammy Walhof, LAMN director, was the speaker for the Southeastern Minnesota Synod Creation Care Assembly and also led workshops. She had display materials at the Minneapolis Area Synod Assembly and stayed briefly before heading to the Northwestern Minnesota Synod Assembly, where she led workshops on affordable housing and advocacy.

Like Lutheran Advocacy-MN on Facebook

Follow Lutheran Advocacy-MN on Twitter: @LuthAdvocacyMN

 New Jersey
Sara Lilja, Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry in New Jersey
Visit us on Facebook!​

New Jersey Advocacy is growing! We have launched a new advocacy body, the Lutheran Episcopal Advocacy Ministry of New Jersey (LEAMNJ), headed by the Rev. Sara Lilja.

The goal of LEAMNJ is to be a powerful public witness of faith through advocacy, representing nearly 80,000 people in 450 parishes in New Jersey, backed by the national Lutheran and Episcopal churches, reflecting more than 8.7 million people in the United States. It will shape and influence public policy in New Jersey and in local communities as that policy  affects vulnerable populations, social justice issues and other priorities that reflect the common teachings and values of the partner groups.

There is great excitement by all the partners for the promise of the combined new entity to have an impact on policy affecting the concerns of people in our neighborhoods and state.

“As society has become more bifurcated into seemingly separate worlds of those with means and those without, we come together to forge a strong voice to express the commitments of our faith traditions in advocating for policies leading to a just society,” said Lilja. She added, “I’m proud to lead this charge on behalf of our new partnership and to grow the expression of compassion and social justice by means of education and advocacy through congregations throughout the state.”

 ​New Mexico
Ruth Hoffman, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – New Mexico
www.lutheranadvocacynm.org

2“We are Church: Better Together” That “the church” is much more expansive than each individual congregation was highlighted over and over at the 2015 Rocky Mountain Synod Assembly in Salt Lake City, Utah, May 1-3. “Our form and structures may change, the extent of our actual usefulness to God may wax and wane, but that God can and does work in and through us – this is a promise,” said Bishop Jim Gonia, addressing the assembly.

The state public policy offices in Colorado and New Mexico, which are an integral part of the ministry of the Rocky Mountain Synod, were an active part of the Synod Assembly. Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-New Mexico and Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-Colorado had displays about their work and activities. Directors Ruth Hoffman and Peter Severson presented an advocacy toolkit during an interest dinner. Additionally, they served on the Committee on Reference and Counsel, which reviewed proposed resolutions and memorials for consideration by the assembly.

3Affordable housing: Director Hoffman is a member of the State Housing Trust Fund Advisory Committee. At the committee’s most recent meeting, several low-income housing projects were recommended for funding. The projects included those at Santo Domingo Pueblo, Silver City in southwestern New Mexico and in Albuquerque.

​Ohio
Nick Bates, The Faith Coalition for the Common Good
nick@oneohionow.org

Ohio budget: The Ohio Legislature continues to focus its time on Ohio’s two–year budget (HB 64). This budget accepts a new normal of higher poverty and fewer resources. The biggest component of the budget is another tax shift increasing taxes on many while cutting the income tax to benefit the wealthiest Ohioans.The Faith Coalition for the Common Good is an ecumenical coalition formed to advocate through the budget process for increased state funding for food security and affordable housing (and other services to help low-income Ohioans), and expanded resources for education. All of these things are possible if Ohio foregoes the proposed $5.6 billion in tax cuts.

The coalition organized a panel on March 18 in front of the Finance Health and Human Services Sub-Committee. The Rev. Gregory Kenderick (The United Methodist Church) facilitated the panel of individuals who have experienced poverty. About 60 people from the faith community showed up to support this panel’s testimony. The testimony focused on the importance of public investments that help people transition out of poverty. The Ohio House Finance Committee is currently receiving amendments to the budget. We also submitted testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee opposing the proposed income tax cut.

The budget bill will move to the Senate in late April and to the governor’s desk by June 30.

Pennsylvania
Amy Reumann, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania
Tracey DePasquale, Associate Director
www.lutheranadvocacypa.org

May and June are busy months at LAMPa as synods gather and the General Assembly gets down to business around the budget. Director Amy Reumann spoke on hunger at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod Assembly and staffed an interactive booth at the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod Assembly where attendees made video messages for lawmakers on education funding.

LAMPa staff members have also been attending briefings by Gov. Tom Wolf, Budget Secretary Randy Albright and Secretary of Planning and Policy John Hanger and are engaged in planning events around the state to raise support for a fair and adequate education funding formula.

Reumann and Tracey DePasquale, associate LAMPa director, met with Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg representatives to debrief about collaboration on our 2015 Lutheran Day at the Capitol (see highlights) last month and agreed to partner again in 2016, with a common thread of faith and science.

4Reumann and the Rev. Bruce Osterhout, policy council member, attended a protest against family detention at the Berks County immigration detention facility. Osterhout also wrote a letter to the editor that was published in the Reading Eagle.

LAMPa hosted a call on theology and water for our creation care team, featuring Dr. Gil Waldkoenig of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg. Listen to a recording. LAMPa is partnering with the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania and Moms Clean Air Force, with whom we are working on common policy initiatives.

LAMPa continues to promote the Pennsylvania School Breakfast Challenge and has facilitated cooperation between state hunger partners and the Pennsylvania State Education Association.

Virginia
Charles Swadley
Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy
www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org

The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy organized and hosted a “Consumer Finance Reform and Regulation” policy discussion call with Sen. Mark Warner on Monday, May 18, attended by more than 40 faith leaders from across Virginia. VICPP also recruited participants to the National Faith-Based Partnerships teleconference held by Director Richard Cordray of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on May 21.VICPP hosted a “Faith-Based Partnerships to End Child Hunger in Virginia” webinar on May 27 with Dorothy McAuliffe, the first lady of Virginia, regarding engagement with the Virginia Kid Hungry program attended by more than 75 faith leaders and supporters from across Virginia. An article was also published in the Fauquier Times on May 1 about the VICPP’s Northern Piedmont Chapter’s very successful community forum, “Fact vs. Fiction: Unmasking the Truth about Immigrants in Virginia’s Workforce.” The forum was attended by more than 100 people on April 28 at Lord Fairfax Community College.

The Northern Virginia Chapter is hosting a “redistricting” event on June 4 at George Mason University-Arlington that the NoVa Chapter is co-organizing with the university, the League of Women Voters and OneVirginia2021. The VICPP Richmond Chapter is hosting a Healthcare Access Forum with political and faith leaders on June 30 at 7 p.m. at the Weinstein Jewish Community Center. The forum will include excerpts from the Remote Area Medical film about providing medical and dental services to those in poverty and without insurance in rural areas, such as Wise County, Virginia. The forum is in partnership with Bon Secours.

VICPP’s Annual Policy Priority Survey is out and all supporters are invited to participate using this link to assist in developing our 2016 Policy Priorities.

Washington
Paul Benz, Faith Action Network
www.fanwa.org

5Legislature: May 28 was the last day of our first special session. Legislators were working that week and budget negotiators are getting closer to resolving differences for all three budgets (operating, transportation and capital). FAN is active with the Washington United for Fair Revenue coalition, which sponsored a “call-in day for revenue” on May 28. Hundreds of advocates called their legislators from around the state saying, “The wealthy and big corporations do not pay their fair share into the state budget to help meet the critical needs of our state.” FAN’s key policy bill remains the state voting-rights act. If the state Senate agrees to this, our state would join three others (California, Florida and Illinois) having a state voting-rights act to better enfranchise the disenfranchised communities of color.

Congressional issues: FAN has four issues in Congress that we are focusing on: Trade/Trans-Pacific Partnership, Child Nutrition Reauthorization, I-VAWA International Violence Against Women Act, and the Green Climate Fund. FAN is working with our allies here in Washington state and with the ELCA Washington, D.C., office to better engage our advocates and their members of Congress on these issues.

Organizing summits: This is the time of year for FAN’s four regional summits. At these we continue to build relationships with our advocates, review our legislative agenda, and build toward creating next year’s agenda through table conversation by legislative district. By the time you read this, two summits will be completed (Spokane and Vancouver), and Seattle and Yakima will occur in June.

ELCA and denominational assemblies: FAN has had a presence (displays, podium time, and networking) at all three ELCA synod assemblies, as well as the annual conference of the regional United Church of Christ. We will also have a presence at The United Methodist Church’s June annual regional conference.

Wisconsin
Cindy Crane, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin
www.loppw.org

6aSynod assemblies: LOPPW’s Advisory Council member Eric Larson, from the Northern Great Lakes Synod, manned a display table at his assembly. He provided post cards for the ELCA’s campaign supporting child nutrition and the WIC Reauthorization Act at the LOPPW display table and the synod hunger team’s table. The director led a workshop at the East Central Synod Assembly and will lead workshops at the other four synod assemblies.

Proposed state budget:  LOPPW is working with a coalition of secular and faith-based nonprofits, called Better Choices, to make better state budget choices known.  LOPPW has helped organize two press conferences: On May 4, Bishop Mary Froiland spoke on a panel in Madison. On May 14, Bishop Rick Hoyme and ELCA member and professor James Boulter spoke on a panel in Eau Claire. Bishop Hoyme discussed prioritizing those who are most vulnerable in the budget. Boulter focused on protecting our environment. LOPPW also posted a statement on revenue estimates, which were lower than some lawmakers had hoped for

Human trafficking: The Joint Finance Committee approved $2 million for youth victims of sex trafficking.  Two Democrat legislators are trying to secure co-sponsors for a safe harbor bill. LOPPW has helped to target possible co-sponsors. The director visited with a Republican legislator who has agreed to be one of the co-sponsors.

Living-wage coalition: LOPPW joined a coalition of faith-based and secular organizations to strategize advocating for a higher minimum wage in Wisconsin.

What advocacy efforts are going on in your synod or state? We want to hear about it!

Contact us at washingtonoffice@elca.org ​​

 

 

Let’s put food banks out of business

Imagine your congregation without a food shelf. Imagine it without regular food drives. Imagine it without free community meals.

Sherri Tussler and others testifying before the House Subcommittee on Nutrition.

Sherri Tussler and others testifying before the House Subcommittee on Nutrition.

At first, it might make you nostalgic for the afternoons you’ve spent packing grocery bags for the pantry with your fellow congregants, or maybe sad for the loss of evenings spent chatting with those who show up for a free supper. But looking beyond those memories, you’ll see a community, a state, or maybe – dare we dream it – an entire nation where no one is hungry. While testifying before Congress, Sherri Tussler from the Hunger Task Force in Milwaukee, Wisconsin explained why we should dream of a day when these ministries are gone – “The day we don’t need food banks is the day we end hunger in America.”

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, in 2013 (most recent data available), 17.5 million households faced food insecurity at some point during the year. Living in those homes are 15.8 million children failing to receive consistent, quality nutrition. You know these children. You see them walking into the school when you drop your own children off. You watch them play football at the high school on Friday nights. You share in communion with them on Sundays.

So how do we put food banks out of business? Churches are often hubs where families can go to receive assistance, whether its bags stocked with groceries, free meals throughout the week, or through some other hunger-based ministry. The ways that congregations reach out in their communities to provide food for those in need are incredible examples of how people of faith live out God’s call to love one another. However, congregations can’t end hunger on their own. Bread for the World reported that one in 20 bags of food assistance comes from a charitable organization – the rest comes from Federal nutrition programs.

These Federal nutrition programs are incredibly important. While we do the best we can as churches and communities to combat hunger and provide food for our neighbors, we still face need beyond our capacities. As we continue to care for our communities, it’s also important for us to ask Congress to support policies that provide ample assistance for our nation’s hungry children. Funding for important child nutrition programs will run out unless Congress reauthorizes them. Visit the ELCA Advocacy Action Center and call on Congress to:

  • increase funding for child nutrition programs like Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, the National School Lunch Program, and the Summer Food Service Program;
  • invest in expanding access to these programs in rural and Native American communities;
  • continue supporting the use of these programs to access nutritious foods as determined by scientific recommendations;
  • and address climate change, as it contributes heavily to the rising cost of nutritious food.

    Imagine your congregation without a food shelf, food drives, or free community meals. Reauthorizing child nutrition programs brings us one step closer.

 

Living Earth Reflection: Protecting the Waters of the United States

Mary Minette, program director, Environmental Policy and Education

​May 2015

“But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”
Amos 5:24

Water as a metaphor flows through scripture, perhaps because of the essential role water plays in sustaining human life and the abundance of God’s creation. Water is also central to our spiritual lives. In the waters of baptism we begin our journey as Christians; the water that makes possible both the bread and wine of Communion.

So how does the scriptural significance of water relate to our calling to seek justice for our communities and protect that which plays a central role in creation?

For more than four decades, the federal Clean Water Act has protected our nation’s waters, including the smaller streams and wetlands that feed into larger rivers and lakes. But many of these bodies of water are still under threat from pollution.

In recent years two Supreme Court cases created uncertainty about whether smaller streams and wetlands merit the full protection of clean water regulations, and ordered the Administration to resolve this ambiguity. This week, the EPA issued a new clean water rule that protects small and seasonal streams and wetlands that connect to larger bodies of water, which we rely on for drinking, fishing and other uses. Under the new rule, many of the streams and wetlands that were historically covered under the Clean Water Act will again be covered. The rule carefully defines “waters of the United States” to clarify that all bodies of water with a clear connection to larger watersheds are protected, but also allows for case-by-case evaluation of streams and wetlands with less certain connections to downstream bodies of water.

The new rule has drawn criticism from groups that argue that it will regulate irrigation ditches and puddles, and that it will cause economic harm to landowners, who will be required to ask permission before using their land in ways that may affect water quality. The EPA has responded to these concerns and attempted to reassure groups worried about the economic impact of the rule— that these impacts are overstated and that the benefits of the rule outweigh the economic costs. Such conflicting points of view about economic impacts are nothing new; nearly every new environmental regulation proposed in the last 30 years has had to overcome arguments that these rules are overreaching and economically harmful. In the midst of such conflict, how is God calling us to be stewards of Creation?

As Lutherans we believe that we stand at the foot of the cross, and are called to acknowledge our own sin and brokenness. But we are also set free from sin and captivity by the love of God and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, so that we can be loving servants, caring for our neighbors and seeking justice for all the earth.

What does justice for creation look like? To quote from the ELCA social statement “Caring for Creation”: “When we act interdependently and in solidarity with creation, we do justice. We serve and keep the earth, trusting its bounty can be sufficient for all, and sustainable.” Justice for creation includes four principles—participation, solidarity, sufficiency and sustainability.  Within this framework of justice, the principles of sufficiency and sustainability speak most directly to the need to balance economic interests against protection of the earth to meet the needs of current and future generations.

Take Action

  • Learn more about the proposed rule and the Clean Water Act on from our ELCA Waters of the United States resource.
  • Write your U.S. Representative today at the ELCA Action Center, and ask them to oppose efforts that prevent the EPA and Army Corps from protecting small streams and wetlands—your voice will make a difference!

Join me in prayer and action this Mother’s Day

By The Rev. Corrine Denis, Lutheran Campus Center of Winona, Minn.

​I write on this Mother’s Day to speak out about an issue that is close to my heart: childhood hunger in the United States. I speak not only as a campus pastor who witnesses the results of childhood development in the college students I serve, but also as a mother who has benefitted from the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)– one of our country’s child nutrition programs that plays a critical role in helping reduce childhood hunger.

I was in my final year of seminary when I gave birth to my first child. Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, provided a food pantry on campus for students and families, aware of the financial challenges. However, my family and I could not rely on boxes of cereal and bagels from Panera to get us through. Thankfully, we were able to receive assistance from WIC, which allowed for a more balanced diet and extra protein for me to nurse my daughter. The produce allowance was extremely limited, and I had more tuna than I knew what to do with. While I am grateful that my child was supported by one of our country’s child nutrition programs, my own experience also showed me that these programs do not go far enough to truly ensure that our children have access to nutritious food.

In a nation of great wealth and resources, no child should ever go hungry. Children who face hunger are also forced to face a lifetime of challenges, including low birth weights, diminished immune systems, emotional and developmental growth delays, educational delays, greater hospitalization, decreased earning potential as adults, and higher life-long health costs.

This year, Congress must renew funding for our federal child nutrition programs in order to ensure that our nation’s children have adequate access to nutritious food where they live, play and learn. These programs include WIC, as well as the National School Lunch Program and the Summer Food Service Program.

Please join me this Mother’s Day in calling for an end to childhood hunger in the U.S. by urging Congress to strengthen our nation’s child nutrition programs!

As we take a moment to celebrate motherhood, let us also pray that God gives strength to all parents who strive to give their sons and daughters a healthy and happy childhood.​

– The Rev. Corrine Denis of Lutheran Campus Center of Winona speaks out on this Mother’s Day about her experience benefitting from the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) – one of our country’s child nutrition programs.

 

 

ELCA Advocacy Update – May 2015

​​​Washington, D.C.
Advocacy Director, Stacy Martin
www.elca.org/advocacy

​Earth Day 2015: ELCA Advocacy took action on Earth Day to support clean water in our communities. The Environmental Protection Agency is working on a rule to protect streams and wetlands that connect to larger watersheds. This rule will ensure the high quality of the water that communities across the nation depend on for drinking, washing, swimming and fishing, while avoiding increased regulations for groundwater and farmland. Learn more about efforts to care for God’s creation and protect clean water on our ELCA Waters of the U.S. fact sheet.

Summit of the Americas: On April 10 and 11, leaders from across the Americas met in Panama City for the convening of the seventh Summit of the Americas. During the triennial event, government leaders discussed plans for advancing international collaborative efforts, working under the theme “Prosperity with Equity: The Challenge of Cooperation in the Americas.” In anticipation of the event, ELCA Advocacy released a statement urging government leaders to address the root causes of migration and violence in Central America through engaging with nongovernmental organizations, faith and affected communities. Shortly after the conclusion of the event, the Rev. Stephen Deal, ELCA regional representative for Latin American and the Caribbean, visited with lawmakers in D.C. to discuss the immediate need for protection of family and children through responsible investment in Central America.

Ecumenical Advocacy Days: Advocates gathered in Washington, D.C., last month for the annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days. This year’s theme was “Breaking the Chains: Mass Incarceration and Systems of Exploitation.” Participants learned about the historical and theological foundations of problems in contemporary criminal justice systems as well as racial and economic exploitation systems around the world. During the conference, advocates met with their members of Congress to encourage criminal justice and sentencing reform. Several workshops and skills sessions were led by Lutherans, and the musical offerings at worship services were provided by ELCA Glocal musicians. Lutheran attendees also had a denominational gathering, where they learned about the ELCA strategy on HIV and  AIDS and ELCA actions to challenge racial injustice.

International Violence Against Women Act: In March, the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA) was reintroduced in the House and Senate. The legislation combats gender-based violence by increasing legal protections, victims’ access to health care, and opportunities for women around the world. The ELCA recognizes that violence against women is still a prevalent and pressing problem in modern society, with nearly one-in-three women expected to face abuse in their lifetime.  Lutherans can take action to address violence against women at our ELCA Action Center and learn more about this issue on our ELCA I-VAWA fact sheet.

Coming to D.C.: Is your congregation or youth group interested in learning more about advocacy? Consider a visit to Washington, D.C., to learn how we, as a faith community, make a difference in public policy and advocacy! Email washingtonoffice@elca.org to learn more!

New York, NY
Dennis Frado​, Lutheran Office for World Community

Promoting tolerance and reconciliation: The president of the General Assembly, in conjunction with the secretary-general of the United Nations and the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations convened on April 21-22 a debate on “Promoting Tolerance and Reconciliation: Fostering Peaceful, Inclusive Societies and Countering Violent Extremism.” The debate provided an opportunity for member states and faith leaders, along with other stakeholders to share experiences and to address key issues and challenges relating to the promotion of tolerance and reconciliation with the aim of fostering peaceful and inclusive societies and countering violent extremism. LOWC attended the debate. More information can be found here.

U.N. post-2015 development agenda: LOWC followed the fourth session of intergovernmental negotiations for the post-2015 development agenda between April 21 and 24 at U.N. headquarters in New York. At this session it was a joint meeting of the negotiators for this process with the participants in the process for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development. The session focused on means of implementation, the global partnership for development, and coordination between the two processes. A summary can be found here.  Other resources can be found on the ACT Alliance Post 2015 page and this news release.

Security Council reform: A number of initiatives have added momentum to reforming the Security Council. Among member states, an earlier effort of the “Small Five” (Costa Rica, Jordan, Liechtenstein, Singapore and Switzerland) has evolved into a greater number of countries joining the Accountability, Coherence, and Transparency group, convened by Switzerland. They have outlined several proposals during the past few years. Recently, the chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council reform, Courtenay Rattray, permanent representative of Jamaica, put forward a framework document for further discussion. Meanwhile, a new grassroots-oriented group, Elect the Council, has been formed to solicit public input toward electing new members of the council in the context of council expansion. LOWC has been participating in these initiatives.

Women, peace and security: On April 15, LOWC monitored the U.N. Security Council’s open debate on sexual violence in conflict. It was based on the secretary-general’s annual report on conflict-related sexual violence. The report also focused on non-state actors and extremist groups and sexual violence directed against LGBTQ people. Zeinab Hawa Bangura, special representative of the secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict, and representatives of almost 70 member states emphasized that 2014 was marked by an increase of harrowing accounts of conflict-related sexual violence. Recommendations included: acting on early warning signs, sanctioning perpetrators, identifying better treatment and counseling for survivors, better training and sensitization for U.N. peacekeepers, and monitoring the security situations in conflict-affected countries.

California
Mark Carlson, Lutheran Office of Public Policy
www.loppca.org​

Recent events: April highlights include a visit from a group from the public ministry class at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary to the Capitol.  Although legislators had returned to their districts, the group was blessed with thoughtful discussion with the communications director for a state senator, a Lutheran woman just elected to her congregational council. LOPP-CA coordinated the Northern California tour for the Rev. Joseph (“Strength for the Struggle,” 2014) and Joyce Ellwanger (Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, synod anti-racism training, Sacramento program). At the last minute, LOPP made connections so that they could participate in a Southwest California Synod Justice Team meeting in Glendale and be introduced at an Assembly floor session, where they were welcomed by the three legislators who had been to Selma for the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday.

CA1

CA2Legislation: Bills are moving through their policy committees. Those supported by LOPP-CA include an expansion of the state low-income housing tax credit, a permanent source of funds for housing in the form of a fee on property recordings other than home sales (similar to the Homes and Jobs Act prominent in 2014 updates), a commitment to provide preschool for all 4-year-olds from low-income families by 2017, a requirement that greenhouse gas emissions be reduced by 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050; creating an Earned Income Tax Credit; and a new DISCLOSE Act illuminating top funders of ballot measures.

Upcoming events: The Southwest California, Sierra Pacific and Pacifica synod assemblies and the festive Immigrant Day at the Capitol on May 18.

Colorado
Peter Severson, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – Colorado
www.lam-co.org

Child Support Pass-through: Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-Colorado and several of its partners in poverty-related legislation were thrilled that Senate Bill 12 made it through both the Senate and House, and is currently awaiting a signature from Gov. John Hickenlooper. The bill, which allows families receiving TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) benefits to also receive child support payments that were previously withheld by county governments, is one of the only measures to survive this year’s split-party-control legislature that will directly benefit families living in poverty.

Other legislation: Several late legislative victories include a bill to extend the life of low-income housing tax credits, as well as a measure to provide an affirmative defense for the crime of prostitution to minor victims of human trafficking. The Colorado House narrowly killed legislation that would have created a paid family and medical leave insurance program for the 88% of Colorado workers currently without access to paid leave during serious illness or the birth of a child. Also defeated in Senate committees were bills to create a state affordable housing investment fund and a rural economic initiative grant program.

Urban Servant Corps: LAM-CO hosted 13 volunteers from Urban Servant Corps for a day at the Capitol on Friday, April 10. The volunteers, who live in intentional community in Denver and work for a variety of social service organizations, learned about the legislative process, met with State Representative Beth McCann, and toured the Capitol.

CO1​

Illinois
Jennifer DeLeon, Lutheran Advocacy Illinois
www.lutheranadvocacy.org

More than 100 people gathered to speak out for justice and compassion for all people in Illinois at Lutheran Day 2015. Participants met with legislators. The day concluded with a prayer service followed by the presentation of the Paul Simon Courage in Public Service Award given to state Sen. Dan Kotowski and posthumously to State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka, who also had served in the state Senate and House of Representatives. Thanks to the event’s sponsoring organizations: Advocate Health Care, Bethesda Lutheran Communities, Bethel New Life, Concordia Place, Holy Family Ministries, Lutheran Advocacy Illinois, Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois and Lutheran Social Services of Illinois.

IL1The main legislative issue of the day was the Earned Income Tax Credit, which lets low-and-moderate income working families keep more of their earnings to help pay for things that keep them working, like child care and transportation. The tax credit also reduces the number of children living in poverty and improves kids’ chances of success as adults.  By helping low-wage workers keep more of their incomes, the tax credit increases consumer spending, which then boosts local economies across Illinois.

Lawmakers can lift working families and boost local economies by doubling the tax credit in Illinois. Click here to let your lawmaker know the time is now!​

​Minnesota
Tammy Walhoff, Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota
tammy@lcppm.org  

Legislature: With three weeks left, the Minnesota House and the Senate have been passing budget bills, often working past midnight. Due to committee changes and different visions, bills from the chambers are radically different.

Housing and homelessness: House actions cut $20 million from affordable housing and $1.5 billion from services important to people being stably housed. Homeless youth would get $1 million more per biennium but not permanently if the House gets its way. Lutheran Advocacy-MN has been sending letters to legislators.

Clean Energy and Jobs Campaign: The campaign asked LA-MN Director Tammy Walhof to be the faith-based speaker at a House hearing. Despite much testimony, the committee (and full House) voted to roll back Minnesota’s Renewable Energy Standard and cut the energy efficiency program. LA-MN with Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light created a faith-leader letter for Gov. Mark Dayton in support of the Clean Power Plan and clean energy. Walhof’s connections were key to securing more than 300 signers, including bishops and executives from various denominations and 187 pastors.

Payday lending: Lutheran Advocacy-MN participated in a public event in front of a payday-lending business next to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. Exodus Lending (alternative option) was launched by Holy Trinity at the event.

Synod-related activities: The Minneapolis Area Synod now has a very engaged Eco-Faith Network.  Tammy Walhof was a speaker for the Northeastern Minnesota Synod Creation Care Retreat. She was also able to make new connections at the Saint Paul Area Synod Assembly and Luther Seminary events with Larry Rasmussen.

Social media: Follow Lutheran Advocacy-MN on Twitter: @LuthAdvocacyMN

New Jersey
Sara Lilja, Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry in New Jersey
Visit us on Facebook!​

Congregational efforts: Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry has been focused on three areas of congregationally oriented work this past month:

  • Released a human trafficking video
  • Gathered leaders to begin to craft the church’s response to the heroin crisis in New Jersey
  • Formed a coalition of leaders to develop public policy that will address race and poverty in the state

Legislation: We continue to work on legislation surrounding earned sick days, background checks for people who have been convicted of domestic violence, and reforming the use of solitary confinement.

Budget: Our advocacy efforts continue to address the state budget. In New Jersey, tax subsidies and credits to businesses have resulted in 4 billion fewer dollars in state revenue. The consequence is residents who are vulnerable and struggling economically are suffering at greater rates.

New Mexico
Ruth Hoffman, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – New Mexico
www.lutheranadvocacynm.org

Legislative session victories: For legislation passed in the final three days of a legislative session, the governor has 20 days after the end of the session to sign, veto or line-item veto bills. LAM-NM encouraged Gov. Susana Martinez to sign SB 42 and not to line-item veto language in the state budget bill relating to the state Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. SB42 requires the Human Services Department to make sure that when someone who is Medicaid-eligible is released from jail, they have Medicaid coverage immediately. The governor signed SB 42 into law and also did not veto language in the budget bill that increases the monthly TANF cash assistance by 5 percent and adds another annual clothing allowance for TANF children.

NM2Interim committees set to begin: Much legislative work happens in the “interim,” which is the time between sessions. Interim committees have been appointed and are made up of members of both the Senate and the House. These committees meet from May until December. LAM-NM follows several interim committees closely, including the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee and the Legislative Finance Committee.

Ecumenical partners: LAM-NM Director Ruth Hoffman spoke to three groups at Central United Methodist Church in Albuquerque. She talked about the importance of our ecumenical and full communion partnership and presented a summary of LAM-NM work during the 2015 legislative session.

 

​Ohio
Nick Bates, The Faith Coalition for the Common Good
Email: nick@oneohionow.org

Budget focused on poverty: The Faith Coalition for the Common Good thanks House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger and the House leadership for a budget bill that recognizes — if not fully addresses — the safety, education and public health needs of a growing number of Ohioans. “While specifics on the plan are still emerging, we appreciate acknowledgement in the House that a lot of people are still hurting,” said the Rev. John Edgar of the United Methodist Church for All People.

With a state poverty rate at 16 percent, and some counties nearing 32 percent, more must be done beyond $2.75 million of additional support for food insecurity. Congregations operating food pantries look to the Senate to add an additional $2.75 million to maintain adequate emergency supplies.

We are pleased about a smaller reduction in Ohio’s income tax, yet we remain concerned that our tax policy continues to focus on cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy. We recommend strategies, such as a refundable Earned Income Tax Credit and smart public investments in health care, public assistance and affordable housing.

We also applaud efforts to invest in Ohio’s future through education — particularly rural, low-income school districts. “The Faith Coalition is impressed with the focus in the House on helping all Ohio’s children overcome challenges to poverty by receiving a better education,” said Tom Smith of the Ohio Council of Churches. “Theirs was an open budget process that we hope is followed in the Senate.”

Pennsylvania
Amy Reumann, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania
Tracey DePasquale, Associate Director
www.lutheranadvocacypa.org

Lutheran Day: 150 people attended Lutheran Day in the Capitol on April 27.  Held in conjunction with the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg’s Academy Week, the day began with a keynote by the Rev. Dr. Kristin Largen, acting dean, whose remarks established a theological framework for the day. After workshops and worship, advocates traveled to the Capitol for legislative visits on housing and education funding.

PA1Bishop James Dunlop, Bishop Ralph Jones, Bishop Claire Burkat, the Rev. Scott Schul and Associate Director Tracey DePasquale urged passage of a fair education funding formula at an afternoon press conference. As advocates lined the steps inside, the Rotunda the broke into a beautiful and spontaneous chorus of the Doxology – a true Lutheran Day highlight!

DePasquale made a presentation to a stewardship class and presented workshops on trauma-responsive education during Academy Week.

Payday lending: Our director, Amy Reumann, met with Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, on proposed federal payday-lending rules and their impact on Pennsylvanians and led a predatory lending training for Urban Seeds in Philadelphia.

Hunger: We celebrated the end of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program asset test and participated in meetings of the Pennsylvania Food Security Coalition and School Breakfast Challenge workgroup.

Education: We successfully advocated within the statewide school funding coalition for reworking the campaign’s proposal after analysis showed it could continue to drive racial disparity in resources for schools.

Civil rights: Staff participated in a press conference and lobby day supporting amending the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act by adding sexual orientation and gender identity as protected categories.

Washington
Paul Benz, Faith Action Network
www.fanwa.org

Legislative issues: The 2015 Washington state 105-day legislative regular session ended on Sunday, April 26, with no agreement on its three budgets (operating, transportation and capital). The main disagreement  is over whether there should be new revenue in the operating budget to meet the critical needs of our state that have been drastically cut over the past several sessions. Another way to look at this stalemate is that there are different perspectives on what the “critical needs” are and the role of state government in meeting those needs. Funding for three food programs are in this scenario (Emergency Food Assistance Program, State Food Assistance, and Breakfast after the Bell).  Another food related proviso is funding for a pesticide-drift notification pilot project.

WA1Policy successes:

HB 1449 – Oil train safety notification and funding

SB 5863 – Pre-apprenticeship programs and jobs for women and communities of color in transportation contracts

Faith-based organizing: May 4 is a People’s Hearing on the Need for Revenue at the state Capitol. FAN has been collecting signatures on the need for revenue in the budget and will deliver them on the day of this hearing to the budget negotiators and the governor. The regional United Church of Christ annual conference was held in Spokane in April. FAN led workshop presentations on the state budget and economic inequality. The ELCA Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod Assembly was held in the Tri-Cities in April. There was a resolution urging congregational engagement on climate change and energy savings, as well as a memorial urging the ELCA to include climate change in the events for the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation. FAN also met with members of the Islamic Center of the Tri-Cities and their Imam Mohamed El-Sehmawy.

Fundraising: The Seattle Foundation sponsors GiveBIG Day, an annual day to encourage online giving to local nonprofits where the foundation’s partners give a small match to what is raised by each nonprofit that participates. FAN and hundreds of others participate and use this opportunity to raise needed dollars to sustain our programming.

Wisconsin
Cindy Crane, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin
www.loppw.org

Advocacy Day: LOPPW worked with Wisconsin Council of Churches, Faith Voices For Justice, Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee, Madison Area Urban Ministry, Milwaukee Jewish Federation, Jewish Federation of Madison, Wisconsin Jewish Conference, and WISDOM to organize an Advocacy Day on April 29. About 750 people attended the event to learn about threats to Wisconsin’s safety net programs (drug testing, changes to BadgerCare and long-term care programs, criminal justice reform, driver’s licenses for people who are not documented, and public transit issues including preserving/expanding funding and keeping transit funding in the state budget). LOPPW’s director explained safety net programs during the plenary and at a workshop, co-led by staff from the Wisconsin Council of Churches, discussed an alternative state budget and expanding Medicaid (BadgerCare) with federal dollars.

WI1Public hearing: On April 30, LOPPW together with the Wisconsin Catholic Conference and Wisconsin Council of Churches, testified on drug testing. Click here to read the statement.

Better choices: LOPPW is working with a coalition of secular and faith-based nonprofits, called Better Choices, to make state budget choices better known. The Wisconsin Budget Project, an initiative of the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, developed an alternative budget, which would allow us to save and improve our valued safety net programs and keep funding for our schools. We are currently planning press conferences around the state. South-Central Synod of Wisconsin Bishop Mary Froiland will be one of the speakers at our first press conference in Madison on May 4.

What advocacy efforts are going on in your synod or state? We want to hear about it!

Contact us at washingtonoffice@elca.org ​​