CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) re-elected four people to leadership positions in the churchwide organization. It also elected members to churchwide boards and ratified appointments to advisory committees.
The council met here April 7-9. It functions as the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies. The next assembly is Aug. 8-14, 2001, in Indianapolis.
The council elected Joanne Chadwick to a third four-year term as executive director of the ELCA Commission for Women. Her nomination was forwarded to the council by the Rev. H. George Anderson, ELCA presiding bishop, and the steering committee of the Commission for Women.
The Rev. Frederick E.N. Rajan was elected to a third four-year term as executive director of the ELCA Commission for Multicultural Ministries. Rajan was nominated by Anderson and the steering committee of the Commission for Multicultural Ministries.
Two department directors were nominated by Anderson and re-elected by the council. Dr. Kenneth W. Inskeep was elected to a third four-year term as director of the ELCA Department for Research and Evaluation.
The council also elected the Rev. Daniel F. Martensen to a second four-year term as director for the ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs.
The elections -- effective April 15 -- were announced following the conclusion of an April 8 executive session of the council.
The council elected members to three boards: Deborah C. Wilson, Decatur, Ga., Division for Outreach board; Michael E. Carscaddon, Americus, Ga., Augsburg Fortress Publishers board of trustees; and Norma J. Larson, Port Orchard, Wash., board of trustees, Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA. Larson was nominated by the ELCA Division for Outreach.
There was no election to a second Mission Investment Fund board position, nominated by the Division for Outreach. The Rev. Malcolm "Mac" L. Minnick Jr., Chicago, was nominated but was determined to be ineligible before the council voted.
Earlier in the meeting, the council adopted a continuing resolution that bars, for six years, former churchwide employees from nomination or election to a board that relates to the unit in which the employee served. Minnick is a former executive director of the Division for Outreach, which relates to the Mission Investment Fund. He retired in July 1997.
The council ratified appointments by Anderson to two advisory committees. Linn Joanis, Wood Dale, Ill., and Sylvia J. Pate, Dayton, Ohio, were appointed to the advisory committee of the ELCA Department for Human Resources.
Also ratified was the appointment of the Rev. Jeffrey J. Marian, Gurnee, Ill., to the advisory committee of the ELCA Department for Research and Evaluation.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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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
