=20
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will ask the 5.2 million members of the ELCA to give generous "second- and third-mile" gifts this fall to respond to = recent weather disasters and the ongoing "silent disaster" of poverty.
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.
"Those suffering from extraordinary disasters have not received much media attention this fall, including persons in Bangladesh, North Korea = and Sudan," the council said. There are people "throughout the world who live in the shadow of the 'silent disaster' of hunger and extreme poverty.
The council committed the church "to walk with those who have suffered disasters in recent months through prayer, action, generous = giving and in advocacy."
The board of the ELCA's Division for Congregational Ministries, at its meeting here Oct. 16-17, asked the Church Council to "acknowledge that 1999 will be the 25th anniversary of the ELCA's World Hunger Appeal and Program." The ELCA's 11,000 congregations have donated about $12 million each year.
The council decided that the church will use the occasion of the appeal's anniversary to "increase awareness of hunger in this country and throughout the world" and to increase financial support through regular contributions and designated gifts.
The ELCA World Hunger Appeal and Program staff will develop goals and a plan for the church to "achieve this purpose" and report back to the council at its next meeting here in April 1999.
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
