A Pastoral Word on the Grand Jury Decision in Louisville
September 24, 2020 For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. ― Ephesians 2:14 In response to the grand jury decision in Louisville, Ky., we offer a word of prayer and healing following the decision not to charge police officers for
ELCA Presiding Bishop Responds to Disregard for Human Life and Dignity at Private Detention Facility
“As Christ on the cross did not lose his dignity, but in fact revealed himself fully in vulnerability, every human who is being mistreated retains the image of God that confers dignity. A society should not deny a person's dignity for any reason.” —ELCA social message “Human Rights,” p. 4 On
LAMPa Welcomes ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow Larry D. Herrold Jr.
LAMPa is excited to welcome Larry D. Herrold Jr. as our first ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow. Larry is a native of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, a small-town of about 10,000 nestled where the east and west branches of the Susquehanna River meet. He graduated from Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA, in 2019 with
PA House and Senate Introduce Bills Expanding PHFA’s Rental & Mortgage Assistance Program
The Pennsylvania Senate and House have introduced legislation aimed at assisting Commonwealth residents to more easily access Federal CARES dollars directed toward rental and mortgage assistance. Landlords and potential rental and mortgage assistance recipients have had difficulty navigating the multi-step application process. The House and Senate versions of this legislation
Gov. Wolf Urges Legislature to Protect Homeowners and Renters from Eviction
As his moratorium on evictions and foreclosures expired, Gov. Tom Wolf was joined by Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) Executive Director and CEO Robin L. Wiessmann, Sen. Jay Costa, Rep. Maureen Madden and advocates to urge the legislature to quickly pass legislation to protect Pennsylvanians from eviction from their homes
Voting Updates: Mail-in and Absentee Ballots; Become a Poll Worker; and Election Security
As you prepare to vote in the Nov. 3 elections, here are some important updates. Stay tuned for additional updates as we monitor pending legislation in the PA House and Senate regarding voting in Pennsylvania. The deadline to register for the November general election is October 19, 2020. Keep
LAMPa Welcomes Seminarian Margaret Folkemer-Leonard
We welcome Margaret Folkemer-Leonard, who will be serving with LAMPa and St. Matthew Lutheran Church in York as part of her education at United Lutheran Seminary (ULS). "I am excited to grow in my call to word and service ministry, learning how to better bridge the gap between church and
Save the Date for Lutheran Day 2021 – October 28
As we continue to move through the pandemic, we look forward and invite you to mark your calendar for next year's Lutheran Day at the Capitol as we plan to gather in Harrisburg on Thursday, October 28, 2021. We have moved this annual event from the spring into the fall
LAMPa Welcomes New Policy Council Member from SWPA
The Rev. Jim Engel, pastor at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Uniontown, joins the LAMPa Policy Council representing the ELCA Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod (SWPA). "I am excited to have the opportunity to return to working with a state government to advocate for those who have been marginalized by power,
ELCA Church Council Adopts New Social Message
The ELCA Church Council has unanimously adopted a new social message: “Government and Civic Engagement in the United States: Discipleship in a Democracy.” This project was called for at the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, with an intention that it be ready to read before the national election this fall. The
