Welcome to the Northwestern Ohio Synod

.......................

Division for Church in Society

God Loves Society
A Sociological Explanation of Church and Society

Bishop Hanson's Speech about Hunger issues June 2006

More reasons to support minimum wages in Ohio


Hunger in Ohio: The Facts Every day in Ohio... 1 in 6 children is hungry or at risk of hunger; 1.2 million people in Ohio are hungry or at risk of hunger; 495,000 children are experiencing food insecurity; and, 129,000 of Ohio's children are hungry! Nearly 500,000 of Ohio’s children are hungry or at risk of hunger each day! Research shows that hungry children... have more health problems; exhibit more disruptive behavior; are more likely to be tardy or absent from school; and, score lower on achievement test A note from the Chair NWOS Disaster Relief ELCA Disaster Relief Child hunger Help Ohio's poor Bible Study Advocacy Palestine Links walktheroadtopeace.org	*Concerns for the Earn Ballot issue in November 2006* *Church in Society* is the phrase the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has chosen to condense into one expression the way the church seeks to relate to the complexities of social systems and moral problems. Much is packed into this expression that begs for an explanation, to individual persons of faith, to our congregations and to our church at large. Division is the right word.... The Division for Church in Society is but one part of our Synod, working with our congregations, churchwide, pastors and lay men and women in northwest Ohio. In such a strong and faithful church, we have a variety of concerns and opinions about how God through Christ Jesus is working in our lives, churches and world. There is multiple understanding among us about how we should respond to the Christian moral mandate we have from Jesus to "love one another, as I have loved you." (John 15:12) How good and pleasant it is when Christians talk with each other and discover their faith and witness together. Some questions we are asking are in the next column.	From “Plenty,” Hunger Network in Ohio Summer Food Service Program sites offer free meals and snacks to schoolchildren who depend on free or reduced-priced meals throughout the regular school year. … State agencies like the Ohio Department of Education approve sponsorship from organizations such as public or private schools and nonprofit organizations (including churches, public or private nonprofit camps, etc.) to act as sites where food can be distributed. Sponsors receive reimbursements to cover food, supplies and administrative costs. For information, call 1-800-481-6885. Questions we ask? ·How should the church engage social issues that reach beyond one congregation? How should it discuss these issues and develop a common stance? ·How should the church support or critique institutions, e.g. the health care system, family life, for-profit corporations, the legal system, social practices such as conducting youth athletic events on Sunday mornings, etc? ·How should the church participate in social processes, e.g. by advocating for people in need or the care of the creation, educating people to live responsibly, or organizing people to take back their neighborhood from crime or decay? ·How should congregations relate to the communities in which they are located, e.g. by learning skills for leadership in public life, working on community development, or seeing how their gifts might be needed at community planning tables? How should they relate to the global community? ·How should the church draw upon civil society (i.e. the multiplicity of organizations working for the common good) to work for peace and justice?