ELCA congregations encouraged to 'STAND UP' against poverty

by Annie Lynsen, ELCA Washington Office

Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) have an opportunity to help set an official Guinness World
Record on Oct. 15 by standing up for a moment during worship. The
worldwide 'STAND UP' effort is sponsored by the Millennium
Campaign. Established by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan in
2002, the campaign supports citizens' efforts to hold their
governments to account for the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs).

An ELCA guide for congregational involvement in the STAND UP
effort is now available, including sample prayers related to the
MDGs. There are many ways for congregations to participate. One
suggestion is to have the congregation stand for one minute,
while the leader reads the STAND UP pledge, and then announce the
total number of people who stood up. Differently-abled people can
perform any appropriate action to show they are taking a stand
(raising a hand, wearing a white wrist band -- the symbol of the
global fight against poverty, or holding up a banner). Those who
participate must report the number of people who stood up to the
Millennium Campaign via e-mail.

All member states of the United Nations, including the United
States, adopted MDGs in 2000. The goals are to eradicate extreme
poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote
gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality,
improve maternal health, combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other
diseases, ensure environmental sustainability and create a global
partnership for development.

Promoting the STAND UP event is part of the ongoing activities of
the ONE Lutheran campaign, which calls for strong U.S. leadership
for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.