ELCA Assembly Welcomes LMM President

CHICAGO (ELCA) - Heber Rast, president of Lutheran Men in
Mission (LMM), said that the LMM board unanimously approved a
resolution "strongly endorsing" a new five-year Bible-study
initiative for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
LMM is the ELCA's men's ministry.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 6-11 at Navy Pier's Festival Hall.
About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,069 ELCA voting
members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Living in God's
Amazing Grace: Thanks be to God!"
"For many years, Bible study has been the heart of our
Master Builders Program," Rast told the assembly. He said that
LMM program carries out the ministry's vision that "every man has
a growing relationship with Jesus Christ through an effective
men's ministry in each of our congregations."
Rast said that 40,000 copies of LMM's "Master Builder's
Bible for Men" are "in the hands of our men, many of whom are
engaged in serious Bible study for the first time in their
lives."
He also reported that:
+ "Coming of Age," the LMM's book detailing work with young
men, is now in its third printing.
+ A "Building for the Future Men's Leadership Summit" held
here prior to the churchwide assembly was "very successful."
+ An LMM endowment fund stands at about 65 percent of its
$1.5 million goal.
+ "One Year to Live," an LMM weekend-retreat format
currently in pilot testing, "will offer a groundbreaking event
for deepening men's faith."
+ the ELCA Church Council recently approved LMM's Articles
of Incorporation, in line with the men's ministry's plan to move
toward separate incorporation.
"We want to equip our men so that their faith, their
relationships and their ministry are all strengthened," Rast
said.
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Information about the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be
found at http://www.ELCA.org/assembly/ on the Web.

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