ELCA Presiding Bishop Addresses Synod Hunger Leaders
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), addressed the ELCA World Hunger Synod Leadership Gathering June 26 in Techny, Ill. More than 100 synod hunger leaders representing 47 of the ELCA's 65 synods gathered June 24-27 to discuss the...
Lutheran Men in Mission offer young men's Road Trip
by Katherine R. Hinck*, ELCA News Service Lutheran Men in Mission will hold its second annual gathering for young men ages 18-24, Oct. 27-29 at the YMCA of the Ozarks, Potosi, Mo. "Road Trip: Coming of Age" will offer participants hiking, bike riding, fishing, golf and other outdoor activities, as...
Lutheran Disaster Response seeks volunteers
by Katherine R. Hinck*, ELCA News Service Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR), a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, is seeking volunteers to aid in long-term hurricane recovery in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas this summer. "Almost 10 months have passed since Hurricane Katrina,...
ELCA pastors to share dialogue sermons on Day1 Radio
by Katherine R. Hinck*, ELCA News Service Two pastors of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will share dialogue sermons on Day1 Radio August 6 and 13. The Rev. Debra Samuelson, Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atlanta, and her husband, the Rev. Peter Samuelson, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Atlanta, have...
Lutherans Celebrate 300 Years of Ministry in India
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg arrived in Tranquebar on the southeast coast of India on July 9, 1706, to bring Lutheran piety to the Tamil people. He became a part of the Tamil culture, and 300 years later the mission he founded and the people he influenced celebrate his arrival....
The ELCA responds to Episcopal presiding bishop election
by Katherine R. Hinck*, ELCA News Service The Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada, was elected the first female presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church on June 18 at the church's 75th General Convention in Columbus, Ohio. The Rev. Lowell Almen, secretary, Evangelical Lutheran...
Women of the ELCA to offer 'Healthy Hearts' events
by Katherine Hinck*, ELCA News Service Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will offer two "Healthy Hearts" events this fall as part of its 2005- 2008 health initiative, "Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls." The two events will take place Sept. 29-Oct. 1, Chicago, and Oct. 27-29,...
Most ELCA Ordained Ministry Candidates Study at ELCA Seminaries
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Recent improvements in gathering data about people preparing for ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) allows church leaders to examine data from two sources -- the ELCA's eight seminaries and the candidacy committees of the ELCA's 65 synods. "In the early 2000s, as we...
John Sladek Named President of ELCA's California Lutheran University
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Dr. John Sladek of Evergreen, Colo., was named the new president and chief executive officer of California Lutheran University (CLU), Thousand Oaks, succeeding Dr. Luther S. Luedtke who had served as president of the university for nearly 14 years. CLU is one of 28 colleges and universities...
ELCA synod leaders prepare to introduce 'Evangelical Lutheran Worship'
by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service Teams of leaders from each of the 65 synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are preparing to introduce "Evangelical Lutheran Worship" -- the new "cranberry red" hardcover book or pew edition that will serve as the ELCA's primary book of...
ELCA offers bilingual translation of Luther's Small Catechism
by Katherine Hinck*, ELCA News Service Augsburg Fortress, the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), released "El Catecismo Menor de Lutero/Luther's Small Catechism" on June 14. ELCA Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission develops culture-specific resources for the church. The translations of Luther's Small Catechism offer both...
ELCA Participates in UN Assembly on HIV/AIDS
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) participated in the United Nations General Assembly High- level Review Meeting on HIV/AIDS May 31-June 2 at the U.N. headquarters, New York, to review the progress of objectives set out in the U.N. Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS in 2001....
ELCA seminary establishes Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement
by Katherine R. Hinck*, ELCA News Service The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) will inaugurate a Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice (CCME) Sept. 21. LSTC is one of eight seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). According to an LSTC news release, the...
Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan cautions against U.S. House resolution
by Katherine R. Hinck*, ELCA News Service The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) e-Advocacy Network issued an action alert from Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) May 15 regarding a resolution from U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Rep. McCaul (R-Texas) circulating in the U.S. House of Representatives...
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans funds Chicago Community Savings Center
by Katherine R. Hinck*, ELCA News Service Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will provide $2.6 million to fund the Community Savings Center, a collaboration with Bethel New Life and Park National Bank that brings financial education and affordable financial products together to serve Chicago's West Garfield Park neighborhood. Thrivent Financial for...
Lutherans Offer Camps For Young Gulf Coast Disaster Survivors
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSSM) will offer more than 65 camps this summer for school-aged children who were affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Of the one million people displaced by the 2005 hurricanes, 372,000 were school-aged children in kindergarten through 12th grade, according...
Lutheran Services in America Successful 'Trading Graces' on eBay
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "Trading Graces," the first annual online auction of Lutheran Services in America (LSA), listed more than 2,100 items on eBay for bidding from noon Feb. 26 to noon March 8 and sold 952 or about 45 percent of the items to raise $61,840 for Lutheran social ministry...
Warren Freiheit re-elected bishop of ELCA Central/Southern Synod
by Katherine Hinck*, ELCA News Service The Rev. Warren D. Freiheit was elected to a second six-year term as bishop of the Central/Southern Illinois Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at the synod assembly June 8-10 in Springfield, Ill. Freiheit, 58, was re- elected June 9 on...
James Justman re-elected bishop of ELCA East Central Synod of Wisconsin
by Katherine Hinck*, ELCA News Service The Rev. James A. Justman was elected to a second six-year term as bishop of the East Central Synod of Wisconsin of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at the synod assembly June 9-10 in Appleton, Wis. Justman, 50, was re-elected on the...
ELCA advocacy blog focuses on Gulf Coast
by Annie Lynsen*, ELCA Washington Office As the Gulf Coast transitions from immediate relief to long-term rebuilding and recovery following the hurricanes of 2005, Andrew Genszler, director for domestic policy, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Washington office, is traveling along the Gulf Coast on a fact-finding mission June 13-23....
