CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The government of Norway is providing funds to help clear an accumulated deficit at Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem, which will lead to a new model of management for the hospital in which Norway is a significant partner, the Rev. Robert N. Bacher told the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between meetings of the ELCA's Churchwide Assembly. The council met here Nov. 13-16. Assemblies are = held every other year; the next is August 16-22 in Denver.
"There is a wonderful leadership team in place," said Bacher, executive for administration, ELCA's Office of the Bishop. "The (hospital's) board has complete confidence in them."
Medical partnerships are being formed to exchange technology and resources, he reported. The possibility of opening a cancer treatment center is very good, Bacher said.
"Cancer treatment is not generally available to the Palestinian people," he said.
Financial concerns for Augusta Victoria were heightened because of a drop in United Nations funds for Palestinian refugees and the changing health-care system in Israel. To keep the hospital operating, the = Lutheran World Federation (LWF) provided significant funds from its reserves.
The LWF is a global communion of Lutheran churches. Founded in 1947, the LWF now has 124 member churches -- including the ELCA -- in 69 countries representing more than 57 million of the world's 61 million Lutherans. LWF central offices are in Geneva, Switzerland.
The LWF Council learned this summer that the German government provided a special grant to support the hospital operation, and the Norwegian government agreed to help clear the accumulated deficit.
Augusta Victoria Hospital is located on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.
For information contact:
Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Director (773) 380-2955 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html
- - -
About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
