Skip to Main Content
Women of the ELCA
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Daily Grace
  • Contact
  • Ministry & Action
    • Discipleship
    • Justice
      • Human Trafficking
      • Racial Justice Advocacy
      • Racial Justice Advocacy Network resources
      • Domestic Violence
    • Membership
    • Stewardship
      • Thankofferings
      • Faithful Friends
      • Katie’s Fund
      • Gift Planning
    • Special Initiatives
      • Raising Up Healthy Women & Girls
      • Dear Friend in Christ
    • Scholarships
      • Lutheran laywomen
      • Lutheran Ordained Ministry
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Events
  • About
    • History
    • Executive Board
    • Staff
    • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Daily Grace
  • Contact
« Back to WELCA Blog

What can an ordinary person do?
by Audrey Novak Riley

9.16.2019
3 Comments
|
Post

Lately, it’s been just excruciating to read the headlines, hasn’t it? No matter where you stand on the political or social topics of the day, there are too many nasty, nasty things going on in the world. I don’t know about you, but it makes me feel disgusted and exhausted and powerless. What can one ordinary person do?

I don’t like feeling like that, so here’s what I do to feel better. I write a letter to my senators and my congressional representative. They can’t do everything, and they certainly aren’t doing anything fast enough, but they have a bigger voice than I do, and they need to hear from me. So, I write to them. A lot. I always get a response, too–usually, it’s a form letter, but sometimes it’s not. How about that!

Make some noise! Let them know you’re out here and you have something important to say!

Lots of ways to write

There are a lot of ways to write to your senators and representatives. You can send good old-fashioned letters on stationery, postcards, email, tweets, and more. You can even telephone them. (I’m told that it’s more useful to call their district office–the office in your town or your state–than their Washington office.) And you can write letters to the editors of newspapers, too–it doesn’t have to be your own local paper. You could write to the editor of the newspaper in the state capital or the nation’s capital. Make some noise! Let them know you’re out here and you have something important to say!

Women of the ELCA’s Director for Justice, Jen DeLeon, has a lot of suggestions for ways to make your voice heard, and so does the ELCA Advocacy office. And I know you have suggestions, too. How do you make your voice heard in such times?

Audrey Novak Riley is proud to tell her senators and congressman what to do and when to do it. She leaves the “how” up to them. Watch in late fall for our updated resource about how Christians are called to be political.

Photo by Abstrakt Xxcellence Studios from Pexels

Share
Comments (3)
  • Audrey says:
    9/24/2019

    What perfect timing for Terri to put this blog up for us — I just wrote to my senators and congressman again this weekend. How about you?

    Reply
  • Sharon Heck says:
    9/18/2019

    AMEN!!!!!! Contacting your elected officials does make a difference.

    Reply
  • Barb says:
    9/16/2019

    Agree. Contact with your Representatives and Senators important. Also connect with state and local government officials.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Categories

  • Post (1,257)
  • News (295)
    • Gathering 2021 (9)
    • Triennial Convention 2021 (7)
  • Devotions (76)
  • 2122 (3)
  • Uncategorized (2)
Women of the ELCA
13h
Women of the ELCA
@WomenoftheELCA

As we continue celebrating the lives and stories of bold African Descent women this month, today’s blogger writes about Sojourner Truth and reminds us to continue to the work she began. womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/… #BlackHistoryMonth #mondaymotivation #livingherstory pic.twitter.com/R7LNZ5dsjS

Expand reply reply retweet retweet favorite favorite
Back to home

8765 W. Higgins Rd.

Chicago IL 60631

800-638-3522

[email protected]

Stay In Touch

Sign up for the WELCA Newsletter

Explore WELCA
  • Ministry & Action
  • Daily Grace
  • Resource Library
  • Events
  • Blog
  • News
  • About WELCA
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Photos
Explore Publications

Bold Cafe

A Lutheran perspective for women of Christian faith or any woman who is interested in how faith relates to the issues facing women today.

Gather Magazine

A mix of articles, theological reflections, devotions and stories of comfort and challenge that help readers grow in faith.

Cafe Podcast

Subscribe to our podcast:

Click to subscribe

© Copyright 2023 Women of the ELCA. All Rights Reserved.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
© Copyright 2023 Women of the ELCA. All Rights Reserved.