CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The board of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Division for Outreach (DO) elected the Rev. Richard A. Magnus to a second four-year term as the division's executive director, effective July 1. The board met here Feb. 23-25.
"Dick Magnus has provided insightful and wise leadership for the Division for Outreach," said Dorothy Baumgartner, DO board chair. Baumgartner is chief administrative officer of Trinity Lutheran College, Issaquah, Wash. "His leadership style has encouraged healthy debate among members of the Board, and inspired their unanimous affirmation of his re-election."
Baumgartner noted that Magnus has made "significant contributions" to projects involving staff from many ELCA commissions, departments and divisions, "which strengthens the overall work of the church." She said, "His personal commitment to outreach to all people is evident in the diverse activities he undertakes as executive director."
Magnus succeeded the Rev. M.L. Minnick Jr., who retired in 1997. Magnus had been a mission director for the division and an assistant to the bishop of the ELCA's Rocky Mountain Synod, Denver.
In 1981 Magnus joined the staff of the Rocky Mountain Synod in the former Lutheran Church in America. He has been community pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Denver; was campus pastor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and the Auraria Higher Education Center, Denver; a part-time instructor, Metropolitan State College, Denver; and coordinator for Lutheran Campus Ministry of Colorado.
Born in Foley, Minn., Magnus graduated from St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minn., and from Northwestern Theological (now Luther) Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.
Working with the ELCA's 10,851 congregations and 65 synods, the Division for Outreach develops new ministries and congregations. It supports existing ministries and congregations, as well as urban and rural coalitions.
In conjunction with the ELCA Mission Investment Fund, the division administers capital funds for loans, real estate acquisitions and building programs in support of new ministries and congregations in areas served by ELCA synods. It also administers, with the Division for Church in Society, hunger funds for relief and development in the United States.
The Division for Outreach relates to maritime ministries across the United States and Caribbean through the Lutheran Association for Maritime Ministry. -- -- -- The ELCA Division for Outreach maintains a site at http://www.elca.org/do/ on the Web.
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
