Involving Congregations in Advocacy Now (ICAN) Introduction My Faith and Advocacy The How-tos of Advocacy How to bring advocacy to my congregation Resources Miscellaneous Activities and Handouts

Involving Congregations in Advocacy Now

• Biblical Passages and Lutheran References
• Babies in the River
• Advocacy: A Bible Study
• The Two Feet of Christian Service
• Worship Space Notes
• Worship Space Activity
• Commissioning our Advocates
• My Faith and Advocacy

Commissioning our Advocates

As you return home and develop programs, you will become aware that it is the entire synod/congregation that must embrace the ministry of advocacy. Individuals may come from a faith basis, but for a group to speak on behalf of their church, it is important to have endorsement at all levels. A Bishop/ Pastor must agree with the work, the synod council/ congregational council will say this is a necessary program and individual members will know and endorse the ministry. In this light it can be a meaningful experience for both advocates and the congregation/synod to publicly recognize this ministry with a commissioning service.

Why

1. Why would advocates who spend most of their time outside the faith community look for a public ceremony?

2. A ceremony is a place where the synod/ congregation publicly and officially accepts this new ministry as part of the life and call for this particular synod/ congregation. Remember, individuals may come and go, but if this is a congregational/synodical ministry, the responsibility for continuation is with a broader group of people.

3. A ceremony endorses, selects and calls forward those from the congregation who will work in this ministry on behalf of the church.

4. A ceremony allows for individual advocates to publicly reaffirm the “yes.” That is, they can publicly state they have answered the call that they privately made when deciding to take on this ministry.

5. A ceremony encourages the synod/ congregation to affirm, bless, and send forth these individuals while promising to keep them and their work in prayer.

6. A ceremony includes prayer for God’s blessing on this ministry.

Format

The format can be arranged by your own group. In general a commissioning service would
include:

• an opening prayer with a statement about the advocacy ministry

• calling forward those from the congregation who will do this ministry

• words of affirmation from the congregation/synod

• words of commitment from the members

• sending forth the group with a gesture from the congregation/synod (anointing, blessing, gift)

• closing prayer

Samples

See A Companion to Lutheran Book of Worship: Occasional Services. Augsburg Press
Recognition of Ministries in the Congregation
Commissioning of Missionaries