On September 13, congregations across the ELCA will participate in “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday, our annual day of service.

Across Nevada and throughout the church, Lutherans will pack food boxes, assemble hygiene kits, serve meals, clean up neighborhoods, visit neighbors, and support ministries doing incredible work in their communities.

This work matters.

But as Lutherans, we are also called to ask the deeper questions.

Why are our neighbors hungry in the first place?

Why are families struggling to find affordable housing?

Why are people losing access to health care?

Why are immigrants and refugees afraid?

Why are so many of our neighbors struggling just to make ends meet?

Packing a food box helps our neighbor today. Advocacy asks why our neighbor needed that food box in the first place, and what we can do together so fewer people need one tomorrow.

That is where service and advocacy meet.

This “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday, Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada encourages congregations to add one simple advocacy action to whatever you are already doing.

Write postcards to your elected officials. 

Set up a table after worship and invite people to share why hunger, housing, health care, immigration, education, creation care, or another issue matters to them.

Connect your service project to the larger issue. 

If you are collecting food, spend a minute talking about SNAP and hunger. If you are assembling hygiene kits, talk about housing and homelessness. If you are supporting immigrants and refugees, share what is happening in our immigration system.

Invite a lawmaker to see your ministry. 

Show them your food pantry, community meal, shelter partnership, refugee ministry, or other outreach. Let them hear directly from the people doing this work and the neighbors you serve.

Help people participate in our democracy. 

Set up a nonpartisan voter information table. Help people check their registration, learn about what is on their ballot, and make a plan to vote.

And pray. 

Pray for our neighbors. Pray for our communities. Pray for those who serve in public office. Pray for those whose voices too often go unheard.

But let us not stop with prayer.

Take one next step.

Write the postcard.
Make the phone call.
Attend the town hall.
Register to vote.
Learn about an issue.
Tell the story of what your congregation is seeing in your community.

Because our hands can pack food boxes and write postcards.

Our hands can serve meals and register voters.

Our hands can welcome our neighbors and advocate for policies that protect their dignity.

This September 13, let us put our faith into action—not only through the ways we serve our neighbors, but through the ways we stand with them.

God’s work. Our hands. Our voices.

LEAN would love to help your congregation connect your “God’s work. Our hands.” project with advocacy, local partners, and issues affecting our Nevada neighbors. Reach out to Pastor Paul Larson to get connected.