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Collaboration for the Common Good |
| Yes, it is true that it “takes a village to raise a child” - meaning that it takes all parts of a community to raise our children. Parents certainly realize their responsibility in raising their children, but also realize that, as our children grow older, we rely on the community to help raise them, whether it is through a teacher, coach, a store clerk, or a church member. |
So it is with raising a building that will be used for the “good of the community” or the “common good” such as Lutheran Community Services’ Village at Angle Lake. How was this building built? Was it built just with the generous contributions of individuals? Was it built just with the generous contributions of businesses and corporations? Was it built just with the generous contributions of churches? Was it built just with government tax dollars?
The answer to each of these questions is "No!" It took the collaborative effort of all these partners to build The Village at Angle Lake! The combined resources of generous contributions from individuals, businesses & corporations, churches, and your well-spent government dollars now help raise children, provide health care, and provide a wonderful home for our elderly. |
Rev. Paul Benz, Director of Washington’s Lutheran Public Policy Office can be reached at 206/464-4133 or by e-mail. Norene Goplen, director of the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry of Oregon, can be reached at 503/731-9519 or by e-mail.
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| Working together is what collaboration means. Working as religious advocates in the political arena we know first-hand the importance of working together to get a bill passed, or secure government dollars to work with other dollars to construct a building that will serve the needs of our local community – particularly our children and our elderly.
Let’s keep collaborating and advocating for a better community! |
Building Community with Both Hands |
| When you act as an advocate, you are really “building community” because a community that cares strives to help its “neighbors in need”. We build community one life at a time, one household at a time, and one neighborhood at a time.
We build community with both hands of advocacy. One hand says we have a neighbor in need – “let’s help that neighbor” in the variety of ways that LCS does:
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Counseling those who are in crisis |
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Helping immigrants and refugees |
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Providing safe, caring homes for foster kids |
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Helping our elderly maintain independence |
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Reaching out to victims of violence |
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Supporting and nurturing families |
The other hand of advocacy asks a good Lutheran question: “What does this mean?” that our neighbors still continue to be in need. It looks at the need for systemic reform and confronts our elected officials with the realities and effects of our neighbors still at risk of losing their food stamps, Medicaid benefits, housing assistance, or foster care funding.
Yes, you are (or can be) a part of “building community”:
- a community that becomes more aware of the needs of all of its members,
- a community that is involved and effective in addressing these needs,
- a community that engages local, state and federal elected officials who make decisions affecting many programs that serve our neighbors in need.
We are here to help you continue, or begin, your good work of advocacy, building communities where all of our neighbors are valued, supported and, most importantly, given a voice.
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Advocacy,
A Ministry of Lutherans |
To be an advocate is
to plead on behalf of another. For the church it means to speak
for those without worldly power; those whose voices are not heard;
those who may not have a vote.
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Advocacy has an ancient history - The Old and New Testaments
are filled with the voices of the prophets and the ministry
of Jesus Christ, calling for justice |
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Advocacy is a task of reason, requiring the understanding
of social structures. |
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Advocacy is intuitive, involving the capacity for empathy. |
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Advocacy is political, involving the struggle for power among
competitive groups. |
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Above all, advocacy is moral, involving the fundamental human
capacity to know what enhances and what destroys the being
and dignity of the person. |
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Lutherans are strengthened as they reach out to meet the needs
of their neighbors. Understanding the barriers that face those
in need strengthens advocates as they bring those needs to others.
At times, direct service by members of congregations can meet specific
needs and address unique circumstances. Often, however, it takes
a community response to meet the need.
When the involvement of government is required, or when government
puts up barriers, it is time to bring the message of those in need
to policy-makers. A Lutheran presence in the development
of public policy brings experienced, seasoned voices to the dialog:
experienced because we are directly involved in helping; and seasoned,
because we seek effective ways of meeting the needs of those in
crises. As advocates for the poor and unrepresented, Lutherans
respect the open exchange of ideas as we reason together to build
a just society. Assuring a Lutheran presence in the development
of public policy is the living out of our baptismal affirmation, …"to
strive for justice and peace in all the earth."
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