By Solveig Muus, Director, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona
Lately I’ve been thinking about the many ways our Church intersects across so many different channels, and about how that intentional
intersectionality benefits the whole. ELCA-affiliated state public policy offices (sppos), like Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA), are one of those channels. I’m privileged to serve on the planning teams for this year’s sppo retreat as well as the ELCA World Hunger Leaders Gathering. In these settings and others, I’ve heard Christians in the ELCA passionate about the ways in which we, as Lutherans, connect people to create possibilities.
Below is just a thimbleful of the happenings in my world that are making connections.
- In Mar. 2024, the Hunger Leaders Networks in ELCA Region 2 (California, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico) embarked on a year-long journey to plan the 40-40-40 Region 2 Lenten Challenge for 2025, in which the five ELCA synods in Region 2 challenge one another to participate in spiritual and physical practices and to raise funds through Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) for a major water project at the Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission (NELM) in Rock Point, Ariz. during the 40 days of Lent. I will be sharing this story in a Collaborative Learning ‘course’ through LDR called “LDR and ELCA World Hunger Intersections: Navajo Lutheran Mission” on Wednesday, March 5 (2:00 EST). Great possibilities in Region 2 – Lutheran Disaster Response – ELCA World Hunger – NELM intersectionality.
- In October 2024, the Rev. Sara Lilja, my sppo colleague at Lutherans Engaging in Advocacy Ministry New Jersey (LEAMNJ), mentioned a New Jersey bill (S-3672) recently introduced called the Immigrant Trust Act that safeguards the privacy of immigrants and limits how their immigration status is shared amid growing anti-immigrant sentiment. Thinking this could be important for Arizona as well, I proposed it to one of our state senators – who agreed and introduced the bill (SB1362) in the Arizona legislature in February. Great possibilities in SPPO – New Jersey – Arizona intersectionality.
On Feb. 2, Lutherans of all stripes felt the sting of false accusations and misrepresentations of the funding that supports Lutheran organizations across the country, and came together as never before to defend our Lutheran service organizations. Great possibilities in inter-Lutheran intersectionality.
- On Feb. 10, Lutherans gathered at the Arizona Capitol for LAMA’s annual Lutheran Day at the Legislature. Two hundred people enjoyed a rally, legislative appointments, lunch, prayers and introductions from the House and Senate galleries and more. We were joined by 18 members of an United Church of Christ (UCC) church who share our Lutheran values, are passionate about advocacy and wanted to join their voices with ours. What are the possibilities here? Great possibilities in interfaith intersectionality.
- On Feb. 24, I attended the hearing of HB2191, Arizona’s “Yes In God’s Back Yard” (YIGBY) bill in the House Appropriations Committee. This is one of three bills (out of 1,802 introduced this session) that LAMA championed on Lutheran Day. Testimony (including by one of our ELCA Lutheran pastors), reasonable questions, lively discussion, pushback, bluster and exasperation ensued. The bill needs work, but it has bipartisan support. For now. Great possibilities in Bipartisan intersectionality.
I am inspired by the ways we connect with one another; I feel invigorated and challenged. This intersectionality gives me hope for the future of our Church, and reminds me of the importance of every connection we make. When it feels discouraging, or friends and colleagues share frustrations about our inability to affect change, I draw encouragement from our interconnectedness, knowing God is present in this work, the great weaver, making us a tapestry.
