Reflections
Church Leadership Message on LFS
Posted on February 7, 2025 | Posted by Pastor Daniel
Recently, a leader of our country tweeted negatively about us as Lutherans and named Lutheran Family Services (LFS) and their work as a money laundering operation. The majority of US funds that LFS uses is for refugee resettlement. We have been doing this for 100 years. With this hitting national news, the pastors began fielding calls about what was going on and asking about responding to this.
Ascension has a long history of following Jesus’ call to serve others in their need. In Jesus’ parable in Matthew 25, he has the king telling the sheep at judgment that when he was a stranger, they welcomed him. Surprised, they asked when they did that. The king concluded, “As you do to the least of these, you do it unto me.” Much of our doing to the least of these has been done in partnership with missional organizations like LFS.
We have supported LFS’ work for refugees and children at KPC Respite Center for decades. They have served others in their need in financially prudent and caring ways. We are disappointed and saddened at the disparaging mischaracterization. We are saddened that funding for carefully vetted legal refugees already in our country has been cut, but recognize those decision are not ours to make.
So, what can we do? We can be the kind of people that Jesus calls us to be – people who are dedicated to serve in love. We can be informed: learn about LFS’ work, read the tweet, hear our Presiding Bishop Eaton’s response (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Liqz0VdZG1E). We can allow our disappointment and sadness to increase our commitment to serving those in need. We can be more generous with time and money to support our partnering organizations who have taken a reputational and financial hit. We can exercise our citizenship by contacting members of congress. We can listen to those who disagree with us, being civil and forthright in our response and witness.
May God bless our service, our witness, our discernment, and our community. Yours in Christ,
Pastor Dan, Pastor Daniel, Deacon Mary, and the Executive Committee
