August 6, 2020
This year marks the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s treatise The Freedom of a Christian. To observe this milestone, the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), invites the church to read, study and reflect on this Lutheran witness of the Christian faith. In his work, Luther spoke...
Read More →
July 28, 2020
“Christians are called to be stewards of our common life through serving as faithful and active citizens. We live out our mutual responsibility for one another by guaranteeing our neighbor’s right to vote and participate freely and fully in society.” — The Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA For many of us, voting,...
Read More →
July 17, 2020
The Pennsylvania Council of Churches continues its search for an executive director, with a deadline of August 31 for applications. They hope to find “a faithful and resourceful Christian disciple to lead the PCC in addressing the many issues and challenges facing the Christian community today and in the future.” The new director must have...
Read More →
July 15, 2020
Our thoughts and prayers inform our actions. An online training event hosted jointly by the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, “Advocacy Tools for Loving Your Neighbor”, was held July 9. Both Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, plus advocacy leaders from both denominations, participated in the webinar that explored...
Read More →
July 10, 2020
Governor Wolf issued an executive order extending the rental eviction and foreclosure moratorium. Due to expire on July 10, the extension protects renters and homeowners from eviction proceedings until August 31, 2020. This moratorium covers families that are not protected under other federal eviction and foreclosure programs or families that don’t receive assistance through a...
Read More →
July 2, 2020
The General Assembly unanimously passed two policing reform bills and a measure to remove barriers to professional licensing for individuals with certain unrelated prior convictions before recessing for the summer, but left work on elections reforms on the table as the President’s re-election campaign sued the state this week over changes made to procedures in...
Read More →
June 29, 2020
Applications for $175 million of state funding for rental and mortgage assistance are now available, and the funds will be distributed in counties on a first-come, first-serve basis. The program is managed by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA). Visit www.PHFA.org for details and eligibility criteria. PHFA recently shared implementation details for the new state...
Read More →
June 26, 2020
A new slate of leaders was elected in the House Republican Caucus following the resignation of former PA House Speaker Mike Turzai, effective June 15. Turzai, who resigned his House seat with five months remaining in his term accepted a position as general counsel for Peoples, a Pittsburgh-based gas utility. The House unanimously elected Rep....
Read More →
June 25, 2020
Keystone Counts recently shared an update on the 2020 Census in Pennsylvania. LAMPa is one of the more than 100 coalition members of Keystone Counts, a statewide coalition of advocacy groups, service providers, and community organizations joined together to build an education and outreach effort for a fair and accurate 2020 census. The nationwide response...
Read More →
June 24, 2020
June 24, 2020 “ELCA social teaching supports human rights for all people, regardless of their sex (biological), gender, or sexuality. This stance is rooted in respect and welcome for all people as created in the image of God and evident in the ELCA’s longstanding commitment to protecting civil and human rights” (Faith, Sexism, and Justice:...
Read More →
