$1 Million Will Launch ELCA Program 'In the City for Good'

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will begin distributing grants in February for innovative urban ministries of the ELCA thanks to a $1-million grant from the Lutheran Brotherhood Foundation, Minneapolis.  The money will help the church's Division for Outreach launch a 10-year emphasis, "In the City for Good."
     "The ELCA has declared that we are 'In the City for Good,'" said the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA.  "We are excited about the potential to strengthen our outreach in cities of the United States and Caribbean through a decade-long urban ministry emphasis."
     "This significant financial commitment from Lutheran Brotherhood creates an alliance in which our respective missions of evangelism and fraternal activities converge," said Anderson.  "We are thankful that Lutheran Brotherhood joins the ELCA in building a solid foundation for urban mission in the 21st century."
     "This $1-million grant exemplifies Lutheran Brotherhood's commitment to aid Lutheran ministries and congregations as well as how we serve through stewardship," said Robert P. Gandrud, Lutheran Brotherhood president and CEO.
     "For 'In the City for Good' to be successful new partnerships, new dollars, new opportunities were necessary," said the Rev. Richard A. Magnus, executive director of the ELCA Division for Outreach.
     An "In the City for Good" fund team hopes to award $500,000 in grants each year to help local congregations adapt to and transform their neighborhoods.  The division will assemble the team for its first meeting this fall.
     The $1 million will be given to the Division for Outreach over the next five years and combined with money from the division's budget, the ELCA Church Council and the church's Vision for Mission Fund.  "Lutheran Brotherhood has also provided dollars for evaluation of the grants that are to be given so that learning from the new work can assist the whole church," said Magnus.
     "Lutheran Brotherhood's commitment for $1 million is deeply appreciated because it gives significant new dollars to begin the funding process," said Magnus, "and it gives the Division for Outreach and the ELCA time to build the resources that will be used after the first five years."
     The ELCA Church Council established an endowment fund within the ELCA Foundation to support "In the City for Good" grants on an ongoing basis.
     "The 'In the City for Good' endowment fund provides an exceptional opportunity to support innovative urban ministries," Gandrud added.
     "In the City For Good" calls for new education programs for urban lay leaders, culturally relevant worship opportunities, support for the training of urban pastors, and cooperation with community groups in solving neighborhood problems.  It also provides a benchmark by which congregations can assess their strengths and weaknesses.
     "We must build on our strengths," said the Rev. Jerrett L. Hansen of Baltimore.  "We are present.  We are visible.  We are already in every major city in the United States."
     Hansen is the Division for Outreach's mission director in Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia.  He also leads the division's urban ministry team.
     "In the City for Good" presents "a three-dimensional vision" of transforming people's lives, congregations and communities.  "Until people's hearts are changed nothing else will change," said Hansen. "Congregations must be in touch with and committed to their contexts."
     Lutheran Brotherhood is a member-owned fraternal benefit society of 1.1 million Lutherans joined together for financial security, benevolent outreach and volunteer service.  Lutheran Brotherhood's mission is to improve the quality of life for its members, to strengthen communities and to aid Lutheran congregations and institutions.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html