Social Justice

Clean Kids Showers

Today we dedicated our new Clean Kids Showers!  We were delighted to have North Thurston Public Schools Director of Student Services to help us celebrate! These showers were built especially for use by NTPS students and families.  This ministry grew out of our Clean Kids Laundry. The mission for Clean Kids began in 2016, when…

Advocate for Sensitive U.S. Asylum Policy

RESTORING ASYLUM AT THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER MUST INCLUDE DISMANTLING OUTDATED TITLE 42 Jesus is present with the asylum seeker, the refugee and the newcomer, and Christians are called to model Christ’s compassion and love. ELCA ministries and advocacy have long recognized the struggles and rights of migrants and people in need of the compassionate haven…

ELCA Message on Homelessness

Support Affordable Housing and Homeless Funding in FY23 Budget Tell Congress: Prioritize housing and homeless programs in the FY23 federal budget This spring, House and Senate committee members advanced an annually passed Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) spending bill which would set funding levels for critical housing and homeless programs through the federal…

A Message from the ELCA on Gun Violence

We won’t let this moment pass. Call today and use your actions to demand policy change. We refuse to numb ourselves to the horrors of recent tragedies including those in Buffalo, N.Y.; Uvalde, Texas; and additional near-daily shootings in communities across our country. Sadly, we and our leaders have failed to respond to the call…

Earth Day Celebrated at St. Mark

After service on Sunday April 22, members of the St. Mark Social Justice Team produced a wonderful display in the Parish Hall to celebrate Earth Day and our recent ministry of Caring for Creation. Tables were filled with examples and information available to peruse on composting, recycling, tree conservation, books on environmental topics, transportation options,…

Climate Diet #3: Travel

It is said, “The space between home and the rest of the world is the hole into which we pour most of our emissions”. FUEL is a huge consideration when trying to make changes in the preservation of the environment. In this, the third installment of the “Climate Diet” summary, consider the following ideas. Trade…

Climate Diet #2: Families and Homes

This second and continuing episode of “Climate Diet” includes climate consciousness relating to families and homes. A child born today in the US will generate 16 tons of CO2- per year for the rest of their life.  Families are also one of the greatest joys humans have – how to reconcile the two?? Here are…