CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Seven Lutheran ministry organizations were recently awarded a total of $240,000 from the Lutheran Services for ther Elderly (LSE) Endowment Fund of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The awards were the first distributions made from the endowment fund, which was created in 2001 from the assets of Lutheran Services for the Elderly, also known as Fair Havens Center in South Florida.
LSE served older adults for nearly 40 years through assisted living and skilled nursing care.
The decision to sell the assets was made by the LSE board and staff. They sold the facility to a local hospital which continues to operate it as a residential program for the elderly. Proceeds from the sale were used to create an $8.1 million endowment through the ELCA Foundation.
"We say a tremendous word of thanks to Lutheran Services for the Elderly for this remarkable gift to the church and its ministries," said the Rev. Donald M. Hallberg, executive director, ELCA Foundation.
Commenting on why LSE sold its assets, Hallberg said that it had become difficult for LSE to provide high quality services at a time when state government funding was falling behind actual cost.
Distributions from the fund are made to ministries that demonstrate plans for service, education and research to benefit the elderly and their families or services to the elderly.
Annual distributions from the fund provide "seed money" for ministries which offer innovative and replicable programs for the elderly.
"This decision to use a successful ministry to give birth to multiple ministries was really a decision of stewardship," said William D. Cole, former president of LSE, "We wanted to give birth to something new."
The 2002 LSE Endowment Fund recipients were:
+ Community Family Life Services, Washington, D.C.
+ Immanuel Health Systems, Omaha, Neb.
+ Lutheran Counseling Services, Inc., Winter Park, Fla.
+ Lutheran Family Services of Virginia, Roanoke, Va.
+ Lutheran Outdoor Ministries of Florida, Tampa, Fla.
+ Tabitha Health Care Service, Lincoln, Neb.
+ Lutheran Services of Florida, Tampa, Fla.
"We received so many fine applications for these awards that the selection process was difficult," said Ruth A. Reko, director for relationships with social ministry organizations, ELCA Division for Church in Society. "We look forward to the ministries that will grow as a result of Lutheran Services for the Elderly's vision and generosity in establishing this endowment."
"Through it, LSE continues to give new life to other ministries that serve this church and the greater society," Reko added. -- -- --
Information about the ELCA Foundation can be found at http://www.elca.org/fo on the Web.
*Diana Mavunduse is a communicator with the World Council of Churches, Geneva, Switzerland. This fall she is serving as a volunteer with the ELCA News Service.
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
