Resources to Care for Our Neighbors

This list of resources was originally published in early 2025 following a letter from Bishop Kusserow and synod vice president Barb Nugent, “Our Baptismal Responsibility to Care for Neighbors,” when our synod was reminded of the deep value that Lutheran congregations have contributed to the social structures of our country, leading the way in caring for our neighbors. While this can feel like an overwhelming task for any congregation, our congregations are not alone.  We work together, as we have done through the whole history of our church, to accomplish together what is too great for any one congregation to achieve. 

It has since been updated and referenced again by Bishop Stoller in her letter “A Response to Violence in Minnesota.” With this reminder of our shared purpose, below are practical resources for carrying out the ministry to which we have been called. 

Communities of Color

• Lenten Study: Struggling with White Privilege and Following Jesus (Authentic Diversity and Justice Working Group 2022)

• Contribute to restorative justice in the Hill District through our synod’s appeal on behalf of Bethel-Trinity CDC.

• Youth and Young Adults can engage in the work of racial reconciliation with Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in PA’s Isaiah 58:12 Fellowship.

Disability Community

• Lenten Study: Centering the Disability Community (Authentic Diversity and Justice Working Group 2023)

Faith and Civic Life

• The ELCA has provided social statements on Faith and Civic Life, Church in Society, and Human Rights.

• Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in PA has written a study guide for congregational use help study and understand the ELCA social statement Faith and Civic Life: Seeking the Well-being of All.

• Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in PA and the International Bonhoeffer Society had made a curriculum by Dr. Lori Brandt Hale, “Lessons from Dietrich Bonhoeffer in a House Divided and a World on Fire,” available for congregational use.

• Presiding Bishop Emertia Eaton responded to misinformation about funding that supports Lutheran organizations across our country.

• Take action to support federal funding that supports Lutheran Services with ELCA Advocacy Alerts.

Immigration

• Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in PA provides a way to urge Gov. Shapiro to end ICE collaboration or to tell congress to welcome people seeking safety. You can also join LAMPa’s Rapid Response Network to support our immigrant neighbors and other vulnerable communities.

• Casa San José connects, supports, and advocates with and for the Latino Community in the Pittsburgh area.

• Casa San José and the Sister of St. Joseph organize a weekly interfaith prayer vigil in front of the Pittsburgh ICE office. All are invited every Friday, 8:30-9:30 AM at 3000 Sidney St, Pittsburgh, PA 15203.

• The ELCA Latino Ministries Association has written an excellent letter—in Spanish (p.1) and in English (p.2)— giving encouragement and guidance to our church from the perspective of those who are among the most vulnerable right now.

• In 2019 our Churchwide Assembly acted to identify our church as a sanctuary church body. Thoughtful guidelines for what that means in the daily life and ministry of our congregations and other ministry sites may be found here. Particularly, page three lists the six ways in which congregations can serve, care, support, and education are listed.

• Here you will find detailed, practical advice from AMMPARO, our church’s ministry of accompaniment for migrant families.  And read the AAMPARO Quarterly Report for November 2025.

• Presiding Bishop Emertia Eaton wrote a pastoral letter to our whole church, calling us again to care for our neighbors in this time of need and by reminding us what Luther said about daily bread, including the responsibilities of leaders to provide stability, sufficiency and equity for the people in their care.

• The ELCA’s social message on immigration was written in 1998.

LGBTQ+ Community

• Add your name to Faith Leaders for an Inclusive Pennsylvania. This will also connect you for future organizing to call for inclusion and equity in PA and beyond.

• Join Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in PA’s In God’s Image Network to connect with LGBTQ+ advocates from around the Commonwealth.

Peacemaking

• Common Ground USA Peacemaker’s Toolkit.

• ELCA has provided a social statement on Peace and a social message on Community Violence.

Synod Collaboration

• The Resource Ministry facebook group is a new resource intended to be a place where synod leaders can share positive ministry practices and ask each other for help in particularly vexing situations.

More resources will be added as they become available. Updated 1/8/2026.