ELCA Council Learns about the Return of 'Davey and Goliath'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) received an update on plans to produce 26 new episodes of "Davey and Goliath," a popular children series created by the Lutheran church and aired on commercial television in the 1950s through the early 1980s. Davey...
ELCA Board of Pensions Backs 'Housing Allowance' Legislation
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Board of Pensions is advising the church's pastors who claim part of their income as housing allowance "to contact members of Congress to prevent the elimination of this long-standing tax benefit" by supporting legislation U.S. Representative Jim Ramstad (R-Minn., 3rd)...
ELCA Council Approves Time Line, Funds for Sexuality Studies
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In a series of related actions, the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) approved a six-year time line for studies on sexuality and approved $1.15 million to fund the six-year project. The studies, which will examine several topics related to homosexuality and human...
ELCA Studies the Health and Wellness of its Ministers
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Stress, weight, nutrition, high blood pressure and heart disease are "areas of concern to address" among the pastors and lay leaders -- associates in ministry, deaconesses and diaconal ministers -- of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), according to an initial report on their health and...
ELCA Council Designates Funds for 'Stand with Africa'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) designated $350,000 to support "Stand With Africa," a three-year Lutheran campaign that focuses on issues significant to Africa, including HIV/AIDS, economic justice, food security, and peace and reconciliation. The Church Council is the ELCA's board of...
ELCA Council Commits to Education, Prayer for the Middle East
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) resolved to encourage the 10,851 congregations and 65 synods of the church to learn about the treatment of refugees in the United States, "lift in prayer" people of the Middle East, and refer to the ELCA...
ELCA Council Calls on U.S. Leaders to Help End Mideast Violence
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) called on leaders of the U.S. government "to be resolute and determined" in seeking an end to the escalated violence in the Middle East, in a resolution adopted April 6. The council also heard comments about...
Israeli Soldiers Search Lutheran Church of Hope, Ramallah
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A group of nine soldiers with Israeli Defense Forces came to the home of the Rev. Ramez Ansara April 7, requesting him to accompany them as they searched Lutheran Church of Hope, Ramallah. Ansara is pastor of Lutheran Church of Hope, one of six congregations of the...
ELCA Council Receives Evangelism Report, Approves Funds
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) received a report on the church's plan for evangelism and approved an additional $200,000 to support the work of a "Blue Ribbon" task force assigned to develop a comprehensive strategy on evangelism. The Church Council is...
ELCA Church Council Elects Board and Committee Members
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) elected clergy and lay individuals to fill vacancies on boards, steering and advisory committees of the church. The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between...
Women of the ELCA Contributes Gift to Support ELCA Mission
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) gave a $700,000 gift to the ELCA for its ministries around the world in 2001. Among other business, the amount of the gift was announced at the Women of the ELCA executive board meeting here March 14-17. Women...
LaHurd Resigns as President of ELCA Lenoir-Rhyne College
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Dr. Ryan A. LaHurd, president of Lenoir-Rhyne College, Hickory, N.C., will resign as president of the college effective May 31. Lenoir-Rhyne is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). "It has been a great privilege for me to serve Lenoir-Rhyne...
Israeli Soldiers Release Lutheran Pastor in Bethlehem
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Three groups of Israeli Defense Force soldiers entered the compound of Christmas Lutheran Church, Bethlehem, April 4 and detained the Rev. Mitri Raheb, pastor of the church. Christmas Lutheran is one of six congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (and Palestine) (ELCJ). Beginning at 1:45...
Lutherans Send Emergency Funds to the Middle East
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In response to recent armed conflict in the Middle East, members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) sent $10,000 to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan (Palestine) (ELCJ) for emergency relief. According to the Rev. Munib Younan, bishop of the ELCJ, the current incursion into...
Lutherans Assist Earthquake Survivors in Afghanistan
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) continue to provide shelter, food, water and medical assistance for refugees and displaced people in and around Afghanistan, especially for survivors of earthquakes and aftershocks that struck the northern part of that country Mar. 26. "More than 1,000...
Peace in Korea a Focus of Lutheran Peace Prize Forum
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (ELCA) -- It is the responsibility of every person to work for peace, according to Sung Chul Yang, the Republic of Korea's 18th ambassador to the United States. Yang spoke to more than 300 students attending the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize Forum here March 8-9 at Augustana...
ELCA Presiding Bishop Calls on Bush to Seek Mid-East Cease Fire
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), called on President George W. Bush and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell "to do everything within your power to bring about a cease-fire in the Middle East ... and then work...
Grace Institute Is New ELCA Lifelong Learning Partner
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Grace Institute for Spiritual Formation, Decorah, Iowa, is the latest addition to the list of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Lifelong Learning Partners. The board of the ELCA Division for Ministry approved the designation at its March meeting. In 2000, the Rev. Bradley C. Hanson...
Lutherans Support Flood Relief Efforts in Chiapas, Mexico
CHICAGO (ELCA) For the past three years, Chiapas, Mexico, has been affected by river flooding. Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are providing $8,120 to help residents there recover from the disaster. "Due to the flooding, corn and bean crops have been destroyed. Crop destruction has increased...
Lutherans Respond to Food Crisis in Malawi
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Northwest Synod of Wisconsin, based in Rice Lake, collected $39,000 this month for food distribution in Malawi, after cyclones and floods destroyed crops and livestock in the southern African nation last year. "People in Malawi are dying from...
