The Bridge in Plain Text
Issue To Be Used Any Time After
May 1, 2007
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The Bridge
A monthly publication of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
Connecting the congregational, synodical, and churchwide expressions of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
ELCA Speaks Out
From “How and Why the ELCA Does Advocacy”
www.elca.org/advocacy/how/
What is advocacy?
Advocacy is to plead the cause of another together with them and on their
behalf. When, for example, the prophets addressed kings and priests on
behalf of those suffering injustice, they were advocating. The ELCA calls
persons to advocate justice with and for those without power and voice in
places where important political and economic decisions are being made that
affect the lives of those who are marginalized. This activity is what is
meant by “advocacy.” It is one way the ELCA carries out its strategic
direction to “step forward as a public church that witnesses boldly to God’s
love for all that God has created.”
Why do we do advocacy?
Advocacy is one way we seek to love our neighbor in response to
God’s love given us in Jesus Christ. We are caring for, standing with, and
serving people who are living in poverty and who are suffering when we work
for public and corporate policies that advance justice, peace, human
dignity, and care for the earth.
Advocacy as Part of the
Mission of the ELCA
According to the
ELCA’s Constitutions,
Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions, one of the purposes of our church in
participating in God’s mission is to:
serve in response to God’s
love to meet human needs, caring for the sick and the aged, advocating
dignity and justice for all people, working for peace and reconciliation
among the nations, and standing with the poor and powerless and committing
itself to their needs (4.02.c).
To fulfill this purpose, our
church shall
lift its voice in concord
and work in concert with forces for good, to serve humanity, cooperating
with church and other groups participating in activities that promote
justice, relieve misery, and reconcile the estranged (4.03.g).
study social issues and
trends, work to discover the causes of oppression and injustice, and develop
programs of ministry and advocacy to further human dignity, freedom,
justice, and peace in the world (4.03.l).
Similarly, in its first social
statement, “The
Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective” 1991, the ELCA committed
itself to
work with and on behalf of
the poor, the powerless, and those who suffer, using its power and influence
with political and economic decision-making bodies to develop and advocate
policies that seek to advance justice, peace, and the care of creation.
Featured Resources
Monthly Bible Verse
This Bible verse was selected by Harold Usgaard, bishop of the
Southeastern Minnesota Synod, for everyone in the synod to study.
““The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has
sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the
blind, to let the oppressed go free.” Luke
4:18
About Our Synod
The Southeastern Minnesota Synod is a faith community of 130,000 baptized
people in 184 congregations as well as related institutions of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Its geographic area includes
15 counties in the southeastern corner of Minnesota.
The Bridge is a monthly
publication of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA. For more information,
contact the synod office:
Southeastern Minnesota Synod,
ELCA
1001 14th St. NW, Suite 300
Rochester, MN 55901-2551
(507) 280-9457
www.semnsynod.org
This issue is designed to be
used any time after May 1, 2007.
Graphics from this issue
Right-click the link and choose "save to disk" to save the
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