Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear LAMA Community,

We at the LAMA office want to wish you a happy and blessed Thanksgiving! We hope you take this holiday to enjoy God’s bountiful gifts of friends, family, and food— however those things may be present in your life. This year, we give thanks for our wonderful community of advocates and liaisons, for all the congregations who have welcomed us and joined us in our work, for all of our partner networks, and for the opportunities we have been given to do God’s work through advocacy.

As you reflect upon all the things you are grateful for, we encourage you to consider our neighbors in need. Remember our unhoused neighbors, as they start preparing for a cold, wet winter. Remember those on the Navajo Nation, who have inconsistent access to clean water. Remember the hundreds of thousands of Arizonans who are struggling with food insecurity. These are the neighbors that Christ calls us to love and care for. Whether you are a host or a guest this Thanksgiving, remember that Christ calls us to be both a host to our neighbors in need, and a guest of those who wish to commune with us.

As you share your blessings this holiday season, through food donations, coat drives, volunteering, and gift giving, we invite you to include advocacy in your holiday traditions. We, as a Church, have worked long and hard to minister to those in need. As important as this charity is, advocacy has the ability to bring forth justice to those in need. By creating a more just world, we can protect the dignity and wellbeing of many of those neighbors. We invite you to:

Explore the Advocacy 101 Toolkit if you want to learn more about the advocacy process

Advocate for the renewal of the Child Tax Credit

Advocate for a fully funded WIC program

Sign up to join us at Lutheran Day at the Legislature or, Learn more about LAMA’s Policy Priorities for the upcoming year.

We also invite you to take time this Thanksgiving to learn from Indigenous Lutherans. In the spirit of unity, let us learn how to best support these neighbors of ours.

This Thanksgiving, we offer up this prayer:

Dear Lord,

Help us to build a table where all can be fed. Inspire us to welcome all who come to us, that we may discover mercy, justice, and love within each other. Let us use our gifts and callings to treasure your grace and love together. May your Church be a place of protection, healing, and joy, that we steward faithfully. For all your gifts, we give thanks.

Love and blessings,

your LAMA Team