https://www.livinglutheran.org/voices-of-faith/what-freedom-requires/

Former Sierra Pacific Synod Vice President and Japanese American Gail Kiyomura recalls her father’s experience of World War II-era internment in Topaz, Utah, part of a larger uprooting of 120,000 individuals — nearly two-thirds of them U.S. citizens — that resulted from President Franklin Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066. Kiyomura’s story is part one of a three-part Living Lutheran series publishing during the month of May in which Lutherans reflect on their families’ experience of Japanese American incarceration. Read the second installment, “What freedom requires,” on LivingLutheran.org.

Read the First Installment Here.

Young adults ages 16–20 are invited to apply for the Horizon Apprenticeship Program, a paid, year-round leadership opportunity focused on ministry, mentorship, and community engagement for emerging leaders from diverse communities. Congregations, camps, and affiliated organizations are encouraged to nominate young leaders to participate in this faith-rooted program centered on leadership, belonging, and justice; applications are due by May 31. Learn more HERE and apply HERE!

In January 2026, members of the Synod visited The Tent of Nations, a 100-acre Palestinian Lutheran family farm near Bethlehem owned by the Nassar family for more than 100 years. Although the family holds historic deed documents, the land was declared “state land” by Israeli authorities in 1991, leading to decades of legal battles to protect their farm.

Surrounded by Israeli settlements and facing ongoing threats to their land and orchards, the family remains committed to nonviolent resistance, environmental stewardship, and education.

We were deeply moved by their story of steadfastness (sumud) amid daily challenges under occupation. As a sign of solidarity, we planted 10 olive trees ($500) and now hope to help Daoud Nassar and his family plant 200 more trees ($50/tree). Your gift of any amount helps us reach our $10,000 goal.

Donate HERE!

Across the globe, humanitarian needs continue to rise at an alarming rate. As of April 2026, millions of people are facing the compounded impacts of conflict, climate disasters, and economic instability. For communities already living on the margins, these overlapping crises, often called a “poly-crisis,” are stretching resilience to its limits.

At Lutheran Disaster Response, we are witnessing how these interconnected challenges are reshaping the humanitarian landscape and deepening the urgency of our shared response.

Read here.

A recent article from Living Lutheran highlights the story of Former Sierra Pacific Synod Vice President Gail Kiyomura as she reflects on her family’s experience of Japanese American incarceration during World War II and the importance of remembering this history today. Through her story, Gail invites the church into deeper conversations about justice, memory, belonging, and faithful witness. Thank you, Gail, for your vulnerability.