Photos from the Road

Workshop at LEAD event for the South-Central Synod

LOPPW’s director, (left) Rev. Nick Utphall, and (Right) Intern Kyle Kretschmann led a presentation on Care for God’s Creation at LEAD in Janesville.

Panel discussion between Bishop Mary Froiland, Rev. Stephen Marsh and Rev. Joselph Ellwanger at LEAD https://www.facebook.com/LOPPW-47288660037/

 

LOPPW was present at the hearing for AB 737, which is not as full as Safe Harbor but has many of its components, including funding. Thank you for everyone’s support! AB 737 expands the definition of child abuse to include child sex trafficking, mandates law enforcement referral to child welfare, and mandates child welfare investigation of non-caregiver cases. It also provides funding of $1.1 million for out-of- home placement costs for youth who were trafficked.

 

Lead and Learn for Greater Milwaukee Synod

(Left) LOPPW director gave a brief presentation with greetings from LOPPW and ELCA World Hunger and was on a panel for social justice. (Right) Bishop Jeff Barrow preached.

Keynote Kenneth W. Inskeep, director for Research and Evaluation in the Office of the ELCA Bishop spoke at Lead and Learn

Out of the Shadows of Global Slavery and Human Trafficking organized by Body and Soul Community Center (Executive Director Venice Williams) to honor The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (LOPPW led a workshop at the event)

(Left) “If The Reverend Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. were alive today global trafficking and sex trafficking would be at the top of his list.” Venice Williams

(Left) Bishop Jeff Barrow blessing lunch. (Right) Rep. David Bowman sharing a few words.

(Left) Panel of experts talk about their experiences of directly working with trafficking victims in Milwaukee. (Right) The event drew a lot of young leaders who helped manage the day.

 

 

Congressman Mark Pocan speaking about federal and state legislation on left and Protest organized by Voces de la Frontera on right – A Day without Latinos and Immigrants at the Wisconsin State Capitol

 

LOPPW’s Adult Forum at Peace Lutheran Church in Waunakee at 7:45 am!

 

Region 5 ELCA World Hunger Gathering in Dubuque, Iowa (we saw a celebratory Luther for Halloween at Wartburg Seminary on our way home)

 

Representative Jill Billings and Representative La Tonya Johnson presenting their Safe Harbor Bill. The LOPPW director testified in favor of the bill on that same day.

 

Festival of Congregations for the Northern Great Lakes Synod was held in Minocqua. LOPPW held a workshop on The Shrinking Middle Class and the Affliction of Poverty

 

Confirmation Extravaganza in Madison for the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin. Confirmands took the LOPPW Quiz!

 

LOPPW’s director Cindy Crane, Wisconsin Catholic Conference Director John Huebscher, and Wisconsin Council of Churches Director Scott Anderson presented this letter against the drug testing bill at a hearing.

 

2015 LOPPW Advisory Council/Staff Retreat at St. Anthony Spirituality Center in Marathon

Please go to this page to see individual photos and names of our council members!

 

Trip to Hephatha Lutheran Church and Alice’s Garden in Milwaukee

Pastor Mary Martha and Melissa for the tour of the neighborhood and Hopkins Lloyd Community School. The children who ate with us and taught us about what they do at their church! Hephatha has been active in keeping the school open and taking leadership in making the neighborhood better and safer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Advocacy Convening in Washington D.C. – ELCA bishops, Episcopal bishops, grassroots leaders, advocacy ministry staff and other ELCA employees visited legislators at the same time of the visit of Pope Francis

Senator Tammy Baldwin met with WI bishops, grassroots leaders, and LOPPW staff.

 

 

 

 

Ron Johnson’s staff and Congressman Reid Ribble’s staff met with WI bishops, grassroots leaders, and LOPPW staff.

We also met directly with Congressman Mark Pocan.

 

 

 

 

Outrage, a Call to Action, and Love at All People’s Church in Milwaukee after the domestic terrorist attack in Charleston. “I believe in love even when I can’t feel it…”

 

Post Assembly Time at Festival – Mary Minette and Cindy Crane talking to Representative Chris Taylor and her son at a Madison festival

LaCrosse Area Synod Assembly

South-Central Synod of Wisconsin Assembly 2015 (workshop on poverty in Wisconsin and our state budget as a moral document and plenary session)

 

Northwest Synod of Wisconsin Assembly 2015 (Advisory Council Members Rev. Diane House and Kay Montgomery, workshop on our state budget as a moral document co-led by director and Diane)

 

Greater Milwaukee Synod 2015 (LOPPW workshop on addressing child sex trafficking and Carthage College, location of assembly)

 

East Central Synod Assembly 2015 (LOPPW workshop on children in poverty and plenary)

 

Press Conference on Better Choices for our Wisconsin State Budget

 

Advocacy Day 2015 – On April 29th People of Faith United for Justice organized a day of education and visiting of legislators in Madison drawing between 700-750 people from around the state. PFUJ is made up of the Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin, Wisconsin Council of Churches, Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee, Jewish Federation of Madison, Jewish Community Relations Council Milwaukee, WISDOM, Madison Urban Ministry, Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice, and Wisconsin Jewish Council.

 

Governor Walker Signs Assembly Bill 16 – The bill included an amendment presented by LOPPW and Fierce Freedom. The bill expands awareness of sex trafficking victims, issues related to their victimization, and aid available to support affected individuals requiring the DOJ to design a poster that provides information regarding the national human trafficking resource center hotline. The bill was authored by Representative Amy Ludenbeck and Senator Jerry Petrowski.

 

Rally on March 19, 2015

Bishop Mary Froiland led us in prayer and National Director of Cherish All Children shared her work during the educational hour at St. John’s Lutheran Church near the capitol.

 

We heard from Jan Miyazaki of Project Respect and JoAnn Gruber-Hagen of Slave Free Madison and the End Demand Campaign (a project of Slave Free Madison).

 

Representative Jill Billings talked about Safe Harbor and gave us tips on how to talk to our legislators. Long-time LaCrosse activist and ELCA member, June Kjome, traveled from LaCrosse to participate and send us off to the capitol with words of inspiration.

 

Time to march on Washington (East Washington Ave.)

Time to visit our legislators.

 

TOURS AT THE CAPITOL – LOPPW’s director set up tours for youth from Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Sun Prairie and a delegation from India to the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin and led discussions about doing advocacy from a faith perspective after each tour.

 

CSM Meeting in Itasca, IL – At our annual Congregation and Synodical Mission event state public policy office and D.C. office staff stand with Jackie Maddox being celebrated for her years of service in the D.C. advocacy office.

 

Right to Work Legislation: On left John Nichols speaking at the 15th Annual Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice. On right senate holds a public hearing on Right to Work.

Adult Forum at Midvale Lutheran Church in Middleton – Members watch a video on children experiencing homelessness and show concerns about cuts in the Governor’s Proposed Budget.

Reverend Diane House and Ms. Roberta Joern hit the news talking about our kickoff Safe Harbor Campaign conference before the event. Television Interview from January 21, 2015

Safe Harbor Campaign for Trafficked Youth Kick-Off Event at Christ Lutheran Church in Menomonie in February 2015 was a great success with over 40 engaged participants. Event included a presentation by local Police Officer King, letter writing and a ceremony blessing the letters led by Bishop Rick Hoyme of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin.

 

 

 

ELCA World Hunger Sponsored Event for Hunger Leaders in January 2015

Advocacy workshop led by Tia Upchurch-Freelove. She said that if everyone read our social statements more people would be Lutheran.

Reverend Greg Brown of Miracles of Faith Community Church (ELCA) in Oakland reminds us that a huge part of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream was to end hunger and poverty. We’ve let that part of the dream fade into the background.

 

Representative Jill Billings (LaCrosse) and Representative La Tonya Johnson leading a symposium on human trafficking for legislators and community leaders in January 2015

 

Poverty Summit with a Focus on Youth held at Zion Lutheran Church in Marinette

LOPPW Council Member Eric Larson, who helped to plan and lead the event, and Representative John Nygren sharing his personal journey with his daughter’s heroine addiction and moving into taking action on public policies

 

Confirmation Extravaganza held at UW-Madison

LOPPW Council Member Rev. Sue Schneider explaining advocacy to students

Festivals of Congregations at Messiah Lutheran Church in Marquette, MI for Members of the Northern Great Lakes Synod

Hunger exercise with tables set up with unequal portions and qualities of food and water led by the Northern Great Lakes Synod staff

Member of the Northern Great Lakes Synod at the LOPPW Table

Lutherans Join together for Largest Climate March in History, New York

Nick Upthall and Acacia Latka from Madison and Lutherans in general

 

LOPPW/Cherish All Children Team to Address Sex Trafficking in the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin meet in Eau Claire

 

 

2014 LOPPW Advisory Council/Staff Retreat in Marathon

 

 

 

 

Bishops’ Ready Bench with Bishops, ELCA Advocacy Staff, State Public Policy Directors, and other ELCA Staff in Washington D.C. 2014

 

Bishop Jeff Barrow, Bishop Jim Arends, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and Rev. Cindy Crane