ELCA NEWS SERVICE

March 15, 2006  

More Than 200 ELCA Members Participate in Ecumenical Advocacy Days
06-038-AL*

     WASHINGTON, D.C. (ELCA) -- More than 900 U.S. church
members, including more than 200 members of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), took part in Ecumenical
Advocacy Days here March 10-13.  Under the theme "Challenging
Disparity: The Promise of God - The Power of Solidarity,"
participants learned about issues important to the religious
community and had the opportunity to make their voices heard on
Capitol Hill.
     Workshop topics included global security, eco-justice,
Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, jubilee and
economic justice, and domestic issues in the United States.  The
final day of the event was spent on Capitol Hill, where
participants met with staff of their congressional
representatives.
     "We gather here in Washington not just with new strategies
and programs, but with a different vision for life in human
community," said the Rev. Michael Kinnamon in a sermon at Sunday
worship.  "In a culture fixated on violence and death, it is time
for us to lift up our vision for interdependent life."
     Speakers for the event included Kinnamon, the Allen and
Dottie Miller Professor of Mission and Peace, Eden Theological
Seminary, St. Louis; the Rev. Suzan Johnson Cook, senior pastor,
Believers Christian Fellowship, and president of the Hampton
(Va.) University Ministries' Conference; and E. J. Dionne, Jr.,
columnist for the Washington Post.
     In his keynote address Sunday evening, Dionne said, "Charity
is essential, but it is not enough.  How do you reduce the need
for charity and help people get self-sufficient?  Justice."
     David and Pamela Larabee-Zierath, West Liberty, Iowa,
members of the Lutheran World Relief (LWR) Speakers Bureau,
prepared to visit offices on Capitol Hill.  LWR is the overseas
relief and development ministry of the ELCA and Lutheran Church-
Missouri Synod.
     "We're hoping to be able to thank our Congressman (Jim
Leach) for the support he's given to our issues," said Pamela
Larabee-Zierath.  "We look forward to having more information for
our work with LWR -- a different take and a bigger picture for
our fair-trade talks."

Hundreds of young adults participate
     More than 250 people ages 16-30 participated in Ecumenical
Advocacy Days, including more than 100 young adults from the
ELCA.
     Special programs and time for networking were provided for
young adults of all denominations.
     "I've really enjoyed getting to know other young adults,
learning what's happening on their campuses and in their
communities," said Kari Lenander, student, Augustana College,
Sioux Falls, S.D.
     Lenander chose to attend workshops dealing with jubilee and
economic justice.  "I wanted something that would be global.  We
do a lot of fair-trade things on our campus, and I've been
interested to see other aspects of that," she said.

ELCA hosts several events
     Ecumenical Advocacy Days also served as the kickoff to the
new ELCA student advocacy teams program.  Students from nine of
the 36 ELCA colleges and seminaries met March 10 for an
orientation session, where they learned principles of advocacy
and heard information about the ONE campaign.  Much of the
orientation was spent in small groups, brainstorming and sharing
ideas for doing effective advocacy ministry on campus.
     Lutherans attending Ecumenical Advocacy Days had several
opportunities for fellowship and networking, including the
Lutheran hospitality suite, a denominational lunch and meeting,
and a Lutheran dinner.
     During the denominational lunch and meeting March
11, Lutherans heard from ELCA churchwide staff representing the
ELCA Washington Office, Corporate Social Responsibility, Lutheran
Office for World Community, Global Mission, and the World Hunger
program, as well as staff from ELCA partner organizations
Lutheran World Relief, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service,
and Lutheran Services in America.
     "Hunger and poverty work is part of our DNA," said Nancy
Arnison, director, ELCA World Hunger program.  "Lutherans have
been involved with this work for decades."
     Participants were challenged to step up their efforts to
help the hungry and the poor by becoming advocates on their
behalf.  "Call your members of Congress - not just once, but
develop a relationship with each of them," said Karen Vagley,
director, ELCA Washington Office.  "Visit them.  Be at their
doors.  Be at their press conferences.  Let them know you care."
     The ELCA Washington Office and Global Mission co-sponsored a
dinner March 11 for nearly 200 ELCA participants at St. Albans
School near the National Cathedral.

History of the event
     Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice began
in 2003 as a gathering of 400 religious advocates concerned about
U.S. foreign policy in Africa and the Middle East.  In 2004 more
than 600 religious activists from 41 states and 15 countries came
together to build bridges across issues faced by the poor and
disenfranchised in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin
America.  The 2005 Advocacy Days added a fifth region, the United
States, and also broadened to cover economic justice,
environmental justice and global security issues.  More than 850
grassroots advocates, policy experts, politicians, theologians,
organizers, and students gathered to shape a new positive,
progressive religious vision for U.S. foreign policy.
     Event sponsors for 2006 included the ELCA, Episcopal Church
USA, Lutheran World Relief, National Council of Churches U.S.A.,
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), United Church of Christ, United
Methodist Church and dozens of other faith-based organizations.
-- -- --
     Information about ELCA advocacy efforts is at
http://www.ELCA.org/advocacy/ on the Web.

* Annie Lynsen is director for grassroots advocacy and
communication, ELCA Washington (D.C.) Office.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
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