LiturgyGrams are brief snippets of worship information, drawing from the ELCA’s Worship FAQ’s and The Use of the Means of Grace.

Bread and wine ready for a Eucharist celebration at Valparaiso University’s Chapel of the Resurrection.

Ever wondered, “Why the bread?”

Bread is one of the elements of Holy Communion, being the body of Christ.  Different assemblies use different varieties of bread for communion, including unleavened loafs, leavened loafs, and wafers, but in all cases bread is shared. Communion practice follows the example of the Last Supper, as recorded in Matthew 26:26-29, its parallels, and 1 Corinthians 11:23-24.

Fellowship, a nutritious meal, and a time of prayer are offered weekly at Shobi’s Table – a food truck that serves people experiencing homelessness in St. Paul, Minn. Meet the team at Shobi’s Table as they feed and are fed by sisters and brothers in St. Paul. This ministry is supported in part by ELCA World Hunger.

Special post for Administration Matters readers …

Register today for this free webinar: https://community.elca.org/FLSAwebinar
Instructions for connecting to the webinar will be sent to all registrants prior to the event.

Webinar Title: New Overtime Rules
Date and Time: October 18, 2016, 12 noon, CDT
Hosts:  Steve Knowles, Senior Attorney, Davis & Kuelthau
Thomas Cunniff, Associate General Counsel, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Cost: Free
Registration deadline: October 14, 2016
Description: The U.S. Department of Labor has adopted new overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which go into effect on December 1, 2016. Among other changes, these regulations increase the minimum salary for exempt employees from $23,000 to $47,476. Many congregations, synods, and other ministries of the church have questions about how this impacts their employees and ministries. Does it apply to churches? What about pastors? Youth workers? Sextons? How about schools? Or camps? Join us for a free webinar on how the new regulations will affect religious institutions, and try to answer many of these questions.

Angie Larson, Clive, IA

Warm-up Question

Have you thought about your carbon footprint?

It’s Getting Hot in Here

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a study looking at global warming and its effects on people in Sub-Saharan Africa. By the year 2020 over 200 million people will fall further into water scarcity and poverty. In some countries, yields from rain-fed agriculture could be reduced by up to 50%. This means that people living in already impoverished countries with poor incomes will fall even further into poverty.  By United States standards that means people living on less than $1.00 a day will end up living on less than $0.50 a day at the same time the cost of living is increasing.

People in sub-Saharan African countries like Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso, Sudan, and Kenya tend to live off the land and not use a lot of resources that contribute to global warming.  The people rarely drive cars, have factories, or eat beef  (all of which significantly contribute to global warming). Yet, they are affected deeply by the changing trends in our global weather.  Those in Sub-Saharan African countries experience longer dry seasons, more malaria, increased poverty, and starvation due to global warming.  Doesn’t this seem unfair? They don’t contribute to the global problem of atmospheric changes yet will suffer the effects the greatest.

Discussion Questions

• Have you thought about global warming very much?
• Do you think Americans should make changes to help Africans who will be effected by these changes?
• What changes could you make to reduce your carbon footprint to help people you don’t know?

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Amos 6:1a, 4-7

1 Timothy 6:6-19

Luke 16:19-31

(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 for Year B at Lectionary Readings

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

Gospel Reflection

This portion of Luke’s gospel contains a series of parables and lessons Jesus taught to his followers.  Jesus continues to lift up the least, the lost, the last, and the lowest in these parables.  He baffles the religious leaders who are seeking comfort and righteousness in the law. The story of the rich man and Lazarus comes within this narrative.

In this week’s reading, a rich man ignores Lazarus, a poor man covered in sores lying at his gate.  Hoping for food, Lazarus is ignored, an outcast. While Lazarus suffers the rich man is enjoying his life, feasting and being merry.  He does not notice Lazarus and is indifferent to the sick man at his door.

Lazarus dies and is carried away to be with Abraham.  At the same time, this indifferent rich man dies and ends up in Hades. Lazarus is living in glory and the rich man is living in torment.  The rich man pleads to Abraham to allow him some water.  Abraham denies this request. So the rich man pleads to be able to warn his family as they might end up in this same fate.  This request is also denied.

Look at the text.  The rich man isn’t cruel to Lazarus.  He doesn’t intentionally try to harm him.  He is merely indifferent and it leads him to Hades. In this parable Jesus calls us to notice the hurting people around us. We seldom wish people harm. We just fail to notice those who are hurting.  Jesus encourages his hearers to pay attention to suffering near at hand and do what they can.

Discussion Questions

• How do you sometimes not notice those people around you?
• What could you do to catch yourself when you move into indifference? How could you make a change in your habits?
• When you think about it, in what area of your life can push through indifference and do something?

Activity Suggestions

Have each student dip their foot into paint for a reflection on how they are walking through life.  Ask them to write in an art piece that includes their footprint ways in which they could be intentional in their walk through life.  Examples could be recycling, giving of extra money, not purchasing more than they need, prayer, volunteerism, and picking up trash on their walk home each day.

Closing Prayer

Blessed Savior, We often think only of our little corner in the world, as opposed to thinking in global terms. You are so good and care for us in so many ways.  Lord,  help us to notice our neighbors, both near and far, and preserve us from indifference to their suffering. Encourage us in caring for your creation and make us intentional in responding to the pain of your children throughout the world.  In your name we pray, Amen.

Take action to support Flint and other cities facing lead crises!

Linda Parton / Shutterstock.com

It has been nearly a full year since the City of Flint, Michigan, first declared a state of emergency over the widespread lead contamination of its water supply. In that time, churches and service agencies have worked tirelessly to provide clean water to city residents—but significant challenges remain. Despite ongoing progress by state and local officials, Flint’s infrastructure is still not in a sustainable place. Citizens are still not able to drink water without filters.

Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Rev. Jack Eggleston and Rev. Ken Fouty from the Southeast Michigan Synod distribute water at Salem Lutheran Church in Flint, Mich.

Earlier this year, the Southeast Michigan Synod of the ELCA and ELCA Advocacy urged Congress to take action on this federal emergency. Now, the U.S. Senate is nearing a compromise to provide federal assistance to Flint and help the city recover its drinking water infrastructure. The current deal would also include assistance to states with similar emergency drinking water

situations, which often go overlooked. Congress does not have much time to act, and opposition to the bill still remains. Your Senators must hear from you now!

Call on your members of Congress at the ELCA Action Center to support Flint now!

ELCA World Hunger is continuing to accompany and provide assistance to the people of Flint. Support ELCA World Hunger initiatives by clicking here!

ELCA Advocacy works for change in public policy based on the experience of Lutheran ministries, programs and projects around the world and in communities across the United States. We work through political channels on behalf of the following biblical values: peacemaking, hospitality to strangers, care for creation, and concern for people living in poverty and struggling with hunger and disease.

Issue 48 of Administration Matters

Time to update your congregation’s constitution

Now that the 2016 Churchwide Assembly is over, it is a good time to look at updating your congregation’s constitution. The 2016 Churchwide Assembly made several important changes to the Model Constitution for Congregations, including addressing the unification of the three lay rosters, revising the provisions for parishes, and updating the membership rules. In addition, many congregations have not updated their constitutions since the 2013 Churchwide Assembly, which made important changes to the procedures for disciplining members of congregations. The next churchwide assembly will be in 2019, so there will be no changes to the Model Constitution for Congregations in the next three years, making it an excellent time to update yours now.

Updating a congregation’s constitution to reflect changes in the Model Constitution for Congregations is relatively easy and straightforward. The changes to the Model in 2016 can be found (top of the page) here. while the changes from 2013 can be found (middle of the page) here. Mandatory provisions are marked with an asterisk (*). Under *C17.04 of the Model (now renumbered *C16.04), these changes can be adopted by a majority vote of the members present and voting at any legally-called congregational meeting. At least 30 days prior to the meeting, the congregation council needs to give notice to the congregation of the proposed amendments, along with their recommendations as to the amendments. Once the amendments are made, notice is given to the synod, but no synod action is required. >More

Webinar on new overtime rules

The U.S. Department of Labor has adopted new overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which will go into effect on December 1, 2016. Among other changes, these regulations increase the minimum salary for exempt employees from $23,000 to $47,476. Many congregations, synods, and other ministries of the church have questions about how this impacts their employees. Does it apply to churches? What about pastors? Youth workers? Sextons? How about schools? Or camps? The ELCA has provided guidance on these and other issues to bishops and synod attorneys.
On October 18, 2016, at Noon (Central Time), the ELCA will be hosting a free webinar on how the new regulations will affect religious institutions, and try to answer many of these questions.  Presenting at the webinar will be Steve Knowles, an employment lawyer with the law firm of Davis Kuelthau, and Tom Cunniff, ELCA Associate General Counsel.  Information on attending the webinar will be forthcoming.

HR Series – applications for employment

It’s important to have a completed application form for each lay candidate applying for a job. If carefully designed, the application will assist you in determining whether there is a good fit between the position and the potential employee. >More

Two common misunderstandings about workers’ compensation insurance

Workers’ compensation insurance can help protect your business and employees providing benefits for work related injuries or illnesses, including medical care and wages from lost work time. >More

Don’t let hazardous materials go down the drain

It is important to dispose of hazardous waste and electronic equipment in a safe and appropriate manner. The dangers of disposing of these materials incorrectly might not be immediately obvious, but improper disposal can pollute the environment and threaten human health. >More

Gutenberg to Google – effective use of technology for congregations

View this webinar offered by Augsburg Fortress Lewis at your convenience! It will explore how the use of media to proclaim the Gospel is the same and has changed from the time of Martin Luther to the beginning of the 21st century. You’ll learn something about history and how our reforming traditions are alive and well today. You will come away with fresh ideas for using your congregation’s website, social media and other new technologies to proclaim the Gospel! > More

Sylvia Alloway, Granada Hills, CA

Warm-up Question

Have you ever had to take care of someone else’s property (mowing a lawn, caring for a pet, etc.)? What, if anything, did you learn about looking after other people’s things?

Making a Shrewd Investment

Morgan Stanley bank is big, one the of the world’s largest providers of financial services. It is well known world-wide. So it would make sense that, when investing its employees’ retirement funds, it would know how to use the money for the best return.

A recent class action suit challenges that idea. Employees are suing the bank, claiming that Morgan Stanley invested their 401(k) funds in the bank’s own business interests. The investments performed poorly, as much as 99% below similar funds invested by other banks.

The legal question to be decided: Whose benefit comes first? As a bank, Morgan Stanley is allowed to put its own interests above the customers’. But as an employer, the law says it must put the employees’ financial welfare first.

In any case, if the suit is successful, Morgan Stanley will have to think about other people’s future, not just its own, and real economic growth, not just big profits. It will be interesting to see if it learns this lesson in stewardship.

Discussion Questions

• A steward takes care of someone else’s property. How do you tell if a steward is doing a good job?
• If you worked for Morgan Stanley and the bank president asked you to explain why the bank should change the way they handle the employees’ retirement savings, what would you say?
• How would you answer the legal question? Which should come first, the bank’s profits or their employees’ financial needs? Why do you think that way?

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Amos 8:4-7

1 Timothy 2:1-7

Luke 16:1-13

(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 for Year B at Lectionary Readings

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

Gospel Reflection

The parable of the unjust steward is difficult to interpret. Is Jesus telling his disciples to imitate a crook who steals his employer’s money? To “buy” friendship with the world? Looking at the context can help.

Verse 13 makes it clear that he doesn’t want his disciples to admire the cheater. The man in the parable obviously has his mind on money the whole way through – stealing it and using it to buy a cushy life instead of having to work. The master admires the servant’s cleverness in using money to manipulate people. Both these men serve money (“mammon”). So why did Jesus tell a story about two guys who love money?

If we look at verse 14, we see the group that Jesus is talking to – the Pharisees, who loved their money. Even as they sneer, he condemns them, this time in plain language. Their hearts are detestable to God.

So what’s with verse 9? How can worldly wealth lead to friends in “eternal dwellings”? Like many truths about God’s Kingdom, this one is exactly the opposite of what the world thinks. God’s stewards seek opportunities to give money away. Jesus’ parables about money (the rich fool, Lazarus and the rich man) all make the same point. The money and goods you hoard will do you no good in heaven.

So, we are to be as shrewd in handling money (and all the gifts and abilities God has given us), but we are to “invest” in eternal goods. We make friends for eternity by giving lovingly to the poor, so that “that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.” We give to missions so that the Gospel may be spread around the world and more people can share “eternal dwellings” with us. As children of light, we use all we have to spread that light to others.

In the end we need to ask ourselves the same question as Morgan Stanley does. Whose interests come first, ours or the Lord’s?

Discussion Questions

• What does it mean to be a good steward? How does Jesus use this parable to teach us about good stewardship?
• The parable says we must be smart in using our gifts. What are some specific examples of using gifts wisely? Of misusing them?

Activity Suggestions

In groups or as a class make a list of gifts (money, talents, strength, etc.) that young people can use to advance God’s Kingdom.

Talk about ways each individual can use a specific gift in a practical situation – at school, at work, with friends or strangers.

Each student may write down a way they found to use a gift during the week and share it in the next class session.

Closing Prayer

Father in Heaven, we thank you for the great privilege of stewardship in your kingdom and for the gifts you have given us to use. We ask for wisdom and courage to use them for eternal benefits to ourselves and others. May we always put you and your interests first in our lives. In Jesus name, Amen.

CHICAGO (9 de septiembre de 2016) – La reverenda Elizabeth A. Eaton, obispa presidente de la Iglesia Evangélica Luterana en América (ELCA, por sus siglas en inglés) ha hecho públicas unas declaraciones con motivo del 15 aniversario del 11 de septiembre de 2001, los atentados terroristas contra los Estados Unidos.

11 de septiembre de 2016

Queridos hermanos y hermanas en Cristo:

Dios es nuestro amparo y nuestra fortaleza, nuestra ayuda segura en momentos de angustia. Por eso, no temeremos aunque se desmorone la tierra y las montañas se hundan en el fondo del mar. Salmo 46

11 de septiembre del 2001. Al igual que muchos de ustedes, recuerdo exactamente dónde me encontraba cuando escuché la noticia de que Estados Unidos había sido atacado. Recuerdo la confusión, el miedo, la impotencia y la ira de esos días posteriores al ataque y la profunda tristeza por las miles de personas que perdieron la vida.

Eso fue hace 15 años. Mucho ha sucedido en nuestra nación y en el mundo. Hemos estado en guerra. Nos hemos acostumbrado a las amenazas terroristas y a los controles de seguridad de la Administración de Seguridad en el Transporte (TSA, por sus siglas en inglés). Nos hemos adaptado a un nuevo estado de normalidad. Nos sentimos menos seguros.

Este año, el “Domingo de la Obra de Dios. Nuestras Manos” coincidió con el 11 de septiembre. Debemos darnos un tiempo para recordar dónde nos encontrábamos ese terrible día hace 15 años. Pero también debemos analizar dónde nos encontramos ahora. Hay voces que piden a gritos la sospecha y la división. Hay voces que prometen que, por nuestro propio esfuerzo, podemos garantizar nuestra propia seguridad, por la fuerza si es necesario. El sentido de unidad que surgió de las cenizas de las Torres Gemelas ha desaparecido. Esta no es una buena postura, ni la postura a la que Dios nos ha llamado a tomar como iglesia.

Stephen Bouman, director ejecutivo de la unidad de Misión Doméstica de la ELCA y ex obispo del Sínodo Metropolitano de Nueva York, cuenta esta historia sobre uno de los sucesos del 11 de septiembre del 2001. Un pastor del sínodo también fungía como capellán del departamento de bomberos. El pastor vio al primer avión estrellarse contra la primera torre y corrió hacia allá. Cuando llegó, los bomberos se estaban colocando su equipo. El pastor los reunió a todos, hizo una cruz con aceite de ungir en sus frentes y oró. Luego, los bomberos corrieron hacia el edificio. Las personas que sobrevivieron contaron que podían ver las cruces brillando en las frentes de los bomberos. En esa gran oscuridad y sufrimiento, apareció la luz de Cristo.

En el bautismo, hemos sido marcados con la cruz de Cristo. Y somos enviados a los lugares oscuros del mundo. Ahí es donde estamos y donde debemos estar el 11 de septiembre del 2016. Dios nos ha dado su obra de reconciliación. Cuando vayamos a nuestras comunidades para nuestro día de servicio luciendo nuestras playeras amarillas, debemos dar testimonio del amor de Cristo, que es más fuerte que el odio; y de la vida de Cristo, que es más fuerte que la muerte. Que, unidos a la muerte y la resurrección de Cristo por medio del bautismo, podamos ser luz del mundo.

Que la paz de Cristo esté con ustedes,

Elizabeth A. Eaton

– – –

Sobre la Iglesia Evangélica Luterana en América: La ELCA es una de las mayores denominaciones cristianas en Estados Unidos con más de 3.7 millones de miembros en más de 9,300 congregaciones en los 50 estados y la región del Caribe. Conocida como la iglesia de “La obra de Dios. Nuestras manos”, la ELCA enfatiza la gracia salvadora de Dios por medio de la fe en Jesucristo, la unidad entre los cristianos y el servicio en el mundo. Las raíces de la ELCA se hallan en los escritos del reformista alemán Martín Lutero.

Jocelyn Breeland, Sunnyvale, CA

Warm-up Question

Have you ever been truly lost? How did that feel?

One Who Was Lost Is Found

Pavlina Pizova is fortunate to be alive. Pizova and her partner, Ondrej Petr, both Czechs, were hiking the Fiordland National Park in New Zealand in July when they became lost and disoriented in fog and heavy snow. The couple spent a night outside before Petr fell down a slope and died.

After two more days outside in the snow and sub-freezing temperatures, Pizova made her way to a warden’s hut. The hut was uninhabited, but stocked with food and firewood. Pizova stayed there for a month, unable to walk to safety because of physical weakness and fearful of leaving because she’d witnessed several avalanches.

Pizova and Petr had not told anyone of their travel plans. Someone at the Czech consulate happened to see frantic messages by their families on social media and raised the alarm.

Pizova has expressed her gratitude for the assistance of the Czech and New Zealand authorities in her rescue. She also noted several mistakes the couple had made, including not informing friends and family of their plans, not carrying an emergency locator beacon, and underestimating New Zealand’s winter weather.

As miraculous as it was, this type of rescue is far from rare. In the U.S. alone, the National Park Service reports thousands of search and rescue (SAR) operations every year. Hiking and boating are the activities requiring the most SAR assistance.

Discussion Questions

• Do you go hiking, skiing, boating? Are you concerned about the risk?
• Why do you think so many people in national parks need to be rescued?
• What can be done to reduced the numbers of people in dangerous situations like this?

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Exodus 32:7-14

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Luke 15:1-10

(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 for Year B at Lectionary Readings

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

Gospel Reflection

The parable of the lost sheep is one of the most well known Bible stories and it offers a compelling vision of our relationship with Christ. Jesus loves each of us so much that, should one of us stray, he will search tirelessly until he finds us. And he will rejoice in bringing us back into the fold.

What a blessing! What more could we want when we’re lost than to know that the search party is out there looking? As Christians, we are assured that we cannot go so far astray that God will abandon us, and we know that we will not just be allowed back in the flock, but that our eternally forgiving and merciful God will welcome us back with rejoicing.

Like so much of scripture, today’s Gospel shares the good news of what God has done and continues to do for us. It also offers a model for how we should share God’s love with one another. Following Jesus’ example, we must seek out the lost and welcome others into our community with rejoicing.

Discussion Questions

• List some of the ways we as Christians get lost.
• The Pharisees criticized Jesus for eating with sinners because, in their understanding, that kind of association could make a person unclean. What are some ideas that today keep us separate from others?
• Are there some sins, some ways that people stray, that are so serious that we should hold them apart – for their good or for ours? What does the Gospel suggest?

Activity Suggestions

As Pavlina Pizova realized, people who go hiking in the wilderness or boating or other adventures could use a kit of tools and instructions to keep from getting lost, and to find their way back home if they stray. What tools and instructions could help Christians avoid getting lost or to return the lost to the fold? Do your answers include individual and community supports?

It may be helpful to break into small groups to consider these questions and then report your results to the larger group.

Then go around the room and share one thing you will do this week to keep (or restore) yourself or someone else as part of the flock.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for always caring for us, the sheep of your flock, and seeing all our needs. We each stray at times and rejoice to be returned to your loving embrace. Help us to share the same joyful embrace with all of your people. In the name of the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

____________________

____________________

Pennsylvania

Tracey DePasquale, Lutheran Advocacy – Pennsylvania                          

lutheranadvocacypa.org

With the General Assembly in recess until September, August provided time for assessing and strengthening partnerships within the church, including relationships with Lutheran camps and seminaries. Meetings are exploring ways to lift up stories from our ministries and create a program that would include advocacy as an element of faith formation. LAMPa’s policy council will engage these topics and more as we restructure for mission at our annual retreat in September.

LAMPa is also equipping synodical women’s organizations to support Safe Harbor legislation as part of the churchwide dedicated day of service on Sept. 11. Congregations may label bars of soap with the human trafficking hotline information for distribution at hotels as a service project. Lower Susquehanna’s organization adopted a resolution in support of SB851 and is sending a letter to the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The resolution also calls on members to write their individual lawmakers in support of the bill that would divert trafficked children from the criminal justice system into appropriate services.

Very little is expected to be addressed in the few remaining weeks of the legislative session beyond finishing details connected to the budget. We remain alert for any movement on a memo circulated early in the session on possible payday lending legislation.

Texas

Samuel D. Brannon, Texas Impact

texasimpact.org

On Aug. 22, Dr. John Hellerstedt, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), met in Austin with Lutheran and other faith leaders to discuss Texas’ Zika plan.

“All of us play a role in limiting the potential that it gets here to Texas and the potential for it to spread,” said Hellerstedt. He explained that practices like using mosquito repellent, putting screens in open windows and wearing long-sleeve clothing will go a long way in preventing contact with an infected mosquito. He added that personal prevention measures can be almost 100 percent effective. “We don´t have to be perfect at this, but we do need to be as consistent as possible in these practices,” said Hellerstedt.

He said the White House and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been working closely with the state on Texas’ strategy. So far, all cases reported in Texas are the result of mosquito bites received during foreign travel or were passed by sexual transmission. DSHS asked faith organizations to engage their communities because, although behavioral change is difficult, the public needs to start taking real preventive measures. Congregations can help by:

• Meeting with local officials to be communication partners.
• Informing their communities. Resources available here: org.
• Going door-to-door with preventive information in high-risk neighborhoods.

Preparation, education and rapid response – coordinated at the state and local level, and with partnerships between state agencies and community organizations like congregations – is the best way to protect our communities from the spread of Zika.

____________________

Washington

Paul Benz, Faith Action Network

fanwa.org

ELECTED OFFICIAL MEETINGS: Faith Action Network (FAN) is busy meeting with elected officials and the faith advocates in their districts. We’re primarily focusing on state legislators but also meeting with county council members and members of Congress. Our main state issues are: revenue solutions to fund K-12 education and our broken mental health systems, repealing our state’s death penalty statute and reforming our use of deadly force statute. Our two primary congressional issues are child nutrition and passing sensible sentencing reform. At all these meetings, we are sharing a statement: Interfaith Leaders Call for a Responsible & Respectful 2016 Electoral Process.

CANDIDATE/INITIATIVE FORUMS: FAN is currently planning candidate forums in districts with competitive state Senate races, each hosted by congregations and moderated by faith leaders. We are also doing a forum on two key ballot initiatives: increasing the minimum wage while establishing paid sick and safe leave, and reducing gun violence using “Extreme Risk Protection Orders.”

NEW ORGANIZING INTERNS: FAN will soon have its three new organizing interns in place: Chasity Jones from Louisiana with the United Methodist Global Missions program, Joshua Sullivan from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, and David Choi from Virginia with the United Church of Christ’s Justice Leadership Program.doing a forum on two key ballot initiatives: increasing the minimum wage while establishing paid sick and safe leave, and reducing gun violence using “Extreme Risk Protection Orders.”

ANNUAL CLUSTER GATHERINGS: Every fall, FAN gathers our advocates and friends together in 17 geographic clusters all around our state. We do this to hear what FAN is doing and to hear what advocacy-related projects our various faith communities are doing. The overarching goal is to bring people of different faith traditions together to see how we can be more effective in our common work of advocating for justice.

(Photo caption: Our Interfaith Leaders Council gathered this month to call for a responsible, honest, and respectful election season this year.)

____________________

Wisconsin

Cindy Crane, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin

loppw.org

POVERTY AND HUNGER: The hunger team in La Crosse is talking about supporting the efforts of ELCA World Hunger and, with LOPPW, advocating for a just bill for the Child Nutrition Reauthorization.

ELCAVOTES: LOPPW is working with the League of Women Voters to plan a candidate forum in the East-Central Synod of Wisconsin and is working with a council member to organize an additional forum.

UPCOMING CONFERENCE: The anti-trafficking conference LOPPW is organizing with Cherish All Children will include legislators, an outreach worker to homeless youth, and at least one individual who was trafficked as a youth and now works to stop sex trafficking. More information at loppw.org/events/.

DAYS AFTER MILWAUKEE WAS HIT BY VIOLENCE: “One good thing that might come out of what happened in Milwaukee is that it will bring national attention to Milwaukee’s race problems. … We need to have dialogue, but sometimes things erupt. … Not everyone is racist . … We can’t just separate into sides all the time; that won’t work in the long run.” Spoken by a high school student unearthing soil at Alice’s Garden (director/minister Venice Williams is an LOPPW Advisory Council member).

____________________

Contact us at washingtonoffice@elca.org