On October 15, more than 23.5 million people around the world took a moment to STAND UP against poverty and in support of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Spearheaded by the Millennium Campaign, this effort set an official Guinness World Record for the greatest number of people standing up for a cause. The ELCA urged congregations to participate as a part of the ONE Lutheran Campaign. (Read the ELCA News Blog piece about this.)

Lutherans account for more than 8 percent of Americans that "Stood Up." Wow! The ELCA Washington Office and Lutheran Office for World Community have received reports of over 9,200 Lutheran participants so far. These participants were among more than 110,000 U.S. citizens, representing all 50 states. People of faith standing up in places of worship accounted for nearly 50 percent of those who participated in the U.S.

Participating ELCA congregations included the following (If you participated and haven't reported your participation to the ELCA yet, please e-mail your congregation name, city, and number of Stand UP participants to onelutheran@elca.org ):

All Saints, Bowie, MD: 144 participants
Atonement, Newport, OR: 97 participants
Bethel, St. Louis, MO: 152 participants
Bethel, Hudson, WI: 977 participants
Bethlehem, Mankato, MN: 314 participants
Calvary, Mora, MN: 206 participants
Centennial, Kimberton, PA: 165 participants
Chirst the King, Houston, TX: 284 participants
Christ, Downey, CA: 74 participants
Christ, Santa Fe, NM: did not report number of participants
Christ Community, Green Bay, WI: 149 participants
Christ the King, Houston, TX: 400 participants
Christ the King, Colorado Springs, CO: 90 participants
Christus Victor, Naples, FL: 201 participants
Deerfield, Deerfield, WI: 160 participants
Edmonds, Edmonds, WA: 201 participants
Emanuel, Machester, CT: 231 participants
Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Living Word, Roslyn, PA: 70 participants
Faith, Quincy, MA: 154 participants
Faith, Fort Wayne, IN: 64 participants
Faith, Spring Grove, MN: 93 participants
First, Temple, TX: 190 participants
First, San Diego, CA: 144 participants
First Evangelical, East Greenwich, RI: 104 participants
Gloria Dei, Rockford, IL: 81 participants
Good Shepherd, Mt Holly, NC: 112 participants
Good Shepherd, Quincy, MA: 41 participants
Grace, Omaha, NE: 55 participants
Grace, North Tonawanda, NY: 32 participants
Holy Trinity, Hickory, NC: 360 participants
Hope, El Sobrante, CA: 105 participants
Immanuel, Eau Claire, WI: 151 participants
Immanuel, Amboy, IL: 105 participants
Lutheran Campus Ministry - Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN: did not report number of participants
Lutheran Campus Ministry at University Lutheran, Evanston, IL: 30 participants
Lutheran Campus Ministry at UNM - Lutheran Student Movement Regional Retreat, Flagstaff, AZ: 39 participants
Lutheran Church of Peace, Maplewood, MN: 37 participants
Minnetonka, Minnetonka, MN: 270 participants
Nativity, Wonder Lake, IL: 55 participants
Our Savior's, Racine, WI: 54 participants
Paynesville, Paynesville, MN: 275 participants
Prince of Peace, Rockton, IL: 238 participants
Prince of Peace, Logan, UT: 62 participants
Redeemer, Hinsdale, IL: 250 participants
Redeemer, Park Ridge, IL: 143 participants
Resurrection, Oakland, CA: 37 participants
Salem, Moline, IL: 127 participants
Saron, Ashland, WI: 103 participants
Solor, Webster, MN: 62 participants
St John's, Decatur, GA: 124 participants
St. Andrew, Vancouver, WA: 43 participants
St. Andrew, Pittsburgh, PA: 106 participants
St. James, Folsom, NJ: 69 participants
St. John, Weyauwega, WI: 44 participants
St. Olaf, Rubicon, WI: 199 participants
St. Peter, Elgin, TX: 144 participants
St. Philip's, Carmel, CA: 11 participants
St. Stephen's, Monona, WI: 287 participants
Sugar Creek, Elkhord, WI: 207 participants
Trinity, Warrenville, IL: 160 participants
Trinity Church, Vernon, CT: 179 participants
Trinity Evangelical, Pasadena, CA: did not report number of participants
University, Evanston, IL: did not report number of participants
West Prairie, Lennox, SD: 80 participants
Zion, LaFayette, OH: 67 participants