Anti-Racism Resources
Building a Just Community: We Need Your Heart and Voice
At the La Crosse Area Synod, we believe that our faith calls us to do more than just acknowledge the pain of systemic racism—it calls us to be active agents of reconciliation and change. However, we cannot do this work alone.
Currently, our Anti-Racism Task Force and Church in Society Committee are in a season of transition. We are searching for passionate, committed individuals who feel a nudge to lead, coordinate, and connect our congregations.
We know the passion for justice exists within our pews. What we need now is a dedicated team to help bridge the gap between our local churches, ensuring that our collective efforts to combat racism are unified and impactful.
How You Can Make a Difference:
Coordinate: Help organize synod-wide anti-racism initiatives and educational opportunities.
Connect: Act as a liaison to help churches share resources and success stories.
Advocate: Bring a voice for justice to our synodical leadership and the wider community.
If you have a heart for justice and a desire to see our synod thrive as a leader in anti-racism work, we invite you to step into this vital space. Whether you are a layperson or clergy, your perspective is exactly what we need to move from "barely functioning" to "flourishing."
Ready to get involved? Please reach out to the Synod Office to learn more about joining the Church in Society Committee or revitalizing our Anti-Racism Task Force.
"Justice is what love looks like in public." — Cornel West
Honoring Juneteenth: A Day of Freedom and Faith
Friday, June 19, 2026
June 19—known as Juneteenth—is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On this day in 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to enforce the freedom of enslaved African Americans. What followed was a moment of delayed liberation, marked by both sorrow and celebration—a truth-telling moment in American history that continues to resonate today.
Juneteenth is a time to reflect on our nation’s painful past, to honor the resilience and contributions of Black Americans, and to renew our shared commitment to racial justice and equity. In our shared baptismal life, and as a church always seeking to be made new, and in our collaborative commitment as members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), we are called to confront racism, seek truth, and walk in the light of Christ’s liberating love.
May this day remind us that freedom is a sacred gift, and our call to love our neighbor includes dismantling systems of oppression, listening deeply to those who have been silenced, and acting with courage and compassion.
The NDORH follows Martin Luther King Jr. Day and is hosted by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as part of its Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation efforts to raise awareness of the need for racial healing and encourage actions that build a more just and inclusive church and society.
Truth & Healing Movement
The ELCA’s Truth & Healing Movement is an opportunity for this church to increase our understanding of our colonizing impacts on Indigenous people in the past and present. Over the next several months, there will be opportunities to learn, raise awareness and engage in other ways to impact hearts and lives across this church. We believe that the truth, and our knowing and embracing it, is the first step toward healing for all of us.
Visit the Truth and Healing Movement page to learn more, get involved and share the Truth and Healing movement with others. Follow our ELCA and Living Lutheran social media channels for more stories and updates.
Recommended Read
Call to Allyship Preparing Your Congregation for Leaders of Color
How can churches do the work of becoming allies for the leaders they call? In belonging to a predominantly white denomination, ELCA members are called to listen and learn from its leaders of color to recognize the assumptions, biases, and harmful actions that result when congregations don’t do the work to become allies. Authors offer wisdom, storytelling, and concrete suggestions for churches preparing to call a leader of color. Call to Allyship is a must-read for call committees, church councils, social justice teams, and anyone prepared to do the work of understanding, welcoming, and celebrating these leaders.
Chapter 1 How to Read This Book by Rev. Angela T. !Khabeb
Chapter 2 Intersectionality by Dr. Kelly Sherman-Conroy
Chapter 3 The Call Process by Bp. Patricia Davenport
Chapter 4 Embodied Ministry by Rev. Jenny Sung
Chapter 5 Family Life by Rev. Priscilla Paris-Austin
Chapter 6 Compensation by Rev. Viviane Thomas-Breitfeld
Chapter 7 Nonrostered Leaders by Dr. Kelly Sherman-Conroy
Chapter 8 Allyship by Rev. Dr. Andrea Walker
Chapter 9 Gifts of Leaders by Bp. Felix Malpica
Chapter 10 What’s Next by Rev. Angela T. !Khabeb
Anti-Racist Allyship Starter Pack
Resources and tools regarding racism and anti-blackness and how to be a better ally.
Children’s Books that Discuss Anti-Racism
On Monday, Brittany tweeted a thread of great children's books that discuss race and racism, and it quickly went viral, with nearly 200,000 retweets.
Scaffolded Anti-Racist Resources
A resource from the Wisconsin Council of Churches.
Support Immigrant Pastors
Your gift supports immigrant pastors who offer worship, counsel, and community in new and unfamiliar places. While caring for their communities, they are struggling through paperwork, financial strain, and increasingly difficult legal realities.
Through the La Crosse Area Synod, your donation helps funding for legal representation so these leaders can care for their communities with dignity and hope.
Thank you for walking alongside them in faith and service.
Support Immigrant Families
Help us to support Immigrant Families Now!
At La Crosse Area Synod, we know that every person is a child of God, deserving of love, respect and dignity. This includes immigrants trying to make this area their new home. Every act of kindness, every dollar, and every moment of your time helps us communicate God's love for those who are in most need. You can help a family in need today!
How you can help power our mission:
Donate: Every dollar counts. Contribute now to help us reach our goal.
Share: Share our campaign with your friends, family, and on social media. Your advocacy can amplify our impact.
Advocate: Speak out about our need to welcome and care for the stranger.
Thank you for supporting our mission, your support is invaluable.