Connecting faith and public life
As members of the ELCA, we believe that we are freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor. God uses our hands, through our direct service work and our voices, through our advocacy efforts, to restore and reconcile our world. Through faithful advocacy, the ELCA lives out our Lutheran belief that governments can help advance the common good.

ELCA advocacy works for change in public policy based on the experience of Lutheran ministries, programs and projects around the world and in communities across the United States. We work through political channels on behalf of the following biblical values: peacemaking, hospitality to strangers, care for creation, and concern for people living in poverty and struggling with hunger and disease.

Join a growing movement
Together, we achieve things on a scale and scope that we could never do otherwise. When we act as a coordinated network of advocates and reach out to officials on relevant, timely issues, we effectively impact public policies. Join thousands of ELCA members — sign up for the ELCA e-Advocacy Network now.

Take action
We are a church that rolls up our sleeves and gets to work. Stand up for policies that create opportunities to overcome poverty, promote peace and dignity, and defend God’s creation — visit the Advocacy News and Updates page to find advocacy opportunities now.

Learn more
On the Advocacy resources page, you’ll find information that will educate and equip you to be a more effective advocate.

Las Vegas is heating up, literally.

Did you know our city is warming faster than most of the U.S., especially at night? This affects our health, energy use, and vulnerable communities the most.

Climate change is real, and it’s local.

Share this to spread the word.

With confirmed ICE activity across Nevada, including cancelation of Immigrant Lobby Day over safety concerns, immigrant families are facing real fear.

LEAN urges Lutheran congregations across Nevada to stand with our immigrant neighbors by know your rights about sensitive locations like churches, schools, courthouses, and hospitals, recognize that ICE agents may operate in plainclothes or unmarked vehicles, encourage family preparedness plans in case of detention or deportation, and offering support and sanctuary whenever possible

As people of faith, we are called to love our neighbor and protect the vulnerable. Together, we can ensure our congregations are places of safety, dignity, and refuge.

If ICE comes to your home, you have the right to:

• See a warrant BEFORE you open the door. You have the right to refuse to allow ICE or police to enter your home unless the officers show a court warrant signed by a judicial officer (usually a judge).

• A warrant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is never enough! You have the right to ask ICE to slide the warrant under the door so you can inspect it. You do not have to open the door until they do. If it is an arrest warrant, it must be signed by a judicial officer and have your name on it. If it is a search warrant, it must be signed by a judicial officer and have the exact address of your home. If you open the door to ICE without a court warrant, this may be seen as giving “consent” to have your home entered and searched.

• Remain silent. Present the Rights Card at the end of this booklet to officers. If you talk about your immigration status, your country of origin or how you got to the U.S., this information could be used against you.

NOTE: ICE agents can and do lie in order to gain entrance to your home.

“Am I free to go?” is the first line to ask during ICE encounters.

Join us in sharing resources and holding public faith spaces safe for all.
#KnowYourRights #StandingWithImmigrants #FaithAction

Hope and Challenge Addressing Political Violence

Over the past year we have witnessed an increase in polarization, a rise in Christian nationalism, and a number of acts of political violence. In this spotlight from an ELCA-affiliated state public policy office (sppo), Tammy Walhof, Director of Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – Minnesota, and Jacob Summerville, ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow placed with this sppo, discuss some ways Minnesotans are working to build bridges and encourage civil discourse.

The Mother Cabrini Immigration Legal Services (MCILS) team will hold its penultimate asylum workshop of the year on Thursday, August 14, 2025, starting at 10:00 a.m. at the Our Lady of Snows Parish Center.

Important update: We have adopted a mandatory registration model. See attached flyer to access the registration link and QR code and get an appointment..

The Mother Cabrini Immigration Legal Services (MCILS) team will be holding its second-to-last asylum workshop of the year on Thursday, August 14, 2025, starting at 10:00 a.m. at the Our Lady of Snows Parish Center.

Important update: We have adopted a registration-only model. Please refer to the attached flyer for the registration link and QR code and to obtain an appointment.