Issue 94 of Administration Matters

How to Create a Mission Endowment Fund: A Guide for Congregations

The ELCA Foundation has created a tool to help congregations that are considering an endowment. “How to Create a Mission Endowment Fund: A Guide for Congregations” provides a systematic approach to establishing a mission endowment fund, which enables congregations to be thoughtful stewards of bequests and planned gifts. You can find an electronic copy of the guide here. To learn more, you may also contact the ELCA Foundation at 800-638-3522 or email elcafoundation@elca.org.

Information needed when filing an insurance claim for embezzlement

Each situation is different, and no checklist or protocol fits all circumstances. Handling a suspected embezzlement by an employee may be quite different from handling one that involves a congregation or synod volunteer. Handling a current, ongoing embezzlement may be quite different from handling one that is discovered later and involves a person no longer working on the congregation’s or synod’s financial matters. This list provides some general advice, but you should consider all your options and get proper legal and accounting advice throughout the process.

New options from Portico for 2025

As the ELCA’s benefits ministry, Portico Benefit Services tries to keep pace with the financial, emotional and physical health challenges that members face. Watch Portico’s annual enrollment communications for news about its expanded 2025 health plan and its retirement contribution options affecting ELCA-sponsored members. These communications will be sent to employers this summer.

Thank you for your input about ELCA benefits. Through the Benefits reExamined initiative that began this spring, Portico is inviting plan members and organizations to join a dialogue to help discern and design changes to benefits so they can continue to meet the evolving needs of the ELCA community. If you completed the Benefits reExamined survey this summer, Portico extends its sincere gratitude. Find out more and watch for updates when you visit Benefits reExamined.

You have a story to tell

Storytelling is all about connecting with others. By sharing stories and uncovering our own truths, we convey important information that helps those around us relate. Storytelling builds empathy, enabling listeners to put themselves in someone else’s shoes and fostering the social and emotional intelligence that is the cornerstone of building strong relationships. >More

10 projects your church can tackle this summer

Summer can be a fun time for churches. Many host vacation Bible school, church picnics or other warm-weather events that provide fellowship opportunities for church members. However, summer is also a great time to regroup and prepare for the activities that fall and winter bring to a church campus. >More

File claims quickly to better protect your people and property

When you file a property claim within 24 hours, you can reduce the potential for the costly, long-term damage that can ensue when cleanup is delayed. In cases where you are displaced, filing a claim promptly will help you get back to your building faster. >More

Warm-up Questions

• Can you think of an experience that changed the direction of your life?
  • If so, share that experience.
  • If not, share what kind of experience might redirect your life.

Created To Be

This coming week, more than 18,000 people will gathering in New Orleans for the ELCA Youth Gathering and partner events like MYLE, the tAble, and the Young Adult Gathering. For many young people, this confluence of events is a watershed experience. Streams of faith formation collide with tributaries of service and currents of community to create a river of life-giving, life-changing experience. God is at work among young people, and the ELCA Youth Gathering is one profound way that the Holy Spirit changes their lives for the better.

While thousands have this experience in New Orleans, countless more have not had the chance to attend this or previous national youth gatherings. Sometimes schedules don’t align. Sometimes costs get in the way. Sometimes emergencies arise. Fortunately, while we know the profound impact of the Gathering, we know that God is at work in myriad ways to positively impact the lives of young people within and beyond the ELCA. LuMin and NECU provide invaluable ministry experiences for young adults in colleges across the country. Regional ministries through synods and camps ensure that youth ministry gatherings are accessible multiple times each year. Congregations provide support on a weekly, and even daily, basis for youth faith formation.

The 2024 Gathering will be another watershed moment for many, and for that we give thanks. We also give great thanks for those ministries who bring positive change to all those who can’t be in New Orleans this week. We were all created to be authentic, free, brave, disruptive disciples. Together, across the church, we share the work of proclaiming that life-changing liberation.

If you’d like to experience some of the Gathering from afar, be sure to check out their YouTube page for livestream options.

Discussion Questions

• Can you think of an experience that transformed your faith?
  • If so, share what that experience was like.
  • If not, discuss what kinds of experiences might change your faith.
• What does it mean to you that God created us to be:
  • authentic?
  • free?
  • brave?
  • disruptive?
  • disciples?

Third Sunday After Pentecost

Amos 7:7-15

Psalm 85:8-13

Ephesians 1:3-14

Mark 6:14-29

Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings at Lectionary Readings.

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

And Now for Something Completely Different

In this week’s Gospel, we hear how Herod killed John the Baptist. To say the least, it is a very strange story. In short, Herod’s young daughter Herodias entertains him and his guests at a party by dancing. As was custom at the time, since Herod was please with her performance, he made a public promise to give Herodias anything she wanted. At the behest of her mother, Herodias asked for John the Baptist’s head.

Yup. A mother manipulated her daughter into asking for a beheading after her first dance recital. The Bible is weird.

This tragedy is a watershed moment for Jesus and his disciples. At that time, John was likely more popular and more influential than Jesus. This execution could have meant the end of this revolutionary movement and sent Jesus into hiding. Instead, this becomes the catalyst for the expansion of Jesus ministry, which honors and extends the legacy of John the Baptist.

Not every watershed moment comes from a positive experience. Sometimes, events like the gathering and supportive communities like a local youth group offer encouragement for transformation. At other times, tragedies like the loss of John the Baptist inspire change. Inspiration for change can come through excitement and sadness. Both grief and joy can lead to evolution because God is present in both. The loss of John brought grief to Jesus–his coworker and cousin–even as it also moved Jesus into a new era of ministry that changed the whole world for the better. It’s through all sorts of events, the best of times and the worst of times, that we come to understand who God created us to be.

Discussion Questions

1. What ways have you grown from difficult situations in life?
2. Where have you seen God active in unexpected places?

 Activity Suggestions

1. Use two activities to show the different ways the catalysts work.
   1. For one example, put white flowers in a vase with some water and add a colored dye. Over many days, the flower’s petals will absorb the color of the dye, but the change doesn’t happen right away.
   2. For the other example, get a 2 liter of soda and a pack of Mentos. Be sure that you’re outside in an area that can get messy. Drop a Mentos in the bottle and quickly step back. Almost immediately, the chemical reaction causes the liquid to erupt from the bottle.
2. Reflect, either with a group or in a journal, on how God can be active in an instant and how God’s activity can seem to take forever. How do these different experiences, sudden change and slow evolution, help you to understand who God created you to be?

Closing prayer:  

Creative God, you created us to be your images in the world. Make us attentive to the ways you work through all of life’s experiences. From the happiest mountains to the saddest valleys, remind us that you are transforming us into little Christs who live for the life of the world. We pray this all in the name of Jesus Christ: Amen.

Each month ELCA Worship highlights resources and events from other organizations and institutions. These Lutheran and ecumenical partner organizations work alongside the ELCA to support worship leaders, worship planners, musicians, and all who care about the worship of the church.

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Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival

Transforming and connecting lives through faith and music since 1981.

Lutheran Summer Music invites you to livestream over 30 inspiring concerts, recitals, and worship services throughout the entire month of July. Performances and services are shared by over 250 students, faculty, fellows, worship staff, and guest artists who come together to create a vibrant community of music-makers. Visit LSMacademy.org/2024 to explore the schedule and access the livestream and video archive. You won’t want to miss this!

Of special note, the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians (ALCM) will join this year’s LSM community and offer an intergenerational performance of J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion.

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Resources from the Center for Church Music

The Center for Church Music is a place where one can tap into an expansive library of resources and perspectives on the music and art of the church, with a focus on a Lutheran context.

“Profiles in American Lutheran Church Music” presents video interviews with prominent ELCA church musicians Martin Seltz (interviewed by Rev. Craig Mueller) and Paul D. Weber (interviewed by Barry Bobb) have recently been posted to the website of the Center for Church Music.

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Register for Augsburg Fortress Summer Music Clinics

Join clinicians David Cherwien and Mark Sedio for Augsburg Fortress’ free summer music clinics this summer in any of our five locations! Register here:

July 16-17 in St. Paul, Minn
July 19-20 in Columbia, S.C.
August 1-2 in Philadelphia, Pa.
August 5-6 in Columbus, Ohio
August 9-10 in Chicago, Ill.

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Augsburg Fortress Events and Resources

Augsburg Fortress is an imprint of 1517 Media, the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Love and Faithfulness: A Marriage Planning Handbook
Love and Faithfulness provides couples with brief explanations and the entire text of the Evangelical Lutheran Worship marriage service, as well as more recent supplemental resources. Twelve reflections encourage couples to plan the marriage service and prepare for married life together. Pastors will find this resource invaluable for working with those preparing for marriage. It encourages couples to have conversations about the marriage service, faith, and daily life within the context of worship and the church. A free, downloadable pastor’s guide is available.

 

Living the Promises of Baptism: 101 Ideas for Parents
Of all the gifts parents can pass on to their children, faith is the most precious. The heart of our role as Christian parents is sharing and living out that faith with the children God gives us. This small book is filled with concrete ideas for celebrating with your children the gifts of baptism in daily living. Meals, bedtime, play, seasons, milestones, transitions-all these occasions and more become opportunities for practicing faith.

 

Assembly Song Companion to All Creation Sings
Assembly Song Companion to All Creation Sings will be an essential reference resource for church musicians, pastors, and others who help plan assembly song. This accessible manual gives the context, origins, and character of the texts and tunes in All Creation Sings as well as practical guidance for musical leaders. It is especially useful when paired with the Hymnal Companion to ELW and the Musicians Guide to ELW.

 

Christ in Our Home
Christ in Our Home is a quarterly devotional resource that encourages readers to live out their faith daily. Each reflective reading is accompanied by a daily scripture reference and prayer for the day that follows the Revised Common Lectionary.

 

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Music that Makes Community

Music that Makes Community (MMC) practices communal song-sharing that inspires deep spiritual connection, brave shared leadership, and sparks the possibility of transformation in our world.

Here are some upcoming in-person gatherings!

• Saturday, July 13: Ana Hernandez, Monica Oneydika, Adam Michael Wood, and Executive Director Conie Borchardt will be leading a 1-Day Community Singing Workshop in Atlanta, Georgia right before The Hymn Society conference.
• Stay tuned for registration to open for a Friday night Community SING and Saturday morning workshop in Northwest Synod of Wisconsin on October 11-12.
• Many local practice groups and community sings are meeting monthly! Check out when Albuquerque, Chicago, Brownsburg (IN), Ellensburg (WA), Minneapolis-St. Paul, and more are meeting here!

Have you wondered about this gathering called Monday Morning Grounding?  Please read more about this virtual point of connection and reflection for clergy and musicians on our blog here.  The summer session starts June 10 and concludes July 22.  Join us! Register here for the Zoom link.

Please visit our website to discover the song resources on the A-Z list, do a deep dive into the blog post archive, check out what it takes to host a workshop, make a contribution to support this non-profit organization, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

May song accompany your gratitude and lament, your grief and your praise.

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Association of Lutheran Church Musicians

ALCM nurtures and equips musicians to serve and lead the church’s song.

Ponder Anew: Serving and Leading the Church’s Song
July 22 – 25
Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind.

Cannot be in Valparaiso for the conference? Registration for Live Streamed participation is available!

Thank you 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 – and will continue to do so.

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.

 

ACTIVE CITIZENS

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’s 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”, p. 14). This church “also strongly affirms voting, guided by faith-based values, as an exercise in citizenship” (p. 16).

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.

As we engage our civic engagement passions as people of faith, there is much we can do – and are doing! 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.

What have – and can – you do? How’s it going? Let’s share!

 

ABIDING BY THE LAW

An important part of faithful civic engagement is abiding by the law. 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.

 

INTERESTED?

• • VIRTUAL MEETINGS HAVE CONCLUDED.

• SIGNUP: Sign up from ELCA.org/ELCAElectionEngagement/SignUp .
  • You’ll be asked for basic email and place data.
  • Respond to a few questions helping us get a feel for the experience (not a prerequisite!) and connections in the group.
• NONPARTISAN AFFIRMATION: Following your signup, you will be sent an email asking you to affirm your commitment as an #ELCAElectionActivator participant to only bring nonpartisan contributions to the group.
• CONFIRMATION: After this is confirmed, you will receive an invitation to virtual #ELCAElectionActivator network meetings as well as occasional, informational emails.

 

We look forward to expanding what we can do together in faithful civic engagement!

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 

 

As you make plans for worship in the autumn months, consider the following ways to explore All Creation Sings.

Time after Pentecost-Autumn

Sing “God’s Work, Our Hands” (ACS 1000) on September 8 in worship or at other congregational service events. Set to the tune EARTH AND ALL STARS, singers will readily learn this new text by Wayne Wold. Learn more about the hymn at https://elca.org/dayofservice.

Explore the many creation-care activities in Kids Celebrate Creation. This is especially fitting if your congregation is focusing on care for the earth leading up to the commemoration of St. Francis on October 4.

Read or re-visit the 2020 Augsburg Fortress blog post, “The Animals Will Teach” for more creation-themed song ideas in ACS.

Reformation

Sing one of two short songs based on Psalm 46 as a psalm refrain on Reformation Sunday: “Though the Earth Shall Change” (ACS 1035) or “Be Still and Know” (1083). The verses of the psalm can be sung on a tone or spoken by all or a leader(s) while the whole assembly sings the song as a refrain.

Introduce two new songs with reformation themes, “By Grace We Have Been Saved” (ACS 1006) and “Born, Reborn.” (ACS 956). The introductory videos will assist you with learning and teaching in your context.

Teach your choir a setting of “God Alone Be Praised.” (ACS 1023).  Commissioned for the 30^th anniversary of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians and the 500^th anniversary of the reformation, this anthem setting includes a part for the assembly and violin. You can listen to it as well.

All Saints

Learn the hymn “Death Be Never Last.” This video provides an introduction. If you’d prefer to have a choir sing it first, consider this anthem arrangement. Find additional anthem suggestions for several hymns in All Creation Sings in this curated PDF.

Remember a loved one by purchasing copies of the pew edition in their memory. What a gift it is for people of all ages to open a hymnal, read the name of a fellow child of God, and be connected to the community of saints through song.

Familiarize yourself with several prayers in ACS that address loss and times of transition (see pages 52–55 in the pew edition). As we remember those who have died or those near death, these prayers can give us words when we are struggling to name what is on our hearts.

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. | CALIFORNIA| COLORADO | PENNSYLVANIA| WASHINGTON

New York 

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

Christine Mangale, Director 

 

ECOSOC Youth Forum: The 2024 ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) Youth Forum took place from Apr. 16-18, aiming to reinforce the 2030 Agenda and combat poverty amidst multiple crises through sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions. The focus areas include Sustainable Development Goals 1 (emphasizing poverty eradication), 2 (hunger alleviation), 13 (climate action), 16 (justice) and 17 (partnerships). 

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), in collaboration with LWF Youth and ELCA International Leaders Program, had seven delegates from LWF communion churches: Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, Iglesia Evangelical Luterana Unida Argentina, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Indonesia, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania and ELCA. 

As shared in the ELCA Youth Ministry profile, “As a church that is energized by lively engagement in our faith and life, the ELCA offers a variety of opportunities for youth to grow in and explore their faith.” The ECOSOC Youth Forum is a significant platform for youth engagement and interest. 

 The UN will host the Fourth Finance for Development Conference in Madrid, Spain in 2026. This will be an important stocktaking round for the health and impact of the Forum’s work, as well as to take the vision for this work into the next mandate period.  

California 

Lutheran Office of Public Policy (LOPPCA) – lutheranpublicpolicyca.org 

Regina Banks, Director 

 LOPPCA’s fifth annual Lutheran Lobby Day was a resounding success! We are so thankful for the support of our three bishops and the Cal Lutheran faculty and students who attended. From across the state, 65 intergenerational advocates gathered in Sacramento to speak justice to our legislators in the capitol surrounding these four priority bills: 

AB 2728 (Gabriel) – This bill is a follow up bill to the great housing bill, SB 4, that was passed in 2023. AB 2728 would incorporate new stakeholder feedback and add common sense accountability measures for SB 4 housing, including utilization data reporting. 

AB 1851 (Holden) – This bill follows the vetoed AB 249 (Holden) from 2023, which was one of LOPPCA’s lobby day bills last year. The new attempt would create a pilot program to hire a technical assistance organization that would test all potable water system outlets in designated school districts towards the goal of remediating toxic lead levels in school drinking water. 

SB 1497 (Menjivar) – This bill would establish the Polluters Pay Climate Cost Recovery Program. This would require fossil fuel polluters to pay their fair share of the damage caused by their products. It would also require the completion of a climate cost study to quantify the total damage amount, which would be defined as all past and future climate damages to the state. 

AB 2191 (Santiago) – This bill would establish the CalEITC Outreach, Education, & Free Tax Assistance Grant Program. The bill would require the Franchise Tax Board to allocate grants to qualified nonprofit community-based orgs or local government agencies to increase the number of eligible households claiming the state and federal EITC, CTC, YCTC, and the FYTC, and to increase awareness of ITIN tax status eligibility. 

LOPPCA is hopeful that they will continue to move forward this summer. 

Colorado

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

Peter Severson, Director

LEGISLATIVE SESSION CONCLUDES: The 2024 legislative session of the Colorado General Assembly concluded on Wed., May 8. In total, the legislature considered 705 bills this year, and LAM-CO was an active proponent of a dozen important pieces of legislation. These included bills that will remove filing fees from eviction defense proceedings (HB 1099), require affirmative cause for evictions (HB 1098), analyze the creation of a universal health care payment system (HB 1075), make adjustments to our ‘clean slate’ automatic record sealing policies (HB 1133), expand and improve the state Earned Income Tax Credit (HB 1134), give local governments easier access to buying property for affordable housing (HB 1175), and expand opportunities for racial equity in the criminal justice system (HB 1286 & SB 053). 

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SYNOD ASSEMBLY CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF ADVOCACY: The Rocky Mountain Synod Assembly took place in Loveland, Colo., from April 25-27. During the assembly, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Colorado and New Mexico were both celebrated for their 40th anniversary of carrying out the ministry of advocacy in our synod. Founded in 1984, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado has had six directors in its history, including current director Peter Severson, who celebrated ten years as director on May 1.  Peter & New Mexico director Kurt Rager spoke about the current landscape of advocacy in these two states, while former LAM-CO director (1991-1998) and former Colorado state senator (2001-2013) Betty Boyd spoke about the history of Lutheran advocacy in Colorado.

Ohio 

Hunger Network Ohio (HNO) – Hunger Network in Ohio (hungernetohio.com) 

Deacon Nick Bates, Director 

HNO HOSTS HOUSING ADVOCACY

On Apr. 16 HNO in partnership with the Ohio Council of Churches and Dominican Sisters of Peace hosted a luncheon on housing affordability in Ohio. With over 90 faith leaders and over 30 legislative offices in attendance, we heard the gospel proclaimed from Bishop Timothy J. Clarke (First Church of God Columbus). Amy Riegel, director of the Coalition on Housing and Homelessness in Ohio (COHHIO) provided a powerful policy overview and discussion about the root causes of housing affordability and and the lack of it in Ohio. We are grateful for our bi-partisan speakers, Sen. Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus) and Rep. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) who shared their policy efforts to expand affordable housing in Ohio. People can visit our resource page here for details.  

Pennsylvania

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

Tracey DePasquale, Director

More than 200 Pennsylvania Lutherans gathered in Harrisburg on May 9 to advocate for funding and policies to tackle hunger and climate change for the sake of our neighbors here and around the globe. We were excited to welcome ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and the Rev. Khader El-Yateem, new executive director of ELCA Service and Justice, as we mark 45 years of Lutheran advocacy in Pennsylvania and 50 years of ELCA World Hunger. During our worship together, the Rev. Erin Jones was officially installed as the Communications and Advocacy Engagement Manager. We celebrated our legacy and leaned into the future as “Church Together for the Sake of the World God Loves.” 

We auctioned the original painting of The Table by Freiman Stoltzfus and recognized advocates from each synod with the “Serve. Pray. Speak.” Award. It was, as always, inspiring to hear their stories. We also made a first time “Church Together” award to the Rev. Joel Folkemer and the people of Union Lutheran Church in York as exemplars of a congregation that consistently pairs their service of neighbor with advocacy for a more just world.  

The Rev. Amy Reumann, Senior Director for ELCA Witness in Society, announced that LAMPa was one of two states to receive a Jackie Maddox Racial Justice Grant for a three-year project. LAMPa’s proposed Isaiah 58:12 Fellowship empowers youth and young adults to pursue racial reconciliation at the community and congregational level, while being mentored by clergy of color. Applications are due by June 30.

Washington 

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

Elise DeGooyer, Director
 

Spring Summits
FAN hosted our first Spring Summit online on May 5 and will host another summit on June 9. During our first summit, we had a great time exchanging updates and information from this past legislative session and what to look for next in advocacy. We also met in issue-focused breakout groups to share context-informed perspectives and strategize together. FAN staff are looking forward to catching up with more FAN advocates in June! 

Voting and Civic Engagement
FAN recently launched a webpage for voting and civic engagement as we see the importance of joining multi faith voices to protect and practice democracy especially during this election year. On the webpage, faith communities and individuals can find our voting information one-pager and multi faith-inspired election resources. We also launched 100% Voting Faith Community Campaign thanks to the inspiration from Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy. We are excited to see faith communities mobilize and unite to become a 100% voting community. 

Synod Gatherings and the Farm Bill
FAN staff have been attending regional synod gatherings throughout Washington state from Poulsbo to Spokane, and there are more gatherings to come in Des Moines and Ellensburg. Those gatherings have been great to strengthen our partnerships and collaborations for advocacy.  

Speaking of collaboration, ELCA Synods’ Hunger Teams in Region 1 with Tomo Duke from FAN are collaborating to host an online event to learn about and advocate for the Farm Bill on Thursday June 13. We think it is imperative that all citizens are concerned with the Farm Bill at this crucial time when Congress is working to reauthorize the legislation for the next five years. FAN is vigilantly watching for any harmful revisions that go against FAN mission and values. The online event “Why is the Farm Bill Important to Us?” is centered around Lutheran contexts in the Pacific Northwest but is open to all. We are excited to welcome Alex Parker from the ELCA Witness in Society at this event on Jun. 13. Please register for the event at bit.ly/WhyFarmBill. 

By Giovana Oaxaca

World Refugee Day is observed annually on June 20th.

This is a time to honor the courage and resilience of refugees worldwide. Because of growing displacement due to conflict, climate change, and insecurity around the world, it’s more important than ever before to raise awareness about the plight of refugees, to advocate for justice, and to show solidarity with refugees and those seeking legal recognition as refugees, such as asylum seekers.

You can show solidarity with refugees by expressing that you believe in a world where refugees are welcomed. “I was a stranger and you welcomed me,” (Matthew 25:35) powerfully underscores biblical call to show hospitality. Lutherans have a long history of extending hospitality to refugees, having welcomed and assisted refugees through resettlement agencies for almost a century. The work of welcome continues.

Since the 2016 adoption of the ELCA Accompanying Migrants with Protection, Advocacy, Representation, and Opportunities (AMMPARO) strategy, more individuals have gotten involved in the work of welcome as Welcoming Congregations. Across the country, there are 254 welcoming and sanctuary congregations and 35 synods with organized groups involved in AMMPARO. Altogether, there is activity involving accompaniment in 59 of the 65 synods in the ELCA. Significant developments around the world served as a catalyst for AMMPARO to connect globally with ELCA companions and partners to further accompany, protect, and advocate for migrants, displaced people, and refugees living outside of the Western Hemisphere.

Legacies of Welcome

At the base of the Statue of Liberty lies an inscription that reads as a statement of the nation’s values. “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” Emma Lazarus’ poem created a contrast to a sentiment of exclusion and prejudice against people from other countries that was manifest in anti-immigrant legislation adopted in those times. Emma’s poem was dedicated to the Statue of Liberty just a year after the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in Congress, becoming the first federal law that limited immigration from a particular nationality.

This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the Johnson-Reed Act of 1924. The Johnson-Reed Act, or National Origins Act, severely limited immigration through percent country quotas that strongly favored Northern Europeans, disfavored Eastern and Southern Europeans, and excluded Asians for immigrant visas entirely. The 1924 law, writer Jia Lynn Yang says, changed the country forever.  Anti-immigrant sentiment and xenophobia fueled a strong attention to preserving the United States’ ethnic and racial homogeneity. At its essence, this is what the 1924 law did. The parallels with the rhetoric used then, and the rhetoric used today to justify restrictions, often by individuals who lack a comprehensive understanding of the arduous journey it takes to emigrate ‘the right way,’ are deeply concerning.

The 1924 quotas remained unchanged even as Jewish refugees, and other minorities, began fleeing Nazi persecution. The Jewish passengers of the M.S. St. Louis, desperate to find sanctuary in 1939, were refused by the United States under the system of quotas and forced to sail back to Europe.

The Displaced Persons Act of 1948 was eventually passed, for there was growing concern about displacement of people of all faiths from Europe. The Displaced Persons Act of 1948 worked by borrowing against future quota allocations. American Lutherans, other Christians, and Jewish Americans played a key part in appealing to President Truman to pass this law.

Refugees did not gain distinct international legal recognition until the United Nations adopted the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. The convention created a new international legal framework to define and protect the rights of refugees. The convention defined a refugee as, “a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.” The U.S. was not a signatory, but later joined the 1967 protocol which together with the 1951 convention, form the basis of refugee protection to this day. Watch this Video Explainer  to understand who refugees are.

While the national origins quotas were done away with in 1965 and replaced with higher visa caps with priority given to family and skills-based immigration, the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act that ushered this change was the culmination of robust civic dialogue and intense geopolitical pressures. The civil rights movement was highly influential in the American public rejecting ethnic and racial discrimination. Furthermore, internationally, the U.S.’s restrictionism was more and more at odds with foreign policy objectives.

It was not until passage of the 1980 Refugee Protection Act, however, that U.S. efforts to resettle refugees became systematized and formally aligned with international frameworks. The Refugee Protection Act established the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).

To this day, very few people understand how the immigration system came to be, much less the important victories that won the refugee protections we have now. Or consider the enduring legacy of hospitality woven throughout U.S. history. Fewer understand that it is mostly major pieces of legislation, passed in the 1990’s, that undergird most modern immigration discourse. This makes it even more important to vigorously defend refugee protection and champion immigration reforms that bring the immigration system into alignment with the principles of fairness and generosity (ELCA Social Message on Immigration, Pg. 7)

Everyday individuals continue heeding the call to welcome. Welcoming new neighbors has opened new channels of dialogue, raised mutual awareness of each other, and fostered a deeper sense of community. Were it not for the bold steps of the leaders before us, the U.S. would not be a place where, centuries on, the Statue of Liberty still stands as a beacon of hope and opportunity.

Learn

Broadening our shared awareness of the challenges faced by those displaced from their homes leads to more effective support and advocacy. The UNHCR’s Global Trends Report indicates that at the end of 2023, an estimated 117.3 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and events seriously disturbing the public order. Based on projections, the number of displaced is likely to have exceeded 120 million by the end of April 2024.

Listen to the podcast series “Living as Neighbors” shared by the Lutheran World Federation amplifying stories of welcome.

In their own words, these refugee storytellers recall their memories of home, reflect on what solidarity means to them, and share their dreams:

• Pyae Sone Aung
• Nejra Sumic
• Kawser Amine 
• Andreina Zuluaga
• Sharon Njie
• Isaac James 
• Hafsat Muhammed
• Olivé Bukuru

The news of people seeking asylum at the southern border dominates the headlines. Who are they? These are individuals who have a legal and human right to seek asylum.

• Read this fact-sheet to understand the basics of asylum and who asylum seekers are.
• Since May 2024, a slate of new policies and legislative proposals have threatened the legal and human right to seek asylum. Read this briefing about the latest asylum restrictions.

Advocate

Supporting generous refugee and immigration policies responds to the biblical call to seek justice, peace, and protection for all of God’s people, including those uprooted from their homes. Take Action by calling on your elected representatives to support:

• The Afghan Adjustment Act: This bipartisan bill would provide stability and security to Afghans in the United States. Take Action here.
• The Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act: This bill would help asylum seekers meet their basic needs while their asylum claims are adjudicated. Take Action here.
• Robust Refugee and Immigration Funding Next Year: In Fiscal Year 2025 Congress must robustly fund domestic and overseas programs that promote stability and human dignity and expand U.S. communities’ capacity to successfully welcome refugees and other newcomers. Accounts such as Refugee and Entrant Assistance (REA) account and the Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) are essential to expanding this capacity. Funding for the International Disaster Assistance account (IDA) is key to save lives and prevent internally displaced people from needing to flee their home countries and become refugees.
• Join the Welcoming Refugees 2025 campaign to show welcome to refugees by asking your local or state elected leaders to support a robust refugee admissions goal. Join the campaign here.

Share Your Story

Share a video, quote, or audio message about your experience being welcomed to the U.S. and how you are working to make your community more welcoming and inclusive for others. Raed AbuJries, AMMPARO program manager for U.S. Network, education, and communications shares an example of a transformative immigration experience being an immigrant from the occupied West Bank to the United States. Read his story here.

Pray

Pray for justice for refugee and migrant children and families. Here are some examples.

In honor of Juneteenth, ELCA Racial Justice Ministries invited Dr. Dianne R. Browne, Ph.D., CFLE, CSE, Chair of the ELCA New Jersey Synod’s Anti-Racism Team to share some thoughts about this federal holiday that many mark as the official end of legalized human enslavement in the United States. For more information on Juneteenth, visit What Is Juneteenth? | HISTORY.

 

I am from the Northeast, so I never celebrated Juneteenth as a young person. I knew about it because my maternal grandmother was from the South. My grandmother and mother shared stories about our history and their lived experiences. At first, I was disinterested, but their conversations helped me to understand and appreciate the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equity.

Let us talk about Juneteenth in that context. The Emancipation Proclamation was enacted in 1863. On June 19, 1865, two years later, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, the army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free by executive decree.

Younger generations may dismiss Juneteenth as history—it happened in the past, so why is it important? Share with them that it is sankofa. That word, which comes from the Akan people of Ghana, means learning from the past to move forward in the future. We are still learning from that dream deferred in 1865. We learned to have hope, to keep moving forward and not to be deterred in our efforts for racial justice.

Talk about Juneteenth! These conversations give fodder for the never-ending quest for a sometimes elusive racial justice and equity. Know that Juneteenth was freedom overdue; that the color red, including red food on Juneteenth, is significant, as it represents the blood shed during the transatlantic slave passage; that barbecues at Juneteenth celebrations offer foods that may be representative of what was brought to Texas by the enslaved Yoruba and Kongo people in the 19th century. Keep learning and preaching to folks younger than you!

On Juneteenth, as during the Jim Crow and civil rights eras, folks had to wait. In their waiting they were compelled to do something: to keep on pushing and to act by motivating others until the dream deferred was expedited.

The Bible encourages us in our actions. Micah 6:8 calls to us in this quest, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (NIV).

We know that racial justice is good and that action is needed to bring it to fruition. Encourage younger generations to press on. We are still in the struggle against a socialization that has embodied both personal and public white supremacy for generations. We are still questing for racial justice and equity, a dream deferred. We can get closer to that justice and equity through courageous intergenerational conversation.

A quote from James Baldwin sums it up: “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.”

 

Dianne R. Browne, Ph.D., CFLE, CSE, Chair, ELCA New Jersey Synod Anti-Racism Team

Dianne Browne is a retired educator and trainer. Her work has focused on racial and reproductive justice, family life, and equity and inclusion. She is chairperson for the New Jersey Synod’s anti-racism team and facilitates discussions for its Transforming White Privilege curriculum. She is a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Willingboro, NJ.

 

 

References:  National Museum of African American History & Culture

To commemorate the 9th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Emanuel 9 – Clementa C. Pinckney, Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lee Lance, DePayne Middleton-Doctor, Tywanza Sanders, Daniel Lee Simmons, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, and Myra Thompson, our beloved siblings in Christ who were murdered by a self-professed white supremacist and ELCA parishioner while they were gathered for Bible study and prayer at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (often referred to as Mother Emanuel) in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015 – Desta Goehner, Board President of the ELCA Association of White Lutherans for Racial Justice to share some thoughts about this day of repentance.

For more ELCA resources visit:  Commemoration of the Emanuel Nine — June 17 – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (elca.org)

See also:  Establishing_June_17th_as_Emanuel_9_Commemoration_and_Day_of_Repentance.pdf (elca.org)

Worship Resources:  Prayers_Litanies_Laments_Emanuel_Nine_Commemoration.pdf (elca.org)

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As I gather with my congregation every Sunday for worship, my heart often turns to the Emanuel Nine. On June 17, 2015, nine faithful Black Christians were tragically shot and killed during Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C. This day stands as a somber reminder of the devastating consequences of racial hatred and violence.

What weighs heavily on my heart is the realization that the perpetrator, someone who grew up in a Lutheran congregation like mine, could commit such a heinous act. It compels me to confront uncomfortable questions about the environments and influences that shaped him — the people he interacted with at home, at school, at church and at work. He was one of us.

This is why White Lutherans for Racial Justice exists within the ELCA. We recognize our collective responsibility as white members of a predominantly white denomination to address the systemic racism that permeates our congregations, our synods, our institutions and our own hearts. The ELCA has issued resolutions, statements and apologies, but we have done very little to repair the ongoing harms caused by racism.

The burden of dismantling racial injustice cannot fall solely on the shoulders of people of color. As a white person, I must actively engage in the work of racial justice and equity. Yet I often shy away from relinquishing my power, my influence, my comfort. I’ve been conditioned to fear discomfort and confrontation, but I cannot allow that fear to paralyze me.

I have succumbed to this fear many times and certainly will again. I have also been the person to ask the hard questions and have felt the repercussions of that. Whiteness tells me to crawl back into my enclave, but my faith calls me out of that space. I trust that the Holy Spirit will lead and guide me as I lament and repent of my participation in white supremacy as a white, liberal, progressive Lutheran cis woman.

Whiteness exerts immense pressure, but I must not let it crush my resolve. I have witnessed how the weight of whiteness has led white leaders to falter, inflicting harm upon others without adequate accountability or restitution. We must acknowledge the risks inherent in naming injustice and asking hard questions that challenge harmful systems and processes.

We need each other in this journey toward racial justice. We need relationships that hold us accountable, that challenge us to confront our biases and privileges. Who are you building relationships with that offer different perspectives? It’s through these connections that our hearts change.

We must follow the leadership of people of color within our church, amplifying their voices and advocating for change. As we approach the 2024 United States presidential election, we cannot wait until after the fact to take action. Black and brown lives are at stake every day, not just during moments of political turmoil.

Commemorating June 17 as a day of repentance within the ELCA is a meaningful step toward acknowledging the legacy of racism within our church. But our work doesn’t end there. Racial justice is not an abstract concept; dismantling the structures of inequality that perpetuate racism requires tangible action. Join us in this ongoing journey toward racial justice. Together we can create a more just and equitable world where the lives of Black and brown people are valued and protected.

Reach out to your ministry leaders and ask them to include prayers of repentance in worship, and use resources on the ELCA Racial Justice website. Invite your congregation to use these resources in worship, in Bible study, on social media and in newsletters. And then notice whether your congregation commemorates June 17. If they do, express your support! If they don’t, gently inquire why not and advocate for change.

We believe in the power of community and the transformative potential of collective action. White Lutherans for Racial Justice welcomes people at all stages of their racial justice journey. Join us!

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Bio: Desta Goehner is president of the Association of White Lutherans for Racial Justice and the Director of Thriving Leadership Formation, with 27-plus years of serving in different expressions of the ELCA. She is a trauma-informed spiritual director and a professional Enneagram coach for people and teams in ministry, specializing in conflict resolution, facilitation, leadership and spiritual formation. Desta’s work is dedicated to fostering racial justice, personal growth and healthy, anti-racist leadership in faith communities. For more about her visit linktr.ee/destag.

For more information on The Association of White Lutherans for Racial Justice visit: website|Facebook