“God calls us to do justice, to love kindness, to walk humbly with our God – and that includes abundant life for all people and abundant life is often tended to by our government our elected leaders, and the civic life that we live,” said the Rev. Kelly Bayer Derrick, Assistant to the Bishop, ELCA Virginia Synod, as she took part in the Day for All People hosted by Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) in January 2025. “Being engaged as an active citizen in government,” she says, “is one of the ways I live out my faith.”  

Across the country, people of faith are also asking what it means to tend to abundant life for all people in their Christian discipleship. Many ELCA-affiliate state public policy offices will be holding advocacy days over the next few months. Although the content of each advocacy day varies, these events seek to help people of faith mobilize in order to articulate priorities with a moral foundation for policies passed in state legislatures. As the federal government has undergone significant changes in recent weeks, the importance of local voices remains pressing. Lutherans and advocacy partners advocate for policies which enact the principles of justice and peace while contributing to sufficient, sustainable livelihood for all. 

 

ADVOCACY DAY IN YOUR STATE

“Seeing so many people of different faiths gather together in Virginia for the common goal of advocating for policies that center the inherent dignity of all people was incredibly refreshing and inspiring,” said Joey Chin, ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow, following his experience at VICPP’s Day for All People. Over 400 participants came together that day, and the cold weather and strong winds didn’t stop faith-based advocates from waiting in line for almost an hour to enter the Virginia General Assembly office building to discuss issues related to housing, hunger, migration and the environment. 

 Use the list below to find a local event in your area or contact your ELCA-affiliated state public policy office or your synod office for ways to get involved.  

 

Thank you for your advocacy!

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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Music that Makes Community

Rooted in Christian contemplative and activist traditions, Music That Makes Community envisions a liberative culture that empowers individuals and communities to claim and use the power of singing to heal our spirits, nurture our common lives, and work for justice. We offer resources, training, and encouragement to individuals, organizations, and communities in the dynamic power of singing to connect others and ourselves.

Training Events — Join us for the following events for continuing education, community building, professional development, and celebrating this practice of paperless communal song-sharing.

• 4-5: One-day Workshop and Community Sing in Waco, Texas
• 10-12: Three-day Retreat in Albuquerque, N.M.

More in-person events near Kansas City, Detroit, Lexington, Ky., Raleigh, N.C., and Atlanta. Please stay tuned!

Monday Morning Grounding — This weekly online touchstone continues to offer song, silence, sacred text and community connection, Mondays at 10 a.m. Eastern / 7 a.m. Pacific until April 7. Register for the Zoom link here.

Resources – Read the MMC blog for articles about …

• Starting a local paperless singing gathering
• Stories about using paperless song with unhoused neighbors and in airport customs lines
• Reflections on leadership influences over time (by the Rev. Liesl Spitz)
• A vision of “A Song leader in Every Household/Family” (psst! It means “Multiple Song leaders in Every Community”!)
• and a list of Songs for Fractured Times

There are also new Job Postings (including one ELCA) on our website.

Please join our monthly newsletter for regular updates and we’ll see you at an event soon!

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Institute of Liturgical Studies

An ecumenical conference on liturgical renewal for the church today.

Rites of Passage: Engaging Occasional Practitioners in a Secular Age
Valparaiso, Ind.
April 28–30, 2025

Registration is open now!

The American religious landscape is characterized by declining participation in religious institutions, increasing uncertainty about matters of faith, and a growing population identifying as non-religious. Nevertheless, many people continue to turn to churches at some of the most significant moments in their lives—such as the birth of a child or the loss of a loved one—and many others show up to support them.

Most of our planning resources are directed at the Sunday assembly. Yet, baptisms, weddings, and funerals are liturgical events rich in their potential for service and outreach. How might we more fully consider the possibilities of these occasions to be better prepared to serve a decreasingly churched culture?

Sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay up to date on the 2025 conference.

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Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival

Transforming and connecting lives through faith and music since 1981.

Youth musicians from across the country are headed to Valparaiso University this year for the 2025 Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival (LSM). Students in grades 8-12 will be immersed in a supportive community that nurtures their musical growth, and invites them to share their musical gifts in performance and in worship. With the Standard Enrollment deadline approaching on March 1, now is the perfect time to nominate students so their families can directly receive information and an invitation to apply. Do you know young musicians who would thrive at LSM? Nominate them today at LSMacademy.org/nominate.

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Association of Lutheran Church Musicians

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

ALCM is excited to offer a composers symposium, Where Do We Go from Here, to stimulate conversation among composers regarding our efforts to be faithful, creative, and nurturing stewards of the church’s song – even where gatherings have limited human and material resources. Registrants will also have the opportunity to explore newer music software. For a more detailed look, visit the symposium website. More information is added regularly, so check back often for more.

ALCM is especially grateful to the hosts for this symposium, Bob Hobby and Trinity English Lutheran Church. Generous donations from the Fred Jackisch Memorial Fund as well as from Trinity English Lutheran have helped to maximize the benefits of attendance while minimizing costs to registrants. Registration rates go up after January 14th. Those who register for both the 2025 Symposium and Raleigh-Durham Conference will receive a $70 dollar refund at the close of the conference.

ALCM Conference 2025
Aug. 4-8
Raleigh-Durham, N.C.

The conference theme, For all that is to be, describes our effort to equip people in all stages of their love for music of the church. Whether you are a volunteer, part-time or full-time employed, a student, newly employed, or retired, this conference will nurture your passion for the many ways in which we continue to share the gospel message.

Now is a great time to register and get the best rate. If you get continuing education funds, maybe you have some money left in your budget this year that you can put toward this opportunity. Registration is live – visit the conference website to register now. We look forward to seeing you in Raleigh!

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Resources from the Center for Church Music

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

“Profiles in American Lutheran Church Music” presents video conversations with prominent church musicians “Beyond the Children’s Choir: Focused Experiences for Children in Worship: Emily Woock, Elmhurst Ill., Oct. 2023 and the Rev Paul D. Weber, (interviewed by Barry Bobb, April 2024) as well as many other Lutheran Church musicians.

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The Hymn Society & The Center for Congregational Song

The mission of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada is to encourage, promote, and enliven congregational singing. The Center for Congregational Song is the resource and programmatic arm of The Hymn Society, connecting resources, leading deep and vital conversations about the church’s song, and collaborating with our partners.

Back in 2020, The Center for Congregational Song hosted a 12-hour broadcast of music and pastoral moments on Election Day in an effort to provide a space for peace in a time of great anxiety. Four years later, the political discourse in the United States is not all that different, and, in some ways, even more charged than it was before. If you find yourself in need of a break from the news, we invite you to recharge by watching our broadcast from four years ago.

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 Journey to Baptismal Living: North American Associate for the Catechumenate

An ecumenical community seeks to support seekers and those who accompany them. The process is an enlivened journey of spiritual formation for those either exploring Christianity or seeking to renew their faith.

The board of Journey to Baptismal Living, formerly North American Association for the Catechumenate, has been very busy, during and since the pandemic, working on producing updated catechetical and liturgical resources as well as updating our website.

Now we would like to connect with parishes interested in the catechumenal process. If you already have a process, we would like to discuss our new resources and also learn from you about your experiences. If you are interested but not active, we are available to do online training. Our new website can provide you with information about who we are and what we do. Or contact us for further information.

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Augsburg Fortress Events and Resources

Augsburg Fortress is the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Life Renewed: Devotions for Lent 2025
God brings new life in unexpected ways and in the most unlikely situations. This devotional reflects on how God does this in the creation of all things, the Israelites’ rescue from slavery in Egypt, the dry bones and Ezekiel, the fiery furnace, the big fish and Jonah, and more. Life Renewed provides devotions for each day from Ash Wednesday to the Resurrection of Our Lord/Vigil of Easter (March 5 to April 19). The devotions begin with evocative images and brief scripture readings drawn from traditional Easter Vigil texts. The writers then bring their diverse voices and pastoral wisdom to the texts with quotations to ponder, reflections, and prayers. Check out the promo pack linked at the bottom of the webstore page for free resources including posters, bulletin inserts, Wednesday worships, a hymn and anthems list, bookmarks with children’s activities, and more! Available in pocket size, large print, and e-book formats, with quantity discounts available.

Preparing the Assembly’s Worship: A Handbook for Worship Planning
Just published! This Worship Matters handbook by Rev. Craig Mueller offers helpful guidance for preparing worship in your congregation, whether that preparation is done by a large worship committee, a small staff, or a group of volunteers. As worship leaders look ahead to worship next week or next year, Preparing the Assembly’s Worship offers practical ideas and handy checklists, as well as questions for deeper reflection.

 

In These or Similar Words: Crafting Language for Worship, (for any congregation or leadership that wants to do more writing/customization of their local worship)
In These or Similar Words: Crafting Language for Worship will guide individuals and groups who wish to prepare new worship texts for their communities. The resource includes: some discussion of foundational principles for evaluating sources of language and images used in such texts; individual and group exercises to identify and describe your local worshiping community’s makeup, values, and sensibilities; brief commentaries about “what’s going on” in specific liturgical texts within the services of Holy Communion and Holy Baptism in Evangelical Lutheran Worship; examples of locally crafted language for worship for illustration and inspiration; and, reproducible pages with practical tips and helps for the actual process of writing new texts.

Go Make Disciples: An Invitation to Baptismal Living (catechumenate how-to for congregations)
This highly-informative handbook is intended to help congregations implement the task of making disciples in their own community. Go Make Disciples provides updated resources for preparing adults for baptism or affirmation of baptism, and for Christian discipleship. Appropriate for a wide range of Protestant denominations, especially Lutheran, Episcopal, Anglican, United Methodist, Presbyterian, and Reformed traditions. Materials intended for group use and distribution are available on the companion CD-ROM, which is sold separately.

 

by Deacon Erin Brown – Lutheran Office for World Community [About the Author]  

Being a part of the advocacy team at the Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC) has given me the opportunity to meet amazing advocates from the communion of churches that form part of the Lutheran World Federation. God has called these advocates to use their prophetic voice in different ways– sometimes formally in international, federal and state advocacy offices; sometimes as pastors; sometimes as professors; sometimes as student activists. I have the privilege to see the diverse ways in which our global church works for the common good. 

Each of the individuals I’ve met with their different gifts, passions and prophetic voices are essential to ensuring that the human rights of all people are respected and upheld across the world. We need the symphony of prophetic voices that declare God’s desire for compassion, justice and love when the gifts and identities of God’s creation are dismissed, negated, or even threatened.  

 

 

CLEAR STRENGTH IN VARIETY AT CSW 

The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) – the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women – is one of the places where I have witnessed these varieties of gifts, services and activities of our Lutheran communion come together clearly. The issue of inequality for women and girls still hasn’t been resolved in the 69 years the CSW has been in existence, and sadly, many issues regarding women’s rights and autonomy have even regressed.  

In 2025 when the CSW meets in New York City in March, the theme is a 30-year review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This is the most widely endorsed global agenda for women’s rights, and it is rooted in the experiences and demands of women and girls. The Beijing Declaration outlined 12 critical areas for action, including violence against women.  

Our LOWC team and all of the individuals participating in our Lutheran delegation at CSW69 will bring prophetic voices that amplify the work for gender justice across the global church. They carry power and courage that fight back against systems that continue to exclude, shun and oppress. They bring stories, expertise and best practices working toward a world without violence against women. 

 

AMPLE SUPPLY OF DIVINE LOVE  

Even when the panorama looks bleak, Lutherans still engage in these spaces, reminding people that Divine love is not in short supply. Divine love is something that is poured out upon the entire world. Even in our own day, when established powers have sought to limit God’s love by the exclusion of others from full participation in the community, divine compassion for the oppressed and divine passion for justice have called forth prophets to declare that God’s love includes all, regardless of age or race, nationality or creed, gender or sexual orientation.  

And our work – as advocates, as pastors, as students, as gender justice activists, as global citizens – is to continue to share that vision, to work toward that vision for God so loved the world, not just parts of it.  

I think within God’s communion about how each of us are called to use our gifts. Our gifts can be used in a way that ensures all of God’s creation is respected, celebrated and loved. Our faith informs our advocacy for the common good of all. 

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Erin Brown (she/her/ella) is a deacon consecrated by the Lutheran Diaconal Association. She is passionate about multicultural exchange, language, and the power of storytelling. Before joining the Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), Brown worked at Saint Peter’s Church in Manhattan as a fellow in cross-cultural ministry. Previously, Brown taught English to university students in Colombia and to Haitian adults seeking refuge in the greater Boston area. Prior to this, she lived in Costa Rica, completing her diaconal internship with a focus on refugee rights. Brown holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish & Global Service from Valparaiso University and a Master of Arts in Latin American & Caribbean Studies from Indiana University. In her free time, Brown enjoys spending her time outdoors hiking and exploring creation. She’s thrilled to continue her work with the LOWC team this year and continue to engage in international advocacy.

Catalyst Question

What’s your least favorite chore to do in your home? Why is that?

“In God’s Economy…

…nothing is wasted.” This quote was popularized in the 1990s by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), an organization that supports people living with addiction to alcohol. Within that context, it addressed how even the most dire of circumstances can become a cocoon for growth. Such succinctly stated wisdom soon became contagious and spread far beyond AA. It also resonates with many stories from scripture.

Consider Luke 5:1-11. In that story, Jesus meets a few fishers at a lakeshore. They’ve had what felt like a wasted day. Lots of casting out nets and nothing to show for it, not even a handful of minnows. Yet, Jesus–who was a carpenter, not a fishermen–tells them to try one more time. That certainly seemed like a futile task; they’d been fishing this spot for hours, after all! Yet, with Jesus by their side, what seemed like a wasted day became a trophy-worthy trip to sea. Because Jesus turned their waste into abundance, people could eat their fill. In God’s company, what once seemed useless can become miraculous.

Even poop.

Of course, God’s creation shows us that what is waste to some is fertilizer to others. Anyone who grew up in the country knows the distinct smell of freshly spread livestock manure on nearby fields. Fewer probably think about the fact that bugs also poo. Fortunately, someone did. Eventually, that revelation led people like Shankar Ganapathi Shanmugam, a professor Mississippi State University, to research how bugs could be used not only to create new fertilizers, but also eat organic garbage in the process. It’s a pretty simple idea. Certain insects it food scraps. After digestion and a quick visit to the fly-sized toilet, what’s left is a new kind of plant food. This process means that what once was waste becomes quite useful.

These are certainly three very different scenarios. Yet, each also highlights something essential about God: abundant life can come from the most unexpected places. Those things that seem like futility, or failure, or simple waste to us? In God’s hands, they can become agents of abundant life.

Ask Yourself

What is one area of your life where you want to invite God to take something that feels wasted and turn it into something wonderful? Take time to pray for God’s presence and wisdom in that place.

Ask a Friend

As Christ followers, how can we work together to be creative like Professor Shanmugam to transform the world’s waste into useful tools for our neighbors?

 

by Emily Ahern, ELCA Advocacy [About the Author]

As a young person, I am more than familiar with the concept of living in unprecedented times. In fact, I yearn for times which are precedented. As the prior U.S. presidential administration has left, and the new administration takes hold, the future feels uncertain.

In my personal life, I am blessed to live in what I lovingly call a bubble – a pocket of peace and wholehearted acceptance.

In my public life, such peace and acceptance feel wavering, and can feel like a precipice of something foreboding. In the past few weeks alone, we’ve seen mounting fear among a number of marginalized groups – trans Americans, immigrants, women and so many more.

It has been so easy to doom scroll, to get stuck thinking and imagining the worst possible outcomes for our future. I feel fear for my friends and neighbors. I feel fear for the people I love who are trans or queer, the people I love who are immigrants, and all friends and neighbors who are constantly subjected to scrutiny and attacks. It is so easy to lean into this fear.

It is easy to become isolated, cut off from that very same bubble I hold so dear. However, in the face of adversity, I find comfort in the concept of community.

 

COMMUNITY AND MATTHEW 25

In reflecting upon the idea of community, I’ve felt called to the words of Matthew 25. This is a text which emphasizes exactly this – community. In a passage referenced as the Judgement of the Nations, we hear a warning:

“Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You who are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me’” (v. 41-43).

The passage then says,

“Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me’” (v. 45).

This passage emphasizes the sheer importance of community and mutual aid. We are called to love and care for one another, to uplift one another and ensure one another’s safety, security and happiness. In the face of discrimination, we are called to love each other – to form our own little bubbles of peace and wholehearted acceptance. This passage serves as a reminder to me that we are not powerless–there is strength in love and comradery.

 

IMPLEMENTING COMMUNITY

Times may be unprecedented, but we have precedence to rely on. To support ourselves and those around us and fight against discrimination, we must work together in love and power.

Though large-scale community organizing, protesting, etc. may come to mind when thinking of combatting discrimination and injustice – it is important to remember advocacy happens on the small-scale, too. We can engage in mutual aid – ensuring neighbors have enough to eat or a safe place to return to. Look after and stand up for friends and neighbors who may be subject to discrimination or violence. These expressions of community are just as important as other actions of advocacy.

In the coming days, join me in reflecting upon Matthew 25 and discerning the importance and impact of community in our own lives, challenging ourselves to extend community to those in need for the common good.

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Emily Ahern (she/her) is the Hunger Advocacy Fellow – Federal Policy with ELCA Advocacy. She is originally from Allentown, Pennsylvania, and a lifelong member of congregations of the ELCA. She graduated from American University this past spring with a degree in Political Science, and is on track to graduate (once again) from American University this upcoming spring with a Master’s in Public Administration. Ahern is so excited to research and lobby for policy which will alleviate the effects of hunger and poverty for all Americans! In her free time, she can be found collecting vinyl, going to concerts, and watching Star Wars.

Catalyst Question

Where have you noticed God in your everyday life?

God is Still Near

In Luke 2:22-40, we find the story of Mary and Joseph bringing Jesus to the Jerusalem temple. This act of dedication of their firstborn son was fairly common amongst Jews of the day. What was abnormal was the response. Two prophets, Simeon and Anna, each praise God for Jesus’ presence. Why celebrate this otherwise apparently normal boy? Because, by meeting Jesus in this very ordinary ritual, they encounter the extraordinary: God’s redemptive presence. God is near, and so they celebrate!

Finding the extraordinary amidst the ordinary isn’t limited only to ancient prophets or biblical stories. The Hippo Song, a classic camp tune, reminds us that “God’s fingerprints are everywhere.” Perhaps this became even more evident with the rise of Moo Deng’s popularity last year. In animals, plants, rocks, water, and everything else in the universe, creation points us to our creator.

Organizations like The Nature Conservancy work to ensure the protection of God’s creatures great and small. They bring together individuals and communities, religious and secular organizations, government and private initiatives, all to make sure the ordinary things of the Earth aren’t lost. The protection of these creations not only ensures wilderness for generations to come. It also ensures we can continue the sacred rituals God gives us through ordinary things. Baptism requires clean water. Bread and wine require healthy crops. God calls us to care for the normal things in our world; yet, through them, we also find that sacred presence that’s been there all long. 

This week, reflect on what it means that Jesus’ presentation at the temple–a very routine thing–is remembered as an exceptional moment in history. Then, think about the routine things in our world today–bugs and dirt, air and flowers, birds and fish, and of course, hippos like Moo Deng–and search for God’s fingerprints. Through them, and through us, God is still near. 

Ask Yourself

Where do you have trouble noticing God in your everyday life? Why might that be?

Ask a Friend

If God created everything, then how does our faith call us to interact with nature?

This is a guest post from Rev. Elazar Atticus Schoch Zavaletta of Good Trouble Church in Baltimore, Maryland.

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The mainstream expression of many ELCA Lutheran Churches is defined by being a white, middle-class witness to Christ.  With hearts open to and appreciative of the saving grace of God through Christ, and often with generosity in serving the Lord locally and globally, nevertheless, few Lutheran churches truly know or understand the struggle of other peoples as they navigate a society defined by white supremacy and systemic oppression. Many of those on the margins of our churches struggle daily with homelessness, poverty, racism, and frustrating battles with bureaucracies to achieve the medical, financial and housing assistance they need to live and thrive.

Good Trouble Church, an ELCA congregation in Baltimore, Md, lives deeply and personally in that world of struggle.  Led by its pastor, The Rev. Elazar Zavaletta, and by numerous empowered members and community folks, most who personally understand the struggle for survival in urban Baltimore, Good Trouble has become a “A Way Out of No Way.”  It has become a safe home where friendship, non-judgmental caring and acceptance, trusted resources and hope can be found.

Good Trouble’s leaders, while understanding firsthand the exploitation, trauma and uncaring reality of those experiencing poverty, address together the systemic issues that purport to block them from health, safety and hope for the future.  Their work includes (1) Resilience based organizing- directly impacted leaders engaging in their own style of gospel-centered resilience-based organizing – naturally calling into question the powers that be through the way they organize their community and change their neighborhood – living into the world as it should be; (2) A Farm to Stoop Free Market- where fresh farm foods, meals, and clothing are distributed in a joyful time of community connection and mutual aid, along with social service agencies can meet people in a trusted arena, such as health clinics, etc; (3) Family Life- community creating a rich liturgy, inspired through Afro-Indigenous wisdom and symbol and inspiring a unique “theology of the block”; (4) Leadership and Liberation Workshops utilizing problem-posing pedagogy; (5) Social Work Support and Drop-In assistance; (6) Safe space housing for a few persons via its harm reduction-based Red Shed Village; (7) Good Trouble Guardians – who develop local leadership to help to de-escalate conflicts, keep people safer while avoiding police intervention, provide overdose response and connect persons to resources, etc.

Good Trouble Church is supported financially by its own funds, grants from the ELCA World Hunger, Lutheran churches in the Delaware-Maryland Synod, among others.  There are numerous community and city partners that share the same vision as Good Trouble to work toward love and liberation those who have been made most vulnerable and face food and housing insecurity.

Good Trouble Church–love and freedom, leadership and liberation, community care and sacred ceremony–God showing A Way Out of No Way!

No, the Lord has told us what is good. What he requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God. (Micah 6:8)

Catalyst Question

What’s something old that you’ve noticed becoming popular again? How does that make you feel?

Something Old and Something New

There’s an old English rhyme that goes, “something old and something new, something borrowed and something blue, and a sixpence in your shoe.” It describes a tradition for brides to wear something of each category on their wedding day. To this day, many weddings include parts of the tradition, though finding a sixpence is much more difficult in the 21st century.

Only a month into the new year, there’s much in the news that appears both old and new all at the same time. The 45th president is now the 47th president. Multiple countries and companies are preparing for space travel, with hopes to return people to the moon within just a few years. Even flare leg jeans are back in style.

In Sunday’s Gospel reading from Luke 4:14-21, Jesus reads a few verses from Isaiah that declare “the year of the Lord’s favor.” This sounds new and exciting! Yet, it comes from a prophet from hundreds of years before. It’s an ancient promise that’s reaffirmed for present listeners. In that way, it is both old and new.

Many people become obsessed with new things. Perhaps this is because they believe new things will lead to different results. What’s odd about that is that, to use biblical language, there’s almost nothing new under the sun. What feels new to some is quite old to others.

But with Jesus, it is still very different from the old and new that we see in politics, in science, or in style. Why is that? Because, in Jesus, the promise fulfilled. What’s old is made new in Jesus in ways that no politician, scientist, or influencer can match. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us, and it is only God’s newness that brings forgiveness of sin and abundant life. Jesus is so much more than an old trend returning. We owe ultimate allegiance not to political offices, scientific advancements, or cultural trends. We owe it the one in whom all things are always being made new, the only one who keeps all promises: Jesus.

Ask Yourself

What are the things–or who are the people–that ask for your ultimate allegiance in ways that draw your devotion away from Jesus?

Ask a Friend

What are the ways that Jesus has brought renewal into your life? 

 

 

by Sagi Rudnick, Kansas Interfaith Action [About the Author]

I am a Jewish progressive young adult who immigrated to the United States from the Holy Land as a child. Since my teenage years, I have felt a particular draw to political activism as a path for goodness to prevail. I also knew from that point that I wanted to build my career around that path. Since then, I have been fortunate to be able to lend my talents to a variety of causes.

Last summer, about a year after graduating from undergrad, I found myself looking for an opportunity where I could grow professionally as well as spiritually. That’s when I learned of the ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellowship with Kansas Interfaith Action (KIFA) on social media, and I knew this was a unique opportunity that I wanted. What drew me was the emphasis on being rooted in the values that drive us to champion the common good, and equally, the encouragement of my personal spiritual development.

At the core of my ongoing personal passion, and my philosophy regarding the theory of change, is the juxtaposition of two realities: the whole community is greater than the sum total of its individuals, and every person is a whole world unto themselves. This interplay is explored and celebrated in numerous elements of Jewish tradition, as well as other faith traditions. In this reflection, I seek to lay out the importance of both realities in tandem as a path for collective liberation and dignity for all of God’s creation.

 

ONE OF VALUE

While celebrating the power of the common good, it is important as well to hold space and reconcile the fact that on some days, in the face of great adversity, community activism for the common good can feel truly futile. Looking to the Tanach, aka the Hebrew Bible, I find that the Book of Ecclesiastes provides apt inspiration in this regard. This text, traditionally read during the Jewish fall holiday of Sukkot, aka the Festival of Booths, takes a hard look at our temporary existence, authentically recognizing our mortality and at the same time empowering us to make the most of our lives, precisely because our time on this Earth is limited.

The labor of each and every child of God, in moving us all towards a more equitable world, renders each of us as valuable as the whole world. Piecemeal progress cannot be discounted. Indeed, “Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 4:6).

 

TWO STRONGER THAN ONE

With that being said, to achieve positive change on a macro level, it is imperative to work beyond the individual level, and to build a better world harnessing diverse stakeholders to achieve results for the common good.

I do my best to live this out in my own activism, which has included lobbying for hundreds of millions in public dollars for public universities and working with faith communities and organized labor to raise the minimum wage and enact paid sick leave. I also recognize that I have a lifetime of learning from fellow activists, who all bring unique experiences and contexts to the table. Indeed, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-11).

 

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

As a child, I remember being struck by the reality of how easy it is to snap a single wood pencil or two into pieces, but how three or more pencils together were impossible to break, and remained unified. To truly achieve common good in and for the community, it is critical not only to work with a fellow activist, but to scale up and use our collective labor in broad, diverse coalitions.

There is great strength in numbers paired with authentic community organizing. Indeed, “And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken!” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

 

THE WHOLE EQUATION

At the end of the day, for me, it comes down to the following. In 50 years, when our grandchildren ask us how we made the most of life, what will we say to them? Did we harness our individual God given gifts? Did we work in solidarity to strengthen the fabric of our society? Did we do our best to achieve liberation for all of God’s creation?

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sagi Rudnick (he/him) is a political organizer, strategist, and activist with over half a decade of experience fostering community in Kansas and Missouri with over a dozen campaigns and organizations. Rudnick graduated with Honors from the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 2023 with Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Professional Communications, and a Minor in International Studies.

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

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: January 2025

CONTINUING RESOLUTION IMPACTS | COP29 CONCLUDES | PREVENTING ARMS SALES TO SUDAN | H.R.9495 AND NONPROFIT TAX-EXEMPTION | FY25 BUDGET AND THE HOMELAND SECURITY BILL

 

CONTINUING RESOLUTION IMPACTS: In December 2024, Congress passed a three-month Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government temporarily funded through March 14, 2025, while additionally providing about $110 billion in emergency disaster relief and farm aid. The measure also extended the lapsed authorization of the Farm Bill through Sept. 30, 2025. Lawmakers will be working to address at the end of January an expiring debt ceiling limit, while needing to quickly pivot to resolve the federal budget under new Republican majorities in the House and Senate.

Why It Matters to the ELCA

Within the budget, housing and homeless advocates are concerned that continued flat-level funding for Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs after many CR delays will start to put constraints on critical affordability and shelter programs, which are seeing increased housing costs and need extra funding to renew existing efforts. Federal agencies may soon need to stop renewing some vouchers and shelter contracts each week if a full budget isn’t reached – which could impact our wider ministries active in serving those of us who are displaced and in need of a home.

Many of our congregants and churches, and neighbors we serve, are dependent on the critical policies passed in the Farm Bill – including clarity on agriculture policy, farm disaster relief, rural development and support for emergency food assistance such as SNAP. Continued delays and lack of certainty could pose critical challenges to our communities, especially for those of us jeopardized by absence of clear policy and support.

What’s Next

The ELCA has an active Action Alert urging Congress to support critically underfunded housing and homeless programs, and is working with relevant lawmakers to ensure a disaster supplemental is passed for people displaced by recent hurricanes. As activity on the Farm Bill moves to the 119th Congress, look to the ELCA Farm Bill Updates page on the ELCA Advocacy Blog as our advocacy staff monitors developments.

 

COP29 CONCLUDES: After two weeks of negotiations in Baku, Azerbaijan, during the UN Climate Summit (COP29), world leaders reached agreement about an updated commitment to deliver urgently needed climate finance to developing countries for greenhouse gas mitigation and climate adaptation and resilience. ELCA leaders in-person and virtually participated in a faith delegation. COP29 output also included agreement on the final structural elements of the Paris Agreement provisions concerning carbon markets (Article 6). On finance, negotiators adopted language that requires developed countries to contribute $300 billion each year by 2035 for climate action in the developing world, and at the same time for all countries to work together to scale up financing from all sources to $1.3 trillion per year by that same date.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

The ELCA staff members present at COP29 engaged across governments, the United Nations and alongside other faith communities to call for increased climate action. The faith community had a strong presence at COP29 in several ways: hosting a Faith Pavilion, official UN side events and some demonstrations to highlight the call to action. There was collaboration between the faith community and the negotiators that highlighted the importance of the faith voice and presence here considering reluctance from countries toward taking action.

What’s Next:

The outlook for continued U.S. federal participation in international climate action looks bleak, but states and local governments in attendance were clear and steadfast in their commitment to continue delivering on the goals of the Paris Agreement using all means available to them. The private sector was also fully engaged and made similar statements about climate action not being solely, or even primarily, determined by how the next U.S. administration proceeds.

 

PREVENTING ARMS SALES TO SUDAN: Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) has introduced legislation and a joint resolution of disapproval in response to the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) material support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The joint resolution of disapproval (S.J. Res.118) is a companion to legislation (H.R.8501) already introduced by Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Africa. Jacobs’ bill would prohibit U.S. arms sales to the UAE until the Biden administration can certify that the UAE is no longer providing material support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan. The Joint Resolution of Disapproval would block a specific $1.2 billion arms sale to the UAE due to its role in arming the RSF.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

Commitment to peacemaking “in all times and places” is a core Lutheran value expressed in For Peace in God’s World (p. 1). In April 2023, fighting between rival Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary RSF erupted, resulting in the displacement of more than 11 million people. Successive U.S.-led peace negotiations have failed to stop the ongoing war. There have been multiple reports indicating that the UAE is providing weapons to the paramilitary group RSF. The war has led to catastrophic humanitarian crisis, leaving half of the Sudanese population in need of humanitarian assistance and protection.

What’s Next:

Sen. Van Hollen and Rep. Jacobs are seeking additional co-sponsors of the bills to generate support for it in Congress. Advocacy staff will work to generate congressional support and push for change of U.S. policy that turns a blind eye to the flow of weapons from abroad into Sudan.

 

H.R.9495 AND NONPROFIT TAX-EXEMPTION: On Nov. 21, H.R.9495, the “Stop Terror Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act” passed in the House of Representatives. H.R.9495 would give the secretary of the Treasury unilateral power to designate nonprofits as suspected “Terrorist Supporting Organizations,” taking away their tax-exempt status unless they are able to prove they are not terrorist supporting. Originally on Nov. 12 this bill had been brought to the floor of the House under a different set of rules requiring a two-thirds majority but failed. The vote on Nov. 21 required only a simple majority. ELCA advocacy staff along with numerous other non-profit organizations have forcefully advocated against the passage of this bill which is seen as extremely dangerous to any organization with non-profit status.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

Due to the ELCA’s non-profit status and its work and relationships in the Middle East, and specifically with the Palestinian community, the passage of this bill in the House is extremely concerning. It is concerning to give unilateral authority to the IRS, which carries out the responsibilities of the secretary of the Treasury, to be able to strip a non-profit of its legal status without due process or providing clear evidence of material support to terrorism. Such legal authority could easily be misused for political and/or ideological reasons.

What’s Next:

This bill will likely be brought up in the Senate of the 119th Congress in January/February 2025. Our ELCA advocacy staff will continue to build and work with a faith-based coalition to push against this bill’s passage.

 

FY25 BUDGET AND THE HOMELAND SECURITY BILL: In mid-November, Senate Democrats released the FY25 Homeland Security bill. This bill is one of the most polarizing in Congress, touching on border security, immigration, disaster funding and more. The released bill includes funding to Custom and Border Protection’s (CBP) Shelter and Service Program and immigration backlog reduction, and an increase in overall funding for CBP detection and border security.

Why It Matters in the ELCA:

Decisions around the budget have a profound impact on policy. The ELCA supports a generous policy of welcome for refugees and immigrants. Providing these important resources through the budget make our system fairer and more efficient, for those currently navigating it such as DACA, TPS, permanent residents, temporary workers and others as well as people are arriving to seek safety in the United States such as refugees and asylum-seekers.

What’s Next:

Action is still needed to pass robust funding in migration related federal accounts. This includes the Homeland Security bill, but also Health and Human Services and State and Foreign Operations. An Action Alert has been recently updated, encouraging constituents to voice their support for robust funding in 2025.

 

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