{"id":7670,"date":"2024-07-02T16:48:21","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T21:48:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/?p=7670"},"modified":"2024-10-30T16:12:03","modified_gmt":"2024-10-30T21:12:03","slug":"elca-election-activator-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/elca-election-activator-network\/","title":{"rendered":"ELCA Election Activator Network"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Thank you<\/strong> to the nearly 300 of us who were part of the ELCA Election Activator Network, including many who participated in support and resourcing non-partisan civic engagement as people of faith. As Activators, you have made a difference in your localities and inspired others \u2013 and will continue to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n

The #ELCAElectionActivator network, a facilitation of monthly virtual gatherings and email messages from the ELCA Witness in Society advocacy team, was launched to support and mutually equip our ELCA community in their localities interested in activities encouraging people to participate in the electoral process.<\/p>\n

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ACTIVE CITIZENS<\/span><\/h5>\n

This church understands government as a means through which God works to preserve creation and build a more peaceful and just social order in a broken world. Our “civic participation is not simply voluntary, idealistic, or altruistic. The ELCA holds to the biblical idea that God calls God\u2019s people to be active citizens and to ensure that everyone benefits from the good of government (Jeremiah 29:7, Romans 13:1-7)” (ELCA social message, “Government and Civic Engagement in the United States\u201d, p. 14<\/a>). This church \u201calso strongly affirms voting, guided by faith-based values, as an exercise in citizenship\u201d (p. 16)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What we do as individuals this election year may include many activities, but the support and equipping of the #ELCAElectionActivator network will be strictly nonpartisan.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As we engage our civic engagement passions as people of faith, there is much we can do \u2013 and are doing!<\/strong> Congregations have passed out refreshments at polling stations. Members have volunteered as poll workers and monitors. Church committees have facilitated polling place look-ups and registration assistance in their neighborhoods and social ministries. ELCA-affiliated state public policy offices have helped highlight ballot initiatives that have significant impact for us and our neighbors in their localities. Synods have hosted de-polarizing dialogues.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>What have \u2013 and can \u2013 you do? How\u2019s it going? Let\u2019s share!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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ABIDING BY THE LAW<\/span><\/h5>\n

An important part of faithful civic engagement<\/a> is abiding by the law<\/a>. Any participation by congregations in activities related to the electoral process must be strictly nonpartisan and abide by IRS guidelines. To support this commitment of our #ELCAElectionActivator network, all participants are asked to pledge to only bring nonpartisan initiatives and comments into the dialogue.<\/p>\n

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INTERESTED?<\/span><\/h5>\n