"God's Work. Our Hands." is an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor. It reminds us that we are church together for the sake of the world.

#GWOH in the SWCA Synod
These are only a few of the ways our congregations have been participating in God's Work. Our Hands, often joining with another congregation or organization to fulfill this ministry.
Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton joined St. Mark’s, Los Angeles and Living the Resurrection as the packed COVID-19 care kits and toured “The Nest,” an early childhood education center and preschool for low-income families in the St. Mark’s/USC neighborhood.
Members of Hill Avenue Grace, Pasadena; Trinity, San Gabriel; and Christ the Shepherd, Altadena joined together to make fleece-tie blankets and blessing bags, taking the completed projects to distribute to their neighbors who were experiencing homelessness. Some participants also took supplies with them to continue the blanket ministry.
In 2020 as pandemic shortages took hold, food banks were almost bare of supplies. Emmanuel, North Hollywood partnered with the All Valley Youth Soccer Club, for a GWOH Sunday Food Drive, collecting 1500 pounds of food for the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry.
Bethania, Solvang, which has been providing a food pantry to the community since the beginning of the pandemic, packed 118 Personal Care Kits with sanitation and hygiene supplies for people in disaster and refugee areas, and 118 School Kits to be shipped to children who can’t afford school supplies (in many areas, children must supply their own supplies to receive an education).
SWCA #GWOH in the News
Grace Diner continues to be a beacon for the needy

With more than 11 percent of the world's population going hungry on a daily basis, it's more important than ever to do whatever can be done to ensure that those 805 million people are able to eat regularly.

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www.culvercitynews.org
In the seven years since Brown moved to Solvang, he has become a core social justice leader. He has made his Lutheran Church the center of inclusion and radical acceptance in the community.
 
Brown has led, supported and advanced justice in local communities, reaching out to those who are unseen, marginalized, and discriminated against; and helps those with privilege learn how to do less harm and be better allies in the fight against racism and discrimination.

(Brown) will say it’s the work of others, but he has been instrumental in the church’s food distribution program and blessing box, which provides food to anyone who needs it, no strings attached. He does this in a way that makes it easy and comfortable to accept the help.
Southwest California Synod of the ELCA | (818) 507-9591 | news@socalsynod.org | www.socalsynod.org