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St. Mark Lutheran Church
A Place of Grace
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Home > Social Justice

Social Justice

To view specific St Mark Social Justice activities go to the St Mark Community page. The Social Justice Team is just one of the Social Justice activities listed there.

https://swwasynod.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Letter-to-Synod-January-2025.pdf

https://www.elca.org/news-and-events/presiding-bishop-eaton-issues-pastoral-message-on-executive-orders

ELCA Region 1 Bishops Immigration Letter Jan 2025

Letters from Church Leaders

Check out the ELCA Advocacy page at:
https://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Publicly-Engaged-Church/Advocacy

Social Justice Links

This page and sidebar contains links to other Social Justice resources.

RSS ELCA Racial Justice

  • Observing Native American Heritage Month: ELCA Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations events November 13, 2025
    In celebration of Native American Heritage Month which is celebrated in the United States in November, we share the following article which is cross-posted from Living Lutheran. The original post can be found here. Observing Native American Heritage Month ELCA Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations events November 12, 2025 iStock.com/Yulia Novik ELCA Indigenous Ministries and Tribal […]
    christinamontgomery

RSS ELCA Advocacy

  • Companion Information: Progress and Setbacks in Reducing HIV in Tanzania November 20, 2025
    When Dr. Paul Mmbando was in medical school 20 years ago, AIDS was generally a death sentence. Nowadays with better drugs, when the conditions of good nutrition and sticking to the daily meds are met, it’s a disease like others that can often be managed. Dr. Paul leads the health department for the Evangelical Lutheran […]
    zacharyolson

Social Justice Posts

  • Shepherd’s Table Community Dinner – All Are Welcome (11/26/2025)
    2 Nov 2025

    Join us at St. Mark for a free, Thanksgiving Feast —no RSVP required. This “all are welcome” meal is offered in honor of a member’s son and in the spirit of Luke 14:12–14: sharing food, community, and grace with anyone in need.

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  • A Land Acknowledgement
    9 Oct 2025

    A land acknowledgement is a formal, living statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as historic stewards of this land and the enduring sacred relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories. A land acknowledgement is a simple, yet powerful step toward ongoing awareness and correcting the stories and practices that diminish Indigenous People’s history and culture. Therefore, we name the traditional Native inhabitants of this place as we gather and as we seek to be faithful caretakers of the beautiful land where we mutually live. We acknowledge that St. Mark Lutheran Church is on the traditional land of the Nisqually Indian Tribe. (“Nisqually” in the Luhshootseed language is “Squalli-absch” which means: People of the River, People of the Grass)

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  • Bishop Eaton Statement on One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Passage
    3 Jul 2025

    “Whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all and especially for those of the family of faith.”  —Galatians 6:10 Dear church, Today the U.S. Congress passed a budget package that will have a monumental impact on many in the country and on our ministries and communities. The scope of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is generation-defining and life-altering for many, with provisions that will harm the well-being of local communities and the lives of many individuals for decades to come. This church teaches that government has limits but fundamentally should seek the well-being of all. In at least three obvious ways, the bill undercuts that aspiration. This bill: Abandons our commitments to people who are sick or who live with financial hardship. For many decades now, our nation has made commitments to come alongside people when they are in their worst moments, through Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and other programs. Our church is on record in supporting such expressions of care and compassion. These lifelines are now endangered by massive cuts and policy changes. More than 17 million people could lose health coverage over the coming years, and 22.3 million U.S. families will lose some or all of their SNAP benefits. These cuts will make our nation sicker and more hungry, disproportionately impacting rural communities by putting hospitals and other community health providers at long-term risk of closure. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill transfers wealth from those in the bottom 10% of income to those in the top 10% of income in our nation, shamefully funding tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans on the backs of the most vulnerable. ? Threatens family and community stability. As a church, we have worked for many years for comprehensive immigration reform, just asylum policies and a pathway to citizenship for immigrant neighbors. This bill abandons compassion by more than tripling federal spending on deportation and detention and by adding over $170 billion for immigration and border enforcement. This goes far beyond the reasonable goal of ensuring a safe and orderly border and risks tearing apart millions of families, communities and churches. Harms future generations. This bill compromises our children’s futures by recklessly increasing the national debt and exposing our next generations to dirtier air and a hotter climate. The CBO projects that it will add between $3 trillion and $4 trillion to the national debt over the next 10 years. Such excessive spending will worsen, not improve, the fiscal sustainability of our government and the financial prospects of future generations. It also halts and reverses progress toward a clean-energy transition by reversing nearly all the clean-energy tax credits and other incentives passed in the Inflation Reduction Act. This will undo our country’s efforts to mitigate climate change and preserve creation for our heirs. In the Galatians text for this coming Sunday, Paul calls the church to do what is good, not simply for other Christians but for all. Luther echoes this in the Small Catechism when he explains the Fifth Commandment, “You are not to kill.” “We are to fear and love God,” Luther writes, “so that we neither endanger nor harm the lives of our neighbors, but instead help and support them in all of life’s needs” (The Book of Concord, ed. Kolb and Wengert, p. 352). As a church, we face this moment together with resolve, rooted in our trust in God, to work for the good of all as these policies begin to impact our congregations and communities. I ask you to: Pray with and for those made newly vulnerable, asking for God’s presence and power. Identify community and interreligious partners to identify the impacts of this legislation and seek common approaches in your communities. Engage in faithful public witness through your networks as well as ELCA federal advocacy and the ELCA-affiliated state public policy office network. Follow and support the work of ELCA World Hunger and Lutheran Disaster Response. Become part of the ELCA AMMPARO network to walk with migrant neighbors. In peace, The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – – – About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of “God’s work. Our hands.,” the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA’s roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther. For information contact: Candice Hill Buchbinder Public Relations Manager Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org

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  • ELCA Bishops Speak Out
    25 Jan 2025

    A message from the ELCA Region One Bishops: As Lutherans, we are called to live out the teachings of Jesus Christ, who welcomed strangers and emphasized love, mercy, and justice for all people. We believe that every human being, regardless of their country of origin or legal status, is created in the image of God and has inherent dignity and worth. This foundational truth compels us to approach the issue of immigration with compassion and a commitment to the common good. Scripture repeatedly instructs us to love our neighbor and show the stranger hospitality. God commands the people of Israel, “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself” (Leviticus 19:34). Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) shows us that caring for people in need is central to who we are as Christians. The parable also challenges us to acknowledge the goodness in all people because the “foreigner” in the story is the one who acts in the most Christlike way. In light of these teachings, we advocate for an immigration policy that reflects Christ’s love, recognizing that all people deserve respect and protection. The Lutheran tradition emphasizes both mercy and justice. Justice requires everyone, including immigrants, to be treated fairly and equitably. While upholding the rule of law is important, it must not be done in ways that dehumanize or exploit vulnerable people. We are especially concerned about the possibility that places of worship, hospitals, and schools could be the target of deportation raids. A policy that allowed such raids would increase the suffering not only of undocumented people but also of many people who would fear being unjustly targeted and thus avoid those places. Denying people the opportunity to attend worship, be educated, or receive medical treatment violates individuals’ fundamental rights. We urge those in government and law enforcement who are responsible for the detention or deportation of undocumented persons to consider how their actions might be seen in the eyes of God. We are all members of the same human family. Therefore, we approach immigration not merely as a political or legal issue but as a matter of human solidarity. The health and prosperity of the United States are intertwined with the contributions and lives of immigrants. Immigrants bring diverse gifts and play an essential role in our communities and economies. Our immigration policies should reflect a commitment to the welfare of all, especially the most vulnerable. As people who have received God’s mercy and grace, we are called to extend that same mercy and grace to others. This means offering opportunities for new beginnings, particularly for those already present in the United States without legal documentation. A just immigration policy would provide pathways to citizenship for those who have lived in the U.S. for years, contributing to the country and integrating into our communities. It should also guarantee protection for those fleeing violence or persecution, ensure that immigrant families remain united, and make sure that children are not punished for their parents’ actions. We are called, as individuals and as a society, to remember that the immigrants among us are not intruders or enemies but bearers of the image of God, deserving of our care, respect, and advocacy. The Rev. Shelley Bryan Wee, Bishop, Northwest Washington Synod The Rev. Richard Jaech, Bishop, Southwestern Washington Synod The Rev. Dr. Laurie Jungling, Bishop, Montana Synod The Rev. Laurie Larson Caesar, Bishop, Oregon Synod The Rev. Dr. Meggan Manlove, Bishop, Northwest Intermountain Synod The Rev. Timothy Oslovich, Bishop, Alaska Synod Find the full email from Bishop Shelley Bryan Wee with this letter and resources from ministry partners here: https://www.lutheransnw.org/news/message-from-the-bishop-re-immigration  

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  • Grace Guestroom Ready for Family in Transition
    1 Sep 2023

    St. Mark’s Grace Guestroom is ready for occupancy!                                        (Scroll down to see photos) Gail Frare, Chair of the Transitional Housing Task Force, offered this summary of how we got here. THE IDEA In the Fall of 2022, Pastor Eric Utto-Galarneau called the chairperson of the Social Justice Team, Gail Frare, to inquire whether an exploratory committee could assess interest in turning the largest room in the Education building of St. Mark into a studio apartment for transitional housing. Gail and Pastor Eric agreed that the time was right. The High School Youth room was a perfect size, had a mini-kitchen already in the room, a wonderful architectural plan was completed AND the City of Lacey approved the plan and occupancy. Gail and Pastor Eric felt the Holy Spirit moving. An email was sent to the Social Justice Team and others on 11/3/2022 asking for volunteers, which resulted in almost 20 interested people within a few days! Member Julie Thumser-Kerlee who facilitates groups for the State of Washington agreed to facilitate the meetings, and she not only kept us on track but she was very fun as well! She also insisted that every step of the way we keep the congregation fully informed of our progress, which we did! The Grace Guestroom (GG) task force began meeting January 8th and by mid-March we had a proposal to Church Council, with approval to launch a pledge drive, educate the congregation and hold a congregational vote. The pledge drive showed Church Council that the funds were there ($18,000 was raised in a few weeks!) if we chose to proceed. In April the GG team educated St. Mark members, and Church Council approved a congregational vote. On April 30th, there were literal tears of joy when the vote came back a unanimous YES!!! THE CONSTRUCTION John Martin, long-time St. Mark member and retired architect was charged with the remodel of the room. Darren Ahlf, General Contractor (and son of long-time members Ken and Marilyn Ahlf) was hired to construct the room. Darren had previously been hired for the St. Mark showers and bathroom remodel. Darren and John worked side by side over the summer on a significant upgrade in electrical, heating, flooring, and painting of the guestroom. A new exterior door and window allowed us to meet the city code. Gary Gutteridge, from Granite Gallery donated all the beautiful laminate for the floors. Mike Vorovec from Energy Star Systems & Stoves gave us a fantastic discount on a heating system (HVAC) for the room. Jim Copper, from Advantage Lock and Key provided all new locks and keying configuration for the entire building. Lowe’s donated all the lovely paint that has made the room so homey. Vicki Labensky (St Mark Office Administrator) graciously provided many frozen hot chocolates for Darren and John while they worked. THE ROOM DESIGN Marilyn Ahlf and Bethesda Eilers led the pledge drive and the call for furniture and kitchen items. Beautiful furniture started pouring in along with gently used and new kitchen items. Karen Grefe, Barb Schneider, Susie Hallen, and Marilyn Ahlf inventoried and chose what they wanted to be included in the room. Tyler Panco (grandson of Marilyn) donated his own bunk bed “because he wanted to”. Brent Chapman gave a dresser that he shared with his brother growing up. Darren Ahlf’s mother-in-law moved around this time, so an entire bedroom set, and a beautiful leather couch were donated. Gail’s good friend Betsy and her husband donated a brand-new TV, chairs and end tables. Pastor David Nelson donated some lovely artwork. Kristina Tamm-Finnerud donated a new microwave that is an air fryer and a convection oven all in one! We got three new vacuum cleaners! David Eilers and Hannah Moats will provide a computer for the family. There has been no end of generosity from the people of St. Mark – and people outside St. Mark, as well. FINANCIAL TRACKING Darrin Labensky, Council Treasurer, set up and tracked Grace Guestroom financial accounts. He also developed a proposed operating budget for the first year. As of August 5th, we had taken in $25,545.00, and had expenses of $23,321.64 – so we are in the black. The North Thurston Education Foundation donated $8,800 for operating expenses for the first year, thanks to a presentation from church member Dorn Barr. They also advised saving our receipts and returning next year to see if they will repeat the funding. Darrin Labensky also secured a very reasonable monthly increase in our current liability insurance policy. He also served as technical support for the Task Force (hybrid meetings, TV’s) and for the Grace Guestroom. DEDICATION DAY AUGUST 27, 2023 Our first transitional family for the Grace Guestroom was brave enough to come to the Dedication. They were the first ones to see the room along with their Case Manager. Three children and their mom were all smiles as they looked over the room – especially after seeing the bunk beds. The celebration was joyous and many stories were shared about how God had moved this congregation to depths of generosity we did not think possible. WELCOMING THE FAMILY St. Mark member Carol Porter has agreed to be our Grace Guestroom Liaison. She will be the point of contact for the family with regards to their physical environment. Any issues that arise outside of that, she will notify the Case Manager. The congregation was asked to respect the family’s privacy as they settle into our Grace Guestroom. Church members will go through Carol, to keep from overwhelming the family with all our offers to help. Carol will share with the congregation any additional needs the family may have – and I have no doubt that we will rise to whatever occasion is necessary! Task Force Members Gail Frare, Chairperson; Julie Thumser-Kerlee, Facilitator; Hannah Moats and Bethesda, Ken and Linda Anderson, George and Nancy Grant, Darrin Labensky, Brent …Read More

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  • Clean Kids Showers
    4 Dec 2022

    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 we learned that 1 in 20 students in our school district (one student per classroom) was homeless.  We were deeply troubled and wondered how we can help.  We asked the school district homeless liaison, “Besides housing, what is the greatest need?”  The answer was “clean clothes.”  Doing laundry in a laundromat is cost prohibitive for many families.   When a student has dirty clothes, they do not want to attend school because of embarrassment, shame, bullying, and low self-esteem. Absent from school, their education suffers. Clean Kids began with a laundry room to address the #2 need.  Through generous grants from the North Thurston Education Foundation, Lacey Rotary, Altrusa, St. Mark members, and community members, along with the labor of church members and local contractors, a Sunday School room was transformed and converted into the no cost Clean Kids Laundry Facility which is equipped with three commercial washers and four commercial dryers.  They are being used weekly.  Church volunteers accompany our guests.  Inside the room we have offered a small pantry with free food and other basic necessities. From this important ministry emerged the realization, many of the guests who use our laundry also need somewhere safe for their families to bathe their bodies.  That’s when the Clean Kids Shower project began. In 2019, St. Mark member and retired architect John Martin drew plans for converting the bathrooms in our Educational Wing into two shower rooms and two bathrooms with toilets and sinks.  The plans were approved by the city with significant support for this project.   A childhood friend of Pastor Eric’s heard what we were trying to do and gave St. Mark a donation as seed money for this important ministry.    Unfortunately, COVID slowed down our progress a bit, but it also helped build a strong base of support. Through a generous grant from the North Thurston Education Foundation and donations from St. Mark members the project was fully funded and construction began early this summer. Although we had to wait a while to find the right contractor, we feel very blessed that contractor Darren Ahlf was willing to take on this project.  Darren grew up at St. Mark and is a skilled contractor who understood our mission.  He was assisted by St. Mark volunteer John Martin. Contractors who worked on this project and companies who supplied materials, many of them donating materials or labor, include:  Evergreen Concrete Cutting, The Bathroom, Dustin Concrete, Vinny’s Unique Drywall, The Home Depot, Lowes, Platt Electric, Keller Supply, Kell-Chuck glass, Tanglewilde Lumber, Great Floors, Elkay, and Katom. Also, St. Mark member Gary D. made our beautiful shower benches. Jenny B. is our shower coordinator.  She was the first voice to say, “it seems if we are offering a place for people to wash their clothes, we should really offer them a place to wash their bodies too.”  Jenny has worked hard to get our crew of volunteers organized and to collect all the supplies needed.   Supplies include: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, towels, wash cloths, and hair dryers. We are delighted to offer students and families in the North Thurston Public Schools a private, safe place to shower! Prayer offered as a blessing on our Clean Kids Showers: Gracious and loving God, we ask for your blessings upon our Clean Kids Ministry—both the laundry and the new showers.  We thank you for the many people who came together to help make this compassionate idea a reality.  Bless this ministry and bless the people who use our showers.  May the waters not only cleanse theirs bodies, but also refresh and renew their spirits.  We thank you for the privilege to live as your children together on this earth.  Continue to teach us how to love one another.  Shower all of us with your love, each and every day.  In Jesus name we pray.  Amen.

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  • Advocate for Sensitive U.S. Asylum Policy
    29 Jul 2022

    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 of a new home. Seeking asylum is a right enshrined in U.S. law and protected by international treaty obligations, as named in this notice by the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees, yet access in recent years has been continually and systematically blocked for all but a few. If Congress fails to act, that right may be restricted indefinitely as multiple attempts to extend Title 42, the pandemic-era public health order, wind their way through Congress. Hundreds of migrants have continued to seek protection through the U.S. asylum system. Getting to the United States to make this claim is no easy feat, and many have traveled thousands of miles by foot through nearly unpassable and dangerous terrain, going without protection from the elements and assuming extreme personal risks. “If nobody talks about that experience with Title 42, no one will know,” relayed a Haitian asylum-seeking father of his separation from his pregnant wife and children described during an Interfaith Immigration Coalition (IIC) webinar in July 2022. Hundreds have experienced the “nightmarish” impacts of Title 42. There have been over 2.1 million forced expulsions of migrants at the southwest border since March 2020. Many people have attempted to cross multiple times as a result of Title 42, inflating the number of monthly encounters and impacting border personnel’s missions in other areas. Taking action has taken on new urgency alongside partners, like the Interfaith Immigration Coalition (IIC) and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, such as during the IIC’s “Heal Not Harm” Weeks of Action. The ELCA “Immigration” social message notes: “Our advocacy needs to take into account the complexity of issues, the diversity of interests, and the partial or relative justice of laws at the same time that it counters appeals rooted in hostility, racism, prejudice, indifference, and simplistic solutions” (pg. 6). Solutions must involve addressing forced displacement from a regional and global perspective; adopting and implementing holistic and human-rights based approaches to migration with an emphasis on safe, orderly and regular pathways to migrate; and supporting complimentary protection mechanisms for people displaced due to reasons like the climate crisis. Broad immigration reform would be far more impactful, especially in the long run, than deterrence. Help the United States continue to hold forth safety and hope for the displaced by upholding the right to asylum and ending Title 42. Use the form below to send your message to the White House calling for a reparations study commission. Please customize with your local, faith-informed experience and perspective. POSTED 7/28/2022 https://support.elca.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1540

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  • ELCA Message on Homelessness
    18 Jun 2022

    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 budget. As the full Congress prepares to move on our nation’s spending priorities for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23), it is a significant time to bring attention to the staggering costs of the housing market and the need to invest more in homeless support programs. Faith groups, including Lutherans, are at the fore of addressing housing insecurity. Many houses of worship and affiliated social ministry organizations offer wrap-around services, shelter and even affordable housing building investments for those of us in the greatest need. This comes as record high inflation and record low levels of available housing have led to surging costs, which also drives homelessness. The growing affordable housing challenges are rooted in policy choices, and the faith community cannot address the crisis alone. Over the last several years, hundreds of Lutherans have urged Congress to make homeless and housing a greater priority in the federal budget – recognizing that housing is a core human need linked with many other realities, including hunger, health, family relationships and economic mobility. Investing in housing today will making meaningful steps in addressing young adult and historic racial wealth disparities, as well as address a significant shortfall in senior housing for older adults. As legislators discuss funding levels in the FY23 budget, what they pay attention to matters. The ELCA social message, “Homelessness: A Renewal of Commitment,” says: “Church leaders are challenged to help create the public will to eliminate homelessness.” It is critical that our public policy makers hear the perspectives, opinions and expertise of the religious community toward ensuring that our nation’s resources reach those of us in the greatest need, including as we address the challenges of homelessness. Send a message to Congress urging support for housing and homeless programs in the FY23 budget, and please consider these additional opportunities: SIGN before June 30, as discerned by your congregation or ministry, a faith-based sign on letter to Congress in support Housing First, a strategic model that helps stop cyclical homelessness and keeps the most vulnerable stably housed. WATCH “Fair Housing for All” (4/22/22), Presiding Bishop Eaton’s 2-minute video message on the need to address discrimination in access to housing. Customize this letter with information from your community, ministry and experience, and adapt it into your own words. Local facts are most influential with your national lawmaker. Thank you for adding your voice!  POSTED 6/14/2022 Recipients Your Senators Your Representative

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  • A Message from the ELCA on Gun Violence
    9 Jun 2022

    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 for common sense gun violence prevention legislation. Renew your cry of painful necessity to insist on bipartisan gun reform policy, and as you are able, be a visible presence in your communities allied in commitment to end senseless shootings. CALL to push ACTION NOW Call your Senator today from the Capitol Switchboard – 202-224-3121 – and ask them to support bi-partisan legislation to stop gun violence in our nation. Not sure who to ask for? Lookup from http://www.govtrack.us. Using your own viewpoint, share: “I am from [your locality], and I support bi-partisan legislation to stop gun violence including stronger background checks, ending the sale of military-style rifles domestically, and laws that restrict access to guns for individuals who are at a higher risk of harming themselves or others.” MARCH to propel CHANGE This Saturday, June 11, 2022, presents opportunities to march in support of gun violence reform in our country, including one in Washington, D.C. and over 300 local marches elsewhere in the nation (see marchforourlives.com). “We’re marching on our nation’s capital just like we did in 2018” following the horrific school shooting in Parkland, Fla., says the site. “Show up, and demonstrate to our elected officials that we demand and deserve a nation free of gun violence.” Following the 2018 tragedy, our ELCA Conference of Bishops wrote of young organizers:   “Our children and youth are like a young Jeremiah prophesying to the people: ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ (Jeremiah 29:11).”   The body went on to “offer our support, partnership and prayers for the March for Our Lives, its satellite city events, and our children and youth who are leading us forward as peacemakers.” In 2022, we can do this again. FAITHFUL RESPONSE We have resolved as a church to work for the passage and strict enforcement of laws that control the manufacture and sale of weapons not used for hunting and sport, or for use other than law enforcement and military purposes (see ELCA social policy resolutions “Community Violence – Gun Control” and “Gun Violence Prevention”). After the school shooting in Uvalde, Tex., the ELCA’s statement (5/26/2022) said: “We join with others in pushing to stem the proliferation of guns in our streets, schools and communities, and to end the culture of violence that pervades our media and society.” We begin with confession, as Lutheran Christians, of what we have done and left undone. And this confession brings us to action. Please call and march and not let this horrific moment pass without change. Call your Senator today at 202-224-3121, and use the Action Alert in the ELCA Action Center to also share your message.

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  • Earth Day Celebrated at St. Mark
    27 Apr 2022

    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, and food. Many practical tips and ideas were shared and discussed, such as what can and can’t be placed in your recycle bin, how to purchase “smart” thermostats for your home at reduced prices, ideas on “buying and eating local” and many more. Thanks to Gail Frare, Beth Bowden, David Nelson, Earla Ferry, Terry Leverenz, and Kristina Tamm-Finnerud for sponsoring this event and for all their hard work in helping to decrease our carbon footprint! If you did not pick up the handout at the Earth Day event and want the list of 50 ways to decrease climate impacts, they are posted on the St. Mark website under the heading “Caring for Creation”. The material is from, “The Climate Diet: 50 Simple Ways to Trim Your Carbon Footprint” by Paul Greenberg, and is featured in 5 consecutive posts between February 3 and March 5, 2022.    

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  • Climate Diet #5: Impacting on Social & Political Fronts
    5 Mar 2022

    In the fifth and final summary offering of the “Climate Diet”, suggestions revolve around systems, policies and educating others about causes you personally identify with. As you’ll see below, small and local action can result in national change. Be specific. Ask for change within your legislator’s scope of authority. In Washington State right now is SB 5697, a significant bill to overhaul our recycling program and keep tons of plastic out of landfills. Fight for Racial Justice while fighting for Climate Justice. People of color disproportionately bear climate impacts, from storms to heat waves to pollution. Fossil-fuel power plants are more frequently located in black neighborhoods, leading to poor air quality. Small and local adds up to big and national. A multitude of impactful climate/environmental policies are made in towns and city councils (remember Lacey City council candidates fighting to restore plastic bags in grocery stores?). Even the PTA and school boards can have impacts. Get to know your local legislators – you can influence them! Educate when possible. Most policy makers are not expert in all fields. Educate elected officials, be respectful and polite, and give them facts to discuss the vital issues about climate change. Get personal. The best way to influence lawmakers is to visit them in person. Also, send personal correspondence when you want to influence legislation – tell your story – but briefly. Petitions and form letters that you sign online are better than nothing, but personal stories connected to a specific issue are most effective. Speak for the trees. We need to protect our old growth forests! A recent editorial in the Olympian spoke about Washington State cutting timber to fund schools but that it is actually a very small part of the budget and would be better to leave the timber alone. This idea is about letting our trees get very old because they store so much more carbon when 50 – 150 years old. Pay attention to what they do, not what they say. Often what a politician says does not always follow what they do when voting on climate issues. Conservatives might talk more like a climate denier than they are, and Liberals might sound much more climate friendly than they actually are.   Check the rating of The League of Conservation Voters for congressional votes on climate issues. Donate strategically. Instead of donating $25 to a candidate and expecting action, donate to a large, influential action fund where donations can have a more significant impact. The NRDC Action Fund and the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund are two campaign-financing instruments that offer this kind of donation opportunity. Focus on the goal rather than the difficulties. It can take years of persistence to close- down or prevent large scale fossil fuel projects. Two large projects (Duke Energy and Dominion Energy and the Atlantic coast natural-gas pipeline and Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes and the Dakota Access Pipeline) were finally killed by persistent opposition.  Hang in there and don’t give up. Make it for Everybody. Don’t make this a partisan issue. Appeal across the aisle to American innovation and economic strength. We can rev up a green economy with new jobs and technologies which will benefit all of us. Afterword: This is an unbelievably complex undertaking but the author of “Climate Diet” believes we can achieve it.  That said, a few pointers: Don’t shame – encouragement and education are much more effective than smugness and condescension. Don’t blame the poor and powerless – people cutting down the rain forests in the Amazon are doing so to survive, we must reduce economic inequality while reducing emissions. We need to add economic opportunity to climate initiatives. Make your life your argument – The sight of our actions in action is our best form of persuasion.  

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  • Climate Diet #4: Money, Property, Investments
    26 Feb 2022

    “Money is the Oxygen on Which the Fire of Global Warming Burns” ~ Bill McKibben. Money, property, investments. All have a part to play in “going clean”. In the fourth summary of “Climate Diet” you’ll find tips to save and spend in ways that can help mitigate climate-related issues. Pressure your financial institutions to be better. If your money is with JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi, or Bank of America, you are banking with the top financiers of the fossil fuel industry. Write to or call your branch manager, account rep, or corporate headquarters to say your continued business depends on a plan to end support of the fossil fuel industry. Get your friends and family to do the same. Put your money in a cooler place. Consider closing your account if your bank continues and put your money in a bank or credit union that does not finance fossil fuels. Ensure environmental responsibility when you insure your property. The largest insurance companies continue to underwrite fossil fuel exploration and invest in fossil fuels at the same time they are paying huge amounts out for wildfires and other climate-related disasters – and limiting their exposure by pulling out of some areas where climate effects are the worst. (Lemonade is a new insurance company that is a non-profit that will never invest in fossil fuels and like Thrivent financial, shares their profits with charities.  They are not available in Washington yet, but you can leave your email on their website, and they will notify you when they enter our market.) Divest when you invest. Talk to your financial advisor to make sure your investment portfolio is not subsidizing the fossil fuel industry. Put your investment dollars into clean energy! If you own stocks in publicly traded companies, you can vote on shareholder resolutions. Watch for proposals that are climate related and vote on them. Put pressure to have fossil fuel friendly board members removed. Invest in a forever forest. Make a charitable contribution to a land trust that has the designation “Forever Wild”. This means that the trees will never be cut. Reward transition. Check out companies on CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) to see who is making a transition from fossil fuel dependence to renewables. Reward them by investing in them.      

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