LAMPa

Ecology of Grace Speaker Series
2025-09-10 18:15 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | 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 | PA
“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 | PA
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 | PA
Find out more here.

Upper Susquehanna Synod Assembly
2025-06-13 - 2025-06-14 | PA

Juneteenth
2025-06-09 08:00 - 17:00 | PA
Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, a time to gather in community and commemorate the official, announced end of slavery in the U.S., even if the history of oppression, racism, and anti-Black violence that characterized it are still part of our story in church and in the United States.
As ELCA Lutherans set free in Christ to seek community and to seek justice, it is our duty to act against present injustices, speak to our shared witness of Christ and of injustice in this world, and join in the celebration of freedom that is Juneteenth.
Read an ELCA blog post from our ELCA Racial Justice Ministries director on reckoning with the legacy of slavery while moving forward here.
A Living Lutheran article on Juneteenth, freedom, and our common humanity, written by an ELCA pastor, is available here.
ELCA worship resources for Juneteenth can be found here.
LAMPa is happy to accompany ELCA communities in the pursuit of justice and to connect them with resources for advocacy. Let us know what you are doing for Juneteenth and how we can support you by sending us an email at LAMPa@lutheranadvocacypa.org.

Lower Susquehanna Synod Assembly
2025-06-05 - 2025-06-07 | PA

PA Citizen Climate Action Virtual Lobby Day
2025-06-05 | Zoom
Join LAMPa, PennEnvironment and hundreds of concerned Pennsylvanians on Thursday, June 5 for Pennsylvania’s largest annual citizen lobby day for climate action — virtually! You’ll join like-minded Pennsylvanians from every corner of the state who want our elected officials to implement climate solutions.
With the attacks on our environment taking place in Washington, D.C., it’s more important than ever to meet with our local elected officials and let them know we need their leadership at the state level to promote clean renewable energy and fight climate change.
PennEnvironment’s staff will schedule 1-2 virtual meetings with your elected officials, where you’ll be joined in the meetings by PennEnvironment’s expert advocates and other concerned citizens from your community, which take 30 minutes each on average. We’ll discuss important pending policies to promote renewable energy to help tackle climate change, and you’ll get the chance to share why climate action is important to you. We’ll also hold a virtual rally and online actions that you can participate in throughout the day.
Sign Up here with LAMPa, and we’ll connect you!

Federal Immigration Litigation and You: Understanding the Court Process and Two Major Issues
2025-06-03 16:30 - 18:30 | Zoom
Register here.
Program Description:
You may have seen a flurry of headlines over the past few months discussing immigration cases making their way through the federal courts. But what do these cases mean for you? Why does it seem that the same issue results in different decisions from different courts? What is the law where you are? This training will help you understand the federal court system, teach you key vocabulary, and provide updates on two major current issues in immigration law: the Alien Enemies Act and third country deportations.
We will have Spanish simultaneous interpretation during this training.
If you are an attorney, we recommend that you register for our “2025 Annual Pre-AILA Conference Hybrid Crimes & Immigration Seminar” in addition to this training.
Please register here! Questions? Email us at events@nipnlg.org.

Capacitación para defensores comunitaries de junio:
Litigio federal de inmigración y usted: Entender el proceso del tribunal y dos asuntos principales
martes, 3 de junio de 2025
1:30 de la tarde hasta las 3:30 de la tarde hora del pacífico | 4:30 de la tarde hasta 6:30 de la tarde hora este
Zoom Webinar
Duración: Tres horas Costo: Gratis

Descripción del programa:
Es posible que haya visto una oleada de titulares en los últimos meses hablando de casos de inmigración haciendo su camino a través de los tribunales federales. Pero, ¿qué significan estos casos para usted? ¿Por qué parece que el mismo tema resulta en diferentes decisiones de diferentes tribunales?¿Cuál es la ley en el lugar donde se encuentra? Esta capacitación le ayudará a comprender el sistema judicial federal, le enseñará vocabulario clave, y le proporcionará actualizaciones sobre dos de los principales temas actuales en la ley de inmigración: la Ley de Enemigos Extranjeros y las deportaciones a terceros países.
Tendremos interpretación simultánea en español.
Si es une abogade, le recomendamos que se inscriba en nuestro CLE, “2025 Annual Pre-AILA Conference Hybrid Crimes & Immigration Seminar”, además de esta capacitación.
¡Regístrese usando el enlace de arriba! ¿Preguntas? Envíenos un correo electrónico a events@nipnlg.org.

SEPA Synod Assembly
2025-05-30 - 2025-05-31 | PA

NEPA Synod Assembly
2025-05-30 - 2025-05-31 | PA
Find out more here.
LAMPa will be present at the exhibitors table! Find out more by emailing us at LAMPa@LutheranAdvocacyPA.org.

Southwestern PA Synod Assembly
2025-05-17 09:30 - 13:00 | PA
Find out more here.
LAMPa will be present at the table exhibits and will lead a workshop! Find out more by emailing us at LAMPa@LutheranAdvocacyPa.org.

Lutheran Day in the Capitol
2025-05-13 08:00 - 17:00 | Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Camp Hill, 2000 Chestnut St., Camp Hill, PA, 17011, United States
Join us for our annual Lutheran Day in the Capitol!
Find out more here.

LDR: Belonging without Othering
2025-04-23 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
1 hours | Online via Zoom
Facilitator: Sarah Loose
The problem of “othering” is dividing our communities, thwarting disaster recovery efforts, and impeding efforts to build resilient communities for the future. In this Partner Spotlight, Sarah Loose from the Oregon Synod will introduce the framework of Belonging without Othering; share one story of how the Synod’s Disaster & Climate Resilience Team is putting it into practice building solidarity across differences of race, class, and religion between farmworkers and faith communities; and support participants in exploring potential applications for their own contexts. The Belonging without Othering framework is from the Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley.
Register through Lutheran Disaster Response’s online portal.

Eastern Region Community of Practice Discussion
2025-04-17 09:00 - 10:00 | Zoom
1 hour | Online via Zoom
This is a recurring, quarterly online gathering
Join Lutheran Disaster Response’s Eastern Region Community of Practice Discussion to network with peers and colleagues. During this call, we’ll be discussing the 2025 Community of Practice Gathering, and collecting your thoughts and ideas on the type of content you would like to see and experience at the gathering.
Register with LDR’s online portal.

LDR: Mental, Emotional, Spiritual Support Training
2025-03-25 - 2025-03-26 | Zoom
Online via Zoom | Learn more and Register Online
Registration deadline Friday, March 14.
Facilitator: Deacon Dorie Jones
The Southeastern Synod, in collaboration with Lutheran Disaster Response, is excited to offer Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Support (MESS) disaster training for clergy and lay leaders. This pilot program being hosted through the Southeastern Synod is designed to give church leaders the skills needed to respond to a disaster in both stabilizing (immediate, short-term need following a disaster) and support (long-term need weeks, months, or years after an event) roles.
Register through LDR’s online portal here.
Suggested pre-requisites: Introduction to Disaster or just in time: disaster RESPONSE. These and other educational opportunities can be found here.

LDR: The Intersections of Climate Justice and MMIW
2025-03-20 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
1 hour | Online via Zoom
Special Guest: Justice Nichols and Brenda Blackhawk
Join special guest Justice Nichols, Program Coordinator for Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations for the ELCA, and Brenda Blackhawk, Director of Communications at Central Lutheran Church, for an overview of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, (MMIW) Sub-Task force, the work being done to highlight advocacy efforts and what implementing educational materials can do. Nichols will discuss the importance of creating pathways for congregations and organizations to connect with local indigenous communities and equip them to help in response to MMIW in their communities.
Register through Lutheran Disaster Response’s online portal.

LDR Connections to Synods and Congregations
2025-03-19 15:00 - 16:00 | Zoom
2 hours | Online via Zoom
Facilitator: Sean Coffman, Lutheran Disaster Response
LDR Connection to Synods and Congregations is designed to help Synods and Congregations understand the different ways to be involved in disaster response. The course identifies the different phases of a disaster and examines disaster’s broader definition, from weather-related events to care for the creation, school shootings, and water crises. The course also covers the importance of volunteers. It prepares participants with an overview of forms, processes, orientation, and ways to best utilize volunteers in the ways your Synod/Congregation may want to become involved with Lutheran Disaster Response.
Register through LDR’s online portal.

LDR: Introduction to FEMA Interagency Recovery Coordination
2025-03-12 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
2 hours | Online via Zoom
Special Guest: Tim Little
Join special guest Tim Little, Senior Specialist on the FEMA Region 5 Interagency Recovery Coordination Team, for an overview of Interagency Recovery Coordination, the work being done to build the capacity of local, state, and tribal governments. Little will share how and how these efforts can complement the work of local churches, voluntary organizations active in disaster, and long-term recovery groups.
Register through Lutheran Disaster Response’s online portal.

Hope in a Divided World: A Faithful Response to Christian Nationalism
2025-03-07 - 2025-03-08 | United Lutheran Seminary, 61 Seminary Ridge, Gettysburg, PA, 17325, United States
Join us for a weekend with Dr. Lori Brandt Hale, president of the International Bonhoeffer Society – English Language Section AND Amanda Tyler of Christians Against Christian Nationalism. Discover how people of faith can authentically and humbly act at the intersection of civic life and faith, in contrast and response to the forces of Christian nationalism, using the legacy and theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer as a guide. We are grateful to partner with United Lutheran Seminary’s Kindling Faith to offer this event.
NEW!! Young adults and youth attending Saturday’s presentations are invited to join ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton for a private luncheon. (Congregations bringing a group of three or more youth can receive a discount for youth tickets with the promo code YOUTHGROUP at registration. )
REGISTER FOR FRIDAY RECEPTION BY FEB. 28. BOXED LUNCHES ARE CLOSED FOR SATURDAY REGISTRATION. REGISTER TO ATTEND BY MARCH 6.
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT ENDS FEB. 11!
The historic cupola of the Seminary Ridge Museum. Used with permission.
Friday, March 7, 6:00 p.m. – Authors’ Reception and Dinner – $75
Meet Dr. Lori Brandt Hale, president of the International Bonhoeffer Society – English Language Section, and Amanda Tyler, lead organizer of Christians Against Christian Nationalism and executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. A reception at the Seminary Ridge Museum will allow visitors to talk with both authors and tour the museum that was used as a hospital for wounded from both sides at the Battle of Gettysburg. Tickets include an opportunity for attendees to visit the building’s historic cupola! The dinner will feature a brief talk on the unfinished work of Reconstruction by the Rev. Dr. Teresa Smallwood, dean and vice president of student affairs at United Lutheran Seminary.
Saturday, March 8, Chapel of the Abiding Presence – Public Lectures and Panel Discussion – $45; Optional Boxed Lunch – $20; Livestream – $20
Schedule
10 a.m. — Amanda Tyler will offer insights related to our current context and her new book How to End Christian Nationalism. This presentation defines what Christian nationalism is, explains how it works in our society (and beyond), interprets the movement in the light of the gospel, and offers suggestions for Christian response.
11 a.m. — Dr. Brandt Hale will give a public lecture on Bonhoeffer’s concept of “This-Worldly” Christianity, also known as “religionless” Christianity. Dr. Brandt Hale will illustrate how Bonhoeffer’s thinking evolves, and how ultimately, he believes that the Christian witness is most faithful and powerful when “viewed from below,” from the perspective of everyday people, especially the poor and oppressed.
Noon — Lunch — Order a boxed lunch when you register for the day or dine on your own in Gettysburg. Young adults and youth attending the lectures may sign up for a private luncheon with Bishop Eaton. Choose the boxed lunch when registering.
1:30 p.m. — A panel discussion featuring Dr. Brandt Hale, Ms. Tyler, and the Rev. Amy Reumann 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. Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). 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.
Registration is open now! (Registrants will receive an email update with logistics and related information.)
Register for Friday Reception
Register for Saturday Lectures and Panel Discussion
Register for Saturday Livestream
Find places to stay in Gettysburg
Help us get the word out!
Flyer + Bulletin Insert
Speakers
Amanda Tyler is executive director of BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty), leading the organization as it upholds the historic Baptist principle of religious liberty: defending the free exercise of religion and protecting against its establishment by government. In that capacity, she is also the lead organizer of Christians Against Christian Nationalism. The author of How to End Christian Nationalism (October 2024), Tyler is also the co-host of BJC’s Respecting Religion podcast. Tyler’s constitutional law analysis and advocacy for faith freedom for all have been featured by major news outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, CBS News, ABC News, CNN, and MSNBC, and she has testified before Congress on religious liberty and Christian nationalism. A graduate of Georgetown University and The University of Texas School of Law, she lives in Dallas with her husband and son.
Dr. Lori Brandt Hale is Professor of Religion in Department of Religion and Philosophy at Augsburg University in Minneapolis, MN. She is the President of the International Bonhoeffer Society – English Language Section and a Westar Institute Scholar. Brandt Hale is co-editor of and contributor to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Theology, and Political Resistance (June 2020), the second volume in a new series on faith and political theology by Lexington Books. Her chapter in this book, a constructive read of Bonhoeffer’s work, is titled, “The Interfaith Imperative: How Bonhoeffer Compels Interfaith Action.” She is also the co-author of Bonhoeffer for Armchair Theologians (Westminster John Knox, 2009) and has written numerous articles and book chapters on Bonhoeffer’s political resistance, understanding of vocation, and relevance in contemporary times – including the now perennial question, “Is this a Bonhoeffer moment?”
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.
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton was reelected to serve a second six-year term as ELCA presiding bishop at the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Eaton is the ELCA’s fourth presiding bishop and was first elected at the 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
Eaton earned a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the College of Wooster.
Eaton was ordained in 1981 and served three different congregations in Ohio before being elected bishop of the ELCA Northeastern Ohio Synod in 2006. She was reelected synod bishop in May 2013, shortly before her election as ELCA presiding bishop.
Eaton’s four emphases for the ELCA are: We are church; We are Lutheran; We are church together; We are church for the sake of the world. These four emphases are fundamental to identifying who the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is.
In 2015, under Eaton’s leadership, the ELCA underwent an extensive vision process to help this church journey faithfully and effectively together in the years ahead. The process resulted in Future Directions 2025, a strategic framework that helps shared leadership across the ELCA realize common aspirations and better face the challenges of this church.
In addition, with Eaton’s guidance, the ELCA launched Bishop Eaton’s Leadership Initiative, which encourages all ELCA members to seek out and inspire gifted people in our congregations and communities to consider a call to the ministry of the gospel.
As chief ecumenical officer of the ELCA, she represents this church in a wide range of ecumenical and inter-religious settings. She is the chair of the governing board of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and on the Religions for Peace USA Council of Presidents.
As presiding bishop, Eaton travels extensively, representing the ELCA in a variety of capacities. This has included participating in the ordination of the first woman pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land; addressing the eighth modern convening of The Parliament of the World’s Religions; and leading the ELCA delegation to the thirteen Lutheran World Federation Assembly in Krakow, Poland.
Eaton’s husband is the Rev. T. Conrad Selnick, an Episcopal priest. They are parents of two adult children, Rebeckah and Susannah.
The Rev. Amy E. Reumann serves as ELCA Senior Director for Witness in Society in Washington, D.C. Her leadership directs staff and church advocacy in federal public policy, through the ELCA-affiliated state public policy office (sppo) network, at the United Nations through Lutheran Office for World Community representation, and with the ELCA Corporate Social Responsibility program. She was born in Philadelphia and has served as a parish pastor, Assistant to the Bishop in Milwaukee, Wis., director of Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania and is a former intern at the Lutheran Office for World Community. Reumann is a graduate of Muhlenberg College, the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (M.Div) and the General Theological Seminary, New York City (STM in Spiritual Direction). She was awarded a GreenFaith Fellowship in religious-environmental leadership and a Louisville Institute Pastoral Studies Grant on “Public Testimony as a Faith Practice.” Reumann is a Master Gardener, manager at an urban farm and loves to garden, quilt, hike and read mysteries.

LDR and ELCA World Hunger Intersections: Navajo Lutheran Mission
2025-03-05 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
1 hour | Online via Zoom
Special Guest: Solveig Muus, Grand Canyon Synod Hunger Leader and Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Arizona
Join special guest Solveig Muus as she shares the story behind the 40-40-40 Region 2 Lenten Challenge, and how the Challenge, now in its third year, connects hundreds of individuals in congregations across the 5 synods in Region 2 with each other, as well as with the work of ELCA World Hunger and Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR). The Lenten Challenge for 2025 supports LDR and our church’s call to respond to non-conventional disasters, including the work at Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission (NELM). NELM is a 70-year-old ministry of the ELCA in Rock Point, Arizona, where more than half the households either do not have running water or do not have access to safe drinking water. In addition to various spiritual practices, each year’s Challenge includes an opportunity for giving; gifts generated through this year’s challenge support LDR projects such as providing holding tanks and an automated water distribution system for filtration and chlorination for our siblings in Christ on the Navajo reservation.
Register through LDR’s online portal.

Our Kairos Moment: Active Hope and Agents of Change
2025-02-18 20:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
In June 2024, the ELCA released “Our Kairos Moment: A Study Guide on Earth’s Climate Crisis.” Over the next four months, Lutherans Restoring Creation will facilitate a study group on this guide during our connections call time, each hour focusing on one part (of four) of the study guide. We hope that by going through the guide ourselves, that participants will gain familiarity and confidence with the study guide and will be able to implement it in their own congregations and communities.
During Part Four, our theme is “Active Hope and Agents of Change.” We will explore our relationship to our home (locally as well as planet earth!) and how to address climate change intersectionally. We will see where climate change exacerbates other justice issues like climate migration and think critically about what a “just transition” for all looks like into a healthier world.
Register here!
