LAMPa

Joint Commission Advocacy Summit 2026
2026-05-05 17:00 - 2026-05-07 17:00 (America/New_York) | Shiloh Baptist Church, 1500 9th St NW, Washington,, DC, United States
advocacy summit

A Vision for Liberating our Democracy
2026-02-27 - 2026-02-28 | United Lutheran Seminary: Philadelphia Campus, 7301 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA, 19119, United States
United Lutheran Seminary (ULS) will host A Vision for Liberating Our Democracy: Examining the Religious and Racialized Roots of American Democracy on Feb. 27–28 at its Philadelphia campus. The interdisciplinary conference will bring together scholars, activists, educators and faith leaders to examine how religion and race have shaped democratic life in the United States and to explore liberative visions for the future. Graduate level students attend free.
Register here. Visit the ULS website and online calendar for additional information.
Download the flyer here: A Vision for Liberating Our Democracy Flyer

Stories of regrowth & resilience
2026-02-24 20:00 - 21:00 | Online Webinar
Stories of Regrowth and Resilience! 4pm AK/5pm PST/ 6pm MT/ 7pm CT/ 8pm ET Hear from Christ the King Lutheran Church who experienced a resurgence of vitality in their church after a bold public witness to the importance of Earth Care. Learn more about their monarch fest, church “permaculture” food forest, and share stories together.

Changing by Choice
2026-02-19 18:00 - 2026-03-26 19:00 | Online Webinar
If we know what we need to do, why do we fail to do it?
This study invites us to apply this age-old question of faith to the problem of climate change. The study features videos recorded at the global climate negotiations in November 2025 and introduces the Global Ethical Stocktake, a discussion framework developed in 2025 to guide a global conversation on the ethics of climate change. With grace and urgency, this study will open space to ask hard questions and gain insights into the issue of climate change—and our responsibilities to each other.
Changing by Choice considers climate change as it intersects with other core concerns for faith communities, including hunger; migration; disaster response; and violent conflict. And, using the Global Ethical Stocktake framework, it brings your group into conversation with people in local communities around the world.
Join the discussion by registering on eventbrite at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1979825213509.

Celebrate Daniel A. Payne: A Visionary Beyond Borders
2026-02-09 18:00 - 19:30 | United Lutheran Seminary Gettysburg campus, 61 Seminary Ridge, Gettysburg, PA, United States

2026 Roadmap: Refugee Resettlement, Asylum, and Humanitarian Protection Trends
2026-02-02 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Join Church World Service, We Are All America, Refugee Council USA, National Partnership for New Americans, and Human Rights First for a national briefing on the 2026 outlook for refugee resettlement, asylum, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and other humanitarian protections. This session will provide critical updates on federal policy shifts, enforcement trends, congressional funding, and advocacy opportunities, equipping advocates and community leaders with what they need to prepare for the year ahead.
This briefing is for everyone: immigrants and refugees, organizers, advocates, faith communities, service providers, and anyone who refuses to stay silent while the Trump administration targets refugees and immigrants. Whether you are responding to crises, supporting families, or pushing for policy change, the virtual briefing will help you understand the current situation, stay grounded in facts, and take meaningful action to protect our neighbors. Register here.

Countering Christian Nationalism in Pennsylvania: Faith in the Commonwealth for the Common Good
2026-01-20 - 2026-01-22 | Camp Sequanota, 368 Sequanota Rd., Boswell, PA, 15531, United States
Christian Nationalism is on the rise—especially in Pennsylvania—threatening the heart of our faith and democracy. This retreat invites ELCA candidates for ministry and rostered leaders into a sacred space for truth-telling, healing, and hope. Together, we’ll explore how Christian Nationalism distorts the gospel, divides communities, and shows up in our local context—and how we can respond with love, justice, and public witness for the good of all.
Sponsored by the Allegheny Synod and Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania (LAMPa).
In partnership with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC).
Register here!

Pricing:
Single Occupancy: $350
Includes dinner on Tuesday through lunch on Thursday, and single occupancy accommodations at Sequanota’s Bowersox center.
Double Occupancy: $250
Includes dinner on Tuesday through lunch on Thursday, and double occupancy accommodations at Sequanota’s Bowersox center. You can indicate preferred roommate at registration, or one will be assigned.
Commuter Rate: $185
Includes dinner on Tuesday through lunch on Thursday.

Thanks to regular Mission Support, the Allegheny Synod Leadership Support Fund is providing discounts for their rostered leaders and candidates who attend this event. Use these promocodes when you register:
For all Allegheny Synod Rostered Leaders, use ALLEGHENYROSTER for $50 off.
For Allegheny Synod First Call Rostered Leaders (in the first three years of ordination), use ALLEGHENYFIRSTCALL for $100 off.
For seminarians and candidates in candidacy through the Allegheny Synod, use ALLEGHENYCANDIDATE for $150 off.
The promocodes should be entered on the first page of registration. It is a small bullet point on the right-hand side of the screen.

Prophets, Saints, and Kings
2026-01-17 09:30 - 16:30 | United Lutheran Seminary Gettysburg campus, 61 Seminary Ridge, Gettysburg, PA, United States
Resisting Christian Nationalism and Building the Beloved Community with King and Bonhoeffer
Join us for a day with internationally renowned Bonhoeffer scholars, Dr. Stephen Haynes and Dr. Reggie Williams.
On MLK weekend, we’ll learn about the intersecting legacies and lessons of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King, Jr., while deepening our understanding of how people of faith can confront and resist the growing forces of authoritarianism and Christian nationalism in our own time. Being rooted in learning and worship, we’ll dream together about how to make a world to best live into our own calls to seek justice and peace.
Kindling Faith: Prophets, Saints, and Kings – YouTube
NOTE: For those who were able to gather in spite of the weather, thank you for the conversation and shared encouragement! For those who were unable to make it, we missed you and hope we see you soon. (Mark your calendars for Lutheran Day in the Capitol, LAMPa’s annual day of learning and advocacy, on April 20. Details and registration coming soon!) We hope you will find this recording of Saturday’s event useful for your own discernment and for informing communal discernment in your context. While we are delighted to offer this resource as a gift to you, events like this require significant time, funding, and effort to make possible. We invite you to support LAMPa with a donation so we can continue providing meaningful programs like this in the future. You can find out more about donating here.
SCHEDULE
Saturday, January 17
10 a.m. — A talk given by Dr. Reggie Williams: When cruelty is elevated to state policy and loyalty to the nation is confused with loyalty to Christ, it is little wonder that Christians have so frequently found themselves on the wrong side of history. Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King Jr. were both pastors and theologians who wrestled with the meaning of Christ-centered faithfulness for their time. They were advocates of social justice and human rights who defied contemporary laws and cultural norms, and they faced opposition to their work from many of their fellow Christians. We may learn from their prophetic witness for Christian faithfulness in our contexts by paying attention to their respective interpretations of the way of Jesus.
11 a.m. — A talk given by Dr. Stephen R. Haynes: What does resistance look like in our time and place? As we search for models, there is a natural tendency to look to the life and legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “hero of the anti-Nazi resistance.” But what part of Bonhoeffer’s resistance is most relevant for us? His writing? His speaking? His part in an assassination plot? This presentation will explore the totality of Bonhoeffer’s “resistance to the Nazis,” from 1933 to his death in 1945.
Noon — Lunch — Order a boxed lunch when you register for the day or dine on your own in Gettysburg.
1:30 p.m. — A panel discussion featuring Antoine Cummins, Dr. Smallwood, Dr. Williams and Dr. Haynes will follow lunch to help participants understand the ways in which Bonhoeffer’s theology counters the ways in which Christian nationalist forces frame “faithful” participation in the public sphere. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of ways in which they can speak about their faith and public life and can take concrete action to counter the harmful narratives of Christian nationalism.
2:45 p.m. — We end our time by coming together around the Word and Sacrament, with preaching by the Rev. Dr. Teresa Smallwood. Rooting ourselves in worship reminds us of our connection to one another in concrete community and as part of the communion of saints throughout time and space. We are sent nourished and filled, ready for the work we are called to do.

SPEAKERS
Dr. Reggie Williams is Associate Professor of Black Theology and African American Studies at St Louis University in St Louis, Missouri. He is the author of Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus: Harlem Renaissance Theology and an Ethic of Resistance, which was selected as a Choice Outstanding Title in theology, in 2014 (revised edition, 2021). The book examines the impact of exposure to theology in the Harlem Renaissance on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was killed by the Nazis in 1945 for his resistance. Dr. Williams is currently work includes a story of a complicated Christian response to fascism, and a study of ethics for better response to social injustice. Dr. Williams’ research interests include Black Theology, Black Studies, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Studies, and Christian ethics. Dr. Williams is a board member of the English Language section of the International Dietrich Bonhoeffer Society, former board member of the Society for the Study of Black Religion, and the Society for Christian Ethics. Dr. Williams and his wife Stacy are the parents of a son, Darion, and a daughter, Simone.
Dr. Stephen R. Haynes is Professor of Religious Studies at Rhodes College and the Director of the Rhodes Liberal Arts in Prison Program at West Tennessee State Penitentiary. He is a prominent scholar of German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, having authored several significant works examining Bonhoeffer’s legacy and contemporary relevance, including “The Bonhoeffer Phenomenon: Portraits of a Protestant Saint” (2004), “The Bonhoeffer Legacy: Post-Holocaust Perspectives” (2006), “Bonhoeffer for Armchair Theologians” (co-authored with Lori Brandt Hale, 2009), and “The Battle for Bonhoeffer: Debating Discipleship in the Age of Trump” (2018). Dr. Haynes holds a Ph.D. in Religion and Literature from Emory University, the M. Div. from Columbia Theological Seminary.
The Rev. Dr. Teresa Smallwood is the James Franklin Kelly and Hope Eyster Kelly Associate Professor of Public Theology and Dean and Vice-President of Academic Affairs for United Lutheran Seminary. Dr. Smallwood graduated from Howard University School of Divinity in 2010 with a Master of Divinity degree. In 2011, Dr. Smallwood pursued a Ph.D. from Chicago Theological Seminary, which she earned in 2017. Dr. Smallwood has held ministerial staff positions at Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church, Lewiston, NC, Israel Baptist Church, Washington, DC, and New Covenant Christian Church Disciples of Christ, Nashville, TN. She is currently on the ministerial staff of Saint John African Methodist Episcopal Church, Nashville, TN with Senior Pastor, Rev. Dr. Lisa Hammonds. Dr. Smallwood has taught at Lancaster Theological Seminary in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the Religious Freedom Center in Washington, D.C., Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois, and Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas. Dr. Smallwood served as the Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate Director of the Public Theology and Racial Justice Collaborative at Vanderbilt Divinity School from 2017 to 2021.
Antoine R. Cummins, born on the Island of Barbados, raised in Brooklyn, NY, currently serves as Program Director for Civil Rights Policy on the ELCA Witness in Society Team. Antoine has spent 15 years serving the ELCA in various capacities including Pacifica Synod as Assistant to the Bishop, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary on the Advisory Board, the ELCA on the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church and Waldorf University as Director of Campus Ministry. Prior to this, Antoine has spent time in Higher Education, as a Adjunct Math Professor, Licensed Tax Professional and Football Coach. His journey has been uncharted and the one thing that keeps him inspired? How much healing can be found in community; when we approach each other with a posture of humility and walk away from our interactions with a sense of awe and wonder!
Civil Rights Federal Policy Overview

• Prevent discrimination. • Protect religious liberty for all. • Improve outcomes for disadvantaged groups. • Recognize and address historical injustices. • Support mental health of high-risk groups. • Uphold constitutional rights and promote good governance

Places to Stay In Gettysburg, PA: Hotels, Cabins, B&B’s

American Christian Nationalism, Christian Zionism, and Islamophobia: Examining our Cultural and Theological Frameworks
2026-01-14 13:00 - 15:00 | Online Webinar
Christian Nationalism is not new and has found many forms throughout the history of the Church, from Armenia to Russia to Germany and to the U.S. However, American Christian Nationalism is built upon a cultural and theological view of Americans as “exceptional” and America as a “New Zion.”
This five-week online series will examine the current overlapping forms of American Christian Nationalism, Christian Zionism, Antisemitism, and Anti -Muslim bigotry. We will examine the cultural framework for these public ideologies and their biblical and theological roots not only within the “Christian Right” but also “Mainline” traditions. The series is intended for religious leaders who are interested in providing guidance for their congregations and local communities. CEU certificate available. Register at https://ulsforms.wufoo.com/forms/q11iff8s0v0ro3v/

Faithful Resilience
2026-01-12 18:00 - 2026-02-16 19:30 | Online Webinar

Rebuild Teams - Connecting for Service with Lutheran Disaster Response - Eastern PA
2026-01-07
Join Lutheran Disaster Response for a virtual workshop on disaster response work on Wednesday, January 7, 10AM – noon or 7PM – 9PM. New to this work? You’ll learn about how to connect and important considerations. Already experienced? Connect with others to share best practices and network to discuss how to overcome challenges.
Register here: Registration: Rebuild Teams – Connecting for Service with Lutheran Disaster Response – Eastern PA
Download the flyer here.

Municipal Elections
2025-11-04 07:00 - 20:00
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Find out more about the Municipal Election.
Find your polling place.

Deadline to Request Mail-In Ballot
2025-10-28
Request your Mail-In Ballot for the November 4 Municipal Election BY 5pm on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
Mail-in and Absentee Ballot | Voting & Election Information | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Deadline to Register for Fall Election
2025-10-20
Register for the November 4 Municipal Election by Monday, October 20, 2025.
Register to Vote | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

SEPA Synod - In God's Image
2025-10-04 09:00 - 14:00 | Trinity Lutheran, Lansdale, 1000 W Main St., Lansdale, PA, 19446, United States
A day celebrating the ways in which congregations and communities that welcome all beloved who are made in God’s image.

Gathering at the Gate
2025-09-16 - 2025-09-17
See below for information on a grassroots movement and advocacy opportunity happening in Washington, D.C. on September 16-17. Gathering at the Gate is not officially sponsored by the ELCA and LAMPa, though the advocacy portions will be informed by ELCA Advocacy and Witness in Society staff.
We offer this invitation to you who want to respond to the call of Amos 5:15 to “hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gate.” There are virtual options available, in addition to the in-person gathering. Registration closes September 1.
An Invitation to Make A Strong Impact
2025 has seen relentless attacks on civil rights, equal rights, refugee resettlement, and support for the most vulnerable globally and nationally. People of faith are sensing a call to embody the call of Amos – Hate Evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate (5:15). As Lutheran leaders—bishops, pastors, deacons, and faith leaders—please join us to gather as a public witness to God’s justice and mercy. Together, we pray to gather 500+ leaders to stand at the “gate” of Washington, D.C., where harmful decisions are made that shape the lives of immigrants and refugees, LGBTQIA+ people, and all those who are pushed to the margins, and are being erased in front of our eyes. This gathering will root and connect us together as we journey forward in our work together.
Why We Gather
We are Lutheran Christians—rostered and lay—gathering in a time of growing injustice against refugees, immigrants, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, those experiencing poverty, and many pushed to the margins and harmed by unjust systems. We are compelled by our faith to proclaim good news and act with courage. Rooted in Amos’ call to justice, we gather not only to pray, but to build relational power and pursue sustained change.
This is more than a two-day event in our hearts and minds. It’s a faithful step into a sustained movement over multiple years—deepening relationships, naming what is broken, and discerning a shared call to action.
What Guides Us
We are:
WITH those who suffer violence, exclusion, or erasure and organizations that advocate and work on their behalf.
AGAINST systems and rhetoric that deny dignity.
COMMITTED to sustained empowerment, advocacy, and organizing beyond this moment.​
CALLED to act from our Christian Lutheran commitments to justice, accountability, and mercy.
What Gathering at the Gate Is
This is a grassroots movement, and we pray only a starting point. We are working to create the capacity for leaders to show up, listen deeply, and speak clearly. We gather to root ourselves in faith, amplify marginalized voices, and build trust that can carry lasting work forward. We gather as Lutherans, friends, and neighbors with and for the whole church and world.
“Be merciful, just as your God is merciful.” – Luke 6:36

Learn more and register.

Liberty Lutheran: God's Work. Our Hands. Disaster Relief
2025-09-14 | The Lutheran Center – NEPA, 2354 Grove Road, Allentown, PA, 18109, United States
https://libertylutheran.org/liberty-life-services/disaster-response/gods-work-our-hands/

Kindling Faith: Aging Grace-Fully Author Series: Anne Lamott
2025-09-11 13:30 - 14:30 | United Lutheran Seminary Gettysburg campus, 61 Seminary Ridge, Gettysburg, PA, United States
Aging Grace-Fully examines how to age with grace
and live, fully, with the physical, mental and social
changes that are often difficult to accept when
growing older.
Join us to seek understanding and acceptance of
these challenges in our eight-part series featuring
leading authors who share their knowledge and
experiences about aging including suffering, love
and loss.
This event will be in-person and also streamed. See registration for details

Ecology of Grace Speaker Series
2025-09-10 18:15 - 19:00 | Grace Lutheran Church, State College, 205 S Garner Street, State College, PA
Every time we encounter the news here and around the world, we are no longer able to avoid what seems like an onslaught of alerts about the state of our world amidst storms and floods, fires, and drought as levels and frequencies almost too much to bear. And yet, as Robin Wall Kimmerer writes in The Serviceberry, An Economy of Abundance, “All flourishing is mutual.”
How do we live faithfully now? As a companion to our September worship centered upon the “Season of Creation,” we are delving into how we relate to one another and our surroundings. In the field of biology this practice is the study of ecology. As people of faith how do we approach relating to one another and our world? Our ecology is grounded in grace.
We proclaim grace to be God’s gift and love for humanity. It shows up as mercy and forgiveness and love that we receive even when we don’t deserve it. It shows up as making spaces and people whole and holy. It shows up as new life and regeneration in spite of past lives and generations. It shows up as peace and not the constant clashing of wills.
And it always shows up as a reminder that God will never call us disposable. We who are given this gift can then practice reflecting it in the world for the sake of the world.
Join five weeks of wisdom and insight on what an “Ecology of Grace” can look like and mean from a variety of perspectives:
September 10th – Rev. Dr Gil Waldkoenig, United Lutheran Seminary
September 17th – Rev Dr. Chad Rimmer, Dean and Rector, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
September 24th – Dr. Casey Sclar, The Arboretum at Penn State
October 1st – Dr. Charlie Vasey, Penn State on building sustainable bio-economies
October 8th – Lutheran Advocacy Ministry and closing Blessing of Creation
Each week begins promptly at 6:15 pm and ends at 7 pm.
Attend LIVE in the sanctuary at Grace Lutheran Church,
205 S Garner Street, State College, PA
Attend LIVESTREAMED at: https://tinyurl.com/EcologyofGrace
Post- session video will be available on our YouTube Channel:
Grace Lutheran State College, PA
Email pastorhetrick@glcpa.org with any questions
Jesus commands us to “love our neighbors as ourselves.” (Mark 12:31). Grace is a place for every body – all ages and stages; races and ethnicities; all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions; those living with neurodiversity, disabilities and those who currently are not. As a community guided by the call of Jesus, we are committed to growing in anti

God's Work. Our Hands. Our Voices.
2025-09-07 08:00 - 17:00
“God’s work. Our hands.” is Sept. 7, 2025!
This day is an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America — one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor.
Service activities offer an opportunity for us to explore one of our most basic convictions as Lutherans: that all of life in Jesus Christ – every act of service, in every daily calling, in every corner of life — flows freely from a living, daring confidence in God’s grace.
Add “Our Voices” to your day of service with an advocacy component. LAMPa staff is happy to help consult and help you choose an advocacy action to best complement your project! Just email us at LAMPa@LutheranAdvocacyPa.org with “GWOH” in the subject line!

Immigration Network Meeting
2025-08-21 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Join policy experts and experienced advocates to learn about what is happening in federal immigration policy and enforcement. Find out how you can take action to stand with our immigrant neighbors as people of faith.
Guest Speaker: Kate Parsons, ELCA Advocacy Migration Policy Consultant

Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/hvnXCpGzSIWIuMkIJghnGA

In God's Image Network Meeting
2025-08-20 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Join policy experts and experienced advocates to learn about human and civil rights policies happening at the federal and state level. Come hear ways we can be good allies for the diversity of God’s beloved.
Guest Speaker: Antoine Cummins, ELCA Advocacy Program Director for Civil Rights Policy

Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/v6EIG-9kSwaM9fHGPa9Bfw

Lutherans Restoring Creation - August Connections Call
2025-08-19 20:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
Does it feel like “there are too many things to care about” right now?
Those with power try to divide and conquer, making us fight for time, attention and resources for “our” social justice issue against “other” social justice issues. But it’s a made up fight. We get stronger together!
This call will integrate a Lutherans Restoring Creation “Connection Call” with ELCA World Hunger leaders, some of whom are gathering soon to revitalize their efforts to “do justice, love kindness, and [move] humbly with our God.” (Micah 6:8) We’ll meet people who work for justice across multiple sectors and manifestations: migrant, economic, racial, gender or environmental (MERGE). We’ll ask each other what we’re seeing in our communities and how we can work together for a world aligned with God’s just, kind vision.
REGISTER HERE!

Why Courts Matter: Diving into How Our Judicial System Helps to Protect Our Environment
2025-08-13 17:30 - 19:00 | Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Carrick, 1811 Brownsville Rd, Pittsburgh, PA, 15210, United States
The Pennsylvania State Courts play a crucial role as the final arbiters of state law and our constitution, often having the final say on state election issues, environmental rules, and ensuring equal treatment and justice for all. Yet, many of us don’t know exactly how Pennsylvania’s judicial system works or how judges are elected in the Commonwealth.
Join us for an informative and engaging event designed for everyday residents who want to better understand our courts and how judicial elections shape our communities – and how the court system can be a tool for environmental protection and holding polluters accountable. Learn how you can make informed choices at the ballot box.
What You’ll Learn:
✅ How Pennsylvania’s court system works and why it matters to you
✅ The ways our court systems can hold polluters accountable and protect our environment
✅ The process of electing and retaining judges in Pennsylvania
✅ How to research judicial candidates and make informed voting decisions
Find out more and register here.

Hunger AND Creation Care Network Meeting
2025-08-13 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Gather virtually with policy experts and experienced advocates as we prepare for the Fall in Congress – especially focused on the long-awaited Farm Bill. We’ll discuss implications for hunger and climate policy, and ways to take action as people of faith.
Guest Speakers: Andrew Fuller, ELCA Advocacy Program Director for Economic Policy
Christine Moffett, ELCA Advocacy Program Director for Environment and Energy Policy
Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tckBnSSDSXitwyF8467dgQ

Housing Network Meeting
2025-08-06 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Join our network of housing advocates to hear about upcoming national policies that will affect housing and homelessness.
Guest speaker: Andrew Fuller, ELCA Program Director for Economic Policy
Register at: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/Z2dnGDkZTYue0GDwtp6XZQ

LRC Connections Call: Do Energy Expertly!
2025-07-22 20:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
Fact: Using less energy reduces our load on Creation and usually decreases the fossil fuels.
Fact: It also makes our energy bill cheaper.
But after that it gets a little complicated: efficiency? energy audits? What about Direct Pay?
Demystify Energy with us!
Register Here
Find out more about Lutherans Restoring Creation

WEBINAR: Protecting Homeowners in Manufactured Home Communities
2025-06-17 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Register Today
Manufactured home communities (MHCs) are one of the few opportunities for affordable living in many rural communities. But in recent years, that affordability has been threatened by the growing trend of acquisitions by private equity firms and other institutional investors who prioritize quick profit over habitability.
Come learn about a coalition of MHC residents working to protect MHC homeowners and keeping manufactured home communities stable for generations to come.
When: Tuesday, June 17th from 12 PM – 1 PM (EDT)
Presenters:
• Bob Besecker, Coalition of Manufactured Home Communities – A view from within
• Kevin Quisenberery, Community Justice Project – The private equity model and the limitations of current state law
• Cindy Daley, Regional Housing Legal Services – A Legislative Solution
Registration will close at 11:00 AM – 1 hour prior to the webinar start time
You will receive the link and call in information from the Housing Alliance 1 hour prior to the webinar
**Pricing**
Free for Members
$25 for Non-Members
Email info@housingalliancepa.org to verify your membership
Register Here

Commemoration of the Emanuel 9
2025-06-17
As part of the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, voting members adopted a resolution designating June 17 as a commemoration of the martyrdom of the Emanuel 9—the nine people shot and killed on June 17, 2015, during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C.
The resources referenced below are provided to help synods and congregations mark this commemoration. These resources can be adapted for virtual worship, online conversation, or individual reflection and devotion. You are invited to use them in whatever ways are most helpful for your local context.
Our relationship to the shooter, as well as two of the slain, reminds us of both our complicity and our calling. Together we confess that we are in bondage to the sins of racism and white supremacy and, at the same time, we rejoice in the freedom that is ours in Christ Jesus who “has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us” (Ephesians 2:14). May God continue to guide us as we seek repentance and renewal, and racial justice and reconciliation among God’s precious children.

The following paragraph describing this commemoration could be provided for congregations in resources such as service folders.
Emanuel Nine, martyrs, 2015
On June 17, 2015, Clementa C. Pinckney, Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lee Lance, DePayne Middleton-Doctor, Tywanza Sanders, Daniel Lee Simmons, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, and Myra Thompson were murdered by a self-professed white supremacist while they were gathered for Bible study and prayer at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (often referred to as Mother Emanuel) in Charleston, South Carolina. Pastors Pinckney and Simmons were both graduates of the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. A resolution to commemorate June 17 as a day of repentance for the martyrdom of the Emanuel Nine was adopted by the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on August 8, 2019. Congregations of the ELCA are encouraged reaffirm their commitment to repenting of the sins of racism and white supremacy which continue to plague this church, to venerate the martyrdom of the Emanuel Nine, and to mark this day of penitence with study and prayer.

Find more resources for worship, prayer, and learning about the Emanuel 9 and racial justice in the ELCA here.

NWPA Synod Assembly
2025-06-15 - 2025-06-18
Find out more here.
