CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Ramona Soto Rank, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and former president of the American Indian/Alaska Native Association of the ELCA, will be featured July 14, Aug. 11 and Sept. 8 on "Day 1" -- formerly known as "The Protestant Hour," a nationally broadcast radio program.
Rank, Augustana Lutheran Church, Portland, Ore., was born on the Klamath Reservation in Oregon and has served in various tribal leadership roles. In addition to her work with the Klamath Tribes, she served as executive director for the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, which represents the 49 federally recognized tribes of southeastern Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.
Excerpts from her sermons also will be included in a television version of "Day 1" on Hallmark Channel's "America at Worship" airing at 9 a.m. (ET/PT) Sundays.
Rank is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, Calif., one of eight ELCA seminaries. She has helped train church professionals in the context of the American Indian and is a founder of the "One in the Spirit" gathering that brings together clergy and lay people with American Indian and Alaska Native theologians.
All three of Rank's sermons are drawn from the Gospel of Matthew. "The good news of God's love survives in the midst of chaos," she said. "The good news of God's love continues unchanging throughout the ages. God's love, the single seed of love that is planted in each of us, is a continued promise."
"Day 1" has been broadcast as "The Protestant Hour" every week for more than 57 years, winning numerous awards in the process, including the George Foster Peabody Award for broadcast excellence. It is produced cooperatively by the ELCA, Episcopal Media Center, United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and United Church of Christ.
"Day 1" broadcasts are also accessible via streaming audio at http://www.Day1.net on the Web. The Web site also lists radio stations that air the radio program.
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
