Metro Washington DC Chapter of Lutherans Concerned
www.LCMetroWashDC.org -- LCMWDC@lcna.org
Offering of letters
An Offering of Letters is a great way for your congregation to make a difference! It’s a very simple concept that doesn’t take much time to organize and pull off. Basically one or two people in your congregation need to take the lead by identifying a topic that is of interest to the congregation and by identifying addressees for the letters. Then the congregants write letters on the chosen topic and place them into the offering plate on a designated Sunday. The idea is that they are offering their opinion to make a positive impact on the world. The letters are then mailed as a group to the addressees. Checklist: 1. Decided on a topic and addressees for the letters that will be offered. Also come up with sample letters to give your congregation an idea of what you are asking of them. 2. Chose a Sunday for the Offering of Letters to take place. A Sunday in June for pride week (June 6-13, 2004), RIC Sunday on January 25, 2004, the Sunday before October 11 th (National Coming Out Day), etc. would be very timely and topical days. 3. Advertise the event for a few Sundays before the offering takes place in your bulletins, new letters, email lists, website, etc. In your advertisement be sure to explain what this is and provide sample letters. 4. On the designated Sunday, have all the congregants who wrote letters place them in the offering plate as it is passed around. 5. Mail the letters as a group to the elected official or church body to which the letter were to be addressed. Suggested Topics: 1. Letters to the ELCA Study on Human Sexuality supporting the blessing of same-gender unions and supporting the ordination of pastors in such unions to the ELCA’s ministry. 2. Letters of support to Episcopalian clergy during their time of controversy. 3. Letters to elected officials supporting equal civil marriage rights for same-gender couples. 4. Letters that discourages Congress from amending the US Constitution to ban civil marriage rights for samegender couples. 5. Letters to Congress encouraging the passing of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). 6. Letters encouraging our elected officials to end “don’t ask, don’t tell” in our armed forces. 7. Be creative and remember this method can be transferred to many different issues beyond GLBT topics. Sample Letter: DATE Dear Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality, I am a confirmed member at (or attend) XYZ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Washington DC and I would like to write you showing my support for the blessing of same-gender unions and supporting the ordination of pastors in such unions to the ELCA’s ministry. I support GLBT clergy and community because I believe we are all Baptized as equals into the Body of Christ. I know many GLBT Lutherans who are deeply affected by this issue… [How] (or) I am a GLBT Lutheran and I’ve been deeply affected by this issue… [How] I would like to thank you for your time and your consideration. In Christ, NAME ADDRESS