ELCA Assembly Hears Of Work Of Lutheran Men In Mission

ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The work of Lutheran Men in
Mission (LMM) was shared by LMM President Heber Rast, Cameron,
S.C., Aug. 12 at the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the World Center Marriott
and Convention Center. About 2,300 people are participating,
including 1,018 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial
assembly is "Marked with the Cross of Christ Forever."
"We are amazed at what God has done with our ministry," Rast
told the assembly.
Working through the Master Builders program to carry out the
vision of the organization, Rast reported that over 10,000 copies
of the New Testament had been distributed since it was printed in
January.
He also described the LMM gathering last month of 600 men
for "Run the Race: Keep the Faith," a conference in North
Charleston, S.C. on the theme of discipleship.
Rast detailed a three-year plan that called for moving to
financial independence by 2008, expanding Bible distribution, and
working to draw men ages 18-34 into the group. A challenge grant
of $500,000 from an anonymous couple late last year is helping to
shape these plans.
The purpose of Lutheran Men in Mission is "to help the men
of our church to become better fathers, husbands, brothers and
friends, and to increase attendance and participation of men in
our congregations," Rast told voting members.
Rast concluded by inviting the assembly to "take back this
news to your congregations: Lutheran Men in Mission is alive and
growing!"
For more on Lutheran Men in Mission, see www.ELCA.org/lmm/
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Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at http://www.elca.org/assembly/05 on the Web.

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