Area Lutherans enter political arena to save their neighbors

Area Lutherans enter political arena to save their neighbors

News Story by Lisa Ormond | FāVS News

It’s been less than a month since Donald Trump took his presidential oath. Already, faith-based organizations like the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), are finding this new administration’s political policies to be ever new, ever changing and ever challenging. 

In early February, tweets by Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Elon Musk and other Trump officials accused Lutheran nonprofit organizations of money laundering. They also implied lists were being made of “very rotten” grants for budget cuts that included Lutheran nonprofits. Musk said DOGE is rapidly shutting down these “illegal payments.”

“For sure, times are changing,” said the Rev. Kirk Anderson, a Lutheran pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Master in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. “This is new territory for the bulk of Lutherans, and it’s incomprehensible that the government would be this involved in the life of the ELCA.”

The Rev. Sierra Westerman, pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Moscow, Idaho, echoed this sentiment.

“I don’t think anyone expected the Lutherans to be on the federal government’s radar, and it made the chaos and appalling actions taken by this new administration feel that much closer to home,” Westerman said.

Swift and clarifying Lutheran response

“It’s unbelievable to be accused by the government of fraud,” Anderson said. 

Lutherans across the country at the highest level to those locally are not hiding despite the administration’s attack on the Lutheran Services in America, the social services arm of their organization. They are strongly speaking out against the federal fund misuse accusations — and setting the record straight about their truths, conduct and beliefs. 

First to speak out was the Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, ELCA’s national bishop, when she addressed the misinformation and reaffirmed the church’s dedication to truth and service.  

Locally, Bishop Meggan Manlove of the Northwest Intermountain Synod of the ELCA, followed and echoed Eaton’s sentiments sending a “Special Announcement” to her Eastern Washington and Idaho church leaders calling the government’s allegations “false and dangerous.” 

Faithful guardians

Local Lutheran leaders were shocked and vocal about the Trump administration’s claims as well wondering why their nonprofit-government humanitarian partnership, in place for over 100 years, was on the hotseat. 

“I don’t know that faith-based organizations are a target of the administration, but it’s clear that immigrants, refugees, the poor and the needy are, which is why the Lutherans are caught up in this,” Westerman said. “As a friend to me said, ‘Oops, the Lutherans got caught being good neighbors again.’”

For area Lutherans, Anderson said what has been happening at the highest government level recently has been “shocking and counterintuitive” to the mission at large of doing goodwill business in this country.

Westerman said her parish members’ reactions of “outrage and fear” immediately following the social media firestorm confirmed such confusion and frustration felt by area Lutherans.

“The morning after the tweet, my phone blew up with messages from friends and parishioners,” she said. “Because we support these organizations, and we know that they have an incredible record of doing very good, reputable work on behalf of the church for people in need.”

A test of faith and truths

In the Northwest, much of that Lutheran humanitarian work on-the-ground has been in the hands of Lutheran local nonprofit Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW) based in Tacoma, Washington. LCSNW serves communities in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, including the Spokane area. 

LCSNW was one of the Lutheran groups called out by Musk in mishandling federal funds.

David Duea, LCSNW CEO, immediately reacted to the mudslinging surrounding his organization’s record and their practices. In a Feb. 4 public statement, he criticized the government for their “reckless misrepresentation” of organizations dedicated to serving the “most vulnerable” in their communities of oversight. 

“For more than a century, LCSNW has provided food, housing, crisis support, mental health care, and advocacy for survivors of violence,” Duea said. “The government contracts with us because we are good stewards of resources.” 

It should be noted the IRS performs audits of nonprofit organizations to ensure federal grant monies are properly handled and distributed. According to the IRS website, any irregularities indicating misuse of money would be noted and investigated.

The flow of funds

The organization has a mix of revenue sources to support its programs between donations, fees for service and government contracts and grants. However, the biggest chunk of monies received funnels from the federal government coffers. 

“Our government contracts/grants comprise between 45 and 50% of our total revenues,” Matt Misterek, LCSNW communications director said. “Losing almost half of our operational funding does impact us.” 

At the end of January, all U.S. federal grants and loans were frozen by Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, which halted immigration and refugee services and resettlement efforts.

“The short-term outcome of these thoughtless governmental actions is destruction, turmoil and pain and suffering,” Anderson said. 

From the local community standpoint, he predicted Lutheran service organizations could not go forward and fully fund their efforts on their own. 

“Without government funding, the Lutheran humanitarian efforts would come to a halt,” Anderson said. “I think the strategy of the government is to unload these executive orders in mass and let the courts sort it out, which will take a long, long time.”

It’s a delay that impacts people, their lives and their freedom, he emphasized.

“Right now, there are refugees in the pipeline to come to the U.S., and funding is blocked,” he said. “I feel for them deeply — we’ll pray for them. Just imagine how they may feel — once hopeful and now fearful.”

Lutheran message: We are not going away

Lutherans are strengthening their commitment to service despite recent accusations against their organizations.

“This attack on Lutheran Services has led to a renewed sense of call among my congregation,” said Rev. Westerman of Moscow’s Emmanuel congregation. “We’re discussing how we want to be a church in this community and beyond.”

While Lutherans are typically “private people,” their dedication to community service remains “steadfast,” according to Anderson. He urged Lutheran organizations to partner with local parishes.

“We are specifically called to love and serve those on the margins,” Westerman said. “We may have to get more creative, but we will continue this work, including pushing the government to do better.”

The ELCA, with 2.8 million members across 8,500 communities in the U.S. and Caribbean, sees this as an opportunity to unite and advocate for social causes.