As Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada prepares for the upcoming midterm elections and the convening of Nevada’s 84th Legislative Session, we recommit ourselves to the work of faithful public witness.

Our faith does not end at the sanctuary doors. Grounded in scripture, shaped by Lutheran theology, and guided by the ELCA Social Statements and Social Messages, we are called to move from the pews to the public square.

Over the next year, LEAN will focus on these key priorities:

Voter Engagement

We believe civic participation is one way we love our neighbor and seek the common good. LEAN equips congregations with nonpartisan voter education resources, encourages faithful dialogue, and promotes access to the ballot for all eligible Nevadans.

Public Lands

With more than 70% of Nevada’s land publicly managed, stewardship is not abstract, it is local. Public lands are sacred trust spaces that provide clean water, wildlife habitat, recreation, and cultural connection, including for Tribal nations. Our advocacy is grounded in the ELCA’s social statement on Caring for Creation, affirming that the earth is God’s and we are called to responsible stewardship.

Housing Justice

Housing is a matter of dignity. Across Nevada, families are burdened by rising rents and limited affordable housing. We advocate for policies that expand affordable housing, protect tenants, and address homelessness with compassion and long-term solutions.

Criminal Justice Reform

Nevada continues to face high incarceration rates and racial disparities. LEAN supports restorative justice approaches, reentry support, and policies that reflect accountability, mercy, and transformation rather than perpetual punishment.

Water Justice

In a drought-prone state, access to clean and affordable water is essential. Water is central to our baptismal identity, and no community should lack safe drinking water. We support equitable water policy and sustainable management.

Creation Care

Climate resilience, renewable energy, and environmental justice are moral issues. We advocate for policies that protect vulnerable communities from extreme heat, pollution, and environmental degradation while promoting sustainable economic development.

Food & Hunger Justice

One in seven Nevadans experiences food insecurity. From school meals to support for local farmers, LEAN works toward a food system that reflects God’s abundance and ensures no one goes hungry.

Immigration & Migration

Immigration is about our neighbors. In Nevada, immigrant families are part of our churches, our workforce, and our communities. Through Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada, we advocate for policies rooted in dignity, family unity, and the biblical call to welcome the stranger — moving from the pews to the public square in faithful love.

Grounded in Faith

All of these priorities flow from our baptismal call “to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.”
Our advocacy is:

• Nonpartisan
• Rooted in scripture
• Guided by ELCA social teaching
• Focused on the dignity of every person

Join the Movement

As we continue our Pews to Policy initiative, we invite you to:

• Attend an upcoming LEAN gathering
• Bring a LEAN speaker to your congregation
• Become a congregational liaison
• Participate in Lutheran Lobby Day
• Help shape faithful public witness in Nevada

Together, we can deepen our engagement, strengthen our congregations, and live out our faith in love.

From the pews, to policy, to justice.

With the reintroduction of the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding Schools Act in both the House and Senate, now is the time to remind Congress of its responsibility to survivors of the Indian boarding school era.

The U.S. federal government has identified over 400 Indian boarding schools that operated from 1819 to 1969, nearly half of which were affiliated with or received support from a religious institution. “Residential or boarding schools inflicted trauma on Indigenous children that is still being felt today, generations later,” wrote the Rev. Wanda Frenchman, Interim Director, ELCA Indigenous Ministries & Tribal Relations.

Native American leaders have called on denominations to do the work of finding all records of their involvement. ELCA Truth-Seeking and Truth-Telling Initiative efforts began in earnest in fall 2022. We have a timely opportunity to urge the United States to do the same.

Although long-overdue, successful passage of H.R.7325 / S. 761 will bring together the U.S. government and communities of faith, center the healing and truth-telling of Indigenous communities and move our country towards accountability.

Today, remaining boarding school survivors are elders. We must honor these experiences and urge Congress to move our country one step closer to truth and healing by supporting this important legislation now.

Urge Congress to support and fully fund the bipartisan Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025.

Congress is considering the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025 (H.R. 3552), a piece of bipartisan legislation that strengthens reentry programs for persons returning from incarceration to reduce recidivism, support successful reintegration and keep families together. The proposed legislation funds job training, substance use treatment, mental health services, housing support, mentoring and faith-based community partnerships that help individuals who are returning from incarceration rebuild their lives. 

Reentry is a matter of public safety, economic stability and human dignity. When people have access to employment, housing and supportive services, they are far less likely to return to prison. Communities are stronger when families are reunited, and individuals have a real opportunity for redemption and restoration. 

 “Significant challenges and problems continue for offenders following release from prison,” reads the ELCA social statement The Church and Criminal Justice: Hearing the Cries. It notes recognition that transitional services are essential to community reintegration and expresses gratitude for creative efforts in the faith community to offer support, then adds: “Governments are encouraged by this church to continue funding expansion [of reentry plans]… and provide a range of services through coordinated efforts with community agencies.”

The LWF is very concerned about the escalating situation in the Middle East region.

LWF calls on all parties involved to exercise maximum restraint and to abide by international humanitarian law. The direct and indirect impact on civilians and communities, most of whom were already experiencing the dire consequences of instability, will be catastrophic including the loss of life.

LWF advocates for peaceful means of resolving conflicts and urgently calls for renewed efforts from the international community to seek lasting peace in the region.

LWF prays for and stands in solidarity with all the affected communities that are living in fear.

“Light does not need permission to shine. It only needs to be present,” writes the author in the newest devotional post from ELCA World Hunger Advocacy Fellows. With a reflection and questions to prompt discussion, check out: https://blogs.elca.org/advo…/devotional-light-on-the-hill/