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...
ELCA, 15 Others Join In Social Security Principles Statement
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and 15 other religious organizations released a joint statement of principles last week aimed at informing the U.S. Congress as it considers how to preserve and strengthen the Social Security program. "Our religious communities speak with one voice on the...
Reko to Lead ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. H. Karl Reko, River Forest, Ill., will assume the role of interim executive director for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Division for Congregational Ministries (DCM) effective May 1. Reko, 64, retired in 2002, after serving as program director for Western Europe and the...
Martin Wells Re-Elected Bishop of ELCA Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Martin D. Wells, 56, was re-elected April 23 to a six-year term as bishop of the Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Wells was re-elected on the second ballot for bishop at the synod assembly in Spokane, Wash. On the...
ELCA Presiding Bishop, Others, Criticize Senator, 'Justice Sunday'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), joined four other U.S. religious leaders in criticizing U.S. Sen. Bill Frist's (R-Tenn.) decision to participate in an April 24 teleconference which portrays Democrats as "against people of faith" for blocking President...
2005 Derose-Hinkhouse Awards Awarded To ELCA Communicators
NASHVILLE (ELCA) -- The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) honored several Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) communicators April 7 here at its annual DeRose-Hinkhouse Memorial Awards program. Communicators were recognized for outstanding communication projects in eight general categories. One ELCA periodical was named "Best in Class," the top award given...
Lutheran World Federation Hosts North American Consultation
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Lutheran World Federation hosted a consultation, "Deepening the Bonds of Communion," March 31-April 2 here for its member churches in North America. Using the churches' current discussion on matters of human sexuality, 35 participants discussed how the world's Lutheran churches are interrelated around issues of God's...
Lutherans Respond To 'Silent Emergencies' Worldwide
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) continues to respond to "silent emergencies" around the world. Through the ELCA International Disaster Response, members of the church provided more than $1 million last year to support relief efforts following disasters, many of which have been long forgotten by...
Lutheran Leaders Stress Christian Unity With Election Of New Pope
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- With Pope Benedict XVI's election, Christians should pray that God "may bless, strengthen and guide him as a heavy mantle of responsibility is now being put upon him," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and president of...
ELCA Council Recommends Interim Agreement With Methodists
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recommended that the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly approve a relationship of Interim Sharing of the Eucharist between the ELCA and the United Methodist Church. The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as...
ELCA Presiding Bishop Calls For Earth Day Action, Advocacy
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The liturgical celebration of Earth Day is not "a romantic rite of spring," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). It is a matter "of life and death," he said in a written message for Earth Day, April...
ELCA Council Declines Proposal For Designated Mission Support
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) discussed at its recent meeting a suggested approach to designated mission support funding from the ELCA Saint Paul (Minn.) Area Synod. In the end the council declined to endorse the synod's proposal, thanked the synod for...
ELCA Council Sets New Timeline For Statement On Sexuality In 2009
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is developing a social statement on human sexuality. The ELCA Church Council approved a request from the task force for the ELCA Studies on Sexuality to extend the timeline for completion of a proposed statement from 2007 until 2009. The...
ELCA Council Funds Five Commitments, Revises Spending
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) designated more than $4.5 million to support specific ministries related to the church's strategic priorities. Most of the money -- $4 million -- was extra income to the churchwide organization in 2004, the result of significant...
ELCA Council Pushes 'Renewing Worship' Project Forward
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recommended the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly commit the church to continue a plan to renew worship. A part of the plan includes the production of a new book of worship. The Church Council is the ELCA's...
ELCA Council Moves Ethnic-Ministry Strategies Forward
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recommended the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly approve strategies for ministries among Arab and Middle Eastern people and among people of African Descent, and it recommitted the church to three other ethnic-specific ministry strategies. The Church Council...
ELCA Council Pairs Synods, Conducts Elections
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted a plan that would complete a process to pair the 65 synods of the ELCA with one another for churchwide governance purposes. It also elected people to fill vacancies on boards, steering and advisory committees...
