Gathering at the Gate

“Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate.” – Amos 5:15

Washington, D.C.

September 16-17, 2025 (Tuesday – Wednesday)

Why We Gather

We are Lutheran Christians—rostered and lay—gathering in a time of growing injustice against refugees, immigrants, LGBTQIA+ people, those experiencing poverty, and many pushed to the margins and harmed by unjust systems. We are compelled by our faith to proclaim good news and act with courage. Rooted in Amos’ call to justice, we gather not only to pray, but to build relational power and pursue sustained change.

This is more than a two-day event in our hearts and minds. It’s a faithful step into a sustained movement over multiple years—deepening relationships, naming what is broken, and discerning a shared call to action.

What Guides Us

We are:

WITH those who suffer violence, exclusion, or erasure and organizations that advocate and work on their behalf.

AGAINST systems and rhetoric that deny dignity.

COMMITTED to sustained empowerment, advocacy, and organizing beyond this moment.

CALLED to act from our Christian Lutheran commitments to justice, accountability, and mercy.

What Gathering at the Gate Is

This is a grassroots movement, and we pray only a starting point. We are working to create the capacity for leaders to show up, listen deeply, and speak clearly. We gather to root ourselves in faith, amplify marginalized voices, and build trust that can carry lasting work forward. We gather as Lutherans, friends, and neighbors with and for the whole church and world.

“Be merciful, just as your God is merciful.” – Luke 6:36