Justice and Advocacy Ministries, ELCA-NE is one of 18 State Public Policy offices established in cooperation with Church in Society and the World Hunger program of the ELCA. Together with our partners in ministry, we advocate for just policies for all God's people in three ways. Raising awareness of God's call to justice among God's people Equipping people with the skills of advocacy and arts of organizing in order to address issues of injustice, and •Speaking with and on behalf of those with little or no voice in the political process OUR MISSION It is the mission of the Justice and Advocacy Ministries, ELCA - Nebraska, to listen to God and, with God's grace, seek God's justice by changing hearts to embrace policies that reflect God's love. In short, we seek to: Change Hearts to Change Policy  OUR HISTORY
Justice and Advocacy Ministries, ELCA-NE actually began it’s work prior to the 1987 creation of the ELCA as the Lutheran Office for Public Policy Advocacy with the Nebraska Synod of the Lutheran Church in America. It was originally staffed by Jim Bowman. Jim continued to direct the work of the office until he moved to a similar position in Washington, DC. In 2000, Chuck Bentjen became the Director of the office and has continued in that position since. Chuck, a lawyer by training, completed seminary in 2008 and was ordained shortly thereafter. The name was changed from the Lutheran Office of Public Policy Advocacy to Justice Ministries in 2002 to better reflect that the work is about “pursuing justice”, which goes beyond advocacy. It was changed again in 2004 to better reflect that, while the basis for the work is pursuing justice, it remains an advocacy ministry as well. Thus, the office is now most accurately called, Justice and Advocacy Ministries, ELCA-NE. | 
