“How long, O Lord?”

Let’s face it, all those goals we had at the end of 2019 were pretty hard to come by this year. I remember ending last year thinking #newdecadenewme but, let’s be real, #newdecadewtf feels a bit more apropos. Advent is a season of expectation. A new beginning. A season of hope.

This year didn’t quite fill me with the warm and tinglies, you know? A lot can be said of our collective consciousness’ evolution this year. As a people, many were sheltered in place and forced to pay attention to atrocities, injustices occurring within our borders. George Floyd, Ahmaud Aubery, and Breonna Taylor have become household names for the most violent of reasons. I’ve found myself wondering over and over again, “how long, Lord?” When will it be enough? When will Black and Brown death stop being sensationalized and give way to systems, powers and principalities falling?

Black Lives Matter demonstration in LA.

From Palestine to the Bronx

I think back to my travels to Palestine with Peace Not Walls just over a year ago. So much of what we saw looked apocalyptic. Some structures were decaying, there was overcrowding in some places, and the general sense of stifled potential. Yet, within those buildings, was a richness that could fill generations with life and vitality. Behind those walls are the brightest of smiles, the most generous of persons, the most perseverant of souls. What happens to a person who in the midst of constant barrages of the most heinous acts of violence and oppression, still chooses to find joy and hold onto hope when peace and justice elude them?

Annette (author) on a Peace Not Walls Pilgrimage in early 2019

Over these last 10 months, the world has seen massive changes. Universal changes have encumbered everything, everywhere. I could never imagine a world where I, a wanderlust to my core, would be hesitant to go to an airport, let alone enter an airplane and travel to destinations unknown. Quarantine has forced many of us to look inward, to examine those things we think of as commonplace and trite, the unalienable, the shades of gray.  It has challenged indiscriminately and yet, within that, those who have been perpetually marginalized, cannot catch a break.

I come from the Bronx in New York where we have approximately 1.5 million people, yet we are the city with the poorest health in the state, the highest asthma rates in the country, and just over a quarter of the populace lives at or below poverty level. How can we live when the cards are stacked against us?

Life Abounds

I’ll tell you right now, I don’t have the answers. What stands out most though, in the midst of this catastrophe, is the human response in our communities. Both in Palestine and in the Bronx, people are suffering because of injustice that is intentional and atrocious. Yet in these places, and countless other communities like it, there is a hope and a joy that eludes the oppressor. A peace in the midst of the constant threat of ambush. A certainty that in spite of the risks of living, it would be a shame to not live our one life to the utmost fullest.

Neighbors showing up to call for justice.

You see that in vecinas picking up food for other women in their building that are at work but need assistance from neighborhood food pantries to feed their kids. You see it outside of buildings when someone blasts their stereo and the whole block erupts in dance. Windows and fire escapes alight with kids and grandparents bopping. Guys and Gals just dancing to the percussion of the salsa beat. You see it in children’s laughter when they crank open a fire hydrant and play as though they were in an oceanic oasis and not the tenements they’re confined to.

That is what I think is the greatest reminder that Advent can offer us. Evil abounds, but so does life. God calls us to live abundantly, fully reliant on the knowledge that tomorrow is not guaranteed but today is. If there’s anything this year has taught us, it’s that we need to slow down. Only then, can we really stop and see those things that are plaguing our world, and work intentionally to change it. We can change today.

Happy in Hope

As I was writing this reflection, Pauls’s words in Romans 12:9-12, came to mind.

Romans 12:9-12 (CEB) tells us, “Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil and hold on to what is good. Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other. Don’t hesitate to be enthusiastic—be on fire in the Spirit as you serve the Lord! Be happy in your hope, stand your ground when you’re in trouble, and devote yourselves to prayer.”

Discussion Questions:

1. Could these words, written by the Apostle Paul in the first century AD, still hold the key to finding joy and holding onto hope when peace and justice elude us?
2. When the odds are perpetually stacked against us, what does it take to live into the words of Paul in Romans?
3. Paul mentions love, goodness, honor, enthusiasm, hope, being resolute, and devotion – how do you see these practiced by perpetually oppressed populations? How do you view them?
4. At the risk of sounding trite, yes, if 2020 has reminded us of anything, it’s that life is a long road and the steps are steep, but what is the one step you will take today to create change?

Annette Rodriguez is a Nuyorican, Bronx native. She was born and raised a PK (Pastor’s Kid) and always promised herself she’d never wind up as an actual Pastor ::insert sardonic laughter::. After attending NYU for undergrad and receiving an MBA from Hofstra University, Annette decided to finally listen to the tugging in her spirit and reluctantly, but faithfully attended Duke Divinity School.  Now, she is lead pastor of Woodycrest United Methodist Church in the Bronx. Annette is passionate about sharing the prophetic word of God’s love with all people. She is convinced that God has a wry sense of humor and love that permeates all our perceived faults.

Photo Credits:

1. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-21/black-lives-matter-los-angeles-patrisse-cullors-melina-abdullah
2. NC
3. https://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-contact-tracers-not-asking-people-attend-george-floyd-protest-2020-6

Scholar Seth Moland-Kovash, Palatine, IL

Warm-up Question

What is the oldest human-made object you’ve ever seen in person?

God’s Word Will Not Pass Away

Geologists estimate the Grand Canyon started forming 6 million years ago. “Sue,” The Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton at the Field Museum in Chicago is estimated to be 65 million years old. The Great Wall of China was built in 221 BCE. Stonehenge is estimated to have been built around 2000 BCE. The world is full of very old things, things that have lasted a long time. Sometimes those are things humans made and sometimes they are naturally occurring. Either way, we are surrounded by things that have lasted a very, very long time.

Archeologists in Egypt have been making some very interesting discoveries recently. In November of 2020, they discovered 200 sarcophagi (or coffins) from around 500 BCE. Scholars found them in an area that acted as a necropolis (or cemetery) for the ancient capital of Memphis. They are probably the bodies of priests or high-ranking court officials and will teach us a lot about ancient Egyptian society. 

Discussion Questions

• What do you think about when you see something as old as the sarcophagi from ancient Egypt?
• What are you most curious about concerning life 2500 years ago?
• What from your life would you want to last, so that your great-great-grandchildren could see or know it?

First Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 64:1-9

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Mark 13:24-37

(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 A at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

As we enter the season of Advent and a new church year, our Gospel readings encourage us to look forward. We look forward to the time when Jesus will come again. Jesus tells his disciples in today’s reading that heaven and earth may pass away, but God’s word will not pass away. Generations come and go. Kingdoms and empires have come and gone since Jesus’ words. But the promise of God is eternal.

The promise of God, sealed in our baptism and spoken over us, is that we are God’s beloved children.  And nothing can take that away. The season of Advent reminds us that Jesus is coming. We look back in memory to the time when Jesus came as a little boy to Bethlehem. At the same time, we look forward with trust and hope to the time when Jesus will come again. That is the sure promise – no matter how long it takes and no matter how many generations come and go, God’s promise that Jesus will come to bring true justice and true peace to the world will never be broken.

Discussion Questions

• Do you light Advent candles or an Advent wreath in your home to mark these weeks? How might doing so help you focus your waiting?
• How hard is it for you to be patient? What is it like for you to wait for some promised gift or special event?
• What helps you to trust a promise? Does it help to have a reminder or some little hints of evidence?  

Activity Suggestions

Write an Advent/Christmas card to senior or shut-in members of your congregation. Remind them that God loves them and nothing can take that away.

Closing Prayer

Eternal God, remind us that you are always with us, you have always been with us and always will be with us. Amen.

This Fall, ELCA World Hunger was invited to join leaders from Arizona via Zoom at the first statewide gathering of advocates and friends hosted by Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA).

John Johnson, program director for domestic policy for the ELCA, highlights the importance of this work to the work God calls this church to pursue:

Our return on investment for advocacy is one of the great untold successes of the ELCA. Our federal and state advocacy leverages BILLIONS of public dollars annually for vulnerable populations at home and abroad. In 2020, with COVID-19 recovery packages in Congress, Lutherans have engaged policy makers to the tune of trillions of dollars.

Ryan Cumming spoke about the importance of advocacy in the work and mission of the church and the difference between responding to hunger and ending it.

By: Rev. Stephen Herr

The crossroads town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, became the site of the largest battle in the American Civil War when the network of ten roads that lead into its town center, known today as Lincoln Square, brought together Union and Confederate armies on July 1-3, 1863. These three fateful days of fierce combat resulted in more than 51,000 casualties and the first major Southern defeat in the East. President Abraham Lincoln came to Gettysburg later that year to dedicate a final resting place for the Union soldiers who had died during the battle. The 16th President of these United States would walk and ride along those same streets, ending at the apex of Cemetery Hill to deliver what is now known throughout the world as the Gettysburg Address. In his speech, Lincoln reminded the nation of America’s founding ideal that all persons are created equal.  He then challenged Americans to complete the unfinished work of the founders.

This summer marked the 157th anniversary of the battle, the town would have normally been abuzz with tourists, students, and history enthusiasts. The streets of Gettysburg, however, have been largely quiet in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Just as in 1863, the nation is at a crossroads. This year has brought a pandemic, racial unrest, anti-racism protests, and calls for reform and change. The same thoroughfares that opposing armies traversed in 1863 have been filled with people standing in unity amidst a new crossroads in history. They have come to remember, lament, repent, and pray.

The Lament and Repent Prayer Vigil sponsored by the Gettysburg Area Ministerium corresponded with the commemoration of the 5th anniversary of the shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. On June 17, 2015, Clementa C. Pinckney, Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lee Lance, DePayne Middleton-Doctor, Tywanza Sanders, Daniel Lee Simmons, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, and Myra Thompson were murdered when a self-professed white supremacist entered the church where they were conducting a Bible study and opened fire. Last summer the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted a resolution to commemorate June 17 as a day of repentance for the martyrdom of the Emanuel Nine.

Gettysburg is home to a number of Lutheran institutions, including two congregations— Christ Lutheran and St. James Lutheran—United Lutheran Seminary, Gettysburg College, and SpiriTrust Lutheran, a social ministry organization. In the wake of national unrest and protests calling for racial justice and an end to racism, the local Lutheran congregations began to consider how they might provide opportunities for prayer, conversation, education, and action. At the same time, the Gettysburg Area Ministerium, an ecumenical gathering of religious leaders, discussed how it might best address racial injustice and racism. The Reverend Dr. Fred Young, Ministerium chair, highlighted the group’s more than seventy-year history of ecumenical collaboration for worship, social action, and outreach. With that history of a vibrant ecumenical spirit, discussions were underway for the Ministerium to host a community-wide event to emphasize unity while also providing opportunities for lamentation and repentance for racism still prevalent in churches and throughout the nation. Young declared, “There is an energy that clearly suggests we are in this pandemic of illness and social injustice, together.”

Pastor Jay Eckman from Christ Lutheran Church invited the planning group to consider holding the event in conjunction with the commemoration of the Emanuel Nine. Eckman shared the ELCA resolution with his ecumenical colleagues and the planners spent considerable time processing their emotions surrounding the myriad of issues facing the community and nation. Together the planners joined in prayerful consideration, seeking to discern what God was calling people of faith to do in this moment. Eckman noted that the group decided that the way to begin was to come before God in prayer on June 17 and invite the community to participate.

The Ministerium resolved to hold small outdoor gatherings throughout the downtown area. Each congregation was assigned a location along the four main streets emanating from Lincoln Square. Organizers structured the gathering sites such that they formed a cross with the town square in the center. At each location, one of the pastors led a brief prayer service of remembrance, lament, and repentance with the goal of fostering unity and hope. Ministerium Secretary Jenn Vintigni requested participants to wear masks and observe social distancing in accordance with guidelines from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Center for Disease Control.  Fourteen different congregations participated in the event—including both ELCA Lutheran congregations in Gettysburg along with representatives from the seminary and college. “It was a wonderful public witness,” commented Eckman, who joined with Pastor Stephen Herr in leading a service from the historic front steps of Christ Lutheran Church. There, on July 1, 1863, Army Chaplain Horatio Howell, a Presbyterian minister and chaplain of the 90th Pennsylvania Volunteers, had been shot and killed as he emerged from Christ Lutheran where he was tending to the needs of wounded Union soldiers. On June 17, participants gathered in front of the church with its memorial tablet to Howell in remembrance of the deaths of those who were killed at Emanuel AME Church.

The same streets that witnessed bloodshed, suffering, and grief in 1863 served as a meeting place for church goers, community members, clergy, seminarians, and visitors from a wide array of Christian traditions. They came together in a socially distanced manner to remember the Emanuel Nine, pray for racial justice, stand against racism, and call for unity and peace. The Reverend James Dunlop, who serves as bishop of the Lower Susquehanna Synod, indicated it was “deeply moving being with a group of people to lament and repent in prayer.” He went on to share how significant it was to stand in a cruciform way across the town to witness and remember.  Jeremiah Herbert, the lead pastor at the Intersection Church—an Assembly of God congregation—expressed how grateful he was for the diversity of ecumenical partners. Participating churches included four congregations from the ELCA’s full communion partners: The Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the United Methodist Church, as well as congregations from the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, The Assemblies of God, Foursquare Church, the Baptist Church, the Church of God, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Almost three hundred people, positioned at twelve different locations, participated in the event. Motorists slowed and engaged the group, with some offering support and others expressing disfavor.  Those encounters led Pastor Andrew Geib from St. James Lutheran Church to observe how much anti-racism work is needed in Gettysburg and around the nation. Community and faith leaders echoed his thoughts.  Local activist groups have held protests in Lincoln Square to raise awareness. Gettysburg officials, including the mayor and chief of police, recently joined with faith and community leaders on Lincoln Square to pray together and commit to working towards greater racial justice in Gettysburg. Pastor Michael Stanley from St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Gettysburg helped lead that gathering in prayer. Gettysburg area churches, community officials and leaders, and activist groups are all exploring ways to raise awareness concerning racism, facilitate conversations, educate, and take action. While this unfinished work looms large, Geib appreciated this meaningful beginning. “Standing with members of the congregation and community, reflecting on words from Psalm 42, and listening to the church bell toll in remembrance of the Emanuel Nine was one of the most powerful moments of my pastoral ministry.”

Most historians consider the battle of Gettysburg to be a significant turning point in the American Civil War. While the war would continue for two more years, Gettysburg marked the beginning of the decline and eventual fall of the Confederacy. Here in this pivotal place, those gathering to commemorate the Emanuel Nine expressed a hope that America would seize this moment as an opportunity to confront its past and embrace a future dedicated to the eradication of racism. Following the service in front of Christ Lutheran, Elizabeth Peter found herself reflecting on the gathering taking place in Gettysburg and those around the nation. “This is the first time in my lifetime that I’ve seen this much attention to the pain and grief of black people and an actual desire to address systemic racism in all spectrums of our lives.” This recent graduate from United Lutheran Seminary cast a hopeful vision of what could emerge: “I do believe this can be a turning point if people lean into the challenge of learning, growing, and putting aside what you think you may know and really dig into the trauma caused by the history of racism in this country.”  Julie Jackson, who began her internship at Christ Lutheran in August, attended with a number of seminarians hoping that the commemoration service ignites a fire in the ELCA. “I pray that this fire for justice burns and spreads throughout our congregations to end the uncomfortable silence that surrounds talking about racial justice and understanding.” For Jackson, who has an interracial family, the commemoration and anti-racism work are never far from her mind. “I am exhausted from bearing the burden of trying to explain why I am so disgusted by the racial injustice in this country.” Jackson’s exhaustion and perspective further highlights the sense of urgency and necessity for communities around the nation to commit themselves to the important work of racial justice.

On that Dedication Day of November 19, 1863, Lincoln stood over the graves of soldiers who gave their lives fighting to preserve the Union and to bring an end to slavery. “It is rather for us,” proclaimed Lincoln, “to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us.”  And so, on this, the 157th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address, a great task remains before the nation and the church today. The unfinished work of dismantling systemic racism and ensuring racial equality throughout this nation and within the churches of Jesus Christ endures. The American republic finds itself at a crossroads. Gettysburg’s prayerful commemoration of the Emanuel Nine bore witness to the continuing necessary struggle to address the unfinished work of racial justice with humility, hopefulness, and a prayerful openness and commitment to learn, grow, and unite.

The Rev. Stephen Herr is the senior pastor of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gettysburg, PA. He is also serves as president of the Lutheran Historical Society of the Mid-Atlantic and president of the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania.

Following are updates shared from submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices.

U.N.| California | Minnesota | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Washington | Wisconsin

United Nations

Dennis Frado, Lutheran Office for World Community, New York, N.Y. ELCA.org/lowc

Women’s Human Rights Advocacy Training: The Lutheran World Federation in collaboration with Church of Sweden, Finn Church Aid, Mission 21, the World Council of Churches and ACT Alliance is holding an advocacy training on women’s human rights (26 October – 13 November 2020). The training is usually held annually in person, and this year, due to COVID-19 it is being held virtually.

Topics covered include introduction to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), tools and opportunities for engaging in preparing for parallel (also known as “shadow”) reports to CEDAW, the intersection between human rights, faith and gender, Gender-Based Violence prevention and responses, the role of men and boys in gender justice advocacy among others. LOWC is involved in the planning and facilitation of some sessions during the training. A resource for faith-based organizations on affirming women’s human rights can be found here.

General Assembly’s Third Committee Has Dialogues with Human Rights Mandate Holders: As it has done for some years, the General Assembly’s Third Committee has been having dialogues in recent weeks with various persons holding human rights mandates from the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council. While LOWC has been monitoring quite a few of these discussions on topics such as racism and racial discrimination, advancement of women, rights of indigenous peoples, and internally displaced persons, it took special note of the discussion with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Professor S. Michael Lynk.  His report this year reviewed the situation of human rights in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in Gaza and focused on accountability related issues. Lynk also held a separate virtual discussion with the UN NGO Working Group on Israel-Palestine, of which LOWC is a member, as he has in previous years on this occasion.

California

Regina Q. Banks, Lutheran Office of Public Policy- California https://lutheranpublicpolicyca.org/

Getting ready for the election: The Lutheran Office of Public Policy in California (LOPP-CA) has been working diligently to prepare for the upcoming election. The staff did work around building patience and an understanding of the process. In the weekly Advocacy in Quarantine meetings, LOPP-CA worked with constituents to talk through the timeliness of the election while holding space for further learning on the state’s Proposition.

Prop 16 Text Banking: LOPP-CA went forward this month in continuing to text bank with the Prop 16 coalition. The office has been reaching out to California voters through a texting platform called Thru Text in hopes of overturning the state-wide ban of affirmative action, something that has been in effect since 1996. There has been a committed group of parishioners and advocates meeting every Monday to push this outreach, and so far the office has reached more than 600,000 voters in the state.

Partnering with California Food and Farming Network: Continuing the office’s commitment to advocate for food and farming, LOPP-CA has begun working closely with the California Food and Farming Network (CFFN), a coalition of around 40 advocacy organizations such as food banks, legislative advocacy, farming service organizations, and partners from across both the food and farming sectors. The Network has begun its strategic process for the year 2021, centering racial justice and equity in their approach. LOPP-CA has joined CFFN for this visioning process, and has given financial contributions toward centering racial justice through committing funds to CFFN’s community Engagement process. Specifically, CFFN will be reaching out into communities of color, finding leaders and advocates within food sectors, and providing compensation for their expertise. This listening campaign will take the expertise learned and structure CFFN 2021 priorities.

Minnesota

Tammy Walhof, Lutheran Advocacy- Minnesota http://www.lutheranadvocacymn.org/

State Legislative Elections: Although the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party lost some seats in the House, it retains control of the chamber. In the Senate, some flipped districts occurred, but the balance remains the same. Unfortunately, at least one of the Republicans that was ousted was one who was helpful to our housing agenda. All the main leaders from both parties and both chambers retain their positions.

Minnesota U.S. Elections: Rep. Colin Peterson was ousted from Minnesota’s 7th congressional district seat and replaced by former State Senator/Senate President Michelle Fischbach, who also served briefly as Lt. Governor when Tina Smith was appointed to the U.S. Senate. Representative Peterson served as the long-term chair of the Agriculture Committee, a committee Fischbach hopes to serve on as it also addresses nutrition issues.

Update on Special Session #5: A carefully negotiated $1.36 billion bill including bonding, supplemental appropriations, and “tax  relief” for farmers and small businesses was finally passed when House Minority Leader Daudt let his caucus vote their conscience. Freed by Daudt, many House Republicans joined the bipartisan bill. Thanks for your hard work on the housing pieces!

Included in the bill were

• $100 million in Housing Infrastructure Bonds
• $16 million in General Obligation Bonds for Public Housing
• A large amount for transportation including roads and bridges, some public transportation, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure
• Bonds for public facility projects, public safety, the University of Minnesota, and other various public works, including municipal water infrastructure & solar projects
• $31 million in a supplemental appropriation (added to last year’s biennial budget)

Ohio

Deacon Nick Bates, Hunger Network in Ohio hungernetohio.com

Hunger For Justice Conference: On November 9th the Hunger Network sponsored the Hunger for Justice Conference featuring theological reflection on the election and analysis of what is to come so that faith leaders across the state can identify opportunities for successful advocacy!

Visit www.hungernetohio.com/summit for links to our plenary panel, theological reflection and musical reflection of what the election means to our communities. 

Pennsylvania

Tracey DePasquale, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry–Pennsylvania (LAMPa) www.lutheranadvocacypa.org

Shaping Hunger Policy in PA: LAMPa Director Tracey DePasquale participated in the quarterly meeting of the state’s Emergency Food Assistance Advisory Committee, where the state Department of Agriculture and charitable feeding organizations assessed the current response to emergency nutrition needs during COVID-19, mapped likely needs and set goals for meeting those needs in the upcoming state budget.

LAMPa Participates in Virtual Human Trafficking Rally: LAMPa participated in a Pennsylvania Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy Work Group sponsored Advocacy Day lifting legislation that provides definitions and the offense of trafficking individuals; repealing provisions relating to patronizing a victim of sexual servitude; promoting prostitution and living off sexually exploited persons; commercial sexual exploitation; and providing for Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited Children Fund.

Workshop presented at We Love: LAMPa Program Director Lynn Fry shared a workshop titled : Take a Stand: Advocacy & Equality in Pennsylvania at the second ELCA NEPA Synod We Love Event – Building Safer & More Welcoming Congregations for LGBTQ+ Youth and Families.

Equipping leaders and vital congregations for discipleship in a democracy: LAMPa continued to disseminate election information to congregations, synods, and leaders regarding election security, poll watching, and voter safety. DePasquale and ELCA Advocacy Director Amy Reumann presented to leaders in the NWPA Synod Bishop’s Convocation.

Responded to Legislative threats to Medicaid: LAMPa worked to successfully stop legislation that threatened Medicaid provisions and funding.

Advocacy and Faith Formation: DePasquale taught a virtual adult faith formation class at Holy Spirit, Emmaus, SEPA Synod.

Washington

The Rev. Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Faith Action Network fanwa.org

Election Successes: WA state passed Referendum 90 for Safe and Healthy Youth, a bill the legislature passed in the 2020 session mandating sex education in our K-12 school system with age-appropriate stages. This referendum was supported by sexual assault and domestic violence advocates, as well as a broad coalition of faith leaders who signed this letter, in contrast to opposition from the “religious right.” FAN was very involved in the campaign to secure the 60% approval. We also secured funding for our Long-Term Care Trust Fund via constitutional amendment – among the first of such funds in the nation.

New Regional Organizers: We are excited to share that our organizing team is expanding! FAN is able to fulfill one of our dreams of having a stronger presence statewide by hiring part-time Regional Organizers in Western, Central, and Eastern Washington as well as two social work interns from the University of Washington. We look forward to building deeper relationships with our Network of Advocating Faith Communities (NAFCs) and local organizations statewide.

Wisconsin

The Rev. Cindy  Crane, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (LOPPW) loppw.org

ELCAvotes: Wisconsin had a record turnout of voters! Since March, LOPPW placed major emphases on encouraging people to vote, especially absentee, and on countering misinformation. We often worked in coalition with ELCA partners and a statewide voting coalition. October efforts included interviewing a Wisconsin Elections Commission representative for Wednesday Noon Live and creating six Ballot Box FAQs videos, including one with an interview with the ACLU.

Care for God’s Creation: LOPPW’s statewide task force, so far with members from five synods, began planning a Care for God’s creation virtual advocacy day to coincide with an emerging new WI State Budget.

Trainings: LOPPW helped in organizing an advocacy webinar, co-hosted by ECSW WELCA. We also led discussions on voting and advocacy with adults and confirmands in LAS and in SCSW.

COVID-19: Participated in meeting with Lieutenant Governor on health mandates challenged by courts and possibly the legislature. I was then in dialogue with the bishops about drafting a statement, which can be found here. LOPPW also joined an interfaith group to organize an action to address the problem.

New Resource: Read our new resource, “Advocating Locally,” for information about engaging your community!

Criminal Justice: We’ve begun reviving efforts to return 17-year-olds to juvenile courts, led by our Hunger Advocacy Fellow, Kyle Minden.

Anti-Racism: We offered consultation to ECSW’s Global Missions Committee on integrating anti-racism efforts into their work. I invited Regina Banks to give a presentation at one of their meetings.

Immigration and Refugees:  We offered consultation to the SCSW Immigration Task Force and created a video to address decreasing number of refugees in U.S. for the national, “Lift the Torch of Welcome” vigil.

Partial content* expanded from Advocacy Connections: November 2020

ELECTION 2020 AND ELCAvotes  |  COVID-19 STIMULUS AND OTHER “LAME DUCK” SESSION ACTIVITY  |  OFFICIAL PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT WTIHDRAWAL  |  ATROCITY PREVENTION  |  PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION ON REFUGEES

ELECTION 2020 AND ELCAvotes:  In synods and congregations, through leaders and members, and with ELCA advocacy tools, faith-informed civic engagement has been lively in this unique 2020 election season. ELCA Advocacy staff continues monitoring post-election activity as states with narrow margins could see recounting efforts, protests or litigation over the coming days. Following election season, staff will prepare engagement plans with newly elected members of Congress and will finalize policy priorities for the 117th Congress in 2021.

In social media, blog posts and webinar participation, the ELCAvotes initiative with various collaborators has shared important, non-partisan sourced messages, including encouraging young adult voters, raising awareness of state deadlines for registering and early voting, promoting healthy polling practices, providing response tools for potential voter intimidation and lifting up counting every vote.

COVID-19 STIMULUS AND OTHER “LAME DUCK” SESSION ACTIVITY:  An additional COVID-19 relief package urgently must be decided by lawmakers before the holidays and adjournment as a bulwark against economic and health hardships for vulnerable and hungry people. Use our Action Alert to use your voice! All appropriations bills are also now being considered by the Senate.

The clock is ticking to see if appropriation decisions will be moved to the 117th Congress by continuing resolution. Another notable to-do item for the 116th Congress to be revisited before the end of the 2020 session is passing a budget by Dec. 11 to avoid a government shutdown.

OFFICIAL PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT WTIHDRAWAL:  On Nov. 4, the U.S. officially left the Paris Climate Agreement. “By exiting the Agreement, the current administration has abdicated its responsibility to work with the rest of the world to tackle the climate crisis,” reads a statement from We Are Still In with which the ELCA participates.

We regret the U.S. decision but resolve to be accountable to God and continue our work as stewards of creation. The incoming Biden Administration has announced its intention to rejoin soon after the inauguration.

ATROCITY PREVENTION:  The ELCA continues to advocate within the U.S. government for strengthening of atrocity prevention programs. Use your voice to advocate for the Safe from the Start Act particularly, which expands the ability of the U.S. government to prevent gender-based violence at the onset of humanitarian emergencies.

Recently, advocacy staff participated in a consultation with the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, where we provided feedback and key issue recommendations. Use Action Center tools to urge advancement of policy pieces like the Safe from the Start Act.

PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION ON REFUGEES:  President Trump signed a Presidential Determination on refugees on Oct. 27, authorizing a goal for FY21 of only 15,000 people. The new admissions goal is an 18% reduction from the FY20 goal of 18,000, an 80% cut from the historic norm and the lowest target in the history of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

The formal identification followed a Sept. 30 announcement. The new goal was set after significant commentary from refugee advocates and resettlement agencies, including Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and the ELCA, which implored the president to raise the ceiling and allow for greater numbers to be admitted and resettled in the U.S. An Action Alert from LIRS is available at votervoice.net/LIRS/campaigns/77949/respond to add your voice to those objecting to the figure and the impacted lives it represents. More at blogs.elca.org/advocacy/raising-the-refugee-ceiling/.

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 .

Danny Stone, Marion, IA

Warm-up Question

What are your favorite non-profit organizations?

Helping Your Neighbors

There are few ELCA youth directors who wake up every morning and separate the goats from the sheep.  I get to live out today’s Gospel twice a day! I serve full-time at Faith Lutheran Church in Marion, Iowa and live on a 40 acre farm animal sanctuary which cares for 60+ animals.  My wife, Alison, and I founded Hercules’ Haven as a forever home for animals.  It is a place where people can come to experience grace, compassion, and grow in empathy.  With church and farm, non-profits rule my life.

As you can imagine, 2020 has been difficult for non-profit organizations.  Our friends at the local rescues struggled during the shutdown.  All in-person fundraising events were cancelled, volunteers stayed home, and each organization had to double-down with skeleton crews. Everyone pivoted to online fundraising and eventually helpers returned.  Grants and gifts helped make up the difference, and we welcomed Zoom visitors from across the country.  

2020 had another surprise for Central Iowa and its struggling charities.  On August 10^th, a powerful storm system moved across the Midwest.  This “derecho” pummeled communities from Iowa to Indiana.  A narrow band over Cedar Rapids had gusts over 140 mph.  That is equal to an EF3 tornado or Category 4 hurricane.  1.9 million utility customers across the region lost power. The storm devastated the greater Cedar Rapids area.  The city lost 60% of its tree cover, crops were destroyed, and most homes suffered mild to severe damage.  The homeless population doubled overnight when the fire department deemed 1000 homes, apartment buildings and businesses “unsafe to occupy.”  

Once animals were secure, the Cedar Rapids animal rescues mobilized to help each other and the community.  The Atomic Salon, a plant-based salon and yoga studio, closed to “normal operations” and became a distribution center for necessities and hot vegan meals.    New groups organized to gather aid, share supplies, and offer comfort.  The “animal people” joined the growing volunteer army that spread out to help their neighbors.  It was one of the few times in American history, when suburban dwellers would gladly welcome a masked stranger waving a chainsaw.

National press coverage briefly reported the Iowa storm, but the story was buried by a busy news cycle.  Many in Iowa felt that they were being ignored by the rest of the country.  Insurance claims reached 1.8 billion dollars by November 9^th.  Many homes have tarped roofs, missing doors, and damaged siding.  Contractors are booked until October of 2021.  We are thankful for all our new friends who traveled to offer help.  Life goes on and we cope the best we can.  Fields need to be prepped for spring, non-profits still help people and animals, and neighbors still help neighbors.

Discussion Questions

• 2020 feels like a string of disasters, one after another.  What are some of this year’s disaster stories?
• How have non-profit organizations aided disaster victims?

Christ the King Sunday

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24

Ephesians 1:15-23

Matthew 25:31-46

(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 A at Lectionary Readings.)

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

Gospel Reflection

The parable of separating goats and sheep is the last parable in Matthew’s Gospel. This was Jesus’ final lesson before his crucifixion and resurrection, and he chose to talk about barnyard animals?  

Parables based on farming metaphors were a natural way for Jesus to affect his audience.  Even those living in cities saw flocks in the fields and animals in the market.  Farming stories are rarely part of today’s life.  According to the Farm Bureau, only 2% of Americans live on a farm or ranch.  If you are lucky enough to have a farm kid in your group, now is their time to shine.

Why do you need to separate goats from the sheep?  Everyone is friendly in the field, but at feeding times and bedtime, goats are … jerks.  They bash and butt the sheep away from the grain and will push their wooly friends out of their shelter into the rain.  “Stubborn as a goat” is a real thing and being “sheepish” is also true.  Honestly, sheep are easy and agreeable.  Goats cause far more mischief.  

Jesus wanted to help us understand the “final judgement.”  Righteous sheep are on the right. Undesirable goats are sorted to the left.  The King blesses those on the right for their works of kindness to others.  The goats on the left are cursed for ignoring others. In all things, we must remember that Jesus separates and judges – Jesus judges.  Throughout history and definitely today, we are too eager to judge.  Leave the judgements to Jesus and go out and serve others.

Discussion Questions

• When have you felt that someone was judging you?
• When have you judged someone else?
• How do you think Jesus will judge you? Your family? Friends? Our leaders?  By what standard?

Activity Suggestions

• Visit the websites or social media pages of local non-profit organizations.  Discuss their mission and how each organization works to better the world.
• Explore the ELCA’s Disaster Response page at www.elca.org/Our-Work/Relief-and-Development/Lutheran-Disaster-Response.  Discuss how the ELCA helps in disasters.

Closing Prayer

Dear heavenly Father, blessed Son and inspiring Holy Spirit, help us through the storms of 2020.  Challenge us to serve and remind us to withhold judgement.  In your name we pray. Amen.

Issue 73 of Administration Matters

Portico’s new mental health services support members during pandemic
COVID-19 has taken a heavy toll on our emotional health, disrupting the way we live, work, connect, worship and care for our loved ones. In this blog post, Josh Smith, leader of Portico’s products unit, describes how new 2020 online mental health support services are playing a critical role. Jeff Thiemann, Portico’s president and CEO, underscored the broad need for this kind of support in his recent two-minute video message to the ELCA Church Council. If you provide ELCA-Primary health benefits, remind your members that, right now, we all need to take extra care of our health and that their benefits can help.

Online giving solutions
Tithe.ly is an ELCA preferred vendor offering a family of online tools to help increase giving, manage congregational membership data and engage members throughout the week. Featuring online, mobile and text giving options, Tithe.ly has expanded its product line to offer low-cost websites, church management software and apps to ELCA congregations. Is your congregation paying for several technology solutions every month? Tithe.ly’s new “All-access” plan includes a giving platform, a church website template, church management software and an app, all for one flat rate. Take advantage of special prices available exclusively for ELCA congregations at get.tithe.ly/elca.

Reducing legal liabilities
America is more litigious than ever before. Knowing where your organization stands in terms of its legal liabilities will help you prepare for potential pitfalls. While you may not be able to avoid all legal risk or anticipate every legal threat, there are steps you can take to reduce liability. >More

How to identify church leaders
If a church is to grow, it needs to identify good leaders. Finding new leaders is as critical as the quality of the leaders being discovered. But where do you find these people? It helps to look for certain qualities that all good leaders need or that, consistently over time, seem to make good leaders. >More

Dell computers purchase program
The ELCA continues to partner with Dell computers and its Corporate Affiliate Purchase Program, which extends to ELCA synods and congregations. Here is information regarding current specials being offered to us: Dell’s Member Purchase Program is announcing a new discount percentage on Dell and Alienware electronics and accessories. Members can now save 10% on top tech accessories, including monitors. Doorbuster weekly events start Nov. 5, and the main sale starts on Nov. 16. Complete sale and purchasing information is available in this flyer.

By: Dcn. Mitzi Budde

On January 6, 2021, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Episcopal Church will celebrate twenty years of full communion. Full communion was established between the churches in the ecumenical agreement, Called to Common Mission, and inaugurated in 2001 at the Washington National Cathedral with a festival Epiphany Lutheran-Episcopal joint Eucharist. Called to Common Mission was the culmination of over thirty years of ecumenical dialogue leading to agreements on theology, Scripture, sacraments, and church polity.

What has this full communion agreement meant for our churches over these twenty years? We’ve worshipped together in joint celebrations and shared liturgies and developed a deep familiarity and appreciation for each other’s liturgies and confession of the faith. We’ve come to know the richness of our common foundation in the sacramental life of baptism and the Eucharist (even – or perhaps especially – in this season of COVID fasting from in-person worship and sacraments).

We have established full recognition of one another’s ordained ministries and the office of bishop. Episcopal priests are serving in ELCA congregations, and ELCA pastors are serving in Episcopal parishes. The permanent diaconate has found convergence and renewal in both churches.

Our bishops participate in each other’s installations/consecrations and confer with one another in local synods/dioceses. The Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri and the Central States Synod of the ELCA moved into shared offices in Kansas City, Missouri last year, the proximity creating new possibilities for partnership and collaboration. In the future, Episcopalians and ELCA Lutherans might build upon this model and establish diocesan/synodical partnerships with shared staff.

The Episcopal Church and the ELCA have established many joint ministry sites, as seen on the Lutheran-Episcopal Asset Map. Currently there are at least 73 Lutheran-Episcopal shared parishes across the country, such as Epiphany Lutheran-Episcopal in Valdez, Alaska which has been a joint congregation since 1978, pre-dating the full communion partnership by two decades. Our two churches are planting mission congregations together, such as Christ’s Beloved Community / Comunidad Amada De Cristo, an intercultural, bi-denominational, bilingual church start on the southside of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. We now have over 30 joint Lutheran-Episcopal campus ministries at colleges and universities and nearly 40 other forms of shared ministries, such as a summer camp and conference center, two social advocacy ministries, a school, and a border ministry.

Cruzando Fronteras was established in 2019 as a “new vision for border ministry” along the Arizona/Mexico border, sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona and the Grand Canyon Synod of the ELCA. Their mission includes prayer and relational action along the border, advocacy for migrants and detainees, promotion of immigration reform, and Latino/Hispanic congregational development.

In Washington, D.C., ELCA Lutherans and Episcopalians work collaboratively on advocacy issues on Capitol Hill. Our two churches are working side-by-side to advocate on issues such as racial justice, immigration rights, environmental justice, and the abolition of human trafficking. The two churches jointly hosted an online faith-based advocacy training course, “Advocacy Tools for Loving Your Neighbor” in July 2020, where Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, together with advocacy leaders, explored issues needing the church’s advocacy and methods for making our collective voices heard.

Annually, the four presiding bishops in full communion in the U.S. and Canada prepare a shared devotional series for the four churches. The theme changes every year. For 2020, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry (TEC), Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton (ELCA), Bishop Susan C. Johnson (the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada), and Archbishop Linda Nicholls (the Anglican Church of Canada) prepared a series of devotional bulletin inserts for the Season of Creation. These inserts invite our members to live out their vocation as stewards of creation through Scripture, hymns, advocacy and action. For the four churches, this is also an opportunity to strengthen relationships with one another. Together, they have claimed the name “Churches Beyond Borders” as they leverage the strength of bilateral partnerships that have come to serve as full communion partnerships among the four churches.

Having close ecumenical relationships already established means that the structures are in place to work together when the unexpected happens. The ELCA and the Episcopal Church have worked jointly on disaster relief for years in many parts of the country. When COVID-19 hit our nation, the two churches worked together with other ecumenical partners to craft ecumenical COVID guidelines for reopening parishes. The statement, Resuming Care-Filled Worship and Sacramental Life during a Pandemic, was developed by the Ecumenical Consultation on Protocols for Worship, Fellowship, and Sacraments, which was an interdisciplinary group of theologians, scientists, physicians, pastors, bishops, and practitioners from United Methodist, Evangelical Lutheran, Episcopal, Pan-Methodist, and Roman Catholic traditions, with the assistance of the Center for Disease Control.

A national Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee is charged with helping the two churches implement the full communion agreement and integrate it into our denominational mission and ministries. The Coordinating Committee’s charter defines its work as a ministry of encouragement: encouraging trust, cooperation, and mission; encouraging new and ongoing cooperative ministry work; encouraging communication of common mission work; encouraging prayer in support of full communion; encouraging communication of the work of this committee; and encouraging processes of decision-making. The Coordinating Committee’s current co-chairs are ELCA Bishop Donald Kreiss and Episcopal Bishop Douglas Sparks. Currently, the Coordinating Committee is currently updating the guidelines for clergy exchanges. The coordinating committee will also explore possibilities for establishing diaconal exchangeability.

Prayer for the church of Jesus Christ in its various expressions and for the members and ministries of the churches is the core call of ecumenical relationships. ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry modelled this commitment of mutual prayer by inviting congregations and individuals to pray together through the COVID season, starting at Pentecost 2020.  A Prayer for the Power of the Spirit Among the People of God was crafted by a team of Lutheran and Episcopal prayer leaders in light of the pandemic. This is a call to pray for and with one another, seeking spiritual renewal in these challenging times and revival for the common mission we share.

A Prayer for the Power of the Spirit among the People of God
God of all power and love, we give thanks for your unfailing presence and the hope you provide in times of uncertainty and loss.
Send your Holy Spirit to enkindle in us your holy fire.
Revive us to live as Christ’s body in the world:
a people who pray, worship, learn, break bread, share life, heal neighbors, bear good news, seek justice, rest and grow in the Spirit.
Wherever and however we gather,
unite us in common prayer and send us in common mission,
that we and the whole creation might be restored and renewed,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

As ELCA Lutherans and Episcopalians celebrate 20 years of this flourishing full communion ecumenical relationship, may the Spirit inspire and empower us for many new creative partnerships in mission and ministry together in the years to come!

Dcn. Mitzi Budde, D.Min, is Head Librarian and the Arthur Carl Lichtenberger Chair for Theological Research at Virginia Theological Seminary. She is an ELCA deacon and has served as an ELCA representative on the Lutheran Episcopal Coordinating Committee since 2008.

By the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, ELCA Advocacy Director

ELCA Lutherans have taken to heart “that energetic civic engagement is part of their baptismal vocation, both as individuals and through the church’s corporate witness” (ELCA social message on “Government and Civic Engagement in the United States: Discipleship in a Democracy,” pg. 14). Enthusiasm and responsibility for voting were relayed in the 2020 election, as in this social media post from Christopher Vergara of the ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod:

“Guess who voted in their first presidential election!?!? we were reminded throughout the whole experience – especially on this Día de los Muertos – of all those who have gone before, those who have fought for a long time and those who keep fighting, keep inspiring, keep kicking… We were going up the stairs to the voting area, when this older woman was barreling down the stairs. Her aide was chasing after her telling her to slow down. She said ‘I just voted, I feel so good my knees don’t even hurt!!!’”

Americans turned out to vote in record numbers last week, reaching the highest voting rate in 120 years. About 160 million people, 67% of eligible voters, participated despite long lines and extensive misinformation campaigns about when, where and how to vote. This extraordinary election took place under the health and safety challenges posed by a pandemic, calls for long overdue racial equity and the sometimes-disturbing discourse of a deeply polarized public.

GRATITUDES AND CONCERNS

There is much for which we can be grateful. Threats of targeted violence and extensive intimidation did not materialize. Americans stepped up to serve as election officials, poll workers, get-out-the-vote organizers and election monitors. We experienced exuberant and robust participation that exemplifies what the social message describes, that “U.S. Lutherans have learned that their neighbors are best served by a government in which supreme earthly power is held publicly by the people (a democracy) and they are governed by representatives chosen in fair elections in which each person is assured of their vote (a republic)” (pg. 9).

There are worries, too. President Donald Trump continues to assert, without providing evidence, allegations of widespread voter fraud. Although the Department of Homeland Security has called the 2020 election “the most secure in American history,” the president has not yet conceded, raising concerns for an orderly transfer of power with worrisome implications for national security and pandemic response. Election season continues in Georgia, with two runoff elections that will determine the composition of the Senate. As a nation, the post-election result is that we are still fractured by divisions that must be addressed.

RAMPING UP OUR WITNESS

It is time for Lutherans to claim as a vocation in daily life their identity as disciples in a democracy. ELCAvotes has been a well-received initiative providing resources and community for Lutherans to be involved during the run up to elections and in voting rights work. The 2020 election shows us why seasonal engagement is not enough. “The ELCA holds to the biblical idea that God calls God’s people to be active citizens and to ensure that everyone benefits from the good of government” (pg. 14). Elections are not the end but a beginning. On Nov. 4, Vergara posted:

“I was reminded repeatedly yesterday how precious democracy is, and that protecting and engaging in it is not something to just take on every 4 years or, worse yet, outsource to others, but a solemn responsibility we as citizens must undertake individually, collectively, and continuously.”

Serving God and neighbor through civic engagement means our witness in society ramps up after an election to ensure that the values expressed, promises made and communal discernment undertaken continue and bear fruit. We now have the opportunity to build on the energy emerging from this election and push for meaningful reforms in the next Congress. This includes making our democracy work better, addressing distortions in power and access based on our national history of racial and economic exclusion, and implementing reforms that will ensure all voices are heard and have equal access to power structures.

LAME DUCK SESSION OPPORTUNITIES

As election results are finalized, there are several notable to-do items in the “lame duck” session that need our advocacy. Congress will have to pass a budget by Dec. 11 to avoid a government shutdown, and ELCA Advocacy is actively speaking to the appropriations bills now before the Senate. Our advocacy is needed in COVID-19 relief [use the Action Alert now to contribute your voice emphasizing urgent, just and compassionate response], for a robust package to serve as a bulwark against additional economic and health hardships for vulnerable and hungry populations. We are braced for a federal evictions moratorium that ends on December 30, and advocate for its renewal [use the Action Alert now for background and to spotlight the need for policy action]. God’s work continues through our hands and our voices.

If you haven’t already signed up, consider being part of the ELCA Advocacy Network through ELCA.org/advocacy/signup to receive Action Alerts at impactful moments and monthly advocacy updates.