Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, observed annually on December 21, the longest night of the year, honors individuals who have died while experiencing homelessness.
One meaningful way to honor those we have lost is by urging our elected leaders to pursue policies that prevent homelessness and protect access to safe, affordable housing.
Take action today by sending one or both of these letters to your lawmakers through ELCA Witness in Society:
If you are gathering as a congregation or community, you can use these printable templates and invite participants to sign letters together. Printed letters can be collected and given to LEAN, and we will ensure they are delivered to the appropriate lawmakers.
Amidst a government shutdown, ELCA Advocacy was able to bring Lutherans from Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) to Capitol Hill in October to speak about disaster response reform with lawmakers.
You’re invited to join the White Lutherans for Racial Justice (ELCA Association of White Lutherans) for a thoughtful and faithful online gathering January 23-24, 2026 centered on learning, reflection, and conversation. This event creates space for white Lutherans committed to accountability, to naming and dismantling racism within themselves and systems, and to choosing repair, justice, and deeper community together.
Many of us awoke today to the horrific news of yet another deadly attack on the Jewish community, gathered for a Menorah lighting ceremony marking the beginning of Hanukkah at Bondi Beach in Australia.
This incident has already reverberated around the world, striking fear in the hearts of our Jewish neighbors. As the ELCA, we have rejected antisemitism and incitement to violence and pledged ourselves to oppose the anti-Jewish bigotry and hatred. (A Declaration of the ELCA to the Jewish Community, 1994.)
On this third Sunday in Advent, Gaudete Sunday, we reflect upon rejoicing. Yet today our joy is confronted with the anguish and fear experienced by our siblings in faith. Let us remember that our rejoicing is in God’s life-giving promises, promises first extended to the Jewish people in God’s irrevocable covenant.
So, on this day and in the days to come, I encourage you to find concrete ways to share God’s life-giving love with our Jewish neighbors as an antidote to hate, and as a comfort amid fear and grief.
Please join me in prayer:
We whose lives are held captive by your Word ask your blessing upon our urgent desire to live out our faith in Jesus Christ with love and respect for our Jewish neighbors, amid unspeakable violence. Empower us to stand in solidarity with each other to oppose the deadly working of every kind of bigotry, both within our own circles and in the society around us. O Maker and Keeper of us all, reform our faith and our living to reflect more boldly your endless peace. Amen.
The Rev. Yehiel Curry
Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
As students prepared for finals yesterday at Brown University, they found themselves a part of the ever-increasing epidemic of gun violence in the U.S. and globally. We grieve the shooting that ended two lives, injuring many others and traumatizing a community dedicated to learning, inquiry and shared life.
Let us hold in prayer those who were injured, those who witnessed this violence and all who now live with fear and uncertainty. Let us lament the loss of safety and trust that follows such acts, especially for those who have encountered this before and are forced to relive this nightmare. Let us also name this violence as a symptom of deeper brokenness in our common life.
Consistent with our social message on gun violence, the ELCA affirms that this crisis demands faithful response beyond prayer alone. We reject the normalization of gun violence and call for evidence-based, life-saving measures that reduce the risk of harm, address root causes and prioritize the well-being of communities.
In Christ, God meets us in suffering and calls us into public, hopeful action. As church, we commit ourselves to accompaniment, advocacy and sustained engagement—working toward a future shaped by justice, compassion and peace, where life is honored and violence no longer has the final word. In this time of Advent, we await the coming Christ and pray to be a part of the solution to the brokenness that continues to exist in our communities.
Please join me in prayer:
Gracious and merciful God, we come before you in grief. We name before you the fear, anger and confusion that follow such tragedies, trusting that you receive our lament and hold those suffering from loss or injury in your care. In a world fractured by sin and brokenness, remind us that you are not distant from suffering but present in it.
Hold close all who are afraid and whose sense of safety has been torn open. Strengthen first responders, caregivers and campus leaders called to serve in this moment. Where despair threatens to take root, plant courage. Where violence seeks the last word, remind us that death does not have the final claim. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
The Rev. Yehiel Curry
Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada 