ELCA Advocacy

Following are updates shared from submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices (sppos) in the ELCA Advocacy Network last month. Full list and map of sppos available. 

U.N. | COLORADO| PENNSYLVANIA| TEXAS| WASHINGTON |WISCONSIN

New York

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), U.N. – ELCA.org/lowc

Christine Mangale, Director

From May 9-10, LOWC staff participated in the UN Civil Society conference in Nairobi, Kenya. 2,158 participants—representing 115 nationalities, from 1,424 organizations, and headquartered in 99 countries—were in attendance. The conference focused on increasing awareness, ambition and accountability for the Summit of the Future happening in September. It also worked to build multi-stakeholder ImPACT Coalitions to champion, act on and push forward reforms proposed in consensus language of the Pact for the Future. 

LOWC staff attended the Post-Conference Town Hall on May 31 to discuss reflections and outcomes of 2024 UN Civil Society Conference. Staff will also continue to participate in civil society meetings leading up to the Summit of the Future. Our staff joined Impact Coalitions focused on faith and migration, and will continue to work with other individuals and organizations to advocate for specific language to be included in the Pact for the Future. 

Colorado 

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAMCo) – Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-Colorado (lam-co.org) 

Peter Severson, Director 

LOOKING AHEAD TO BALLOT SEASON: Colorado’s legislative session may be over for 2024, but the season for ballot measures is just beginning! The legislature has the power to refer measures to the ballot, and they successfully approved three questions: 

• Repealing moot language in the Colorado constitution that bans gay marriage
• Adding an exception to the right to bail for first-degree murder cases where proof is evident or the presumption is great
• Modifying some election deadlines for initiatives and referenda

H3 Pending Ballot Measures 

Colorado voters have seen at least a dozen measures on their fall ballot in even-numbered election years for the last several cycles, and this year may be similar. It all depends on how many of the measures currently collecting signatures will be certified.  

We know right now that two initiated measures will appear on the ballot, having already been approved: 

• Limiting property tax growth to four percent annually, unless approved by voters
• Placing the right to abortion in the state constitution

 Other measures have been approved for circulation on issues ranging from law enforcement to elections to veterinary medicine. We’ll be tracking all the issues and publishing our annual Voter Guide later this year, so stay tuned!  

Pennsylvania 

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania (LAMPa) – lutheranadvocacypa.org 

Tracey DePasquale, Director 

LAMPa built on the energy of Lutheran Day in the Capitol, where the Gospel was proclaimed and we remembered our call to be Church Together. You can draw inspiration for your discipleship and support our work toward a world where all are welcomed and fed by purchasing a print of this beautiful painting of The Table.

 Committed to supporting the church in Pennsylvania in this election season, we are preparing programs and resources to aid congregations and individuals in their civic engagement, including a pre-election devotional that will accompany our 40 days of prayer and action for justice and peace.  

H3 Pride Month  

We honored Pride month with resources for congregations and local Reconciling Works teams to use at events to encourage care for our LGBTQ+ neighbors and promote systemic change through advocating for the Fairness Act and updated Hate Crimes Legislation.  

H3 Menstrual Hygiene Support Passed 

Responding to needs raised by our ministries, Lutherans sent postcards  to their legislators in support of providing menstrual hygiene products in schools. HB851 passed the House with bipartisan support!  

H3 Housing Advocacy 

LAMPa advocates continued to press lawmakers to care for vulnerable neighbors in the budget with action alerts for programs to support housing, hunger and health care. On the heels of a new UN statement on the climate crisis, Lutheran advocates joined more than 400 statewide for a virtual climate lobby day, demanding that PA advance measures to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.  

Texas 

Texas Impact (TI) – www.texasimpact.org 

Scott Atnip, Director 

The summer is already hot, and legislative activity has yet to cool down in Texas.  

H3 Reproductive Rights 

The Texas abortion ban has been in focus this year and Texas Impact is creating a series of videos called Let’s Talk on the issue through the lens of faith, and is organizing a series of conversations on the issue. 

H3 Congregations Respond to Gun Violence 

Congregations are participating in the Vidas Robadas (Stolen Lives) displays, displaying the names of victims of gun violence on t-shirts. The display at the NRA convention in Dallas garnered special attention.  

H3 Weekly Witness Podcast on the Farm Bill 

Finally, the Weekly Witness podcast continues, and we were fortunate to have the ELCA’s Christine Moffett join the podcast in May to talk about the Farm Bill.  

H3 Now Hiring 

Texas Impact just finished hiring staff to coordinate a Houston Faith Votes cohort to engage in civic engagement work to demonstrate the impact congregations can have in engaging voters. The fifteen congregations will convene in July to begin this work and will join with many other congregations using Texas Faith Votes resources.   

Washington 

Faith Action Network (FANWA) – Home – Faith Action Network (fanwa.org) 

Elise DeGooyer

H3 Farm Bill Advocacy
There has always been strong collaboration with the Lutherans in FAN’s network and beyond for the Farm Bill Advocacy. Thanks to the work of ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow Tomo Duke, last month six Bishops of the Synods in Region 1 (Alaska, Montana, Northwest Washington, Northwest Intermountain, Oregon, Southwestern Washington) sent a joint letter to the House and Senate Agricultural Committee leadership and their respective representatives in the committees, urging them to attend to community needs and pass a bipartisan, equitable, and sustainable farm bill. The letters were hand-delivered by the ELCA Advocacy staff in Washington D.C. FAN is thankful for the ELCA’s churchwide connection to make such tangible advocacy possible.  

We also hosted an online event “Why is the Farm Bill Important to Us?” on June 13. Lutherans from across the Northwest gathered with passion and curiosity for the Farm Bill. At the event, Bishop Rick Jaech, Bishop Meggan Manlove, and Bishop Shelley Bryan Wee joined us, Alex Parker from the ELCA Advocacy gave an engaging presentation, and five Lutheran guest speakers spoke on the different sections of the Farm Bill priorities—nutrition programs, farming communities, rural housing development, and creation care. The participants engaged in further conversation in breakout rooms and concluded the time by writing letters to our elected officials. 

This June, Executive Director Elise DeGooyer will be leaving FAN after 10 years of service. FAN staff, board, and our network have expressed deep gratitude for her tireless work and contribution to FAN. Her leadership skills, graciousness, and wisdom have served FAN well as we grew statewide and lived into our multi-faith identity. During this organizational transition, we invite you to help us find new executive leadership by sharing the job description and application information here. 

 

Wisconsin 

Lutheran Office for Public Policy (LOPPW) – The Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (loppw.org) 

Cindy Crane, Director 

 H3 Synod Assemblies 

LLOPPW was able to have a presence at four of the six synod assemblies.  Four assemblies were held on the same weekend and the other two were also held at the same time, although one was hybrid.  Cindy led a hearing on the draft social statement on Civic Life and Faith at the GMS assembly.  More than 100 people attended (left photo).  

The East-Central Synod of Wisconsin (ECSW) and Greater Milwaukee Synod (GMS) passed resolutions to advocate to diminish the influence of money on politics, especially related Citizens United.  Both resolutions included a request for assistance from LOPPW.  The director has been in contact with two D.C. staff about working together at the federal end.

 

Rev. Josh Fite speaking to the resolution at the ECSW assembly. 

 

Bishop Elect Martin Halom of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin (NWSW).  Bishop Laurie Skow-Anderson was celebrated before the election.

 

  H3 Youth Justice

On June 18, LOPPW and the Raise the Age coalition, which we helped to initiate, were invited to be part of a press conference, organized by MICAH, in advance of oral arguments to waive a ten-year-old charged with killing his mother from juvenile court to adult court in Milwaukee. RTA is very specific about raising the age of adulthood in the criminal justice system from 17 to 18 but fit the theme of the day. Links to videos from the day:  

Rev. Joe Ellwanger:  https://www.facebook.com/LOPPW/videos/1969220260181798 

Lived experience testimony:  https://www.facebook.com/LOPPW/videos/447787711370180 

Raise the Age statement: https://www.facebook.com/LOPPW/videos/971335448070684 

LOPPW’ brief comments: https://www.facebook.com/reel/478292724564975