Posts in Advocacy
2020 ELCA Advocacy Federal Policy Priorities

Looking ahead, 2020 is likely to be an eventful year. In the midst of societal shifts and opportunities, ELCA Advocacy has identified areas of priority for our work together on the federal level. “These priorities reflect ELCA Advocacy commitments for faithful and timely attention to pressing concerns that affect our neighbor’s well-being and the wholeness of creation,” says the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Director of ELCA Advocacy.

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Trending chicken sandwich and voter registration

From the ELCA Advocacy blog by guest blogger the Rev. Lamont Wells, President of the African Descent Lutheran Association

The sidewalk alongside 116th Street was filled with hungry consumers lined up to purchase that very popular chicken sandwich from Popeyes as I left my local gym. I paused and watched the line grow longer and overheard various conversations.

While I listened, a young male said aloud, “I haven’t registered to vote yet!” I ran upstairs to my condo and grabbed a handful of voter registration applications leftover from a previous drive.

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10/18/19 Grant Application Deadline

10/18/19 Deadline! As we take applications for 2020 GCS grants, we share stories from our 2019 Grant recipients, which you can see on our Grant Dollars at Work page.

House of Prayer, Rock Point, AZ: Participants are growing accustomed to telling their story and seeing themselves as a part of God’s story in this time and place. Visitors to the Mission are also engaging with local folks in conversation and sharing. Guests who have come to “eat and run” in the past are sticking around to talk. The conversation and encouragement is especially helpful to the elderly.

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Breaking News in Syria — Families at Risk

Lutheran World Relief staff based in the region are preparing for an influx of refugees, and share this message:

With bombs falling on northeastern Syria, as many as 300,000 people living in the area could be forced to flee their homes. Help us be ready to respond to families in need who will be desperately seeking safety, shelter and emergency supplies such as food and water.

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Faith-Based Organizations and Churches Discuss Migration and Human Trafficking in Asia

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Life With Dignity (LWD) — the ELCA’s partner development organization in Cambodia — convened a three-day conference in Cambodia on ”Migration and the Human Trafficking Crisis in Asia: Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Partnership.” 

The conference aimed to assist the ELCA in developing strategies for policy and implementation with churches and faith-based organizations to address migration and human trafficking issues, and how to work together in the future, in Asia, and across the world. Read the whole story »

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LSSN and LEAN present November 9 hunger awareness event

Lutheran Social Services of Nevada and Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada present “Food Deserts” in Nevada on Saturday, November 9, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

In Southern Nevada we know we live in a desert.  We also have areas known as “food deserts”, but what are these and what can we do about them?

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Registering to Vote: Love in Action

by Tessa Comnick, ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow

I was the youngest person by maybe 30 years sitting in a dilapidated American Legion hall at 5 a.m. preparing to start a 15-hour shift at my local polling station. The gentleman next to me told me with some pride, “We’re expecting we’ll get more people than last year.”

“More people” turned out to be over double the voters on Nov. 6, 2018 than in the previous year. In Lorain County, Ohio, 26.80% of those eligible voted in November 2017—in November 2018, we hit 54.15%. This is a trend I am hopeful we will continue to see. Read the full blog post »

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Grant Dollars at Work: Global Engagement Team

10/18/19 Deadline! As we take applications for 2020 GCS grants, we share stories from our 2019 Grant recipients, which you can see on our Grant Dollars at Work page.

One of the goals of this team and purpose for this grant is to deepen our companion church relationship with the Lutheran Church in Senegal (ELS). This Young Adult exchange is doing just that. When we hosted Pierre (the president of the Youth in Senegal) and four other guests, they connected with 12 congregations from Sedona to Phoenix to Tucson. In addition, they worked with Casa Soup Kitchen and LSS-SW. 

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Grant Dollars at Work: Celebration, Peoria, AZ

As we take applications for 2020 GCS grants, we share stories from our 2019 Grant recipients, which you can see on our Grant Dollars at Work page.

Celebration in Peoria received two grants. Touching Heart of the Youth project grant monies were used for youth events. The Engaging Youth Project Grant was used to paint the classrooms in our education wing. As you will see in the video, this project is complete.

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Grant Dollars at Work: Holy Trinity, Chandler, AZ

As we take applications for 2020 GCS grants, we share stories from our 2019 Grant recipients, which you can see on our Grant Dollars at Work page.

Holy Trinity, in Chandler, AZ, held their Adventure Break Camp during March 18-25, 2019. “Although we didn’t have the numbers we were hoping for, the children we had were new to our community and they had a wonderful time. We look forward to following up with them and continuing to invite them to events at Holy Trinity. Another Break Camp is planned for the fall.”

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