In July 2023, four leaders from across the United States joined ELCA World Hunger and the Lutheran Office for World Community in New York City as delegates of the Lutheran World Federation at the 2023 United Nations High-Level Political Forum. The forum was an opportunity for UN member states, agencies and organizations to share updates on progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. As our delegation learned, progress against the goals has been slow and, in some cases, has reversed. The delegation, representing the 149 member churches of the Lutheran World Federation, including the ELCA, was able to hear from leaders around the world, meet other advocates, connect with staff from the ELCA’s advocacy office in Washington, DC, listen to stories of changes and challenges, and consider together how each of us can be part of the work toward the Sustainable Development Goals in our communities.

Below is a reflection from Willie F. Korboi. Willie is Regional Representative of the African Descent Lutheran Association (ADLA), Media and Publicity Chairperson of the Association of Liberian Lutherans in the Americas (ALLIA), and Digital Evangelical Minister at Peoples’ Community Evangelical Lutheran Church, Baltimore. You can read other reflections from participants in this event here and here.

Representing the Lutheran World Federation and the ELCA World Hunger program at the 2023 UN High-Level Political Forum (UN HLPF) was a remarkable experience. The UN HLPF allowed me to witness the extensive efforts undertaken by governments, civil society organizations, faith-based organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It was interesting to note the repeated emphasis on “collective action” among the conversations and the recognition of the importance of collective action in realizing the SDGs.

This annual global event also afforded me the opportunity for networking, learning and knowledge-sharing, exposure to new ideas, awareness of global challenges, and a sense of my own contribution.

Like my colleagues, I engaged in activities of key interest, including thematic discussions, presentations, and side events with inter-faith organizations. My engagements on the SDGs mainly focused on conversations regarding eradicating hunger, poverty reduction, climate action, gender equality, access to education and healthcare, and the protection of children.

It was intriguing to learn at the side events session highlighting the role of the private sector as a driving force behind achieving the SDGs. Collaborative efforts involving governments, civil society and the private sector are crucial in realizing sustainable development. The emphasis on working together aligns with the initial vision set forth when the SDGs were launched.

During our time in New York, our group was able to attend a meeting of faith-based groups to learn and talk about the protection of children. The conversation on the protection of children within the context of faith-based initiatives was thought-provoking. The discussion centered around children’s well-being and safety as essential components of sustainable development and how involving faith-based organizations in these discussions can bring unique perspectives and solutions.

A call for action by Rabbi John from Baha’i International during the faith-based gathering highlighted the importance of moving beyond slogans and taking concrete steps to address the challenges facing children. While slogans may raise awareness, practical actions are necessary to make a meaningful impact. This underscores the need for tangible solutions and initiatives that directly address the well-being and protection of children.

I was encouraged that the call for action resonated with everyone at the table during the faith-based gathering. Emphasizing the importance of reporting suspected threats of violence against children is critical in ensuring their safety and well-being. Reporting such incidents can help initiate appropriate interventions and support systems to protect children from harm. This reinforces the notion that individuals have a collective responsibility to act when they witness or become aware of potential dangers to children.

It was also important to note that the discussion highlighted various channels through which individuals can effectively report suspected threats against children. Reporting to child rights advocacy groups, civil society organizations, government authorities through security apparatus and faith-based advocacy groups were all valuable avenues to raise awareness and ensure appropriate action is taken. The essence of these channels could not be over-emphasized, as they play a crucial role in addressing and mitigating risks to children’s well-being. Participants were encouraged to utilize these channels and promote a culture of reporting to protect children from violence and harm.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to ELCA World Hunger, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the Lutheran Office for World Community for generously sponsoring my participation at the event. The experience and knowledge gained during this event have been invaluable, providing me with a deeper understanding of global challenges and the SDGs.

With continued support, I hope to create a positive impact, ensuring that the principles discussed at the HLPF translate into tangible improvements for individuals and societies. Once again, thank you, ELCA World Hunger, for investing in my development, and I look forward to making a meaningful difference in the field of education and sustainable development.

 

Last week the ruling coalition in Israel’s Knesset (parliament) took a unilateral vote that puts further strain on an already fragile situation. The following post is offered by the ELCA Consultative Panel on Lutheran-Jewish Relations in response to these actions and in solidarity with those who seek democracy and the well-being of all in the region.

A unilateral vote by the ruling coalition in Israel’s Knesset (parliament) on Monday, 24 July, presents a challenging moment and distinctive opportunity for us as interfaith partners with the Jewish people. Here are a few details about what happened, what it means, and how we might respond.

What happened: Israel’s ruling coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu passed a law that eliminates the power of the Supreme Court of Israel to invalidate laws and governmental actions that are deemed “unreasonable.”

That standard is familiar in other legal systems that are legacies of British colonial rule and is used infrequently in Israel – at most, only a handful of times each year. Yet it is crucial in Israel’s democracy. In the absence of a constitution and a tripartite government akin to the US, this power of the court is one of the most significant checks on any government’s ability to rule by whim and dictate.

Interestingly, the Supreme Court in September will hear multiple petitions asking it to rule that this legislation itself is illegitimate. Stay tuned. Also, the Knesset goes into its late-summer recess on Monday, 31 July. Further legislative action on the coalition agenda will not take place until October. One hope voiced in Israel is that the break will allow for dialogue and negotiations in a cooler political climate.

What it means: This action is widely seen as a first step toward establishing the current coalition as the de facto administration of a virtual Netanyahu dictatorship. The US Jewish Reform Movement, in its response, “vehemently condemns” what it describes as “strongarm tactics [to] push through this divisive legislation which imperils Israel’s already-fragile democracy.” The conflict over the legislation underscores a deep rift within Israeli society about national identity, values, and priorities. Hundreds of thousands of protesters have been in Israel’s streets for 30 consecutive weeks in opposition to the coalition’s larger plan, of which “this is the first significant step.” The vote itself was unanimous only because the Knesset opposition beforehand walked out en masse in protest against the process.

The legislation is causing significant disruption in Israeli society, with repercussions for Palestinian Lutherans and the work of the Lutheran World Federation in the region, such as Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH) in East Jerusalem. The hospital is a key provider of health services for the Palestinian population in East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank as a member of the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network.  AVH’s diabetes, dialysis, and pediatric oncology programs also benefit from close cooperation with nearby Hadassah Hospital.

That cooperation and AVH’s critical services could be severely harmed if there is a significant exodus of Israeli doctors from the country. Such a scenario is not impossible, as an organization has already been set up to assist Israeli doctors who choose to leave.

More broadly, the policies of the ruling coalition regarding Palestinians both within Israel and in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza are already the harshest of any Israeli government to date. Those who have sponsored and supported the legislation have made it clear that they would seek further steps that include expanding the scope of the illegal West Bank settlements by Jewish Israelis, strengthening police powers against protesters and suspected terrorists, and narrowing civil rights for non-Jews. If this legislative victory stands, it means even more difficult days and nights for Palestinian communities in an already-dire circumstance.

What we can do: As in any crisis, a word of encouragement and solidarity with our Jewish neighbors in the U.S. who are concerned for the future of Israel’s democracy would be very timely. Supporting our Jewish neighbors as the political process works out in Israel is the most helpful thing we can do. The 1991 ELCA social statement, “The Church in Society,” includes a commitment to “work to further democratic processes throughout the territory of this church and the world, and to redress the persisting social and economic inequalities that prevent many from participating effectively in those processes.” Standing with and encouraging those who work to sustain and expand Israel’s democratic character is one way we can embody that commitment.

Israel is one of the “sancta” of the Jewish people, as noted in the recent ELCA study guide, Preaching and Teaching “With Love and Respect for the Jewish People.”  Jews around the world look to Israel as the national expression of their peoplehood. Public and private prayer on behalf of Israelis, the Jewish people around the world, and Palestinians who are affected by the crisis is certainly in order. See examples below from Pr. Peg Schultz-Akerson in Santa Monica, CA. Feel free to use them and adapt them as appropriate to local circumstances (as in the naming of other countries with which your own community may have particular ties).

Staying informed regarding the legislation and ongoing developments is also key to constructive engagement and interpretation.

Prayer Examples:

Merciful God, we pray for wise actions in response to these critical days in the Holy Lands. Especially we pray for the safeguarding of democracy for the State of Israel. Protect and empower all who courageously advocate for a sustainable future for all who share the Holy Lands, including the Palestinian people. Protect us from religious nationalisms that are divisive and intolerant. Strengthen all efforts for good. 

God of mercy, receive our prayer. 

Thank you, generous God, for the life-saving work of our Lutheran World Federation’s Augusta Victoria Hospital on the Mount of Olives. Bless its care for the underserved in the West Bank and Gaza. May the resources needed be multiplied to meet the growing needs, including the support given by the United States and others. Strengthen efforts toward positive change throughout the world, including in Iran, Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, and in the United States.

God of mercy, receive our prayer.

 

In July 2023, four leaders from across the United States joined ELCA World Hunger and the Lutheran Office for World Community in New York City as delegates of the Lutheran World Federation at the 2023 United Nations High-Level Political Forum. The forum was an opportunity for UN member states, agencies and organizations to share updates on progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. As our delegation learned, progress against the goals has been slow and, in some cases, has reversed. The delegation, representing the 149 member churches of the Lutheran World Federation, including the ELCA, was able to hear from leaders around the world, meet other advocates, connect with staff from the ELCA’s advocacy office in Washington, DC, listen to stories of changes and challenges, and consider together how each of us can be part of the work toward the Sustainable Development Goals in our communities.

Below is a reflection from one of the participants, Pastor Brianna Lloyd. Rev. Lloyd currently serves as pastor of Ka Hana O Ke Akua church (UCC) on the leeward side of Oʻahu and an alum of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary’s Center for Climate Justice and Faith, which is supported in part by ELCA World Hunger. Click here to read a reflection from Kitty Opplliger, who joined Rev. Lloyd as part of the delegation to the UN.

I didnʻt know it at the time, but as we began our week at the UN High Level Political Forum, a boat from Japan, advocating for the UN Sustainable Development Goals, had docked in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi.  The Peace Boat, a Japan-based NGO with a U.S. presence at the United Nations, ended its 114th voyage in Honolulu with a “Pledge to Our Keiki”—a commitment to the children of Hawaiʻi for a future of sustainable tourism.  The “Pledge to Our Keiki” signing ceremony was organized in partnership with the nonprofits Kanu Hawaii and Blue Planet Alliance, along with the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Oahu Visitors Bureau, Alaska Airlines and other groups. These groups were and are bringing some of the UN Sustainable Development Goals to life in the particular context and community that is Hawaiʻi.

As our group in New York listened to the many discussions in the conference rooms of the UN, we had to bridge the gap between discussions of pressing global issues, with broad, sweeping language, and our own contexts. The week was a practice of translation, and the practice continues in the days and weeks following the event.  For example, what does Goal 6: “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” mean in my context of Hawaiʻi?

My own journey to the UN began with some advocacy work related to the Navy’s fuel spills on Oʻahu at Kapūkakī (Red Hill), affecting thousands of military and civilian families.  Over the course of this past year, as the Navy flushed the fuel from the groundwater, they or their contractors used nearly five billion gallons of water, while those of us living on Oʻahu were asked to limit our own use of water. The Oʻahu Water Protectors and community leaders, such as Wayne Tanaka of the Hawaiʻi Sierra Club and Native Hawaiian community leader Healani Sonoda-Pale, continue to fight to protect the sacred water reserves of Oʻahu and to hold the Navy accountable to its mission of service and protection. I believe their work addresses Goal 6. There are many other organizations, groups, and events around Hawaiʻi—like Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi and the Pledge to Our Keiki—that are working at a similar goal.

As we follow up from our week attending the HLPF, I understand anew that translation and communication from the ground here in Hawaiʻi and other local communities to larger bodies like ELCA World Hunger and the Lutheran World Federation, and vice-versa, are essential threads to galvanize the work. One of the most well-known quotes from Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last reigning monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi before the Kingdom was illegally overthrown by American businessman, goes, in part, like this:  “You must remember never to cease to act because you fear you may fail.”

There is much being done everywhere. Perhaps we might draw hope from one another.

OVERVIEW  |  2023 FARM BILL REAUTHORIZATION | HOMELESSNESS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING | GLOBAL HEALTH: HIV/AIDS | TRANSITION TO CLEAN ENERGY WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOCUS | MIGRATION POLICY CLARITY | TRUTH AND HEALING COMMISSION ON INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL POLICIES | DETENTION OF PALESTINIAN CHILDREN

 

August Recess is a congressional tradition that brings heightened opportunities to reach out to your federal lawmakers where you – and they – live. U.S. representatives traditionally return to their home districts in this month to engage with their constituents. Town Halls and in-district meetings may be available to you in this period that create windows to raise your experiences, the experiences of your faith community, and policy concerns locally.

Start by locating your lawmaker’s Web presence (govtrack.us is one place to connect). Doing a little homework by looking around at the person’s top issues and sphere of influence can deepen any encounter. If a Town Hall is listed, it may be an open forum or a virtual experience. Virtual experiences may be more constrained in question-and-answer format, but any Town Hall can be a meaningful connection point.

Alternatively, instigate a local meeting. Prepare what you want to say, with pointers from resources below. A virtual visit can be a value-added creative moment to showcase placement of your ministry in the community, building relationships and future potentials. Offering a lawmaker a chance to speak or connect with fellow constituents after a worship service or event will increase the chance of their participation.

Advocacy resources to help you plan from ELCA Witness in Society include:

• August Recess Guide
• In-District Meetings
• Virtual Visits
• Your state public policy office ideas – connect using links in our locations map
• In-District Activity Form – If you meet with a lawmaker, please let us know so we can amplify that foundation and increase our shared impact.
• How Do I Approach Policymakers? (video in Advocacy Summer School series)

Below find suggestions from our ELCA policy staff about issues that intersect with 2023 ELCA Federal Policy Priorities that are presently on the horizon. The question prompts may help you shape a timely way to use August Recess opportunities.

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THIS MOMENT IN TIME: 2023 Farm Bill Reauthorization

“Agriculture is basic to the survival and security of people throughout the world. Through the calling of agriculture, farmers produce the grain for our daily bread and the rest of our food supply. Without a bountiful and low-cost food supply, most Americans would not enjoy the livelihood they do. Farmers face the challenge of producing this food in ways that contribute to the regeneration of the land and the vitality of rural communities.” ELCA social statement on Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All (p 16)

REMARKS

The Farm Bill is traditionally one of the most bi-partisan bills in Congress. This August recess both the House and Senate agriculture committees are drafting the 2023 Farm Bill, a reauthorization that is an opportunity to make this far-reaching, omnibus legislation responsive to present realities. Right now, your voice matters to your representative and senator. In listening sessions held this spring to inform ELCA advocacy on the Farm Bill, participants highlighted the importance of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and were distressed by food waste and food deserts. They were concerned with farms and their intersection with conservation, rural community health, and subsidies and crop insurance. As food production impacts all, they emphasized global food access, hunger and issues for small family farms, and challenges of marginalized communities and farmers. (One way to learn more about the Farm Bill is to follow links in the “Advocacy In Service to Our Neighbor” template letters for “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday. As your elected representatives work to craft this critical legislation, raise your concerns and priorities.

QUESTIONS

• The Farm Bill supports farmers, hungry people, merchants, resilience for our land and our partners overseas. How are you working to support the Farm Bill and its impact on all our communities?
• Will you protect funding of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and oppose additional work requirements in the Farm Bill?
• Will you preserve international emergency and non-emergency food assistance programs in the Farm Bill?

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THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Homelessness and Affordable Housing

“’Sufficiency’ means adequate access to income and other resources that enable people to meet their basic needs, including nutrition, clothing, housing, health care, personal development, and participation in community with dignity. God has created a world of sufficiency for all, providing us daily and abundantly with all the necessities of life.” ELCA social statement on Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All (p. 11)

REMARKS

This summer, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced an annual spending bill that would inflict deep cuts and, in some cases, entirely eliminate federal programs dedicated to increasing housing affordability, expanding homeownership and funding community development. This comes as housing costs have continued to climb across the United States, and as the lack of affordable options has become one of the leading drivers of houselessness in our communities. Many Lutherans and our ministries are in creative and passionate service to address these concerns, yet it is not something we can do alone. Congress must send to the president’s desk a spending bill that fully maintains existing Department of Housing and Urban Affairs (HUD) housing and homeless programs, and think longer term on what can be done to expand the supply of housing for all generations of Americans.

QUESTIONS

• As a member of Congress, what are you doing to assist those of us struggling with houselessness in our district and address the wider housing affordability crisis across the country?
• With rising rents and inflation in housing costs, flat level federal funding to HUD and our local communities will result in fewer people served. Are you committed to fully funding existing federal housing programs to meet inflation?
• How can congregations like my own partner with public partners to help better address our current housing situation in our district?

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THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Global Health: HIV/AIDS

“The suffering of persons with AIDS demonstrates anew that life for all is vulnerable, limited, and broken, yet also graced with courage, hope and reconciliation. As a disease that affects women, men and children around the world, it shows how closely we are bound together in relationships of mutual trust, need and responsibility.” ELCA social message on “AIDS and the Church’s Ministry of Caring” (pg. 1)

REMARKS

In 2003, the U.S. government launched a program known as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), through which it provides lifesaving HIV treatment treatments, care and prevention services to people living in low-income countries. PEPFAR is the largest U.S. global health program devoted to a single disease. Today, PEPFAR supports over 20 million people around the world. The current congressional authorization for PEPFAR expires this year on September 30th. Congress needs to pass legislation to reauthorize continuation of the program in its current form. “This past summer, as an ELCA young adult delegate to the International AIDS Conference, I saw firsthand the struggles that many people living with HIV face on a daily basis, and I was moved by the efforts being made by both religious and secular organizations to support these individuals and fight AIDS,” said Brendan Lewis in 2022.

QUESTIONS

• As a member of Congress, what’s your position on the PEPFAR program, which has had bipartisan support since its inauguration?
• What is your commitment to ensuring that a new PEPFAR reauthorization passes this year?
• If you oppose reauthorization of the program, what are the reasons behind that decision and what would you like to see happen to change your position?

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THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Transition to Clean Energy with an Environmental Justice Focus

“The ELCA calls upon individuals, agencies, organizations, corporations, and governments to pursue goals, set policies, and establish practices that… Promote a just transition from fossil fuels to a clean energy future that leaves no one behind, through public investments in economic development and job retraining programs.” ELCA social message on “Earth’s Climate Crisis” (pp. 11-12)

REMARKS

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report, published in 2021, warns that “global surface temperature will continue to increase until at least mid-century under all emissions scenarios considered. Global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades.” With God’s help humanity can turn from the present course, take loving and just action, and live more harmoniously within God’s beautiful and verdant creation. In this Kairos moment for the planet, we must urge passage of policy to further address climate change and to reflect urgency for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act last August, the United States made the largest investment into climate and clean energy ever. With this investment, further policies and reform must be passed to expedite the transition to clean energy and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. It is important that we lift up the concern of environmental justice in all energy and environmental policy and highlight the disparate impact of pollution and climate change on low-income communities, ethnic minorities, developing nations and Indigenous lands. Legislation such as the Environmental Justice for All Act, reintroduced this year, aims to address environmental disparities in majority Black, Latino and Indigenous communities.

QUESTIONS

• As a member of Congress, how can you help expedite the U.S.’ transition to clean energy?
• How can Congress ensure that reform to the energy permitting process won’t disproportionately affect low-income communities, ethnic minorities, developing nations and Indigenous lands?
• Do you support the Environmental Justice for All Act? Why or why not?

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THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Migration Policy Clarity

“The leaders and congregations that have given us this legacy [with roots in immigrant churches in a nation of immigrants] remind us that hospitality for the uprooted is a way to live out the biblical call to love the neighbor in response to God’s love in Jesus Christ. They recall for us God’s command to Israel: ‘The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the stranger as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God’ (Leviticus 19:34).” ELCA social message on “Immigration” (p. 3)

REMARKS

Many faithful people have taken the Bible’s message to welcome the stranger to heart and in action by accompanying migrants and seeking justice for their neighbors near and far. The experience of asylum seekers and vulnerable youth, and borderland conditions, are samples of situations where U.S. policy can demonstrate our values. An asylum decision can lay pending an average of 4.2 years and at least initially, asylum seekers do not have work authorization, a situation which the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act tries to address. Deescalating militarization of U.S. borderlands and cities can help mitigate trust erosion between law enforcement and communities; vulnerability of migrants to extortion, kidnapping and death from exposure; and environmental impacts. The status of youth who from suffered neglect or abuse have court-recognized Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), like thousands from Central America and Mexico, are eligible to apply for a green card but face limits on the SIJS number issued in a given fiscal year and “per country” caps, adding to the tenuous nature of their relief from harm. In the next few months, lawmakers will consider each of the Fiscal Year 2024 spending bills, alongside other key policy proposals supporting migrant children and families. How Congress allocates funding sends a clear statement of our values and priorities. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that more than 100 million have experienced forced displacement for complex reasons like persecution, environmental degradation and war. The U.S. immigration system urgently needs to be remade in simple yet effective ways to meet contemporary realities and needs while modeling compassion, pragmatism and cooperation as our customs and values stand for. Urge your representative to heed this call.

QUESTIONS

• Will you support legislation like the bipartisan Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act (H.R. 1325) to promote the economic self-sufficiency of asylum seekers by expediting work authorization, and how would you suggest building capacity across the asylum system?
• Do you support the invaluable partnership between non-government organizations (NGOs) and federal agencies in U.S. borderlands and cities with federal funding for NGO to help deescalate militarization of the regions?
• Will you support exempting vulnerable youth with Special Immigrant Juvenile Status from annual visa limits?

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THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies

“We are becoming increasingly aware of the ongoing evils of the Doctrine of Discovery, and by the actions we commit ourselves to herein, we now declare our allegiance to the work of undoing those evils, building right relationships with Native nations and Native peoples, and remaining faithful to our shared journeys toward truth and healing.” From “A Declaration of the [ELCA] to American Indian and Alaska Native People” (p. 5)

REMARKS

In May 2023, S.1723, the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act, was reintroduced to Congress. The bill would create a formal commission with the goal of listening, investigating, recording and acknowledging previous injustices committed by the government’s past boarding school policies that aimed to assimilate Native American and Indian children. After a markup process including the adoption of amendments reflecting feedback from Tribal leaders, boarding school survivors, advocates, religious organizations and others, S.1723 currently awaits a vote on the Senate floor. The terrible legacy of Indian boarding schools lingers in the bodies and minds of direct survivors and their descendants. They suffer tremendous trauma that impacts their well-being — cultural, spiritual, economic and more. As the ELCA lives into our own Truth-Seeking & Truth Telling Initiative to organize Lutherans around our church’s involvement in Indian boarding schools in the United States and their impact on Native peoples, we also recognized the need for our nation to know and claim complicity in the history of Indian boarding schools and the schools’ deliberate, devastating impacts on Native people and their communities, then and now.

QUESTIONS

• The Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act would provide resources and assistance to aid in the healing of trauma for American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian communities. As a representative, how are you working to support this bill?

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THIS MOMENT IN TIME: Detention of Palestinian Children

“This brutal conflict has taken hundreds of Palestinian lives and caused untold suffering. It has also divided the citizens of Israel as well as the worldwide Jewish community, many of whom are concerned that a continuation of the conflict will only further erode Israel’s democratic institutions and undermine Jewish prophetic values, which are our Christian legacy as well.” ELCA social message on “The Israeli/Palestinian Conflict” (pg. 2)

REMARKS

The Israeli military prosecutes between 500 and 700 Palestinian children each year, according to Defense for Children International – Palestine. An average of 225 Palestinian children are held in custody each month, according to data provided by the Israel Prison Service. The systematic denial of their due process rights along with widespread ill-treatment must end. H.R. 3103, the Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, to stop US taxpayer funding of this practice and halt the destruction of Palestinian homes which often renders children homeless, a violation of international humanitarian law. A statement from the Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, ELCA presiding bishop on July 5, 2023 reinforced: “The ELCA will continue our advocacy for justice in the Holy Land in collaboration with our ecumenical, interfaith and other partners who share our commitments to seeking a just peace for Palestinians and Israelis.”

QUESTIONS

• As my Representative, will you co-sponsor H.R. 3103, the Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act?

 

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Thank you for your advocacy.

from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C. – the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Senior Director

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: June/July 2023

ENERGIZING FARM BILL LISTENING SESSIONS  |  AFGHAN ADJUSTMENT ACT REINTRODUCED  |  NEW WHO NETWORK LAUNCHES  |  WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DECISION  |  DEBT CEILING UPDATE

 

ENERGIZING FARM BILL LISTENING SESSIONS:  With great representation of well over 100 of us from many parts of the United States, “Listening Sessions to Inform ELCA Farm Bill Advocacy” were productive opportunities to learn more about the Farm Bill reauthorization process and hear from bishops, farmers, USDA employees, school lunch program volunteers, food bank managers, rural young adults and many others about their priorities for the issues impacted by the policy.

Right now, our policy directors are in process of distilling the substantial input we received during the Farm Bill listening session process and interfacing it with other expertise in our networks. This will become a more concise list of asks which the ELCA will continue to advance with policy makers. In general, participants highlighted the importance of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and were distressed by food waste and food deserts. They were concerned with farms and their intersection with conservation, rural community health, and subsidies and crop insurance. As food production impacts all, they emphasized global food access, hunger and issues for small family farms, and challenges of marginalized communities and farmers. These concerns are being synopsized for communication from an engaged and informed body of Lutherans, and we appreciate the input from all who took part!

 

AFGHAN ADJUSTMENT ACT REINTRODUCED:  The House and Senate have reintroduced the Afghan Adjustment Act. ELCA congregations and leaders have been deeply involved in accompaniment and advocacy for this policy, including sending messages through the ELCA Action Center when it was originally introduced in August 2022.

Bipartisan reintroduction of the Afghan Adjustment Act could provide a direct path to lawful permanent residency. Operation Allies Welcome brought over 75,000 evacuees to safety in the United States, yet an uncertain legal limbo awaits Afghans who fled their war-torn country. An Afghan Adjustment Act would allow humanitarian parolees here in the United States to adjust their status, providing long-term stability and security for themselves and families.

In another development, World Refugee Day on June 20 was unfortunately marked by more than 100 million people forcibly displaced around the world. Climate change, the war in Ukraine, the multi-faced conflicts through the globe, the collapse of democratic systems and freedoms and more have wrought new crises that are forcing more people to leave their homes. Newly released State Department data shows 6,975 refugees were resettled in May, the highest monthly total since December 2016. “LIRS and ELCA remain committed to uplifting the voices and stories of people affected, many of whom will help lead our efforts on Capitol Hill,” states a 2023 ELCA-LIRS World Refugee Day letter.

 

NEW WHO NETWORK LAUNCHES:  The World Health Organization has launched the International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN), “a global network of pathogen genomic actors, to accelerate progress on the deployment of pathogen genomics and improve public health decision-making.”

The International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN) will “enable faster detection of new pathogens and enhance tracking of the spread and evolution of diseases…the IPSN supports ongoing disease surveillance and will help detect and fully characterize new disease threats before they become epidemics or pandemics.” This tool will potentially assist with effective action, such as the church’s response related to the COVID pandemic.

In other developments, the U.S. government has announced that it will provide nearly $524 million in additional assistance to respond to dire humanitarian needs in the Horn of Africa. The announcement brings the total U.S. humanitarian assistance for response efforts to more than $1.4 billion in fiscal year 2023. The Horn of Africa region launched the collective Humanitarian Response Plan, which calls for a cumulative $7 billion in assistance for 2023. Total funding for 2023 now stands at $2.4 billion only. The region is experiencing multiple crises. Many in our companion synods have been challenged by these developments – for example read more from ELCA World Hunger where with the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) we are working in the Kakuma region in Kenya alongside the local government to help build the capacity of families to respond to and withstand worsening droughts in the region.

 

WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DECISION:  The Supreme Court made a decision in a closely watched case regarding the jurisdictional reach of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA). This result will reduce the number of wetlands subject to federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act. The Supreme Court Justices decided in favor of the Sacketts, ruling that the land they are building their home on should not be regulated by the Clean Water Act, which in this case would be considered a wetland. Therefore, under the new Sackett standard, a surface connection must be present in order for a wetland to be considered adjacent to a “waters of the United States” for jurisdictional, regulatory purposes. Reaching the goal of clean water and sanitation for all is critical.

As emphasized in advance of participation by ELCA advocacy and World Hunger representatives in an UN international conference on water: “‘Water is a dealmaker for the Sustainable Development Goals, and for the health and prosperity of people and planet.’ Indeed, without access to clean water and sanitation, many of the other Sustainable Development Goals will be out of reach.” Our ELCA advocacy staff will continue to monitor environmental regulation developments such as these to the Clean Water Act.

 

DEBT CEILING UPDATE:  President Biden in early June signed a compromise bill, H.R. 3746, to lift the U.S. debt ceiling until 2025. The final bill imposes some spending cuts over the next two years on federal programs – while giving Congress the option to make up most of those cuts through drawing back unspent pandemic funding.

The final bill would also expand some existing work requirements on safety-net programs like SNAP food assistance – which the Congressional Budget Office estimated would actually cost more money each year to enforce rather than save. In the coming months, it will be critical to advocate with appropriators in Congress and encourage them to not enact any automatic spending cuts to core annual discretionary programs such as low-income housing assistance. Also of note, the bipartisan “Fiscal Responsibility Act,” H.R. 3746, greenlit the completion of the Mountain Valley pipeline and made various changes to the National Environmental Policy Act. This is likely the first step of a congressional push to continue to reform permitting across the country on energy production projects.

 

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Receive monthly Advocacy Connections directly by becoming part of the ELCA Advocacy network – http://elca.org/advocacy/signup , and learn more from elca.org/advocacy .

 

Issue 88 of Administration Matters

Protect your church’s operating reserve

A well-designed contingency plan for a congregation maintains an operating reserve to cover the church’s expenses for at least four months should it experience difficulties and its income be drastically reduced. >More

Know when to retain or discard synod or congregational records

Congregations and synods must know which records and information they should keep and which can be removed. Some records need to be maintained permanently; others can be discarded periodically. >More for Synods. >More for Congregations.

Church building redesigned with MIF loan

Zumbro Lutheran Church in Rochester, Minn., had a “strong desire to redesign its space to be welcoming, leaning into downtown,” recalls the congregation’s directing pastor, the Rev. Rob Zahn. The Mission Investment Fund, a financial ministry of the ELCA, provided a loan for a redesigned sanctuary — with a stunning new cross and baptismal font — that is flexible enough to serve multiple purposes. New office space supports the work of several ministry partners operating in Rochester.

Why feedback matters

Critique, one might say, is critical to growth, particularly for those in ministry. “Critique is a key component of our staff culture,” writes one pastor on the Lifeway Research website. When you ask for feedback, you show that you are not only teachable and open to improvement but also humble, something Colossians 3:12 encourages us to be.

Portico Benefit Services recognizes the importance of active listening. Its new feedback platform, Portico Voices, was created to gather feedback from plan members and sponsoring employers so that it might improve its products and services. If you receive an email inviting you to join UserTesting.com, and become part of the Portico Voices community, please consider signing up!

Five ways to keep your building secure

Every organization would like to believe its facility is safe from crime, but plenty of details can get overlooked when you develop a security plan for your building. There are many elements to crime prevention, but we have developed a list of steps to keep your building secure. >More

10 points to cover in volunteer orientation

The beauty of a church community is the abundance of committed people with a passion for helping the church achieve its vision and mission. Volunteers drive the church by donating the hours required to ensure that everything gets done. Many people use the volunteer experience to get to know other church community members. Creating a well-run program ensures a great experience for those volunteers, and a structured orientation process prepares them for their new responsibilities. >More

 

 

By David Atkinson

 

For those closely following immigration issues and debates, every day can seem to be a bad news day.  The diatribes by anti-immigration officials and commentators become numbing with their angry repetition.  But the ingrained perspectives of the voting public can be even more troubling.

We now enter the season when many organizations, on the far ends and in the middle of the political spectrum, are conducting polling to test 2024 themes and discover what might most motivate large blocs of voters.  Some of these surveys square with preconceived notions or confirm what we largely suspect.  Yet, there is always the prospect of a finding or two that stand out from conventional thinking or feed into our hopes for a turn for the better.

Such is not the case with this recent example, unfortunately.  A new YouGov poll, part of a study by the Center for Working-Class Politics, takes a look at how Democrats are connecting with working-class people and where the president connects or misfires.  Without doubt, this is an evaluation from the progressive side of the political landscape.

Here is the key painful finding: “The single most effective message in the poll was a vow to ‘protect the border’; decriminalization of the border was very unpopular.”  Ouch.  Reading that seems like the slap in the face from the old Skin Bracer ads, except there is nothing refreshing about it.  The accepted terminology is heavily skewed.  There is a border wall for considerable stretches of territory.  That comes with checkpoints, surveillance, and enforcement by vehicle and horseback.  To say that the border is wide open is a statement of partisan malice.  To hope for a border that is fully secure is to yearn for something that never was and never will be.  Just look how people have found ways to get through and over the former president’s big and beautiful wall.

When we look at the many ways large and small the so-called immigration system penalizes border crossers, the notion that there is something called decriminalization afoot is gross misrepresentation.  Declining to forcibly separate families is hardly the equivalent of rolling out the welcome wagon for one and all.  No ceasefire has been called on deportations.

How do advocates hope to bring about more humane immigration laws and policies when strident immigration opposition is a sure-fire applause line and vote-getter?  The efforts by advocacy groups such as ELCA, LIRS, and LAMPa to remind everyone what the Bible, especially the gospels, has to say about how to receive and treat the other lays a firm foundation.  But opponents are expert at cherry picking or distorting verses to justify their policies.  Remember how southern preachers two centuries ago were somehow able to divine biblical sanction for slavery?

It is always a herculean effort to get the attention of those who do not care about seeing beyond rhetoric or doing the difficult work of sorting fact from fiction.  And leadership that builds careers on habitually shortchanging the basic needs of citizens on subjects ranging from food security to health care to education is not going to be suddenly sympathetic to the woes of refugees, whether legal or illegal.

That is why it is so important for people of faith to support immigration advocacy, not just with hearts and minds, but with hands and wallets.  To keep abreast of issues, to document discrimination, to support a growing array of resettlement services, to connect individuals and families with vital assistance of legal, language, and living needs, to give tolerance a place in the policy marketplace, these things require a great deal of resource.  Striving to do that which is right and righteous is the charge we hear every time we read the Bible and reflect on its meaning.

 

This week, four leaders from across the United States joined ELCA World Hunger and the Lutheran Office for World Community in New York City as delegates of the Lutheran World Federation at the 2023 United Nations High-Level Political Forum. The forum was an opportunity for UN member states, agencies and organizations to share updates on progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. As our delegation learned, progress against the goals has been slow and, in some cases, has reversed. The delegation, representing the 149 member churches of the Lutheran World Federation, including the ELCA, was able to hear from leaders around the world, meet other advocates, connect with staff from the ELCA’s advocacy office in Washington, DC, listen to stories of changes and challenges, and consider together how each of us can be part of the work toward the Sustainable Development Goals in our communities.

Below is a reflection from one of the delegates, Kitty Oppliger, from southeast Michigan.

I am writing from New York City, my first time to the city, and much less to the UN. Each moment I remain in awe of the humanity, consequence and potential that surrounds me, both inside and outside of the conference rooms. I am honored to have been given this opportunity alongside my patient and gracious hosts/colleagues from the ELCA and the Lutheran World Federation- and quite honestly every moment I question why I was asked to attend such an important event. Nevertheless, God has placed me here, and I know I can best serve God’s will by being present, aware and authentic.

Each day has been full of challenges and beauty, conversation and contemplation, tears and laughter. The moments of reflection that have been built into our schedule are valuable times to integrate the vast volumes of information coming at us. Devotion and prayer allow me to stay focused on the One who brought me here and is sustaining me throughout. I am learning so much, but centering God above all keeps me from plunging into the depths of overwhelm and fatigue.

Looking ahead, we have work to do. We have connections to make, voices to uplift, harms to heal, attitudes to align. This can seem an insurmountable task. During one of our devotions, our group reflected upon the feeling of smallness and inadequacy facing the challenges raised during the daily sessions. Even so, I am heartened by the enthusiasm and passion shared by so many here at this year’s High-Level Political Forum. Civil society participants of many ages, genders, nationalities and backgrounds demonstrate the diversity of groups committed to ensuring a future in which the Sustainable Development Goals may one day be realized. We must boldly challenge the status quo and demand that governments put aside corporate and political interests in the interest of serving the achieving a just and equitable world. We cannot stand by in silence as those in power continue to disenfranchise those without.

Our small cohort here in NYC is returning home to far-flung environments, in Hawai’i, Michigan, Ohio and Georgia. A repeated sentiment throughout the week has been the importance of community-based, “contextually intelligent” (credit to Calla Gilson for this term) action: giving those affected by national policy and international changes a chance to voice their concerns and be truly heard. I know that my ears have been opened and my heart left raw. They will remain primed for hearing the stories and voices of the most vulnerable in my own community. My prayer is that we will all seek to see Christ in all our neighbors, that we will strive to walk along this difficult road together, led by our Creator.

Kitty Oppliger, MPH

 

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

 

U.N. | CALIFORNIA  | COLORADO | MINNESOTA | PENNSYLVANIA | WASHINGTON | WISCONSIN

 

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. – ELCA.org/lowc

Christine Mangale, Director

• The Lutheran Office for World Community(LOWC) hosted a delegation of Lutherans as they engaged in the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (UNPFPAD) in its second session at the United Nations. This year the PFPAD was held at the UN Head Quarters in New York City from Monday, May 29th through Friday, June 2nd. A delegation of ELCA staff attended these meetings. LOWC co-sponsored a side-event with the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) entitled: “Confronting Anti-Blackness in Global Migration.  
• LOWC Director Christine Mangale attended and supported pre-Assembly meetings of the Lutheran World Federation in the Africa Region. She also met with the General Secretaries of the National Council of Churches of Kenya, Religions for Peace, and the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa.  
• LOWC Staff supported the official Bishop visit to Norway offering a presentation of our joint and delineated advocacy portfolios as the ELCA/LWF and in partnership with NCA and the Church of Norway (namely the Women’s Human Rights Advocacy Training). These meetings have already led to several planning conversations for further collaboration at the UN. 

 

California

Lutheran Office of Public Policy – California (LOPP-CA) – lutheranpublicpolicyca.org

Regina Banks, Director

The 4th annual Lutheran Lobby Day was a resounding success! 60 people gathered in Sacramento to advocate around the priority bills to over 30 legislative offices. Lobby Day also included a keynote address from Dr. Cynthia Moe-Lobeda of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and Advocacy 101. Thank you to everyone who attended or participated in some way, and we’re looking forward to Lobby Day 2024. Thank you especially to Bishop Brenda Bos and the Southwest California Synod for underwriting costs of Lobby Day! 

Three of the four priority bills from Lobby Day, SB 4 (Wiener), AB 249 (Holden), and AB 660 (Irwin), made it out of their houses of origin and will move forward in the legislature this summer. 

     

Colorado

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

Peter Severson, Director

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SYNOD ASSEMBLY: This year’s RMS Assembly took place in El Paso, Texas, May 15-18. At this year’s Assembly, Bishop Jim Gonia pledged that voting members would be invited to participate in a coordinated advocacy action to build on their experience at the border. We are currently crafting the details of that action with our synod’s advocacy staff in Colorado, New Mexico and the Washington D.C. office. All people in the synod are invited to take part, not just voting members at synod assembly, so stay tuned!  

JUNETEENTH & SLAVERY ABOLITION: The End Slavery Colorado coalition was tabling & engaging community members during Juneteenth weekend celebrations in Denver (Five Points) and Colorado Springs. We also supported a panel discussion, hosted by Together Colorado and End Slavery Colorado on Monday, June 19th, to learn more about “orange collar” (incarcerated) labor. The event took place at Shorter AME Church in Denver and featured academic, political, and other community leaders.  

 

Minnesota

Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN) – lutheranadvocacymn.org

Tammy Walhof, Director

End of Legislative Session: I’m not sure there has ever been a year quite like this one. Usually, we’re playing defense on several issues to prevent cuts, while proactively working on some broad items that can take years to get passed adequately. This year everything was happening at once, including new items related to our issues that came out of nowhere.  

Clean Energy: Following rapid passage in 2023 of a new Clean Energy Standard on which LA-MN worked for many years, our focus shifted. Concerted advocacy efforts with partners played meaningful roles in creating a State Competitiveness Fund ($190 million) for federal program matches, and final spending bill inclusion of state emission goal updates and a new Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority for clean energy economy energy transition ($45 million). 

Affordable Housing: LA-MN worked closely with Settled and Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (JRLC) to pass Sacred Tiny Home Community legislation, changing zoning laws to allow faith-community hosting for people who have experienced chronic homelessness and “Good Neighbor” volunteers. Other Homes for All (H4A) agenda items over several years passed, including rental/eviction reforms. With other H4A partners, we helped generate broad statewide grassroots support for significant housing investments – budget passage included more than $1 billion (much 1x spending from the surplus) for new housing construction, rehabilitation, and preservation; rental assistance; down-payment assistance for new low-income or BIPOC homebuyers; and $100 million for homeless shelter creation. 

*Find our 2023 agenda and long Legislative Summary here (Can you sense the magnitude of this year’s accomplishments?). 

 

Pennsylvania

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – Pennsylvania (LAMPa) lutheranadvocacypa.org

Tracey DePasquale, Director

It’s the busiest season of the year for Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania(LAMPa), with seven synod assemblies and a state budget deadline looming.  

LAMPa Director Tracey DePasquale has been accompanying partners on legislative visits on budget priorities, including hunger and housing, in addition to work on climate policy, environmental justice and measures to address hate crimes and end LGBTQ+ discrimination. LAMPa advocates are contacting lawmakers to share the dramatic increase in need that our ministries are witnessing, urging substantial increases in the state’s support for anti-hunger programs as well as passage of bipartisan legislation to lift the funding cap on the state’s housing trust fund.  

DePasquale also attended the inaugural meeting of the first statewide Food Policy Council, whose creation LAMPa and partners in the Pennsylvania Hunger Action Coalition had long advocated. Learn more. 

Staff or policy council members continued to represent LAMPa at synod assemblies.  

In addition, DePasquale attended a colloquium with World Resources Institute at Georgetown University regarding science-based targets for faith-based organizations on behalf of the ELCA’s sustainability initiative.  

LAMPa has positions available for a full-time communications and advocacy engagement manager as well as a 2023-24 Hunger Advocacy Fellow. 

 

Washington

Faith Action Network (FAN) – fanwa.org

Elise DeGooyer, Director

We enjoyed two Spring Summits this month, with people from across the state joining online plus a room of advocates in person in Southwest Washington, to hear Faith Action Network (FAN) updates and connect across issues and regions in small groups. We are grateful to the 90 FAN advocates who joined our summits in May and June to engage with the issues that motivate us to take action. Their input and priorities will help inform our planning for the year ahead. 

This Pride month, FAN marched and celebrated with other faith communities to share a message of love and belonging. In response to the current narrative spreading division and hate in some of our communities, we encourage everyone in our network and beyond to use this important Protecting Pride guide, recently released by the Western States Center, when planning or participating in Pride activities.

FAN was also on site, supporting several Juneteenth that happened in June. FAN was honored to co-sponsor, alongside community partners, an incredible musical celebration of Juneteenth in Seattle, called Songs of Black Folk 2023: Music of Resistance & Hope. You can watch last year’s inspiring performance here as well as learn about this year’s event.
In Pride Month we give thanks for so many affirming faith communities who offer welcome to the LGBTQIA+ community,
even when their property has been attacked, like Edmonds Lutheran Church readerboard this month.

 

Wisconsin

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

The Rev. Cindy Crane, Director

Synod assembly season just ended.  The Lutheran Office of Public Policy in Wisconsin(LOPPW) had a presence at the Northern Great Lakes Synod(NGLS), East Central Synod of Wisconsin(ECSW), Greater Milwaukee Synod(GMS), and La Crosse Area Synod(LAS)  assemblies, but also at South-Central Synod of Wisconsin(SCSW) and Northwest Synod of Wisconsin(NWSW) synod events in throughout the spring.  

 

GMS – Passed a resolution to support Raise the Age (returning 17-year-old youth to the juvenile justice system) and for LOPPW to assist the synod in its advocacy:  Resolution-2-Final-Resolution-in-Support-of-the-Raise-the-Age-Wisconsin-Campaign.  Wisconsin is one of three states that automatically defaults 17-year-old youth into the adult justice system.  

 

Raise the Age and Expanding Driver Licenses bills were taken out of the budget, but there is bipartisan interest in re-introducing these items as a separate bills.   

On our interfaith advocacy day and beyond, we asked lawmakers to retain budget items related to PFAS, and if taken out to write separate bills.  We are pleased the State Budget, at this time, has $125 million put aside to combat pollution from so-called forever chemicals.  However, testing for PFAS and funding needed positions were eliminated.  Now, there is a separate bill - Senate Bill 312 that includes grants to municipalities for testing and requirements for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). There is a continued bipartisan movement to take PFAS seriously and address the problem.  However, parts of SB312 tie the hands of the DNR so we have not taken a position on the bill in its entirety yet.  

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

Livestream concerts, recitals, and worship services from LSM 2023.

A complete schedule and links to archive recordings are available at lsmacademy.org/2023.

 

 

 

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Music that Makes Community

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

We take a deep breath of gratitude for the renewed energy and growing connections Music that Makes Community saw in the first half of 2023. We have facilitated vibrant, in-person workshops in Olympia, Columbus, and Nashville, as well as multi-access offerings in Portland, OR and Minneapolis. We hosted our first Intergenerational Worship Webinar in March, and in early June teams of MMC leaders were present at two biennial conferences focused on faith formation and worship for all ages.

Our late summer and fall offerings are now updated on the website, including a special offering at Holden Village, our annual Advent Worship Planning Webinar, a Three-Day Retreat in Albuquerque, and in-person events in Seattle, the Boston area, and Chicago.

Visit the MMC calendar to learn more and register!

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Association of Lutheran Church Musicians

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

 

ALCM SUMMER 2023 WEBINARS

Register to watch live and receive recordings of past webinars.

Members — $25; Non-Members — $39.

 

 

 

 

One-day workshops for musicians to learn new skills, share best practices, and build relationships.

Workshops scheduled all across the country.  Sign up for upcoming events.

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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

 

Sundays and Seasons:Guide to Worship Planning

Sundays and Seasons supports comprehensive week-by-week planning with content and ideas for liturgy and music, preaching and visuals, shaped by the Revised Common Lectionary, the church year, and the assembly gathered around word and sacrament. The 2024 volume is now available in print.