June 8, 2025 – Pentecost

Dear Siblings in Christ,

Yesterday, on the eve of Pentecost— as our churches were preparing to celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit—the President of the United States ordered the deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles. The stated justification? Protests against escalating ICE raids across California. But the Los Angeles Police Department had already confirmed that those protests were under control. This was not about public safety. This is about posturing and political theater and calculated intimidation.

Representative Nanette Barragán reports that federal authorities have warned public officials to prepare for 30 days of ICE operations targeting immigrant communities throughout the state. Governor Gavin Newsom has rightly called the president’s move “purposefully inflammatory.”

Let us be clear: this is an abuse of power. It is meant to sow fear, suppress dissent, and punish sanctuary. It is a threat not only to migrants and refugees—but to all who dare to lift our voices in protest and to resist cruelty with compassion.

And so we must refuse.

As the Church, we do not stand by—we stand with.

We stand with our immigrant neighbors, with the fearful, with the brave, with those who march and those who shelter, with those whose voices cry out for justice.

We denounce this militarized escalation for what it is: tyrannical overreach, unworthy of a democracy, unworthy of our government, unworthy of a people of faith. We call on all followers of Jesus to remain rooted in nonviolence, in the tradition of the prophets, of the apostles, of Dr. King, of Jesus himself.

Churches: Check in immediately with your members and families who may be at risk. Offer accompaniment. Help connect them to legal aid and trusted community partners. Provide sanctuary. Be bold.

Rostered leaders and members: Call your mayors. Speak to your city councils. Contact the governor. Tell them that your faith compels you to defend the rights of migrants, the sacredness of protest, and the promise of due process. Remind them: we are compelled by our faith to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.

This week, we lost one of the great interpreters of prophetic faith, the Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggemann. He once wrote:

“The gospel is fiction when judged by the empire, but the empire is fiction when judged by the gospel… The gospel is a very dangerous idea. We have to see how much of that dangerous idea we can perform in our own lives. There is nothing innocuous or safe about the Gospel. Jesus did not get crucified because he was a nice man.”

This is not a time for niceness. It is a time for truth. For courage. For Gospel.

Today is Pentecost. We remember that the Spirit still comes—in wind, in fire, in protest, in voices raised, in solidarity. The Spirit still speaks in every tongue. The Spirit still sends us into the public square. Let us not quench the Spirit. Let us follow where She leads.

Bishop Brenda Bos of Los Angeles offers this prayer. May it be ours too:

“God most holy, God most merciful, protect your people from harm. Remove hate from our hearts, remove fear from our bellies. Keep Los Angeles and the surrounding areas free from violence. Bring peace to our land, and change the hearts of those who wish us ill. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.”

In bold hope and abiding love,

+ Jeff

Bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod – ELCA

How is ELCA World Hunger responding to major federal funding cuts? Join the Sierra Pacific Synod Hunger Network on June 18 at 7 pm via Zoom as we hear from Susannah Cunningham, Senior Director for the ELCA Building Resilient Communities Team, and learn how these programs are still making a difference—and how you can help.

 To register, email Edie at thelotts@gmail.com

 Zoom link will be sent a week before the event.

Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada recognizes that most congregations tend to be more active in acts of mercy than acts of justice. Handing out food at a soup kitchen seems more straight forward than advocating for school breakfast programs. LEAN encourages congregations to do both acts of mercy and acts of justice.

Every congregation or faith community is unique. Each has its own set of leaders, committees and ministries. How best to engage the advocacy ministry in congregations varies greatly, which is why LEAN seeks a Congregational Liaison for each congregation.

The Role of Liaisons

Core Functions: Congregational liaisons are asked to do the following core functions:

• Ask the congregational leadership to include LEAN news, events and resources in bulletins, newsletters or other materials.
• Participate in at least one meeting a year with legislators and invite others to participate
• Invite congregation members to do some advocacy before or during the Nevada legislative session (January – June).
  • Writing letters
  • Sending emails
  • Signing a petition
• Participate in Lutheran Day at the Legislature

Additional Functions: If able, the liaisons are invited to:

• Encourage civic engagement – registering to vote, help getting out the vote, completing the census (all non-partisan activities).
• Connect interested members of your congregation with key LEAN program areas
  • Hunger and associated food security issues (equity, housing, homelessness, etc.) – Do you have a caring committee or outreach team?
  • Welcoming all – Do you want to welcome immigrants in your community or build a partnership with other faith traditions?
• Familiarize yourself and your congregation with the ELCA Social Statements and Social Messages.
• Be informed – Sign up for LEAN newsletters, ELCA Advocacy Network and learn about ELCA Advocacy efforts,
• Be engaged – Follow LEAN and ELCA Advocacy Facebook and social media, like and repost events and news
• Encourage the congregation to support LEAN financially through a special offering, inclusion in the budget or a special grant.

LEAN supports Congregational Liaisons:

• Provide materials as needed to distribute and display (posters, brochures).
• Send occasional special resources for congregations.
• Find speakers for programs and events at the congregations or online.
• Connect the congregation with other interested congregations in the area.