May 2005

Dear Friends in Christ:

As the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and as President of the Lutheran World Federation, I affirm the Millennium Development Goals (see attached statement).  I now invite Lutherans to join me in supporting the ONE Campaign.

The ONE Campaign is part of a worldwide alliance known as the “Global Call to Action Against Poverty.”  It is a new effort by Americans to rally Americans—one by one—both to fight the emergencies of global AIDS and extreme poverty and to convince U.S. political leaders to give an additional 1% of the total U.S. budget to meet the basic needs of the world’s poorest countries.

The ELCA social statement, Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All, says,  “God stands in judgment of those in authority who fall short of their responsibility, and is moved with compassion to deliver the impoverished from all that oppresses them: ‘Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.’ (Psalm 82:3)” The ONE Campaign is working toward this justice by convincing our political leaders to act on the worldwide crisis of poverty, hunger and HIV/AIDS.  I encourage you to be part of the effort.

Many governments, including the United States, have committed to the Millennium Development Goals.  Progress on these goals has been slow because the nations that approved the goals have not provided resources to meet them.  The ONE Campaign needs your support to convince American leaders to act.

The ONE Campaign offers you the opportunity to join with other Americans to speak with one voice on these critical issues.  The ELCA is joining with Bread for the World, the Alliance to End Hunger, Lutheran World Relief, DATA, and many other religious and international organizations to promote the ONE Campaign.

Make a difference by becoming a “ONE Lutheran.”  Go to http://www.elca.org/advocacy to find more information and to join the ELCA e-advocacy network.  The site will also direct you to the Bread for the World registration site and the ONE Campaign site.  Together the world community can end hunger.

In God’s amazing grace,

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
President, Lutheran World Federation