A message from Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry:

Dear church,

It is hard to avoid the crushing news of the headlines and what they mean for individuals every day. Today, I am writing specifically to address the sexual and gender-based violence that is all too familiar to many of us. I know many of you who are survivors live with this trauma and that the news cycle of these stories can push you deeper into despair and anxiety. I want you to know that I hear you. I see you.

I can only imagine what you are feeling. I understand that the trauma of sexual and gender-based violence goes deep. This church stands with you to say that all forms of sexual and gender-based violence are wrong. At their roots, these forms of violence are dehumanizing misuses of power.

No one deserves this evil. All people are made in God’s own image. The abusive actions of others cannot change this truth.

As the psalmist wrote:

“For it was you who formed my inward parts;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
    Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well” (Psalm 139:13-14).

All people bear the image of God. It is my prayer that those who have been abused will know the healing power of God’s presence. It is my prayer that those who have wielded power to abuse another will come to know the gravity of their actions and, through the Spirit’s power, seek repentance and reparations wherever possible.

As a church, we must continue to seek the welfare of all people for the sake of the abundant life Jesus came to give (John 10:10). We continue to, in the words of the Lord’s Prayer, seek the reign of God “on earth as in heaven.”

In Christ, 

The Rev. Yehiel Curry
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 

To learn more about the ELCA’s teaching on gender-based violence and steps that ELCA synods are taking to prevent abuse and support survivors, see the resources below.

• ELCA social message on “Gender-based Violence” (including Spanish translation and study guide)
• ELCA social message on “Commercial Sexual Exploitation”
• ELCA social message on “Child Protection” ‍
• ELCA domestic violence resources, including a study guide on resources for ministry sites
• Each ELCA synod provides boundaries training for its rostered ministers. Contact your synod office for details: Sexual Boundary Violations report ‍
• Sexual Boundary Violations synod assessment tool ‍
• If you or a loved one are experiencing violence or threats of violence, this resource provides helpline phone numbers

Read the pastoral message on the ELCA Website.

“Speak out for the rights of all who are destitute. Defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:8-9)

The 2026 Bread for the World Offering of Letters Toolkit now available!

As Christians, we are called to seek justice, care for those experiencing hunger and poverty, and embrace our Creator’s vision of hope, love, and peace. We are called to embody it in public as we commit to live in solidarity with those who are made vulnerable by the inequities that drive hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world.

Letters are a strong witness of community concerns and personal testimonies

Over the years, these letters and emails from congregations, campuses and community groups have helped inspire our leaders in Washington, D.C., to pass legislative victories that reduce hunger in the U.S. and around the world.

3 Reasons Your Church Should Organize an Offering of Letters

1. We believe that advocacy is part of our Christian witness and discipleship.
2. With your support, Bread for the World is committed to speaking truth to power. we have to be both pastoral and prophetic to end hunger.
3. Bread for the World is practical and effective. Years of persistent advocacy and voice has helped triple poverty focused development assistance to education, training, and sustainability measures that end hunger.

2026 Winter/Spring Lunch and Learn Webinars

Get educated to advocate in 2026! Join Bread for the World’s Policy and Research Institute staff for a series of short, educational webinars focused on the hunger-related policies and programs on our agenda this year. These sessions will equip you with the knowledge you need to understand what’s at stake and why it matters, so you can advocate boldly and effectively.

We are offering four stand-alone webinars on different topics. Please register for each webinar individually, using the links below. Upon registering, you will receive the link to join and an option to add the webinar to your digital calendar.

• SNAP and H.R.1’s Impact on States and Families (RECORDING)
  Wednesday, February 25, 2026
• Global Nutrition and Health 101
  Wednesday, March 11, 2026 | 1:00-1:45pm Eastern (10:00-10:45am Pacific)
• WIC 101
  Wednesday, March 25, 2026 | 1:00-1:45pm Eastern (10:00-10:45am Pacific)
• Topic TBD
  Wednesday, April 8, 2026 | 1:00-1:45pm Eastern (10:00-10:45am Pacific)

A Powerful Tool to Organize Letter-writing Events to End Hunger Through Advocacy

This year’s Offering of Letters will again focus on the federal Farm Bill as it continues to be debated in congress.

We hope you will join us in supporting Bread for the World’s Advocacy!

For sample letters, bulletin inserts, and many other resources to create an Offering of Letters campaign in your congregation, click below.

Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada is looking for Congregational Liaisons.

What is a congregational liaison? Well mainly it is stay connected with the LEAN newsletter, and join us once a month for a check in. We will share the Action Alerts, and we are hoping to have guests in our meetings to come!

Register here for our next meeting, April 21st at 6 PM!

We will have an introduction to what it means to be a liaison! Join us!

On March 24, the Supreme Court will hear oral argument in Noem v. Al Otro Lado, a case with major stakes for people seeking refuge at the U.S.-Mexico border. The ELCA has cosponsored an interfaith vigil and rally on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, held before the hearing at 8 a.m. ET. To take part, use the link to reserve a spot.

“[Justice] is not just an idea we debate, it is something we build together, across cultures, languages and lived experiences,” writes our author after attending CSW70. Learn about this advocacy advancing justice for women and girls on our blog: https://blogs.elca.org/…/justice-for-women-and-girls…/