|
The Bishop's Commemorative MLK Service
Sunday January 15th, 2023 at 4pm EST Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atlanta
You are cordially invited to join us and bring the whole community for what promises to be a wonderful celebration around the theme, “Proclaiming Hope, Pursuing Justice, and Providing Help.” Our preacher will be the Rev. Senator Kim Jackson, along with the Trey Clegg Singers. We will have a children’s choir, a brass quartet, and liturgical dancers. All rostered ministers are invited to vest, and the day's color is red. This will be an IN-PERSON service, with live streaming available on the Southeastern Synod's YouTube and Facebook pages.
The official letter of invitation, along with a list of MLK service day activities can be found here.
|
A Virtual Interfaith Prayer Vigil
Thursday, January 19, 2023 7pm EST
Georgia's Interfaith Community welcomes you to pray with us in the New Year! Blessings for the Beloved Community is an hour-long interfaith prayer vigil for legislators and the legislative session, faith leaders and communities, and the needs of Georgia's children. Prayers and reflections will be offered form many faiths. Please register here.
|
Ending Mass Incarceration Conference
January 11-13, 2023
The Multi-faith Initiative to End Mass Incarceration (EMI) is focused on catalyzing a faith-rooted response to this issue in a way that adds value to existing work and furthers coherence in faith-rooted efforts. Our vision is for multi-faith communities to exercise and amplify their calls and actions for eliminating mass incarceration in a dedicated, savvy, and impactful manner, at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA. Find out more information here.
|
Disability Ministries Grant
Is your congregation and its ministries committed to inclusion and accessibility? The ELCA Disabilities Ministries has grants opportunities for those who seek to make accessibility, inclusion, participation and leadership of people with disabilities a priority — a matter of justice. Grant applications begin on December 12 and will close on February 15. Learn more here.
|
|
|
Tigray Conflict
Ethiopia’s northern most region of Tigray has been at the center of an ongoing civil conflict. According to Lutheran World Federation, in August of 2022, a 5 month humanitarian truce declared by the Ethiopian government was shattered an no aid had been able to reach the people of Tigray. Essential services were discontinued and no food was arriving. The hospitals in Tigray were missing very basic supplies and people were dying because of the lack of medication and oxygen. More than 5 million people have been displaced because of the conflict and the severe drought affecting the area. The situation is grave.
However, there is some hope for God’s people in Tigray. On November 2, 2022, there was a ceasefire agreed upon by the parties in conflict. Ethiopia’s Tigray region was opened again for humanitarian aid. While peace is fragile, Sophie Gebreyes, LWF Country Representative in Ethiopia, describes the situation as calm, relatively safe, and that people’s faces brimmed with hope.
While the possibility for humanitarian workers to revisit the region is great, help is still needed. According to Sophie Gebreyes, the people of Tigray need “immediate humanitarian aid as well as early recovery and development assistance” as they transition to peace. In Tigray, LWF collaborate with the Development and Social Services Commission of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus to provide humanitarian aid and livelihood support to the people affected by the conflict.
For more information on the conflict and to support Lutheran World Federation, visit lutheranworld.org. We will continue to pray for peace among the nations.
|
January 2023 - What is Advocacy?
During 2023, each month will have a different Advocacy focus. We are starting the year with "What is Advocacy?" The ELCA's website has wonderful advocacy resources, including congregational studies, videos, and tools. Watch this brief video to learn more about faith based advocacy and why we, as Lutherans, engage in advocacy. Want to get involved with our advocacy team? Email Allison now!
To learn more about Advocacy in the ELCA, visit: https://elca.org/Our-Work/Publicly-Engaged-Church/Advocacy
To contact Allison Lizdas, Assistant to the Bishop for Advocacy, email alizdas@elca-ses.org or call our Synod office at 404-589-1977
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.png?width=200)
