ELCA

ELCA Response to False Social Media Accusations

/ Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada / Leave a comment

Statement from Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, February 2, 2025

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America seeks to be a witness to Christ by feeding people who are hungry, caring for those who are sick, and advocating for justice, peace, and the dignity of all people. This has been the calling of the church for over 2, 000 years. 

Today, false accusations were made on X, formerly Twitter, regarding government funding to Lutheran organizations. The claims were those of money laundering and illegal payments. Yet these organizations have done the same work for 85 years in serving legally admitted refugees and immigrants. 

As church, we follow the eighth commandment of the scriptures which states: you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Despite misinformation and baseless doubt cast today on funding that supports Lutheran organizations across our country, the ELCA remains steadfast in our commitment and work with our many Lutheran partners and expressions of our church. The ELCA is also concerned for other faith based communities and organizations who have similarly come under attack.

We strongly urge political leaders at all levels of government to use their offices and platforms responsibly. They should consider the impact of misleading statements and conjecture without regard for the impact those statements have on the communities targeted by these messages. 

Our call to love our neighbors as ourselves remains steadfast: Seek the truth and share the good news of Jesus Christ as we continue to follow his teachings. 

Let me tell you a story. In the year 258, the Roman Empire, during one of its many persecutions of the Church, ordered that the Church turn over its treasure. The task fell to a young deacon named Lawrence, who was given three days to complete it. Immediately, Lawrence sold all the liquid assets and gave that to the sick and to the widows. He liquidated also all of the property and divided that up amongst the poor. On the third day, he appeared before the emperor who demanded to see the treasures of the church. Lawrence gestured behind him, and there were standing those who were sick and hungry, the poor, the naked, the stranger in the land, the most vulnerable, and Lawrence said, “these are the treasures of the church.” He was martyred for that. 

Be of good courage, church, and let us persevere.

More: Read Global Refuge Statement on “Misinformation Around Our Humanitarian Work.”

Revisiting Human Sexuality: ELCA Seeks Input on Social Statement Edits

/ Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada / Leave a comment

ELCA social statements are documents that help people think through social issues and that guide the church’s teaching and policies on those issues. However, their language can become outdated over time as laws and language change.   

The 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly voted to have our church reconsider certain passages from the ELCA social statement Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust in light of changes in U.S. laws regarding marriage since 2009 and in acknowledgment of the church’s understanding of the diversity of family configurations.  

A task force, with people of diverse perspectives from across the ELCA, has been appointed by the ELCA Church Council to shepherd this process.  

In early November, the task force released a set of draft edits for public comment. These are potential editorial changes only — small word changes that update the text without changing its meaning.   

The task force invites you to review these and to share your feedback. This feedback is critical for our discernment as church together, and the task force will prayerfully consider all comments before proposing changes to the 2025 Churchwide Assembly for their action. The deadline for your response is Jan. 31, 2025.     

You can share your feedback by taking an online survey or by emailing the task force directly at Reconsiderations@elca.org.   To help your discernment, several resources are posted at www.elca.org/reconsiderations, including an explanation of each.

Join LEAN at Lutheran Lobby Day Feb. 10

/ Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada / Leave a comment

Meet Fellow Nevadans To Advocate For Justice As Legislative Session Begins

Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada invites you to participate in Lutheran Lobby Day on Monday, February 10, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. This powerful day of worship and advocacy is an opportunity to live out our Lutheran values of justice and compassion while making a meaningful impact in Nevada.

The day begins at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (1201 N. Saliman Road, Carson City, NV 89701) with a worship service that centers our efforts in prayer and faith. From there, we will move to the Nevada State Capitol, where participants will have the chance to meet with legislators and advocate for issues that align with our Lutheran commitment to justice and the common good.

As Lutherans, we are called to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8). Lutheran Lobby Day is a tangible way to answer that call, ensuring our voices are heard on critical issues facing our communities.

Registration is required to participate in this impactful event. Register here and join us as we gather in faith and solidarity to advocate for policies that reflect God’s love for the world.

LEAN Names New Advocacy Director

/ Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada / Leave a comment

Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada (LEAN) announces that Rev. Paul Larson, pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Family in Carson City, NV, has been named to the position of Advocacy Director. He will serve as legislative advocate on behalf of Lutheran parishioners across the state of Nevada, reporting to the LEAN Policy Council. The 83rd Session of the Nevada Legislature convenes its 120-day biannual session on Feb. 3, 2025.

As a registered lobbyist, Rev. Larson will keep abreast of social justice issues facing individuals and families in Nevada, as well as issues relating to the care of creation. Under the Policy Council’s direction, he will monitor the introduction of relevant bills; advocate the LEAN position on issues with elected officials; conduct speaking engagements and/or workshops (in person or online) at a congregational level on active advocacy and participating in the legislative process; and perform various other outreach and advocacy duties, including helping plan a “Lobby Day” at the Nevada Capitol in February. He will also network with local, state, and national advocacy groups pursuing a similar public policy agenda, and, where appropriate, serve as a member on relevant state-level boards and coalitions.

As a body, LEAN operates under direction and with support of the Grand Canyon and Sierra Pacific Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

“Over LEAN’s nearly three-decade history, we’ve always had strong, committed, spirit-led advocates to represent Christian principles in the halls of Nevada power,” says Vic Williams, longtime LEAN Policy Council member and current secretary/treasurer. “Rev. Larson is the latest in a long line of dedicated servants, and we truly look forward to working with him to further our mission, with the ELCA’s Social Statements as our foundation.”

Before being called in October 2024 as lead pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Family, Rev. Larson served as pastor at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in his native Salinas, CA, for two years; during that time he also served as Chaplain for Lutheran Campus Ministry of the Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz. Previous positions include Strategic Designer for Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Young Adult Ministry in Chicago, Illinois; Interim Youth Director for East Bay Lutheran Youth Parish in Oakland, CA; and Vicar at Advent Lutheran Church, Westminster, CO. He also brings a wealth of community organizing and communications experience to his new LEAN position.

“I was interested in this position because of today’s changing political landscape, and how people of faith respond to it,” says Rev. Larson. “There are plenty of issues in play for the upcoming session, from immigration to early childhood development to food insecurity, to addiction. How do we support families through these and other challenges? I look forward to representing congregations and LEAN as we advocate for all Nevadans.”

Rev. Larson holds an M.DIV from United Lutheran Seminary, Philadelphia, PA, and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Sociology and Political Science from Luther College in Decorah, IA.

To reach Rev. Larson, please email him at paullarson@leanforjustice.org.

Sacred Crossroads: The Intersection of Faith and Immigration

/ Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada / Leave a comment

Though the 2024 election is over, there is much work to do here in the West when it comes to protecting our brothers and sisters seeking asylum and, ultimately, legal residence in the United States. This resource raises the importance of centering our values as well as the perspectives of others, includes guidance from ELCA social teaching, facts and statistics about immigration, offers prayer, questions for personal reflection, and questions for Nevada’s elected office, and more! As Christians living in a state with a large immigrant population, we are called to be disciples and advocates for all.

Use this nonpartisan resource to explore key immigration facts from ELCA Ammparo and reflect on how Christian values compel us to pursue justice, help the oppressed, promote human dignity and human flourishing, and pray for a government that serves all neighbors. It’s a quick resource at only 8 pages.

The guide includes:

  • Learning from history
  • Leading with faith values
  • ELCA social teaching on immigration
  • Prayers for discernment
  • Facts about immigrant neighbors
  • Questions for reflection

DOWNLOAD ‘SACRED CROSSROADS’ GUIDE