2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly Summary of Actions
Gathering under the theme "We are church," voting members of the 2019 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) made a number of key decisions to further the mission and ministry of this church. The assembly, the chief legislative authority of the church, met August 5-10 at
ELCA Churchwide Assembly Adopts: Faith, Sexism, and Justice Social Statement
At the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, gathered in Milwaukee August 5-10, voting delegates adopted a social statement focused on sexism and gender justice: "We believe all people are created equally in the image of God. Every individual is dependent upon God, and all share in the God-given vocation to contribute
ELCA Churchwide Assembly Declares ELCA Sanctuary Church
In a key action, the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly voted to approve a memorial that declares the ELCA a sanctuary church. The ELCA is the first North American denomination to declare itself a sanctuary church body. As a sanctuary church the ELCA is committed to serving and supporting migrant children
Responding To Conditions At The Border
Recent news stories of appalling conditions at immigrant detention centers and of deep human sorrow on our country’s southern border have many of us desperate to be part of change. Mary Campbell, ELCA's Director of AMMPARO (Accompanying Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities) invites any faith leader (not
Free Certified Legal Translations Available for Asylees
Free certified legal translations for asylees are available through global wordsmiths. Global wordsmiths is a Social Enterprise that provides language translation and interpretation services, as well as language access consulting and training. Every dollar of profit they earn is used to finance their innovative Social Impact Initiatives. The cost
New Resource Available – “The Forgotten Luther II: Reclaiming the Church’s Public Witness”
In this critical time in history, "The Forgotten Luther II: Reclaiming the Church's Public Witness", this volume argues that what is urgently needed is a cogent, clear, biblically based and theologically grounded rationale for the manner in which the church speaks and acts in the political arena. Lured at times
Take Action On the 2020 Census
Pennsylvania is at risk of an undercount in the 2020 Census, and this could mean a significant loss of federal funds for healthcare, nutrition assistance, transportation, housing, education, programs for children and parents, and much more. Pennsylvanians can not afford to put these programs needlessly at risk. That's why every Pennsylvania resident
Lutherans Gather To Set a Welcome Table
Lutherans from across the Commonwealth gathered in the Capital on May 20 to speak up for the hungry, network with statewide advocates, worship, learn about hunger and child nutrition, human trafficking, climate change, prescription drug pricing, the ELCA's proposed Declaration of Inter-Religious Commitment with keynote Kathryn Lohre, and more. In
ELCA Student Minister Deported
Betty Rendón, a synodically authorized minister in the Greater Milwaukee Synod, and members of her family were detained by immigration officials May 8. On May 28,Rendón and her husband, Carlos Hincapie, were deported to Colombia, from which they fled civil war in 2004. Her daughter (a DACA recipient) and granddaughter
Bishop Eaton Addresses Well-being of Children in Detention Centers
Children coming to our nation for safety and protection are still dying at our southern border while in U.S. detention. Carlos, a 16-year-old youth from Guatemala, died May 20 in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Wilmer, a 2-year-old, died May 14,
