We are excited to announce that the 2023 ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grant application cycle is now open!

Hunger Education and Networking Grants are one of the ways ELCA World Hunger accompanies congregations, synods, organizations, partners and local teams throughout the US and the Caribbean. We know that learning about the root causes of hunger and effective responses is key to ending hunger locally and globally.

We will be accepting proposals from March 15, 2023 through November 15, 2023. Grant applications are accepted and reviewed throughout the year. Please allow 6-8 weeks for review of your application. Grants average between $1000 and $3000 and are non-renewable.

ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grants support work that:

• educates and engages ELCA congregations, groups, and/or synods;
• fosters the development and education of leaders and participants;
• builds relationships locally, regionally and nationally; and
• equips ELCA members and neighbors to work toward a just world where all are fed.

ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grants are designed for projects that provide educational opportunities to deepen participants’ understanding of poverty and hunger (including root causes and intersectional issues) and equip participants to work toward effective solutions.

Projects involving direct service within communities are only eligible if the service happens within a program for service learning. If your project involves direct service, ELCA World Hunger’s Domestic Hunger Grants may be more appropriate for your needs.

Previous grantees have included:

• synod-wide bike rides to promote hunger awareness;
• service learning events for youth and young adults;
• online and in-person workshops;
• community organizing training;
• creation of new resources to help participants learn about hunger; and
• local research projects to help others learn more about hunger, health, and housing in their community.

The work of grantees in the past has focused on a wide variety of areas, including climate change and sustainability, housing security, racial justice, worker justice, reducing food waste and economic justice.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grant, proposals must be:

• received through the ELCA’s online Grantmaker portal from March 15 to November 15, 2023;
• submitted by a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization;
• focused on education, engagement, and networking toward a just world where all are fed; and
• consistent with ELCA World Hunger’s values and priorities (https://elca.org/domestichungergrants).

In addition, eligible projects must occur within the geographic footprint of the ELCA, which includes the United States and the Caribbean.

How to Apply

Applicants must pre-register on ELCA GrantMaker in order to access the grant application. Approval of registration may take up to ten business days, so register now at ELCA.org/grants, and submit your application by November 15th.

For more information see the full request for proposal here: 2023 ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grant Announcement and en Español: 2023 Subvenciones de ELCA World Hunger para la Educación y la Creación de Redes.

If you have any questions, please email Ryan Cumming, program director for hunger education, at Ryan.Cumming@elca.org or hunger@elca.org

Susan Palo Cherwien, Lutheran hymnwriter and poet, died December 28, 2021. Her hymns and meditations have been a gift to the church and world.

Eight of her hymns are included in Evangelical Lutheran Worship:

• As the Dark Awaits the Dawn  261
• Come, Beloved of the Maker  306
• Day of Arising  374
• O Blessed Spring  447
• Rise, O Church, like Christ Arisen  548
• Beloved, God’s Chosen  648
• Signs and Wonders  672
• In Deepest Night  699

Eight hymns are also included in All Creation Sings, the worship and song supplement to ELW:

• As Your Spirit in the Desert  923
• Christ Is the Life  927
• Before the Ancient One, Christ Stands  953
• Behold, Unveiled the Vesper Skies  997
• Holy Woman, Graceful Giver (Mark 14)  1001
• Holy Woman, Graceful Giver (John 12)  1002
• In the Midst of Earthly Life  1026
• In Sacred Manner  1071

Susan also crafted the text for the song of praise “Glory to you, God” (p. 31) included in All Creation Sings Setting 12.

Several more of her hymns are published in three volumes available from Augsburg Fortress: O Blessed Spring, Come, Beloved of the Maker, and Peace, Be Still.  Augsburg Fortress has also published several choral anthems with her texts. A 2021 Augsburg Fortress blog post highlights a few of these and in a 2021 video, Susan shares more about her hymn “Christ Is the Life, a hymn inspired by the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Susan was also well-known for her poetic worship reflections published by MorningStar Music Publishers. You can read more in her own words about her vocation as poet and hymnwriter. She often wrote and delivered meditations as part of hymn festivals led with her spouse, composer and church musician David Cherwien. Susan was deeply loved as spouse, mother, friend, colleague, and child of God.

You can hear the National Lutheran Choir sing one of her best-known hymns, “O Blessed Spring” (ELW 447).

As winter comes, as winters must,
we breathe our last, return to dust;
Still held in Christ, our souls take wing
and trust the promise of the spring.
-Susan Palo Cherwien, “O Blessed Spring,” stanza 4

Angie Larson, Alexandria, MN

Warm-up Question

Have you ever ordered something online and received something you didn’t expect? What was it?

What I Got vs. What I Ordered

On the internet there’s a meme out there called “what I got vs. what I ordered.” There are hundreds of stories of people getting something very different than they asked for. One man ordered a rug for his room but didn’t check the dimensions. He ended up with a rug that was no larger than a napkin. For her daughter’s birthday, a mom ordered a cake featuring  Elsa from Frozen; what came looked more like a scary orangutan. A bride ordered a wedding dress that came in with weird seams and didn’t fit her at all. The description was dramatically different from what she received. 

Sometimes in life we have this picture of what we want, but we receive something very different. We expect our year to go a certain way, but then circumstances change. We expect a friend to react positively; they react negatively. Perhaps we hope for a change that never happens. When we get something  different from what we ordered we find ourselves bewildered, disenfranchised, or lost. Or sometimes we just think it’s funny and post it to the internet. 

Discussion Questions

• What is something for which you had hoped that ended up differently?
• How do you feel when this happens to you? How do you react?
• Why are we let down when things don’t turn out how we imagined?

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

Jeremiah 1:4-10

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Luke 4:21-30

(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 C at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

Earlier in Luke 4 Jesus is invited to read the scroll in the synagogue. He unrolls the scroll to a passage from Isaiah 61, which talks about the coming Messiah. Jesus reads it aloud. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, freedom to the captive, sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then, after Jesus reads this passage, he proclaims, in his ultimate mic drop moment, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 

At first those in the synagogue are amazed by Jesus’ teaching but then they start to wonder where Jesus’ authority comes from. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” They hear Jesus’ words and can sense that there is something amazing about him. Yet, at the same time, they can’t reconcile their expectation of who the Messiah will be with the familiar person in front of them.

They wanted a mighty warrior, a powerful deliverer who would save them; instead, they get Joseph’s boy. He isn’t what they expected. Joseph’s son? In fact, God gives them someone so much better. God gives them God’s son, not just to deliver the Jews from Roman oppression, but to deliver ALL people from sin and death. There is much more to Joseph’s son than they imagined. And they aren’t sure they like it at all. In fact, they try to throw him off a cliff! 

Little do they know, Joseph’s son, Jesus, will save them all, will save us all. Jesus is much more than they expected.

Discussion Questions

• How would you react if someone from your hometown claimed to be the Messiah? Why is it so hard for the Nazarenes to believe?
• What surprises the people in the synagogue about Jesus?
• How do you expect God to show up in your life? Have you gotten what you expected? 

Activity Suggestions

Google search “What I ordered vs. What I’ve got.” Share the best ones with your group and laugh about it. 

Closing Prayer

Blessed Savior, You’re so much more than we expected! You show up in the messiness of our lives to free us, to love us, to be with us. Thank you for being not what we anticipated, but so much more. In your name we pray.  Amen.

Faiths4Vaccines are asking its partners to get the word out about federally distributed COVID-19 tests, which began distribution this week. The following message comes from the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers:

On January 19th home COVID-19 tests became available through the federal government, we need to ensure that stakeholders, especially the most vulnerable, have access to the testing resources they need in order ensure equitable testing distribution.

Help spread the word!

We need the support of the faith community to share this critical information at a local level.

Please share this information across your networks to ensure proliferation of testing and vaccine resources to our hardest-hit and highest-risk communities. Information on how to order COVID-19 tests and how to educate your community about this opportunity are found below. Bring your community peace of mind by sharing this information today!

How to order COVID-19 Test Kits 

• Access the test kit ordering form hosted by the White House from the NACHW site to begin placing orders: https://nachw.org/covidtests/
• One package of four COVID-19 rapid test kits can be ordered per household
• Assist community members in placing an order for their household
• Include with your order an optional email address if you would like to track your package
• Orders on the 17th will be screened based on a social vulnerability and COVID-19 risk factor ZIP Code list required by the White House. Orders placed after the 19th can be placed directly on the White House site when it goes live.

Four Ways to Help People Get Free Rapid At Home COVID-19 Tests

Jen Krausz, Bethlehem, PA

Warm-up Question

Have you or anyone in your family ever donated blood? What was the reasoning behind this act?

Home Crisis

The American Red Cross announced on January 11 that because U.S. blood supplies are at extremely low levels the country is facing an unprecedented blood crisis. “If the nation’s blood supply does not stabilize soon, life-saving blood may not be available for some patients when it is needed,” warned in a joint statement with America’s Blood Centers and the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies. 

The agency said that the current surge in COVID-19 infections has caused its no-show rates to increase, as large numbers of people get sick. In addition, blood donations were already around 34% lower than before the pandemic because most blood drives are not being held.

The Red Cross said it currently has “less than a one-day supply of critical blood types” and has had to limit distributions to hospitals.  “At times, as much as one-quarter of hospital blood needs are not being met.”

The Red Cross encourages those who can to donate, particularly those who are type O, the universal donor. “Please, if you are eligible, make an appointment to give blood or platelets in the days and weeks ahead to ensure no patient is forced to wait for critical care,” said Baia Lasky, medical director for the Red Cross.

Discussion Questions

• Have there been any blood drives in your community, school, or church since the pandemic started?
• Would you feel comfortable donating blood today if you were able to do so? Why or why not?
• Have you or anyone in your family ever needed a blood transfusion? What happens if blood is not available when a transfusion is needed?
• In what way is it a selfless act to donate blood? 

Third Sunday after Epiphany

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

Luke 4:14-21

(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 C at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

Many people find it scary or uncomfortable to give blood.  In this week’s gospel lesson Jesus does something even more difficult:  he goes back to his hometown, Nazareth, to teach in the synagogue there. He quickly finds out that it’s not easy to go back home, where everyone knows you as a “normal” person, and present yourself as the Son of God, healer, and savior.Some of the people listening to him probably babysat him when he was young, taught him to read, or watched him apprentice as a carpenter under his earthly father, Joseph. 

Luke’s gospel says that everyone was “amazed” at him and “spoke well” of him, but they just couldn’t get past one thing: how could “Joseph’s son” be a prophet?Jesus took their reaction, however kindly intended, as a rejection. “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” The chapter ends with the townspeople angrily trying to stone Jesus outside of town. But Jesus escapes them and leaves the area, the rejection complete. 

It seems incredible that Jesus would be rejected, when to us he represents not only truth, but God’s unconditional love for each one of us. However, Jesus did not come to maintain the status quo, he came, in many ways, to demolish it. That was a lot for people to handle, especially people who knew him before his ministry started. 

Most times, when Jesus was rejected, people didn’t understand what he was trying to do. Even when Jesus gave them the information they needed, they couldn’t wrap their minds around it.  Their existing ideas of the world wouldn’t let their minds accept what Jesus was saying about God and the world. They found it hard to accept a divine love bigger than any nation, culture, religion, or community.

We too have existing ideas of the world and what it’s like.  They can get in the way of understanding Jesus—who he is, and why he came. We need to see Jesus as he really is, rather than making him who we want him to be. 

Discussion Questions

• What makes people reject Jesus today?
• What ideas about the world do you need to let go of before you can understand Jesus as savior?
• Do you think the pandemic has brought people closer to Jesus or separated them more from him? In what ways? How about you?

Activity Suggestions

• Contact your local blood donation center and ask them how you can help with the current blood crisis. Many students are too young to donate themselves, but they may be able to hand out flyers at church encouraging others to donate or make phone calls to people who can donate.
• If your church is open to doing so, petition leadership to hold a blood drive there in the near future. The need for blood donations is ongoing, so even if your church is still restricted due to COVID-19, you may be able to convince leadership to schedule a drive in a month or two, when cases are likely to have peaked and are on the decline.

Closing Prayer

God who provides for those in need, we ask that you meet the medical needs of those who need donated blood in the coming weeks and months. Keep those who donate blood safe from any harm and healthy enough to do so. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Issue 80 of Administration Matters

Tithe.ly introduces new rate

ELCA congregations using Tithe.ly’s online platform for giving will now enjoy a lower credit card processing rate. Effective Dec. 10, 2021, the rate for processing credit card donations has been reduced to 2.3% for Visa, Mastercard and Discover transactions. As an ELCA preferred vendor, Tithe.ly offers digital tools to engage members, encourage giving and manage congregational membership data, with special pricing for ELCA congregations. This rate reduction was made possible by the high volume of ELCA congregations using Tithe.ly’s suite of products; working collectively through ELCA preferred vendors brings benefits across congregations.

Start the benefits year off right with this checklist from Portico

Review this checklist from Portico for important January tasks to keep your 2022 Portico benefits program running smoothly. It includes reminders on payroll updates and links to the complimentary Hammar tax guides for clergy. Employers may sign in to EmployerLink to view the checklist, and individuals can access the Hammar tax guide for clergy at MyPortico.

Don’t be left in the cold — inspect your heating boiler

A regular boiler inspection will help ensure that your boiler is operating at its highest level of efficiency and providing the most heat for the least possible cost. State and local laws often require boiler inspections, and failure to comply may result in fines or other penalties. >More

Are employer-provided cell phones a fringe benefit?

If your organization provides employees with cell phones for business use, both their business and personal use of the cell phone is a nontaxable fringe benefit. Likewise, reimbursement stipends and cell phone allowances that cover employees’ personal cell phone costs are still nontaxable benefits. >More

2022 IRS mileage allowance

The Internal Revenue Service has issued the 2022 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business and charitable, medical or moving purposes.:
Beginning on January 1, 2022, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:
• 58.5 cents per mile driven for business use, up 1 cent from the 2021 rate.
• 18 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes for qualified active-duty members of the armed forces, up 2 cents from the 2021 rate.
• 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations; the rate is set by statute and remains unchanged from 2021.

The business mileage rate increased 1 cent for business travel and 1 cent for medical and certain moving expenses from 2021. The charitable rate is set by statute and remains unchanged. For more information, visit the IRS website.

Situation

On Dec. 30, the Marshall Fire ignited in Boulder County, Colo. Over 6,200 acres burned quickly, forcing the evacuations of 35,000 people. The fire spread throughout suburban neighborhoods, destroying nearly 1,000 homes. While December wildfires are rare, the severe drought in the western United States created hazardous conditions that allowed the Marshall Fire to spread rapidly. This unusual fire is one of the impacts of a changing climate and will become increasingly more common.

Response

The Rocky Mountain Synod is collaborating with pastors and congregations impacted by the fires to develop a coordinated response and mobilize resources for communities. Lutheran Disaster Response, the Rocky Mountain Synod and Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains will continue to accompany impacted communities during the years of recovery ahead.

Be a part of the response:

Pray
Please pray for people who have been affected by the wildfires in Colorado. May God’s healing presence give them peace and hope in their time of need.

Give
Thanks to generous donations, Lutheran Disaster Response is able to respond quickly and effectively to disasters around the globe. Your gifts to Lutheran Disaster Response (U.S. Wildfires) will be used in full (100%) to assist wildfire survivors.

To learn more about the situation and the ELCA’s response:

• Sign up to receive Lutheran Disaster Response alerts.
• Check the Lutheran Disaster Response blog.
• Like Lutheran Disaster Response on Facebook, follow @ELCALDR on Twitter, and follow @ELCA_LDR on Instagram.
• Download the situation report and share as a PDF.

The following is an invitation from the Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute (GEII). All content and images are shared with the permission of GEII.

January 18-25, 2022

For more information visit the GEII website by clicking on the linked image below:

Mary Ellen Helms, Loveland, OH

Warm-up Question

• Did it seem like there were more Christmas lights up in your area this season? Where did you notice them?
• List as many sources of light as you can think of (it can be physical light or figurative light).
• Where did you see other signs of light this winter season?

Extravagant Light

We are officially in the season of Epiphany: a season of bringing light.  This time was marked at first by the magi visiting Jesus during the first Christmas, but the whole season is set to bring to light the reign of God in our world. It might just be because it’s been a long and dark couple of years, but it seemed like in my area there were more Christmas lights than ever. In the Midwest, it gets dark around 5:00 pm in December and only a little later now that we’re in January. The holiday displays of light break up the dark evenings and provide literal and figurative light during these long days. 

Within an hour of my house, I visited the following light displays during the holidays: a zoo, a historic mill, a small-town display, a sculpture park, and countless neighborhood drives. I didn’t make it to the amusement parks, the Christmas caves, or the nature center.  There were more than enough lights for me to see, but I just couldn’t get enough of the rainbows of glow, Christmas-themed decorations, and joyful moments these attractions provided for me.

It wasn’t just here that lights were in high demand.  All around the country, retailers ran out of lights. This article shares some of the big light displays all across the country.  Some people point to the need for something to do and others point back to the tradition of light displays, but there is one sure thing about these elaborate projects: “You feel a difference when there’s a lot of love behind the project. It’s not just a job for them” (Matt Reed from Ewing Irrigation and Landscape Products). 

I must admit, I leave my Christmas lights on my house a little longer than my neighbors do. There is something about driving home during the evenings and seeing the white twinkly lights that makes me happy to be home and gives me hope for longer days coming soon. 

Discussion Questions

• What are some of the ways that you bring others joy in little ways, such as the holiday light displays did for so many this year?
• Where are places in our communities that could use more light and joy? How can you be a part of bringing that to them?

Second Sunday after Epiphany

Isaiah 62:1-5

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

John 2:1-11

(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 C at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

John’s Gospel is quite a bit different from the other stories of Jesus’ life and death. Instead of starting with a story about Jesus’ birth featuring the shepherds and kings and angels, John’s Gospel starts with a prologue pointing to Jesus as the “Word” and “true light.” John’s gospel is written so that we might see God at work in the life of Jesus and that we might see how Jesus’ life always points to grace and truth (John 1:14).  

It is not a surprise, then, that early in John’s Gospel we see what grace looks like through Jesus’ eyes. Following the baptism of John in John 1:1:29-34 and the calling of the disciples (John 1:35-50), Jesus joins the community of Cana in celebrating a wedding. Weddings were weeklong events in Jesus’ time – more like a festival than a one-day celebration. Families and friends gathered and there was always a clear hierarchy – the invited and excluded, the servants and the guests, the haves and the have-nots.

During the party, something terribly embarrassing happened for the wedding hosts: the wine ran out! But Jesus was at the party and took this moment to illustrate the all-encompassing grace of God. Jesus takes something ordinary, water used for ceremonial washing, and turns it into something extraordinary – the finest of wines. Everyone in attendance got to revel in this glimpse of the extravagance of God’s kingdom. 

The gospel writer then tells us that this is the first of the signs (John 2:11) which will show Jesus’ glory and draw others into the kingdom. Throughout John’s gospel, we find these signs that point us to how God’s ways are different from the world’s ways. From this story alone, we see that Jesus values hospitality (providing for others), dignity (saving the hosts from embarrassment), and abundance (we are intended not just to survive but to enjoy life with one another!)  Just as the Christmas lights we see in our communities can feel a bit extravagant, the grace of Jesus makes us feel that same sense of hope, joy, and light for the world.

Discussion Questions

• What are some of the ways you show hospitality to friends in your home? To others in your church? To the outsiders in our communities?
• When was the last time you received something extravagant? How did it make you feel? Have you ever been able to provide an extravagant gift to others?
• How can we live into Jesus’ way of hospitality, dignity, and abundance in our day-to-day lives?

Activity Suggestions

• Food pantries and soup kitchens often see a surge in volunteers over the holidays and experience high need after the spirit of generosity passes.  Plan a youth group or personal outing to a facility that serves those experiencing hunger during the next few weeks.  Consider bringing something ‘extravagant’ to bless those who you will meet.
• Read about the ELCA’s commitment to accompaniment as a way of sharing dignity with those who we walk with through ELCA Global Mission. https://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Global-Mission. Brainstorm ways that your community can get involved with ELCA Global Mission

Closing Prayer 

God of abundance, we seek to be people who overflow with your grace and truth. Help us to draw others into you as Jesus did at the wedding in Cana. Give us generous hearts that beat for love, joy, and justice. Amen.

By the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Senior Director, Witness in Society

A year ago, I watched the storming of the U.S. Capitol with horror – outraged at the violence and assault on our democracy, fearful for the lives of public servants and appalled at the proliferation of Christian language and symbols used by the mob. I turned to the book of Isaiah that day, especially chapter 61 where the prophet promises comfort and restoration to those who mourn.

The prophet unveils a vision for rebuilding out of the rubble of national tragedy. In this vision the repair is led by those who have suffered most under the current order – the oppressed, the brokenhearted and the captives-. The blog post “Actual Renewal and Repair After Capitol Breach” explored this vision and the work of the church after January 6, 2021.

Since then, we have learned how the assault on the U.S. Capitol was more than a one-day event to block the counting of electoral votes. It was an action planned and supported at the highest levels in an ongoing effort to dismantle our democratic system and overturn an election. We continue to see states and local governments around the country pass voting laws that support that aim, making participation in our democracy more difficult, particularly for people who are poor and communities of color.

ANTIDEMOCRATIC EXCLUSION

God calls us to the ministry of civic engagement as a vital aspect of discipleship that flows from our baptism. As Lutherans we affirm that “(t)he political health of our nation still suffers from the stain of antidemocratic exclusion. Efforts to restrict access to voting should be condemned and resisted,” (ELCA social message “Government and Civic Engagement in the United States: Discipleship in a Democracy,” p. 10). When individuals and communities of faith join efforts at the federal, state and local level to ensure voting rights and access to the ballot, this conviction is expressed. The ELCAvotes initiative will continue to provide focus and resources on civic engagement, voting rights and strengthening our democratic process for ELCA members and ministries as we head into the 2022 election year.

DISTORTION OF CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM

The events of January 6 call us to speak in one voice condemning Christian nationalism as a distortion of the gospel of Jesus and a threat to American democracy. We are called to understand the ways that Christian nationalism is linked to white supremacy, present not only in the language and symbols in the crowd at the Capitol, but also ingrained in our churches and institutions. The ELCA presiding bishop participated in “Democracy and Faith Under Siege: Responding to Christian Nationalism” on Jan 27, 2021, part of the Christians Against Christian Nationalism movement that helps Christians identify and respond to the threat. This webinar and other resources are available for starting conversations and confronting expressions of white Christian nationalism in your church or community.

CONFRONTING DISINFORMATION

The Capitol siege was also made possible through the spread of disinformation as a political tactic, targeting people who have felt unseen and unserved by their government. It was intensified by narratives that persuaded Americans to believe that mob violence is an acceptable way to assert their views, with tragic losses of life and ongoing trauma for many.

Churches and faith leaders are still regarded as trustworthy sources of information. We have a unique responsibility for and reach into local communities. We need to use this access to push back against misinformation and teach non-violence even as we practice accompaniment by listening and respond to those who experience being cut off and cut out.

The ELCA social message “Government and Civic Engagement in the United States: Discipleship in a Democracy” states that “in a democracy, disorder and injustice have the potential to call forth civic engagement toward a constructive purpose” (p. 15). May this anniversary call forth in each of us new will and faithful ways to live our vocation of civic engagement through discipleship in our democracy, fostering a just society, ensuring the right to vote for everyone, and promoting active peacemaking.