August 1, Bishop Aitken's Message
Last week I met at Congressman Stauber’s Office ( My Representative in the 8th district) with Ecumenical and Interfaith leaders to talk about immigration and refugee issues from a faith perspective: The intrinsic value of every human being, the violence families are fleeing as they seek refuge here, the sad reality of warehousing children at the Border, and smart alternatives to that kind of degradation involving the partnership of faith based groups. Two asks: Allow members of Congress access to detention facilities at 48 hour notice, and raise admittance ceiling for refugees to 95,000 for 2020.  Representative Stauber listened carefully and genuinely. 

Let us remember what Jesus, James, and St. Paul, as a starter,  said as found  in Scripture about “faith and works” and how they belong together.  

Jesus:  “I was a stranger and you welcomed me…..and whenever you do this to one of the least of    these who are members of my family, you did it to me” from Matthew 25

James:  “…So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:17)
Paul:     “…the only thing that counts is faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6)

As Lutherans, we can also say faith creates works of love for the neighbor, because the Holy Spirit is constantly forming Christ in us, and where Christ is, so is unconditional love for the other that works for their good.    And even further, the gospel of God’s love creates more than some kind of “obligation” to serve our neighbor with decency; it creates the desire inside of us - to do so. 

I’m grateful that the good and salutary work of Christ is being done through all of you, and I encourage you to experience the joy that comes as the fruit of this work as we continue to do so. 

+Bishop Thomas Aitken

July 2019, LIRS- MIGRANTS AT THE UNITED STATES
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Pastoral Message from the Bishop:
​White Supremacy 

Dear Christian: Your life is not your own, you belong to Christ, your brother and Lord. His courageous love stands up to injustice.He lived a life that countered fear, divisions, racism, violence and revenge, and worked for the good of the neighbor - whoever that neighbor happens to be. Tonight, and in the days to come, our "neighbor" is the Muslim community, senselessly brutalized and violently killed in New Zealand as you know. But these acts go on here in our Country as well. Jesus always crossed over the lines people drew to exclude and degrade people. You are joined to Jesus, dear Christian, in your baptism, in your hearing of the gospel, in your partaking of Holy Communion. I urge you to pray tonight for the victims of racism and White Supremacy / White Nationalism around the world. Wherever you gather with your fellow Christians, ask to include moments of silence and intercessions for the victims of bloodshed and violence. And then, when you hear rhetoric that inflames hate and champions White Supremacy, find a way to speak out against it. Take courage: Our Lord who commands us to do these things, also gives us the courage to do them.
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