38 Comments
User's avatar
Michelle Mascaro's avatar

This is critically important. What is the response of the ELCA? Certainly this is a justice issue. We can all get behind this. We need a strategy.

They are dismantling the safety net for millions - some of whom voted for him. How to hold up the mirror to the voters is the question.

Jane Wolf's avatar

The safety net provided by Lutheran Social Services, Catholic Charities, Episcopal Migration Ministries, and other religious organizations to assist refugees, legally admitted to our country, has been jerked away by the new Administration. A huge united protest - with plenty of publicity - is needed

Dale Curry's avatar

Please know that there are many members of many faiths that stand in solidarity with you. I am an Episcopalian, and I will avail any opportunity to speak truth to the traitor’s Flynn’s lies

Don Heller's avatar

In the past I have thought of you as being a bully. I apologize. You are passionate about the least, those without power… the neighbors we are called to love. I was wrong.

Thank you for standing up for what is right. Keep this on the front. Keep giving voice to these so that the truth is called out.

Michael Oakley (he/him)'s avatar

I’m a retired pastor in the Ev. Lutheran Church in America. Throughout my career I had given “evangelicals” and fundamentalists the benefit of the doubt even though their ministers would cross the street in disgust when they saw me coming. I didn’t know that Christian Reconstructionism (the root of Chr. Nationalism) was growing with their hundred year plan. Now that we are countering the distorted message of Chr. Nationalism with the good news of love, the Chr. Nationalists are going after the mainline Protestants.

Ash Cal's avatar

Well you know that the money is coming from people who work multiple jobs, live on tips and social security and are used by govt as ATM ? And you have no issue in using it for illegal immigrants ? Wow !! Trump is ending the green scam that gave Musk the tax payer $, you have no mention of that.

Brian's avatar

How can you write this nonsense and the person directing money funneling this organization makes over $600k a year?

Clint Schnekloth's avatar

The CEO of LSA makes $242,750. That's certainly more than I make but far below the average for organizations of that size and the market where they live.

Brian's avatar

That’s not the inflated figure I read however it’s time to find another cash cow to maintain such salaries and to provide whatever services the program wants to offer.

Brian's avatar

Yeah, you’ll get zero sympathy from the majority of taxpayers.

https://www.forbes.com/companies/lutheran-services-in-america/

Jordan Phillips-Dickerson's avatar

Big of you to provide a source debunking your own misinformation. Hard to break through the echo chambers sometimes. Looks like LSS does a lot of great work.

Brian's avatar

Great work? Possibly but also they will have to expand their begging for money to operate and afford these inflated salaries. Their cash cow is drying up faster than they know. 😂

Jordan Phillips-Dickerson's avatar

As the link you shared noted, salary levels are very reasonable for a charity of this size and not nearly as high as the numbers being cited in your original post and elsewhere. A charity that helps hundreds of thousands of people is hardly a "cash cow". Indeed, they are sharing the "milk" freely with as many people in need that they can, as the figures on your link make clear. Not sure why you seem to be taking pleasure in this. It isn't a game. These are real people who are struggling.

Brian's avatar

Received over a billion dollars from the government. That is in fact a CASH COW kid. The curtain has been pulled back and they will need to knock on doors and beg for funding.

jenelle anderson's avatar

On Monday, January 27, 2025, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued an internal memorandum ordering a temporary pause on all federal grants and loans. Matthew Vaeth, Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), stated that federal agencies “must temporarily halt all activities related to the obligation or disbursement of Federal financial assistance.” This includes Meals in Wheels https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/learn-more/national/press-room/news/2025/01/28/meals-on-wheels-america-issues-statement-on-potential-impact-on-meals-on-wheels-programs-from-freeze-on-federal-grants-and-loans-outlined-in-omb-memo#:~:text=If%20Older%20Americans%20Act%20Nutrition,already%20underfunded%20to%20begin%20with.

Jeff's avatar

This makes me sick. We were foster/adopt parents through the state - not LCS. The ONLY social services agency/counselors that could take care of the specific needs of a couple of children was Lutheran Community Services. The state DFS department acknowledged and facilitated getting those services. The short sightedness of this situation proves how out of touch they are with the social service care available and affordable in the US.

Mary Voigt's avatar

Be active. Speak out. Share with your US Senators and House Representatives about how erroneous claims of money laundering are and detail the community social services that LSS across the country offers. We're Christians. Speak up for all of God's children.

Patty Jewell's avatar

It makes me so sick and heartbroken

Pope T-Bone XXL's avatar

If the Church wants to help the community out they should do so with dollars given from their members. The United States government should not be handing out money for NGOs to trickle down to the poor after their board members have pocketed hefty salaries.

Pat Z's avatar

This looks to me as the beginning of dismantling our social safety net in this country. Currently 1 in evry 50 people have some kind os service provided by Lutheran agencies and to add the other faith based groups to the mix, the number is even more

Aviva Hava's avatar

For years, my work with low-cost and free medical clinics required me to refer my patients for additional help: Catholic Charities & Salvation Army. I do wonder if the Lutheran program operates in all states. I am taken aback by the argument, “Musk gets billions, so why not us?” First, an argument, “he does it, why not us?” only triggers questions. Secondly, Electric cars-Tesla is a cornerstone of the USA's competitiveness & Climate warming fight. As more electric cars appear, I expect funding to extend to other companies if needed to reach government goals/laws to decrease pollution. Finally, I would like to see the rebuttal provide detailed information on a few of the listed amounts received by Lutheren for distribution and/or services: a. Mention is made of food pantries b. Refugee resettlement grants need examples in the community. NY & Chicago have decimated budgets & still are failing refugees. Have Lutheran charities helped either city? A rebuttal needs to provide more information. I was very proud when I received grants or directed NIH research. Still, my ethics led me to return the money the time I would be unable to use as planned (I.e., the young lady selected to perform her songs on BCP was back in jail, and as I was a recent graduate, I did not know how to get her released in time persons jailed for marijuana.) Numerous clinics and foster care programs ended for corruption: financial & sex abuse. Please provide a rebuttal that focuses on understanding how your services are provided, especially when alternative programs are insufficient.

Sarah Styf's avatar

I sent that screenshot to the family chat to see what kind of reaction I could FINALLY get from my LCMS parents and sisters. Crickets. They know how important these agencies are. We have family members who have worked for these agencies. But I fear that at this point, admitting wrong is too entangled with too many things, including the way they see their spiritual health.

Matt Wyneken's avatar

What must my church-going Trump-voting relatives think now? As if they ever...