Living Faith Resources

Below are some Living Faith resources to further your learning

Declaration on the Way

"Declaration on the Way" [DOW] is a [statement] of the consensus achieved by Lutherans and Catholics on the topics of Church, Ministry and Eucharist as a result of ecumenical dialogue between the two communions since 1965." (DOW, preface). 

For more reading: https://www.elca.org/declaration-on-the-way

Dr. David Grafton

Resources of Jesus in Islam for Christian Congregations

Lenten Resources

Lenten Calendar to Help Cultivate Creation (environmental) Justice

Lenten Reflections with Daily Readings

RIC & Advocacy Team Series

Actions and Resources to Start us on the Path of Intersectional Justice Advocacy

Federal Advocacy Opportunities

  • Action alert: Urge Senators to protect voting rights by passing the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act.
    Voter suppression disproportionately affects low-income people and people of color. Passage of The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act would be a key step in ensuring all citizens can vote safely. You can write to your senator in support of the John R. Lewis Act here

  • Action alert: Join Faith Leaders and Urge your Representatives to pass H.R. 40. The legacy of slavery and resultant systems of white supremacy affect Black communities deeply, especially causing racialized economic harm. H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act, would establish a commission to study this and develop recommendations for advancing reparations for affected people. You can write to your representatives in support of H.R. 40 here

State Advocacy Opportunities

  • Legislative priority: Emergency Rental Assistance Program Covid has disproportionately harmed low-income, BIPOC, and disabled people. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program helps those who have been unable to pay rent due to pandemic-related hardships. Many PA counties have run out of funding. Senate Bill 1059 aims to increase funding so the ERAP can continue. Consider writing to your state representatives and senators in support of legislation that would fund the ERAP. You can read SB 1059 here

  • Planned Parenthood Keystone provides support and education for LGBTQIA+ people across PA, especially youth. Learn more about how you can support them here

Local Advocacy Opportunity

Further Resources

Reconciling in Christ

 
 

All Saints Day

Storm Water Manager Resources

Growing Ambler Greener

By keeping rain where if falls and allowing for filtration the Ambler Borough community can contribute to Clean Streams in the Wissahickon Watershed. Through Clean Streams, Clean Water, Ambler Borough residents can be a solution to the pollution in our waterways, while beautifying property and moving towards a healthier Wissahickon Watershed. We can keep rain where it falls, allow for filtration and improve the waters we send downstream to our neighbors in Philadelphia.

Water Management

How polluted is the water in our local streams?

Find out the condition of your local waterway here: https://mywaterway.epa.gov/

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC)

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) is in the forefront in protecting our waterways, air quality, maintaining and improving trails, storm water management, educational programming and lots more!  Find out how you can get involved and learn more about what is going on in our home state: https://pecpa.org/

Lutherans Restoring Creation

Lutheran Restoring Creation is a grassroots movement promoting care for creation in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Ways for individuals to make a difference

Ways for congregations to make a difference

Creation Care Ambassadors

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania (LAMPa)

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania (LAMPa) is the state public policy office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. LAMPa serves the congregations, synods and Lutheran institutions in Pennsylvania, providing resources, training and information in the work of being a public church.

 
 
 
 
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“As Christians, we are called to love our neighbor and care for our common home. We do that in personal lives and in our life together by living simply and being good stewards of the environment. We also do this by encouraging policies that support the common good.”
— LAMPa

LAMPa 2021 Advocacy opportunities related to Creation Care such as hunger, lead in school drinking water, Styrofoam & single-use plastic ban, etc.

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

Did you know that PA is one of the highest CO2 emitters on the East Coast?  The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is a cooperative effort among the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia to cap and reduce power sector CO2 emissions. It is important for Pennsylvania to become part of this effort. For more information about the project and how Lutherans are supporting it click here.

Community Solar Projects Legislation

Senate Bill 472 and House Bill 1555 enable community solar projects in Pennsylvania that would allow us to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions while helping to create a more resilient energy system. Community solar allows neighbors, businesses, farms and nonprofits such as churches and other community organizations to directly participate in and receive benefits from an offsite solar project connected to their local electric distribution company’s grid. 

Join Lutherans across Pennsylvania in encouraging lawmakers to support this bipartisan legislation. Simply sign each of the attached letters and list your address. (Lawmakers will not read without this!) Please consider adding a personal note about why caring for creation is important to you as a person of faith.

GWOHOV Community Solar House Letter
GWOHOV Community Solar Senate Letter

Care for Creation

During the month of October the Living Faith will be focusing on Care for Creation.

Did you know that the ELCA has many resources for congregations and individuals to help us learn more about our calling as Christians to care for Creation?

In 1993 the ELCA published a statement on the need and call for all Lutherans to work for environmental sustainability. Why do we care for creation? “For Christians, care of the Earth is not an “environmental cause.” Rather, it is central to our holy calling to treasure the Earth and to care for it as our common home, fully integrating creation-care into our love of God and neighbor”. 

Read more here: Why Lutherans Care for Creation

 
 

More helpful resources

Creation Justice Ministries - Creation Justice Missions educates, equips and mobilizes Christian communions/denominations, congregations and individual to protect, restore, and rightly share God’s creation.

52 Ways to Care for Creation

Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development - The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development (ICSD) reveals the connection between religion and ecology and mobilizes faith communities to act. ICSD works on a global basis, with current engagement in Africa, the Middle East, North America, and Europe.

The Eco Bible from the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development - is an ecological commentary on the first five books of the Bible. Volume one is now available on their website to download.

What Can the Bible tell us about Ecology?

As we face huge environmental changes - including more frequent and intense hurricanes, floods, and forest fires, and widespread plastic pollution - Eco Bible shows how the Bible itself and its great scholars embrace care for God’s creation as a fundamental and living message.

  • 178 Daily Lessons on Living a Healthier, More Eco-Friendly Life

  • Ecological Commentary on the Book of Genesis & Exodus

  • Specific Action Items for Achieving a Sustainable Future