This 4-part video course from ELCA World Hunger introduces the role of a “Hunger Leader”—a person who builds bridges between need and abundance in our communities. Open to everyone, this module offers inspiration and practical steps to step deeper into anti-poverty ministry rooted in Jesus’ call to love and serve. Click here to take the course.
Read MoreIn moments of political violence or misinformation, faith leaders play a vital role in calming tensions and promoting safety. This guide from the Safe Communities Coalition (of which GCS is a member) offers best practices for communication that de-escalates harm, respects victims, and strengthens democratic norms. Click here to read the full guide.
Read MoreFaith leaders across Arizona are invited to sign a public letter denouncing political violence and affirming peaceful civic engagement. The Arizona Faith Network will publish signatures alongside the statement on the International Day of Peace, Sept. 21. All clergy and faith leaders are encouraged to sign. Click here to read and sign the statement.
Read MoreAutumn Byars, member of University Lutheran in Tempe and former LAMA Hunger Advocacy Fellow, reflects on joining Creation Justice Ministries’ Witness for Creation press conference and worship at the Desert Botanical Garden. Held during the Season of Creation, this interfaith gathering lifted up urgent issues such as water justice, sacred lands, and support for the unhoused amid intensifying Arizona heat. It was a powerful call to care for creation—and one another—as an act of faith. Click here to read more.
Read MoreCongress is considering the bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act—a comprehensive response to America’s housing crisis supported by ELCA advocates nationwide. This bill simplifies rental assistance, expands affordable housing, and strengthens disaster relief and rural housing. As people of faith called to care for the most vulnerable, we are urged to contact lawmakers and support this moral legislation grounded in Lutheran social teaching Click here to read the full action alert and contact your elected officials.
Read MoreSeptember is Hunger Action Month—a time to raise awareness and take meaningful action as food insecurity continues to rise across Arizona. Over 650,000 Arizonans rely on food banks monthly, while our state remains a leading producer of fruits and vegetables. This contradiction calls for advocacy and generosity. Learn five simple ways to take part: wear orange on Friday, Sept. 5, support AzFBN’s work, explore donation opportunities, and share the Arizona Hunger Action Month calendar. Click here to read the full article from Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona.
Read MoreRev. Christine Stoxen of Holy Trinity, Chandler, writes that welcoming the stranger is not optional—it is a biblical mandate. Drawing on Isaiah and Micah, she reminds us that Jesus himself was a refugee, and that hospitality strengthens whole communities. Through ministries like AMMPARO and Global Refuge, the ELCA continues to advocate for migrants and asylum seekers. Faith calls us to justice, kindness, and humble service alongside the displaced and vulnerable in our midst. Click here to read her full op-ed.
Read MoreFour Lutheran clergy in Tucson have sparked an ecumenical movement, responding to harmful policies and the rise of Christian nationalism. Their statement, For God So Loved the World: A Christian Witness Against Harm, has now been signed by over 100 clergy and shared widely across congregations. The group is also hosting “Pray Without Ceasing” services every other Monday, modeled after Leipzig’s 1989 Prayers for Peace. Their witness reminds us of the church’s prophetic call to resist harm and lift up justice. Click here to read the full story and statement.
Read MoreSeptember is Hunger Action Month, a time to rally together to fight food insecurity. One in eight Arizonans struggles with hunger—even though our state produces 12% of the nation’s fruits and vegetables. In 2024, food bank visits rose to 650,000 each month. This September, you can act by supporting food banks, joining peer fundraisers, downloading the “Hungry Friend” app, or simply wearing orange on September 5 to raise awareness. Every action matters in working toward a hunger-free Arizona. Click here to learn more and find the full Hunger Action Month calendar.
Read MoreTen D.C.-area faith leaders, including ELCA Bishop Leila Ortiz, have issued a statement rejecting fear-based approaches to public safety. The letter calls on civic leaders to embrace dignity, collaboration, and compassion instead of militarization and scapegoating. True safety, the leaders stress, is achieved through justice, community care, and investment in people. Click here to read the full letter.
Read MoreThe ELCA Homeless and Justice Network strongly opposes a recent executive order conflating homelessness with crime and disorder. Rooted in stigma and lacking evidence, the order misrepresents the realities of unhoused people. Guided by Isaiah’s call to “loose the bonds of injustice,” the ELCA instead urges policies rooted in compassion, dignity, and affordable housing. Click here to read the full statement and explore ways to take action.
Read MoreThe number of people in immigration detention has grown to more than 58,000, including many with no criminal charges. With four ICE detention centers in Arizona, Lutherans are called to act. The ELCA urges members to contact Congress to demand humane conditions, legal counsel, and respect for human dignity in these facilities. Click here to read the full Action Alert and find contact information for Arizona’s congressional delegation.
Read MoreThe U.S. Senate has passed bipartisan legislation providing $8.2 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)—a $500 million increase to meet rising need and protect the cash value benefit for fresh produce. Now the U.S. House must act. Use the FRAC Action Network to contact your representatives and urge them to support this funding so every eligible family can participate. WIC offers healthy foods, nutrition education, and support from pregnancy through a child’s fifth birthday, reflecting Isaiah’s call to “feed the hungry, and help those in trouble.” Read more on the LAMA site.
Read MoreArizona, birthplace of the global food bank movement, now faces a crisis as federal cuts to SNAP could strip food assistance from tens of thousands. Leaders at St. Mary’s and United Food Bank warn the expected surge in demand will exceed their capacity—SNAP covers nearly a billion meals annually in Arizona, far beyond what food banks can supply. Without state action to cover hundreds of millions in new costs, fewer resources will serve more people, threatening a slow erosion of the safety net. This moment recalls the 1983 warning: food banks are one link in fighting hunger, but they cannot replace federal programs. Read more on the LAMA site.
Read MoreThe ELCA Churchwide Assembly has overwhelmingly adopted Faith and Civic Life: Seeking the Well-being of All, a social statement on the relationship between church and state. This theologically grounded document guides Lutherans in civic engagement, aiming to help shape conscience and inform faithful action in public life. Developed over several years through churchwide participation, this statement encourages us to pursue justice, peace, and the common good. To explore the full statement and the process behind it, click here for more.
Read MoreApproximately 250 people gathered for the AMMPARO Candlelight Prayer Vigil on July 30 at Peace Park in Phoenix, across from the ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Lutheran and interfaith leaders—including Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and Bishop Deborah Hutterer—joined voices in prayer and witness for the dignity and rights of migrants, refugees, and asylees. The vigil was a moving call to live out our faith through accompaniment and solidarity. Click here to view the full pictorial and read more.
Read MorePeter Faur, a lifelong Lutheran and member of La Casa de Cristo in Phoenix, has joined the LAMA Policy Council for a three-year term. With a background in journalism, public relations, and advocacy, Peter brings deep experience and a passion for justice to this important role. Please join us in praying for and supporting his work with LAMA. Click here to read the full announcement.
Read MoreThe ELCA urges action to ensure safe and neutral humanitarian aid access in Gaza. Current aid delivery mechanisms, backed by U.S. and Israeli authorities, force Palestinians to risk their lives for food and fail to provide access to medical and hygiene supplies. As people of faith, we are called to advocate for peace and human dignity. Learn how you can contact your lawmakers and make your voice heard. Click here for more.
Read MoreShepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church in Sun City partners with Community Action Market & Produce (C.A.M.P.) to bring fresh, rescued produce to neighbors across the Northwest Phoenix Valley. This nonprofit, run entirely by volunteers, distributes nutritious food through its Saturday Shop & Select markets, prepacked produce boxes, and delivery programs for the elderly and disabled—all with no income qualifications required. To learn more about this inspiring ministry or how you can support it, click here.
Read MoreAugust is a key moment for advocacy, as members of Congress return to their districts during recess. Whether in-person or virtual, it’s a prime time to lift your voice as a person of faith. Learn how to schedule a meeting or attend a town hall, and get tips from an ELCA Advocacy intern on how to prepare, show up, and follow up. This is how we bring our Lutheran values into public life. Click here to read the full article with practical steps, theological grounding, and helpful tools.
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