What does God’s boundless love look like in everyday life? In this moving reflection from Living Lutheran, Augustana University campus pastor Shawna Day shares the story of Benedict Owusu, an international student from Ghana navigating culture shock, loneliness, and racism—and discovering God’s presence through community, care, and faith. Rooted in the conviction that God’s love knows no bounds, this story reminds us how the Holy Spirit works through human connection to create belonging and hope.
Nevada is one of the strongest clean-energy states in the nation. Today, more than 30 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources, and Nevada ranks sixth in the country for total installed solar capacity. The state has set a goal of reaching 50 percent renewable energy by 2030, signaling a continued commitment to a clean-energy future.
Nevada also leads the nation in per-capita utility-scale solar generation, reflecting both our abundant natural resources and decades of smart public investment. The state has installed more than 8,000 megawatts of solar power, supporting over 8,500 solar jobs statewide—jobs that cannot be outsourced and that strengthen local economies.
In addition to solar, Nevada ranks second nationally in geothermal energy generation, providing steady, reliable, around-the-clock clean power. Geothermal is a reminder that renewable energy is not only about innovation, but also about reliability and long-term resilience.
And yet, Nevada still has significant untapped potential in solar, geothermal, wind, and energy-efficiency investments—opportunities that could further reduce costs, create jobs, and cut pollution across our communities.
Clean energy is already making a real difference. Public solar arrays in Carson City save taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars each year, demonstrating how renewable investments deliver direct financial benefits at the local level. Even major employers like Nevada Gold Mines now rely on solar energy for approximately 20 percent of their electricity needs, lowering operating costs, reducing pollution, and supporting Nevada workers.
At Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada, we see firsthand how clean-energy investments lower energy costs, strengthen communities, and promote care for our neighbors and God’s creation. These investments are not abstract—they are already improving lives across Nevada, and they point the way toward a more just, sustainable, and affordable energy future.
The Colorado River Conference invites you to a festive worship celebration featuring guest preacher Rev. Dr. James Thomas, author of A Rumor of Black Lutherans: The Formation of Black Leadership in Early American Lutheranism. Worship will be followed by a reception and conversation/book study with Dr. Thomas.
Merry Christmas from Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada!
We wish you a blessed and hope-filled Christmas. Thank you for walking alongside us in advocacy throughout this past year. At times, the work has been overwhelming and the burdens heavy, especially in these broken and challenging days. Anxiety, grief, weariness, and even hopelessness are real, and we name them honestly.
And yet, there is still hope.
Hope does not mean ignoring reality; it means holding truth and promise in tension. There have been countless moments when a faithful “no” has mattered, when the powerful have been stopped, and the lowly have been lifted. These moments remind us that justice is possible, even when the work feels slow and uncertain.
Into this weariness, Christ breaks through, not in strength or dominance, but in vulnerability. God enters the world in the humblest of ways, as a child born among the poor and the displaced. In Christ, we see a God who is with us and among us, who struggles alongside us and lifts us up, fully present in both human suffering and human hope.
This season invites us to notice where God is showing up: in the neighbor and the stranger, in acts of courage and compassion, in the most likely and unlikely places. Christmas reminds us that God’s presence is not distant, but deeply embodied in the world God loves.
Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada continues this work on behalf of Lutherans across our state—welcoming the stranger, advocating for our neighbors, and standing with all beloved children of God. We are reminded again that the work of justice is never separate from faith; it is faith lived out. God is already at work, inviting us to join in building communities marked by mercy, welcome, and peace.
On behalf of LEAN, thank you for your generous support and partnership. We are deeply grateful for these relationships and look forward to continuing this work together in the year ahead.
May the peace of Christ be with you, this Christmas and always.
Grace and Peace, Rev. Paul M. Larson Advocacy Director, Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada
Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective articulates the teaching of the ELCA on the church’s relation to society and its public presence and responsibilities. The statement begins with the claim that the witness of the church in society flows from its identity as a community that lives from and for the gospel. It sets forth the basic affirmations that structure how faith is active in a love that calls for justice in relationships and structures of society. The statement also identifies as basic commitments the church’s institutional witness in society, the baptismal vocation of individual Christians, and the church as a community of moral deliberation. This document was the first ELCA social statement, adopted in 1991.
Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada 