ELCA Assembly Hears National Council Of Churches President

MILWAUKEE (ELCA) -- Elevnie K. Huszagh, president, National
Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. (NCC), addressed
voting members of the 2003 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Aug. 14. Huszagh is an
attorney and a member of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in
America. She resides in Nehalem, Ore.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 11-17 at the Midwest Airlines
Center. There are about 2,100 people participating, including
1,031 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly
is "Making Christ Known: For the Healing of the World."
Huszagh said churches need to take a stand on issues.
During the war with Iraq, the NCC spoke against the war and was
consequently viewed as unpatriotic. Christians shouldn't fear
speaking out when something is wrong, she said.
"We need to understand that the world is different," she
said, referring to a number of world events that have occurred in
the past few years.
Huszagh called for leadership within national and
international church organizations. She said strong leaders are
important.
"We rely on you," she said. "Identify leaders and send them
to us."
The NCC, founded in 1950, includes 36 denominations and
represents 50 million Christians. The ELCA is a member of the
NCC.
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Information about the ELCA assembly can be found at
http://www.elca.org/assembly/03 on the Web.

* Jessica A. Crane is completing her bachelor of arts degree at
Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. She is an intern this summer
for ELCA News and Media Production.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news