President Of ELCA's St. Olaf College To Leave In 2006
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Christopher M. Thomforde will leave as president of St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., at the end of the 2005-2006 academic year, the college announced. St. Olaf is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Thomforde, 58, served as...
ELCA Bishops Address Middle East Hopes, Concerns
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) thanked U.S. President George W. Bush for his recent public statements supporting the "Road Map" to Middle East peace and said Bush's May 26 meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was "an encouraging sign" of the...
Thousands Of Lutherans To Celebrate Global Mission In Fargo
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Cass County, North Dakota, is "one of the largest refugee resettlement sites in the United States in the past 10 years." To celebrate that diversity and learn more about building global relationships, members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will gather at the ELCA Global...
Skrenes Re-Elected Bishop of ELCA Northern Great Lakes Synod
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Thomas A. Skrenes, 50, was re- elected May 23 to a six-year term as bishop of the Northern Great Lakes Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Skrenes was re-elected on the second ballot for bishop at the synod assembly in Marquette, Mich....
David Miller, Editor, The Lutheran, Resigns, Accepts New Role
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. David L. Miller resigned effective June 30 as editor of The Lutheran, the magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), to accept a five- year term as Dean of the Chapel and the first Floy L. and Paul F. Cornelsen Director of Spiritual...
Pastor Carl Linder, Veteran Editor Of Lutheran Publications, Dies
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Carl E. Linder, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) who served more than 40 years as an editor for church publications, died May 19 at a nursing care facility here. He was 84. A memorial service will be held May 26...
Thrivent Financial For Lutherans Awards $1,875,000 To The ELCA
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a not- for-profit financial services organization based in Minneapolis, announced May 11 that it awarded $1,875,000 in grants to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The money will help start new congregations, support several events and back nine other initiatives of the...
Thousands Of Lutheran Women To Gather In Texas, July 5-10
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- About 5,000 women from the United States and around the world will focus on health, the ordination of women and other topics at the Sixth Triennial Gathering of Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) July 5-10 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San...
'Faithful Travel With Rick Steves' DVD Available From ELCA
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Noted author, producer and television host Rick Steves is featured in a new DVD from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). "Faithful Travel with Rick Steves" features a 12-minute interview with Steves in which he discusses "faithful travel" plus four 30-minute programs with him as host....
United Methodist Bishops Approve Interim Pact With ELCA
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Leaders of the United Methodist Church approved an interim agreement for sharing the Eucharist with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The approval came May 5 at the United Methodist Council of Bishops' weeklong spring meeting in Arlington, Va. The agreement -- if approved by the...
New Book Describes The 'Lutheran Way Of Life'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- What to bring to a church potluck, learning how to survive for one hour in an un-air-conditioned church and how to forgive someone are three topics among many explored in "The Lutheran Handbook: A Field Guide to Church Stuff, Everyday Stuff and the Bible" published by Augsburg...
ELCA Education Task Force Gathers Early Responses To Study
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A task force of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) began gathering early responses to "Our Calling in Education: A Lutheran Study" at its April 29-May 1 meeting here. The 16-member Task Force on Education developed the study materials to help it shape the first draft...
ELCA Seminary Opposes Gambling Expansion In Gettysburg Area
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The board of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (LTSG), Pa., decided May 4 to register its opposition to a slot-machine casino proposed for the Gettysburg area. "The expansion of gambling is not healthy for this or any other community that cares about its quality of life...
'Davey And Goliath' TV Episodes Available On DVD
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Original television episodes of "Davey and Goliath" will be available on DVD in retail stores across the United States starting June 7. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Starlight Home Entertainment, Inc., Los Angeles, made select episodes available in a two-disc "Collector's Edition" package. Davey...
ELCA Seminaries Plan 2005 Commencements
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The seminaries and extension centers of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) prepare candidates for lay and ordained ministry in the church. Commencement exercises close their 2004-2005 academic year. The date, school, keynote speaker and site of the exercises are given: May 13 + Lutheran Theological...
Janet Philipp Named President of ELCA's Dana College
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Dr. Janet S. Philipp was named president of Dana College, Blair, Neb. by the college's Board of Regents on May 5. Philipp, 57, currently serves as liberal arts dean and campus executive officer at the University of Wisconsin-Rock County, Janesville. She will assume the role of Dana's...
Morton To Lead ELCA Federal Chaplaincy Ministries
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Darrell D. Morton, Woodbridge, Va., will become assistant to the presiding bishop for Federal Chaplaincies of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) on July 1. Morton, 59, succeeds the Rev. Lloyd W. Lyngdal, who retired Nov. 30, 2003. Lyngdal served as assistant for federal...
ELCA Communicators Honored By Associated Church Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ELCA) -- The Associated Church Press (ACP) honored several Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) communicators April 26 here at its annual "Best of the Christian Press" awards program for 2004. Founded in 1916, the ACP is the oldest religious press association in North America. A top ACP...
Richard Bliese Named Next President Of Luther Seminary
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Richard H. Bliese will become president of Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., on July 1. The seminary's board of directors and Foundation board of trustees elected Bliese, 49, on May 2 to succeed the Rev. David L. Tiede. Luther is one of eight seminaries of...
Augsburg Fortress Publishers Showing Positive Signs For 2005
MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The board of trustees of Augsburg Fortress, the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), heard reports that suggest the publisher may have a much better year in 2005 compared to 2004. Highlights included a better-than-forecast first quarter financial report and several new products...
