The ELCA Building Resilient Communities (BRC) team invites nominations of adult leaders, ages 18-and-older, to participate in the inaugural Building Resilient Leadership (BRL) cohort.

Over twelve months, BRL participants will grow their public leadership skills while they develop a justice-oriented project in their community, build relationships with a peer mentoring group, and participate in community-organizing skills workshops.

BRL seeks to work with leaders who already demonstrate leadership in their communities on an everyday basis and seek to further develop their ability to accompany their community as it continues to flourish.

If there are any adult leaders in your life who you think would be a good fit for this program, please send them the link to this page. If they indicate a desire and capacity to apply, please nominate them using this form.

Nominations will be accepted through June 2nd. Nominees will then be asked to officially apply, with a due date of July 7th for that application.

Who is the Building Resilient Communities team?

BRC is the office of the ELCA that represents the three direct service, intersectional justice ministries of the church: ELCA World Hunger, AMMPARO, and Lutheran Disaster Response. We meet human need and enhance human dignity, work to overturn oppression and injustice, and engage members and constituents collaboratively toward the flourishing of human community.

Program Highlights

• Participants will create a project in, with, and for their community. BRL’s goal is to support leaders whose work throughout the program prioritize the stories of their community, is open to people from any identity or background, and increases their community’s power. The project might be a single event or seek to have longevity beyond the 12-month program. Some potential projects might be (but are not limited to):
  • Community-based mutual aid groups
  • Local community spaces (physical or virtual)
  • Safe spaces for marginalized people in a community (physical or virtual)
  • Regular resiliency training for community members
  • Local advocacy dedicated to building power for marginalized members of a community
  • First steps toward creation of local food-hub
  • Most importantly: participants do not need to have a project in mind before they start the BRL program.
• Peer mentoring. In peer mentoring sessions participants will develop their project relationally, alongside other BRL leaders and an assigned mentor. Through reflection and open discussion, colleagues will hold one another accountable for the growth of their project and their leadership skills.
• Participants will attend a monthly workshop series that will inform the growth of their project. Each workshop will feature experts from the ELCA ecosystem, focusing on different aspects of leadership development and community organizing.

BRL leaders benefit from the following:

• Up to $1,000 in seed money to develop a community project.
• Connection to the national, intergenerational network of ELCA justice ministries: ELCA World Hunger, Lutheran Disaster Response, and AMMPARO.
• Tangible, transferrable skills for leadership in career, volunteering, and recreation.
• Deepened relationships with people in their communities.
• New connections with peers passionate about many of the same justice issues as themselves.
• A prestigious addition to their resume.
• The opportunity to shape a growing leadership development program from the ground-up, through participation in this inaugural cohort.

Participants’ Time Commitment

• Participation at a two-day, in-person orientation at the ELCA World Hunger Leadership Gathering in Columbus, Ohio in September.
• 5 hours/month to attend and prepare for workshops and peer mentoring sessions.
• Any time spent on their community-based justice project. This is up to the participant and depends on the extent of the project. Intensive work on projects will begin around November and continue into the following summer.
• A final celebration and presentation of projects in August.

If you would like to nominate any adults in your life, please do the following:

• First, let them know! When you do be sure to acknowledge and celebrate their leadership. Then, make sure the program is something they can commit to. Their participation in all elements of this program is required. Feel free to send the potential candidate the link to this page. They should also know there is a brief application process for nominees.
• Once you have confirmation that one or more leaders in your life are interested and able to apply, please fill out this form.
• Self-nominations are also welcome.

Questions?

Email Peter McLellan (ELCA Program Director, Hunger Education) at peter.mclellan@elca.org.

How might your congregation engage in advocacy on behalf of our neighbors in need on “God’s Work, Our Hands” Sunday? Ask us how!

On Sunday, Sept. 7, congregations will join together for “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday.

This annual day of service is an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the ELCA — one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor.

To help you plan for “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday, we invite you to visit ELCA.org/DayofService for resources including:

• 2025 God’s work. Our hands. Toolkit
• 2025 worship resource.
• 2025 “God’s work. Our hands.” poster (with date of Sept. 7).
• 2025 “God’s work. Our hands.” poster (with date of Sept. 7), Spanish.
• 2025 customizable poster to add your day of service.
• 2025 customizable poster to add your day of service, Spanish.
• 2025 PowerPoint template.
• 2025 PowerPoint template, Spanish.
• 2025 social media art (with date).
• 2025 social media art (with date), Spanish.
• 2025 social media art (no date).
• 2025 social media art (no date), Spanish.

Old Lutheran has T-shirts and other items available for purchase. The deadline for ordering your congregation’s personalized T-shirts is Aug. 18.

Don’t forget to share your participation with us. Send your stories and photos to LivingLutheran@elca.org so that together we can celebrate what God accomplishes through you.

Participate on social media using #GodsWorkOurHands.

If your congregation cannot participate on Sept. 8, please consider another day for your service activities. We know that you work every day to make a positive impact on your community!

Go in peace, serve the Lord!

Next week, Pastor Paul will join the Sierra Pacific Synod Border Immersion Trip, traveling to El Paso, Ciudad Juárez, and Las Cruces. During the trip, he will visit ELCA congregations and connect with ministries working along the U.S.–Mexico border in the El Paso area.

Pastor Paul looks forward to learning from those engaged in vital border and immigration ministries, and he will share reflections from his experience right here on the LEAN website.

A great program for passionate environmentalists! APPLY BY JUNE 15, scholarships available. Center for Climate Justice and Faith at PLTS

It’s that time of year again! We’re accepting applications to the Certificate in Climate Justice and Faith program through June 15, 2025. This program is designed for lay leaders and clergy members from around the world who want to be effective advocates for climate justice. Students will grow their faith, practice skills, gain knowledge, and build community to allow them to address the climate crisis in ways that also address racial, gender, and economic injustices.

This two-semester program will begin September 2025 and end May 2026. A 100% online curriculum allows students from around the world to build relationships through bi-monthly small group meetings on Zoom. Since launching in 2021, students from 29 countries and five continents have participated. The full cost of the program is $600. Scholarships of up to $550 are available if needed, please do not let finances prevent you from applying.

Applications are due June 15, 2025 and can be found here: https://bit.ly/CJFCertApp

More information about the Certificate can be found here: https://centerforclimatejusticeandfaith.org/…/certific…/

Use these 30-minute reflections plus 15-minute Q&A sessions on advocacy tips and themes to lay groundwork and stimulate discussion in congregations, study groups, advocacy teams, and other settings to deepen understanding of and/or advance your own advocacy priorities.

These freshly updated resources were originally presented by ELCA Witness in Society in Summer 2021, but the topics have something to offer year-round.

In the ELCA we believe that, through baptism, God is calling us into the world to serve together. Shaped by the ELCA’s social teaching documents and the experiences of its congregations, ministries and partners, we advocate to end world hunger and stand up for policies that create opportunities to overcome poverty, promote peace and dignity, preserve God’s creation and promote racial and gender justice.

1. What is Faith-Based Advocacy? Wondering about how advocacy fits into our Christian and Lutheran presence in policy discussions? Session 1 of ELCA Advocacy Summer School paints a picture of what advocacy is and how advocacy is shaped with a faith foundation, especially as members and affiliates of the ELCA. PLAY VIMEO.
2. How Do I Approach Policy Makers? If you want to be part of moving the needle on a policy matter, Session 2 of ELCA Advocacy Summer School can demystify and encourage your participation in the process. Knowledge from ELCA advocacy and Capitol Hill staff as well as state and personal experiences will help you understand this access point with policy decision makers. PLAY VIMEO.
3. How Do I Use Media for Impact? Gaining attention for your advocacy aims can amplify your efforts. Tips for using op eds, letters to the editor, event attention and social media are among topics highlighted during Session 3 of ELCA Advocacy Summer School. PLAY VIMEO.

Download the PDFs below!