Exploring the `Courage to Think Differently'

Pastor George Johnson's new book COURAGE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY is a good read in these autumn weeks.  Johnson writes, "If you are ready to come out of your comfort zone I suggest you read the sermon by Harry Emerson Fosdick (included in the book). The chapter is called "The Peril of Worshipping Jesus." But hold on. It can be a rough ride.
 

Reviewer Lily Wu of Lutheran Peace Fellowship wrote, "Imagine more than 30 notable prophetic voices sharing their insights on a wide range of issues that matter for our quality of life and the world's survival. That's the theme of Courage to Think Differently, by author and editor George S. Johnson, former director of the American Lutheran Church's hunger program. He brings together a diverse spectrum of writers including Larry Rasmussen, Frances Moore Lappe, Bill Moyers, Vandana Shiva, Elie Wiesel, Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, and David Korten. In the process, Johnson offers us a book so creative, so spiritually compelling that it practically glows in your hands."

Lutheran Peace Fellowship's review is found at this link.

In honor of World Food Day, ask Members of Congress to support SNAP!

We missed Oct. 16, World Food Day, but it's not too late to celebrate by using the opportunity to strengthen national and international solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty and draw attention to achievements in food security and agricultural development.    Yet, on this World Food Day many people in our nation remain food insecure, and Congress has proposed steep cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - formerly known as food stamps - our primary federal anti-hunger program.   In honor of World Food Day, send a message to your members of Congress telling them that you support efforts to end hunger in our communities and asking them to oppose cuts to SNAP as they consider the farm bill and bills to fund the federal government this fall.

The ‘Do or Die’ Moment for Winning Fair and Humane Immigration Reform

It is time to raise our voices for compassionate immigration reform. Click this link to the new toolkit that will help amplify your voice at this critical moment.

From Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service...

As Lutherans, we are called to bear prophetic witness to God’s love for all people, welcome the strangers in our midst, and stand in solidarity with migrants and refugees.

The time is now to put the maximum pressure on members of the House of Representatives to pass immigration reform legislation that unites migrant and refugee families and provides a roadmap to citizenship for undocumented aspiring Americans.

Congress will be home on recess from August 3rd to September 8th. This is a critical and opportune time for communities of faith to make our voices heard on immigration reform. We must remind House Members of God’s love for the sojourner, and that the time is now to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill that aligns with our principles.

LIRS has developed a toolkit with a menu of actions to help amplify your voices at this critical moment in our campaign.  We are asking Lutherans across the country to prayerfully reflect on taking action to support immigration reform during this August recess period.

We are just a few days into the August congressional recess period – and the momentum for immigration reform keeps on growing!  We received new town hall information below and ask that you prayerfully consider attending and help forward the information to Lutherans in the area where the meetings are scheduled.

Listed are the additional town hall meetings for August and September.

- Congressman Joe Barton Town Hall
Gibbs Memorial Library, 305 East Rusk
Mexia, TX 76667
Date: 8/21/2013
Time: 12:00pm

- Congressman Joe Barton Town Hall
105 South 4th Avenue
Teague, TX 75860
Date: 8/21/2013
Time: 2:30pm

- Congressman Joe Barton Town Hall
Corsicana Government Center, 200 North 12th Street
Corsicana, TX 75110
Date: 8/21/2013
Time: 6:00pm

- Congressman Joe Barton Town Hall
Crowley Recreation Center, 405 S Oak Steet
Crowley, TX 76036
Date: 8/24/2013
Time: 10:00am

- Congressman Joe Barton Town Hall
Mansfield City Hall, City Council Chamber, 1200 East Broad Street
Mansfield, TX 76036
Date: 8/24/2013
Time: 1:00pm

- Congressman Joe Barton Town Hall
Oak Leaf City Hall, 301 Locust Drive
Oak Leaf, TX 75154
Date: 8/27/2013
Time: 2:00pm

- Congressman Joe Barton Town Hall
Ferris Public Library, 301 East 10th Street
Ferris, TX 75125
Date: 8/27/2013
Time: 6:00pm

- Congressman Joe Barton Town Hall
Ennis Public Library, 501 West Ennis Avenue
Ennis, TX 75119
Date: 8/29/2013
Time: 6:00pm

- Congressman Joe Barton Town Hall
Waxahachie City Hall, 401 South Rogers
Waxahachie, TX 75165
Date: 9/4/2013
Time: 6:00pm

- Congressman Joe Barton Town Hall
Arlington City Hall, 101 W. Abram Street
Arlington, TX 76010
Date: 9/5/2013
Time: 6:00pm

Your presence is key to telling representatives that you support immigration reform and want House leadership to bring the immigration reform bill up for a vote. LIRS has developed both an Online Action Item and the attached/pasted August Recess Toolkit to support your effective participation.

Thank you for your continued support and willingness to engage by spreading the word to fellow Lutherans who reside in the member’s district. Please let me know if you were able to help spread the word and attend any of the events.

Blessings,
Deborah
--
Deborah Martinez
Grassroots Mobilization Intern | dmartinez@lirs.org |

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
700 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230 | www.lirs.org

Video and other resources on racism at NT-NL

Video from the recent "New Jim Crown in Texas" conference is available at the NTNL website.

Click here to find the panel discussion, the speech by Michelle Alexander, and Bishop Kevin Kanouse's theological backgrounder.

You can also find powerpoint and study guides for the movie, "The House I Live In." For more about the film, check out this link.

Study guides for `The New Jim Crow'

Study guides are available for working with The New Jim Crow in congregational groups, book clubs, or on your own.

A free study guide is provided by the Riverside Church in New York. Click this link for the study guide.

The New Jim Crow website offers other study guides. Click here for a list of study guides.

Watch `A Conversation About Race'

Pastor Doris Dupree Harris of the Giving Public Witness Team encourages us to watch a video from NBC documentaries, "A Conversation About Race." 

NBC’s Brian Williams and panelists Tom Joyner, Mike Barnicle, Malaak Compton-Rock, Michael Eric Dyson, and Tim Wise talk about the documentary 'Meeting David Wilson' and why today's society is uncomfortable about discussing race.

The New Jim Crow in Texas

Registration is open for
The New Jim Crow in Texas

Register now for the May 14 special NT-NL event, The New Jim Crow in Texas – Toward a New Consensus on Justice.
Click here to go to on-line registration. Register as a Guest.

Tuesday, May 14 at King of Glory Lutheran Church,
6411 Lyndon B Johnson Freeway, Dallas

1:00 Afternoon workshop ($25 includes a light meal)
7:00 PM Michelle Alexander speech (free admission)

Click this link to download a detailed brochure.

The New Jim Crow in Texas will feature an afternoon workshop with religious and community leaders discussing racial disparity in Texas criminal justice, schools and social services. Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow, will speak that evening.

The event will be available online via live-streaming video. The link for taking part this way will be at the NT-NL website: www.ntnl.org

Michelle Alexander is a civil rights lawyer, advocate, and legal scholar.  In recent years, she has taught at Stanford Law School, where she was an associate professor of law and directed the Civil Rights Clinics.  In 2005, she wrote The New Jim Crow - Mass Incarceration in an Age of Colorblindness.

The afternoon workshop will offer a presentation by Joyce James, Director of the Center for the Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities, and Maxine Jones-Robinson, Regional Disproportionality and Disparity Specialist, introducing the process of "Courageous Conversation." 

Bishop Kevin Kanouse will provide a theological foundation for the day. A panel of resource people will discuss the intersection of race with criminal justice, education, the church and community. There will be time for discussion and interaction with the presenters.

The New Jim Crow in Texas is organized by the Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Mission Area’s Public Witness Team and its Table Talk program, together with the Center for the Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities (Texas Health & Human Services Commission) and King of Glory Lutheran Church.

 

LIRS Welcomes New Bipartisan Immigration Framework, Awaits Obama Speech

Linda Hartke, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service, affirms the immigration ideas unveiled by bipartison senators in her blog. Click here to read the article.

Hartke writes, "It’s encouraging to see the framework for comprehensive immigration reform released today (Jan. 28, 2013) by a bipartisan group of senators. This, together with President Barack Obama’s speech tomorrow in Las Vegas, gives me hope that lawmakers will move rapidly to pass fair and compassionate reform legislation.

"The principles unveiled by the group of eight senators confirm that now is the time for Congress to pass immigration reform. We at LIRS look forward to working with Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress as they come together, for the well-being of our nation, to answer the president’s call to build an immigration system that works for America. The principles put forward today, if enacted into law, would provide a workable process for migrants to continue contributing to the United States." Click to Read Linda Hartke's blog at this link.

LIRS released a press statement: LIRS Welcomes New Bipartisan Immigration Framework, Awaits Obama Speech.

--  -- 

This is the website for Goal Team C - Giving Public Witness to Peace and Justice - the Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Mission Area (ELCA). 

Stand for Welcome with LIRS

Stand for Welcome during Epiphany

Across the country, Lutheran congregations are setting aside one Sunday in the spring of 2013 to dedicate a few intentional moments of worship or study time to increase awareness and connect people to action. Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services invites us to find the best way for NT-NL Mission Area congregtaions to take part.

Engage your congregation in discussion about immigration issues and share the tools to speak up for migrants through faith-based advocacy and prayer. LIRS resources will give you everything you need to plan a Stand for Welcome Sunday.

As you plan your Stand for Welcome emphasis Sunday, take a look at this interview with author/attorney Richard T. Herman (Immigrant Inc.). Herman makes an impressive case for the economic advantages of welcoming immigrants, and thinking like an immigrant!