Nevada officials reviewed the registration records associated with 185 voter identifiers flagged by the Department of Homeland Security. The state reported that its records indicated the people were citizens and that DHS supplied no names, birthdates or addresses that would allow Nevada to verify whether both agencies were examining the same individuals.
That matters because DHS had originally suggested that as many as 15,903 noncitizens might be registered in Nevada before reducing the claim to 185. Nevada has not confirmed either number, and Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar says the state has not conducted a targeted removal of noncitizens from the rolls.
An ELCA World Hunger Advent bulletin insert to share in worship with your congregation, inviting them to engage with the new ELCA World Hunger Advent resources and the “Stocking the Streets” activity.
An ELCA Good Gifts card sample, showing one of the many cards you can order to share with loved ones on a variety of holidays and other occasions.
As a church, we collectively continue to celebrate the diversity with which God has created the world. Scripture tells us that, from the very beginning, we were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). In the book of Acts, many were gathered in one place when the Holy Spirit came upon them. Each was given the power to witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:32-33). In 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, the human body serves as a metaphor, demonstrating that a healthy Christian community relies on the many distinct gifts and qualities of each unique member — emphasizing unity through continuing to be a connected church.
I am thankful to serve this church in the office of presiding bishop. I am also grateful for my experience as an activist and leader in communities and congregations that are at the margins. Whatever our role and wherever our place in the church, God calls us to develop trusting relationships with our neighbors. In the service of Affirmation of Baptism, the presiding minister asks, “Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in holy baptism … to serve all people, following the example of Jesus, and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth?” (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 236). Striving for justice involves learning about underlying causes of division and inequity. It is a commitment our church makes because of baptism.
Celebrating diversity and striving for equity, inclusion and accessibility for all reflect this baptismal call. The words “diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility” and the initialism “DEIA” mean different things to different people. For the ELCA, as church together, these terms reflect our “delight in the fact that the people called, gathered, and enlightened” by God represent such a wide array of identities, backgrounds and life stories (ELCA social statement Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture, 1993, p. 3). The terms remind us of the gospel vision of community, in which all are truly welcome. They are terms this church has chosen to include in its teachings and constitutions as reflections of our faith in God, who creates, redeems and sustains all people.
Everyone matters in this church. I have celebrated with synods and congregations as they build communities that reflect the people and neighborhoods around them. I have worshiped in places where many languages are spoken and people from different backgrounds feel welcome. Together we have expanded our understanding of what it means to be church through relationships with companion churches around the world and through relationships between congregations in rural, urban and suburban settings here in the United States. We are joined together through holy baptism, through which God calls us to strive for justice and peace in all the earth. “Diversity,” “equity,” “inclusion” and “accessibility” are reflections of justice when it is fulfilled. Like many saints before us have said, justice is the form love takes in society.
The road is long, but we go forth in faith, trusting in the risen Christ and inspired by one another for the work ahead. Let us continue in the covenant God has made with us, to serve all people in love.
In Christ,
The Rev. Yehiel Curry Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Preparation is not prediction. It is faithful stewardship.
In preparation for the midterm election season, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona has created A Congregational Guide for Election-Related Disruption to help congregations prepare for extraordinary circumstances surrounding an election—including uncertainty, misinformation, intimidation, violence or an unexpected armed presence at a polling place.
This 8-page guide is designed for pastors and deacons, congregational councils, polling-site hosts, staff teams, adult forums, youth groups and ecumenical partners. It may be used as a 60- to 75-minute discussion starter, while its final readiness checklist can be completed independently in about 20 minutes.
Begin with readiness
The guide does not assume that disruption will occur. Nor does it replace the ordinary work congregations should undertake after an election: thanking election workers, evaluating voter-engagement efforts, preparing for new legislative sessions and continuing issue advocacy.
Instead, it asks congregations to make several basic decisions before a crisis:
Who will serve on a small response team?
Which information sources will the congregation trust?
Who is authorized to speak publicly?
How will leaders care for people who may be frightened or particularly affected?
What election, emergency, synod and community contacts should be readily available?
What will the congregation say while important facts are still being verified?
The guide explains how to prepare a short “holding statement”—a temporary, factual and compassionate message that acknowledges a situation, distinguishes what is known from what remains uncertain and tells the audience when to expect an update.
Six scenarios for discussion
Participants are invited to consider how their congregation might respond to six possible situations:
No clear election result—and pressure to declare a winner.
Widespread election denial.
Intimidation or disruption at a polling place.
An unexpected armed, militarized or federal presence at a church polling location.
Violence, vandalism or property destruction.
A peaceful result that nevertheless leaves the congregation deeply divided.
Each scenario includes questions about what is known, who may be at risk, whom to contact, what the church can responsibly do and what it should refrain from doing.
That social statement describes the church as a community that “disturbs, reconciles, serves and deliberates.” In an election-related crisis, the church may be called to expose deception and injustice, sustain communication across differences, stand with people at risk, seek justice and create space for responsible discernment.
Being nonpartisan does not require silence about intimidation, racism, dehumanization, violence or attacks on democratic participation.
Becoming trusted messengers
Congregations often possess something especially valuable during a confusing or frightening moment: relationships of trust.
The guide encourages trusted messengers to lead with care, name their sources, distinguish verified facts from allegations and opinions, correct errors without humiliating people and say “we do not yet know” when facts remain incomplete.
Use the checklist now
Congregations do not need to complete every discussion scenario before beginning. Start with the final checklist. Name a response team, record essential contacts, choose trusted sources, identify a spokesperson and review emergency procedures.
Churches that serve as polling locations should also clarify responsibilities with their local election office before Election Day. Election officials—not congregational volunteers—direct polling operations and control voting equipment.
This guide is intended for education, conversation and congregational organizing; it does not constitute legal advice. Election procedures and state laws vary, so churches should consult their state and local election offices and qualified legal counsel when necessary.
