‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’  Matthew 25: 37-40

UniLu, as a congregation in the ELCA, is a community of faith that shares a passion for making positive changes in the world. Our faith is built around a strong belief in God as made known to us in Jesus Christ. Through worship, service, and education, we practice our faith, grow our relationship with God and experience God's grace in our lives. 

At the conclusion of each time we worship together as a community, we are sent out to do God's work with our hands. We are called to engage in difficult conversations that sometimes reveal our differences with one another.  We are called to live out our faith in encounter with the concerns that shape life in God’s creation. We seek to bring God’s justice not only in the world but also in the church.

Early records of the parish shows that justice and reconciliation were important parts of the Incarnation congregation’s mission: contributions and time were given to both local and global mission.  In the 1970’s the combined parish and campus ministry quickly became engaged in issues of peacemaking, abortion, immigration reform, and poverty. The congregation sponsored families and individuals seeking refuge from violence and sickness from places like Cambodia, the Sudan, and Iraq.

UniLu has long been a part of the battle against Food Insecurity. We were a founding member of the University City Hospitality Coalition http://uchc.phillycharities.org/ in 1984. In 1988 emphasis shifted to provide a safe dining experience for people with HIV/AIDS with Feast Incarnate. We collect non-perishable food items year-round for the emergency food pantry at Grace Lutheran Church at 36^th and Haverford, and hold periodic fundraisers for Lutheran World Hunger Appeal. Through ACTIONET, a statewide e-advocacy network for people of faith, members contact legislators by email or by phone to speak out for those whose voices are often ignored. ACTIONET is part of the Policy and Action center of the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry of Pennsylvania (LAMPa) http://www.lutheranadvocacypa.org/ which hosts the annual Lutheran Day at the Capitol in Harrisburg.

Advocacy is to plead the cause of another together with them and on their behalf.  When, for example, the prophets addressed kings and priests on behalf of those suffering injustice, they were advocating.  The ELCA calls persons to advocate justice with and for those without power and voice in places where important political and economic decisions are being made that affect the lives of those who are marginalized.  This activity is what is meant by “advocacy.”  It is one way the ELCA carries out its strategic direction to “step forward as a public church that witnesses boldly to God’s love for all that God has created.

Faithful participation in society is integral and vital to the mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). As individual members and as a corporate body this church lives out the Christian faith in encounter with the concerns that shape life in God’s creation. Social statements, messages, social policy resolutions, and studies of social issues are important means by which this church carries out its participation in society

As a public church, we are called to address significant social issues that affect the common good. We seek to bring God’s justice not only in the world but also in the church. The social statements of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are social policy documents, adopted by the churchwide assembly in accordance with our policies and procedures.

UniLu has partnered with the Philadelphia Developmental Disabilities Corporation (PDDC) since 1997 serving as a vocational training work site for people with a wide range of intellectual and developmental disabilities, giving them valuable work experience and preparing them for more permanent employment opportunities. 

Other ways that the people of UniLu live out being Freed in Christ to Serve have been to work on Habitat for Humanity projects; assembling Health Kits for our Synod’s annual Christmas Ingathering; promoting organ donation awareness in conjunction with the Gift of Life program; recruiting volunteer families for Hosts for Hospitals; collecting funds for Heifer International;   hosting visiting mission teams from other cities; collecting funds for Baby Manna; and regularly reminding parishioners how they can help in other parts of our nation and the world  through Lutheran Disaster Response.

	Feast Incarnate, a weekly hospitality ministry of University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation was begun in November of 1988. It was a direct response to the situation of two members of the parish at that time, who had been diagnosed with HIV, and who had been rejected by friends, families and partners. The evening was planned as a safe environment, free from prejudice and discrimination. An invitation was issued to the HIV/AIDS community to come and share an evening of food and fellowship.  Every Tuesday since, University Lutheran has served a meal for the HIV/AIDS affected community of University City in Philadelphia.
	Lutheran Disaster Response is a collaborative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod (LCMS).  Begun in 1972, following significant flooding from Hurricane Agnes in eastern Pennsylvania, Lutheran Disaster Response brings together the energy and efforts of Lutherans from around the country to respond to natural and human-caused disasters in the United States and its territories. We demonstrate Christ's compassion for all people by promoting hope, healing, and wholeness to disaster survivors.
	Affirming God’s love for all people, we work with Lutherans and partners around the world to end poverty, injustice and human suffering. Empowered by God’s unconditional love in Jesus Christ, we envision a world in which each person, every community and all generations live in justice, dignity and peace.
	ELCA Disaster Response help to bring God's comfort, healing and renewal to those affected by disasters. And when the dust settles and the headlines change, we stay to provide ongoing assistance to those in need.
	ELCA World Hunger is a comprehensive and sustainable program that uses multiple strategies—relief, development, education, and advocacy—to address the root causes of hunger and poverty. ELCA World Hunger responds to neighbors around the corner and around the world.
	Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service does so much to ensure that newcomers receive the warm welcome they deserve. We work with churches and organizations across the country to create welcoming communities. We foster cultural integration and financial self-sufficiency for those starting over. We find loving homes for unaccompanied refugee children. We advocate for policies and legislation that uphold the rights and dignity of all newcomers.
	The mission of Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania is to advocate in both public and private sectors of society on behalf of, and in partnership with, those persons who are denied justice, dignity, reconciliation, peace, and access to basic human rights, and who lack adequate representation and voice in the arenas of public policy.