This year’s 40-40-40 Region 2 Lenten Challenge explores the theme, “A Watered Garden,” based on Isaiah 58:11. The challenge is to participate in some personal and community spiritual practices around water during Lent. Click for activity ideas for your Lenten journey.

It’s been a year since New Journey Lutheran Church (Fountain Hills, AZ) began its ‘5th Sunday’ advocacy letter-writing program, and after 6 rounds of letters, guest blogger Kris Bartanen shares what they’ve learned with us.

There haven’t been many bills we are able to champion this session; it’s mostly about protecting SNAP. Read where we’re at on the 8 hunger bills that are moving through the legislature.

Take the SNAP Challenge! Post includes toolkit. The upcoming congressional recess (March 15–23) is the perfect time to involve Members of Congress in the SNAP Challenge. Read on to learn which AZ district has the most SNAP households.

In current federal proposals could reduce access to essential healthcare for millions of Americans. This recorded webinar explores implications – as well as ways to bring our faith-based perspectives into the process. Includes Action Alert from Lutheran Service in America.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton has convened an interfaith coalition to advocate for refugees and immigrants, urging the restoration of faith-based partnerships in resettlement. The statement calls on elected officials to renew support for those forced to flee their homes. Read the full statement here.

When the world seems in chaos, it can be overwhelming, daunting and disorienting to know where and how to get involved. Read wisdom from our partners at LSS-SW.

Dismantle: An Anti-White Supremacy Lenten Devotional is a project of ELCA Racial Justice. This resource was created in response to the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly’s call to boldly condemn white supremacy and racist rhetoric. Downloadable, 32 pages, free of charge.

New Action Alert! Congress has a new fiscal deadline of March 14 to pass the 2025 budget when a temporary stopgap expires and to begin the process of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget plan. Urge Congress to pass a budget with strong homeless and affordable housing programs.

Church World Service — As a Covenant Member of CWS the ELCA was part of drafting and signing The Ash Wednesday Ecumenical Declaration: Defending Refuge. Read the final version of the Declaration and sign on.

Sojourners and the Washington Interfaith Staff Community (WISC) co-sponsor this weekly public witness through March, beginning Ash Wednesday, March 5. These multi-faith vigils will call on Congress to exercise greater moral courage in upholding its Article 1 powers and preventing executive overreach.

Solveig Muus writes the first in this new SPPO Spotlight Series, a feature accenting a perspective from an ELCA-affiliated State Public Policy Office, one of the ways we can resource our faith-based advocacy.

Action Alert from LSS-SW: This week, Congress may vote on the Federal budget, which at this time includes drastic cuts to Medicaid in the amount of $880 billion over 10 years and $230 billion in cuts to SNAP benefits. We know that existing challenges already leave many people vulnerable—from affordable housing shortages, job losses, to the high cost of everyday necessities—will only be exacerbated if Medicaid is cut.

Monday, March 3. In this special edition of Rick Steves’ weekly travel series, Rev. Eugene Cho of Bread for the World joins Rick for an update on global hunger and how your support helps BFW advocate for U.S. policy that fights against hunger at home and abroad.

The Rev. Christine Stoxen of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Chandler, testified before the Arizona House Appropriations Committee on Monday, February 24, 2025 in support of HB2191, the “Yes In God’s Back Yard” (YIGBY) bill on behalf of LAMA and Valley Interfaith Project (VIP).

Guest blogger Jan Fosen writes about her day packing meals for Feed My Starving Children at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Sun City West, Arizona. Nearly 179,000 meals were packed over the weekend by 850 volunteers.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton speaks to the church about the need to check in on one another during this time of great anxiety and fear for so many members. "We may not know what tomorrow brings, but we have each other.” 1:42 mins.

Bishop Hutterer has recorded a special invitation video encouraging participation in the 2025 Lenten Challenge! This friendly, faith-deepening challenge connects us in daily spiritual practices while supporting safe drinking water efforts at the Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission (NELM) in Rock Point, AZ. Watch the video, share it with your congregation, and join the challenge today! Download options are available on our Vimeo page.