FEATURE: Lutherans Bring Back the 'Revival'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Over the summer a white, circus-sized tent appeared on the grounds of St. Timothy Lutheran Church, Troy, N.Y., garnering looks of interest from all who passed by, according to Marilyn Dyer. Although known throughout the community for its "innovative approach to ministry," St. Timothy reached a high...
ELCA Task Force on Genetics Considers Scientific, Theological Input
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Task Force on Genetics received scientific and theological input to advance its discussions on genetics when it met here Oct. 19-21. The task force is charged with developing a social statement on genetics for the church. "Members of the task...
Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue Begins Work on Round XI Report
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Participants in the U.S. Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue in Round XI began the writing process for their report when they met Oct. 10-14 at St. Paul's College, Washington, D.C. The meeting was the fifth of Round XI, in which the participants are discussing "The Hope of Eternal Life."...
Committee on Lutheran Cooperation Focuses on Cooperative Ministries
BALTIMORE (ELCA) -- Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) discussed their denominations' cooperative ministries when they met Oct. 24 here at the Lutheran Center. The ministries address domestic disaster response, immigration matters, social services, and international development and relief. The Lutheran...
Lutherans Proceed with Next Steps in Southern California Wildfires
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Providing emotional and spiritual care and identifying the needs of communities are some of the continued next steps for Lutherans in response to the wildfires in Southern California, reported the Rev. Kevin A. Massey, assistant director, Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR). Since Oct. 21, wildfires have spread over...
ELCA Fund for Leaders Awards 32 Scholarships, Announces Gift Challenge
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Thirty-two first-year students attending the eight seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) received full- or partial-tuition scholarships for the 2007-2008 academic year through the ELCA Fund for Leaders in Mission. The Fund honored three people who have provided substantial financial gifts and donated time...
ELCA New Jersey Bishop Addresses Impact of Immigration Raids on Children
WASHINGTON (ELCA) -- The Rev. E. Roy Riley, bishop, New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ELCA), Hamilton Square, spoke Oct. 31 at a news conference here on the impact of workplace immigration raids on pastors, churches, social service agencies and the children of immigrants. The news...
Funeral held Oct. 31 for Katherine Olson, graduate, ELCA's St. Olaf College
by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service A funeral service was held Oct. 31 for Katherine Ann Olson, 24, who was found dead last week after responding to a baby-sitting job advertised on the Internet site craigslist.com, reported the Star Tribune, Minneapolis-St. Paul. A 19-year-old man from Savage, Minn., has...
Lutheran Congregations Along Gulf Coast Call for Volunteers
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- More than two years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita battered the U.S. Gulf Coast, the area shows a few signs of healing, but years of work remain. Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) from Port Arthur, Texas, to...
ELCA Presiding Bishop Addresses Church on Racial Justice
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In a letter to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, said he is "deeply troubled" by the number of incidents in the past three years that involved symbols and acts of racial hatred. The presiding bishop expressed "grave...
Augsburg Fortress Board Acts on ELCA Publisher's Future
MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The board of trustees of Augsburg Fortress, the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), looked toward the future of the ministry by adopting a 2008 budget plan that calls for investment in products and infrastructure. The board also approved a confidential strategic plan...
Winter 2007-2008 ELCA World Hunger Resource Packet is available
by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service The World Hunger Resource Packet of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) for winter 2007-2008 is available. The packet contains resources to help individuals, congregations and synods of the church learn more about and participate in ending world hunger. "The packet isn't...
Lutherans Train to "Live Faithfully in a Violent World"
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Peace and justice-minded Lutherans working to end violence will gather Nov. 16-17 for "Living Faithfully in a Violent World: Congregations and Community Working Together to End Violence," a training event hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod. "School shootings, police...
A Muslim Student's Journey from Afghanistan to an ELCA University
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In post-9/11 America, being a young man from Afghanistan isn't easy, especially in an airport. Just ask 19-year-old Mouluddin Rahimi. When Rahimi first traveled from his native country of Afghanistan in August 2006 to begin studies at Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, Pa., he had to convince authorities at...
Lutherans Continue Care for People Affected by Wildfires in California
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Five members from St. Andrew Lutheran Church, San Diego, visited Qualcomm Stadium Oct. 25 to provide emotional and spiritual care for people seeking shelter from the wildfires in Southern California. Members of the church also sent supplies to help meet the basic needs of people taking refuge...
Lutheran Disaster Response Director Feltman Resigns, Accepts New Role
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Heather L. Feltman will resign Nov. 15 as director of Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) to become president/CEO of Lutheran Social Services of New England (LSS), Wellesley, Mass., starting Jan. 7, 2008. LDR is a collaborative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran...
'See Van Go' supports physical and financial health of church
by Frank Imhoff, ELCA News Service T. Van Matthews, a franchise owner and senior financial adviser, Ameriprise Financial, Greenville, S.C., took the long way of getting to his final meeting as a trustee of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Board of Pensions. Van and Melinda Matthews, Simpsonville, S.C.,...
Lutherans Provide Emotional Care in Response to California Wildfires
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) is pulling together a team of pastors to provide emotional and spiritual care for people in Southern California, as wildfires continue to spread there since Oct. 21, reported Tempie Beaman, LDR coordinator, Los Angeles. LDR is a collaborative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran...
Three Artists' Works Chosen in ELCA Design Contest
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Office of the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has chosen the works of three Lutheran artists in a design competition to recognize the 20th anniversary of the ELCA. Replicas of the art pieces will be presented as gifts to global and...
ELCA Bishops Hear Presiding Bishop's Concerns about Ecumenism
CHICAGO (ELCA) - In remarks to the Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, said he is "most concerned" about the church's strategic direction to build global, ecumenical and interfaith relationships because of what he termed the "unsettled,...
