Posts in ELCA
LIRS: Russian invasion of Ukraine could trigger refugee crisis

Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), writes: “The humanitarian implications of a full Russian invasion must be a central consideration in the U.S. and international response. Thousands could lose their lives, and millions more could lose the only home they have ever known. The U.S. and its allies must prepare to respond to the very real possibility of a mass exodus of Ukrainian refugees. Protecting the displaced cannot merely be an afterthought.”

Read the full statement in this post or on LIRS.org.

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Heads of churches in Holy Land voice objection to Mount of Olives being included in national park

After heads of churches in the Holy Land voiced their objections to a proposal to expand Jerusalem Walls National Park to include property owned by several churches in the city, Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority announced on February 21, 2022, that it was freezing the plan.

The text of the Feb 18 letter from Patriarchs about the Mount of Olives can be found here. The Feb 23 World Council of Churches article about the situation can be found here.

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An Interfaith Call to Peace for Ukraine

Though we have been anxious about the recent growing tensions between Ukraine and Russia and between Russia and the NATO countries in recent weeks, we remain deeply concerned, as we have been since 2014, for the impact of this ongoing conflict on innocent civilians throughout Ukraine.

All our religious traditions call us to pray and work for peace. We join our voices and hands together. We must open our eyes to those who are suffering, and we cannot remain indifferent to the injustice this conflict has brought on the people of Ukraine and may bring on people of neighboring countries.

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Workshop: Community Resources to Manage Personal Issues and Family Needs

Over the past two years of the pandemic, an increasing number of our congregants have come to the church for help with personal issues like depression, substance abuse, and domestic violence.

Our leaders minister to them and often need to refer them to others. View a list of resources in this PDF or in this post. Barbara Keller will host a one hour zoom workshop on this topic on Thursday, Mar 3, 2022 9am MST, 8 am PST. Register here.

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Prompts for Prayers of Intercession: February 27, 2022
  • For peace to prevail, especially between Russia and Ukraine…

  • For all firefighters working to contain destructive wildfires in Argentina…

  • For all members of the LGBTQIA+ community, especially beloved transgender women and girls at the heart of recent legislation…

  • For an end to rising, deadly violence against Asian American women…

  • For all who grieve the loss of loved ones to gun violence…

  • For all those living with mental illness…

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The Power of Peacebuilding

Since the beginning of the civil war, South Sudan has been gripped by a cycle of violent retribution. The Episcopal Church of South Sudan–Upper Nile Internal Province (ECSS-UNIP) is striving to break that cycle.

Through its Peace and Reconciliation project, which is funded by Lutheran Disaster Response, ECSS-UNIP is fostering peace and understanding in the Upper Nile Internal Province.

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February Update: UN/State Edition and Advocacy Connections

ELCA Advocacy shares submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices (sppos) in the ELCA Advocacy Network this month, including U.N., Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. We also share Advocacy Connections from the ELCA Advocacy office in Washington, D.C.

In our post, we highlight the update from Solveig Muus, Director of Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA).

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ELCA 2022 federal policy priorities for advocacy action

By building relationships with policymakers, taking joint action with values-sharing issue partners, writing comments and much more, we advocate to end world hunger and stand up for policies that create opportunities to overcome poverty, stimulate peace and dignity, preserve God’s creation, promote racial and gender justice, and promote good order in public life.

Shaped by the ELCA’s social teaching documents and the experiences of its congregations, ministries and partners, the following are policy priorities on the federal horizon for advocacy action in 2022. Also available as a downloadable pdf from ELCA advocacy resources page.

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Prompts for Prayers of Intercession: February 20, 2022
  • For those impacted severely by climate change, especially parts of the Western United States experiencing “megadrought” conditions…

  • For the escalating situation at the Russia/Ukraine border…

  • For state and local leaders navigating ongoing decisions about Covid-19 response and mitigation efforts…

  • For all parents of children under age 5, continuing to wait for Covid-19 vaccine authorization for their children…

  • For the people of Tonga as they continue to deal with the destruction and trauma inflicted by January’s volcano and tsunami…

  • In gratitude for the generous and faithful stewardship of all who donated to ELCA World Hunger through the Big Game Challenge 2022…

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Talks at the Desk: Black Boy Joy Ep. 2

Part two of the “Talks at the Desk” video series celebrates youth ministry and mentorship in the Black Church. Black men and boys speak about their connections across generations. They reflect on how their faith communities and mentor relationships have guided them and nurtured their passions. A discussion guide to help individuals and congregations engage with these conversations is available at ELCA.org/ADM.

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Faith Lens: Love Your Enemies

The notion of enemies is all over the news. There’s military buildup at the Ukrainian border with Russia, making enemies of global neighbors. Many countries are enacting diplomatic boycotts of the Olympics, making enemies of athletes who often train together, regardless of their national origins.

What I’ve found fascinating are the stories of people whom we might consider enemies behaving rather friendly.

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