ELCA Council Sees World Hunger Milestone, Seeks $25 Million in Annual Gifts
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) noted that contributions to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal in 2006 surpassed more than $20 million. It recommended a resolution to the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly that the church celebrate the milestone, and it invited "renewed...
Lutheran Bishop of Canada Greets ELCA Church Council
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- During an April 15 greeting to the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) the Rev. Raymond L. Schultz, national bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), shared news about his retirement and offered highlights on the upcoming ELCIC biennial convention. The...
ELCA Council Recommends Church Commitment to Address HIV and AIDS
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recommended that the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopt a resolution that commits the church to a "deeper engagement" in addressing the AIDS pandemic through development of a churchwide strategy for action in the coming decade. The...
ELCA partners with Jolie, Global Action for Children
by Annie Lynsen, ELCA News Service Actress Angelina Jolie appeared at a news conference April 26 in Washington, D.C., to announce the launch of Global Action for Children (GAC), a coalition advocating for orphans and vulnerable children around the world. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a member of...
ELCA, LWR Join Other Faith Groups in Advocacy on the Farm Bill
WASHINGTON (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Lutheran World Relief, Baltimore, are joining more than a dozen other denominations and faith-based organizations in supporting broad reforms of the U.S. Farm Bill in 2007, aimed at reducing hunger and poverty while promoting the livelihood of farmers and...
ELCA Remembers Bishop Margarita Martinez
DORADO, Puerto Rico (ELCA) - With singing and prayers, members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) said good-bye to the Rev. Margarita Martinez, bishop of the ELCA Caribbean Synod, in an April 23 memorial service here. Martinez died March 11 of cancer in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. She was...
Lutherans to participate in Middle East Peace event May 6-8
by Annie Lynsen, ELCA News Service Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) will feature several prominent speakers at its advocacy conference, "For the Peace of Jerusalem," May 6-8 in Washington, D.C. The ecumenical conference on peace in the Middle East will focus on U.S. policy and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Workshop...
ELCA Council Recommends 2007 Churchwide Assembly Rules
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recommended to the 2007 Churchwide Assembly a series of rules to help guide the decision- making process of the voting members. The assembly, the ELCA's highest legislative authority, will be held, Aug. 6-11 here at Navy...
Michael Last re-elected bishop of ELCA Western Iowa Synod
by John R. Brooks, ELCA News Service The Rev. Michael A. Last was elected April 21 to a second six- year term as bishop of the Western Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at the synod assembly April 20- 22 in Sioux City, Iowa. Last, 60,...
ELCA Presiding Bishop Expresses Thanks to Departing Church Leaders
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), gave thanks to church leaders who will be leaving their roles this year and said he wished he could call the church into intensive prayer as new leaders are elected this spring....
ELCA Council Commends Report on Justice for Women
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recommended that the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly commend the content of a report on justice for women for study, reflection and response throughout the church. The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves...
Lutherans Called to be Peacemakers April 27-29
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In response to violence, war and conflict in the United States and around the world, about 50 members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will explore their call to be peacemakers at "Equipping for Peacemaking," an April 27-29 training event here hosted by the ELCA....
ELCA Council Affirms 'Evangelical Lutheran Worship'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recommended the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopt a resolution designed to affirm the church's work on renewing its worship life. The council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the...
Lutherans Provide Emotional, Spiritual Care at Virginia Tech
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Disaster Response, a collaborative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, is providing emotional and spiritual care at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, Va., after a lone gunman shot and killed 32 people there before...
ELCA Council Acts to Strengthen Mission Funding
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) received and took a series of actions surrounding a report submitted by the Blue Ribbon Committee on Mission Funding -- a committee the council constituted to study the funding policies and practices of the ELCA. The...
ELCA Council Assumes Responsibility to Address Racism, Sexism
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) assigned responsibility for its ongoing antiracism and antisexism education and training to its Board Development Committee. In November the council voted to begin planning "for its continuous education, reflection and training on the issue of sexism,...
ELCA Council Commends Renewal Initiative Focused on the Bible
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recommended that the ELCA's 2007 Churchwide Assembly affirm an initiative and invite the church's 4.85 million members to engage the Bible. "Book of Faith: Lutherans Read the Bible" is a proposal "to form culture and customs...
ELCA Council Recommends Adoption of 'Our Calling In Education'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recommended that the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopt "Our Calling in Education" as a social statement of the church. The council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church...
ELCA Council Elects Leaders to Fill Council, Committee Vacancies
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) elected leaders to fill vacancies on the Church Council, the churchwide Committee on Appeals, a program committee and an advisory committee of the church. It also transmitted a slate of nominees for the 2007 ELCA Churchwide...
ELCA Council Commends Report on Multicultural Strategies
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In 1987 the constituting convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted the goal "that within 10 years of its establishment its membership shall include at least 10 percent people of color and/or primarily language other than English." The ELCA Church Council received a report...
