Month: February 2025

Lutheran Nevadans Lobby For ‘The Least of These’

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Carson City Event Includes Legislator Meetings

On Monday, February 10, Lutherans from across Nevada gathered at St. Paul’s Lutheran Family in Carson City for Lutheran Lobby Day, a day of learning, advocacy, and action.

The morning started with worship, grounding us in “Who is our neighbor?” We learned about Nights off the Street, a crucial program in Carson City that provides overnight shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Participants explored what it truly means to love and advocate for our neighbors, grounding their work in faith and justice. 

The afternoon buzzed with energy as attendees met with key state leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Robin Titus, Assemblymembers Selena La Rue Hatch, Richard DeLong, PK O’Neill, Erica Roth, and Speaker of the Assembly Steve Yeager. They raised their voices on Voter Engagement, Creation Care, and Affordable Housing issues.

Lutheran Lobby Day attendees
Nevadans gathered at St. Paul’s Lutheran Family in Carson City for Lutheran Lobby Day on Monday, Feb. 10.

Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada is committed to keeping this momentum going—empowering Lutherans across the state to advocate, organize, and hold elected officials accountable. The work doesn’t stop here. Join the movement and be part of the change! Democracy begins with you, so tag you’re it. — Pastor Paul Larson, LEAN Director/Advocate

ELCA Response to False Social Media Accusations

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Statement from Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, February 2, 2025

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America seeks to be a witness to Christ by feeding people who are hungry, caring for those who are sick, and advocating for justice, peace, and the dignity of all people. This has been the calling of the church for over 2, 000 years. 

Today, false accusations were made on X, formerly Twitter, regarding government funding to Lutheran organizations. The claims were those of money laundering and illegal payments. Yet these organizations have done the same work for 85 years in serving legally admitted refugees and immigrants. 

As church, we follow the eighth commandment of the scriptures which states: you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Despite misinformation and baseless doubt cast today on funding that supports Lutheran organizations across our country, the ELCA remains steadfast in our commitment and work with our many Lutheran partners and expressions of our church. The ELCA is also concerned for other faith based communities and organizations who have similarly come under attack.

We strongly urge political leaders at all levels of government to use their offices and platforms responsibly. They should consider the impact of misleading statements and conjecture without regard for the impact those statements have on the communities targeted by these messages. 

Our call to love our neighbors as ourselves remains steadfast: Seek the truth and share the good news of Jesus Christ as we continue to follow his teachings. 

Let me tell you a story. In the year 258, the Roman Empire, during one of its many persecutions of the Church, ordered that the Church turn over its treasure. The task fell to a young deacon named Lawrence, who was given three days to complete it. Immediately, Lawrence sold all the liquid assets and gave that to the sick and to the widows. He liquidated also all of the property and divided that up amongst the poor. On the third day, he appeared before the emperor who demanded to see the treasures of the church. Lawrence gestured behind him, and there were standing those who were sick and hungry, the poor, the naked, the stranger in the land, the most vulnerable, and Lawrence said, “these are the treasures of the church.” He was martyred for that. 

Be of good courage, church, and let us persevere.

More: Read Global Refuge Statement on “Misinformation Around Our Humanitarian Work.”