God of justice and compassion,

we give thanks for the life and witness of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,

who dared to dream of a world shaped by love, dignity, and peace.

Inspire us with his courage.

Strengthen us to stand against racism and injustice.

Move us to walk the path of nonviolence,

to speak truth with love,

and to build communities where all belong.

May your dream of justice roll down like waters

and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Guide our steps as we follow Jesus,

the Prince of Peace.

Amen.

Is your congregation celebrating Reconciling in Christ Sunday on January 25? Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Sunday is an annual worship celebration that honors and lifts up the ongoing work of welcome, inclusion, and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ people in the life of the church. 

Explore these meaningful resources from ReconcilingWorks HERE

to help your community celebrate and grow in love.

1 out of 10 ELCA Lutherans live around Minneapolis and St. Paul. Add links and information in the comments of churches and organizations and people that are doing the work to care for families on the ground right now.

Read here.

Printable signs available for your public witness! Find them at resources.elca.org

Oppose additional funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention and support funding for disaster response in the FY26 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) budget.

Congress is currently discussing the FY26 Homeland Security Appropriations Act, a broad bill that funds both immigration enforcement and disaster response. Take this opportunity to share your community’s priorities for the common good – supporting projects that help us prepare for and respond to disasters, advancing accountability for immigration enforcement, and opposing unchecked increases in funding for ICE immigration detention.  

Positively, the Senate version of this bill would support popular programs like the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grants, which invest in preventative projects that reduce the risks associated with natural disasters. Federal projects like this set up strong infrastructure, and pair with the mission of Lutheran Disaster Response to reduce harm in our communities. Ask Congress for funding that ensures Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staffing levels and enables programs to appropriately respond and holistically recover from disasters.  

More negatively, this bill would give ICE additional funding for immigration detention – on top of the $45 billion for detention funded in the budget reconciliation bill passed less than a year ago. Lutheran communities have lamented and organized against ICE operations that have indiscriminately targeted both immigrants and U.S. citizens, detained tens of thousands of immigrants, and led to the recent shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. Ask Congress to work together to prioritize accountability for ICE, not to add funding for actions that are harming our communities.   

“Those in authority owe an account of how they are using that authority and the resources that have been entrusted to them,” reads the ELCA social statement on Faith and Civic Life (p. 18), and we can encourage this trust be used for the common good. Make your message to Congress more impactful by personalizing it with your values and experiences.