Bachman, Lutheran Pastor, Author, Educator, Communicator, Dies
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. John W. Bachman, author, former college president, retired church communicator and pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), died July 7 at the age of 87 in Minneapolis. "John Bachman was this generation's pre-eminent Lutheran student and practitioner of the art of communication,"...
ELCA Pastor Naw-Karl Mua Freed From Laos
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Naw-Karl Mua, Light of Life Lutheran Church, St. Paul, Minn., a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), was released July 9 from a Laotian prison and reunited with his family in St. Paul on July 10. Detained since June 4, he and...
Lutherans Express Concern Over Social, Church Issues
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) serving as voting members to 2003 synod assemblies addressed several topics, according to reports from early assemblies on file here with the ELCA Department for Synodical Relations. Topics included gambling, ecumenical agreements, mission plans, evangelism and homosexuality within...
'Luther' To Premiere In Theaters September 26
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "Luther," a motion picture about the life of Martin Luther, will be released nationwide Sept. 26 in theaters. Co-produced by Minneapolis-based Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Neue Filmproduktion of Berlin, the film will open in more than 300 theaters in 45 major markets. Luther, a German church...
ELCA Pastor Featured On 'Day 1' Beginning Aug. 24
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Gemechis Desta Buba is the featured speaker Aug. 24, Sept. 28 and Nov. 2 on "Day 1," a nationally broadcast radio program. Buba is pastor of Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Church, Atlanta, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Buba studied theology in Ethiopia...
ELCA's Concordia College Names Paul Dovre Interim President
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Dr. Paul J. Dovre was named interim president June 30 of Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., by the board of regents. Dovre, a former president of the college, began his duties July 1. Concordia is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America...
Women of the ELCA Awards Domestic and International Grants
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) awarded $122,100 domestically and $61,543 internationally for a total of $183,643 in grants to support a variety of projects targeted at supporting families and communities. The Women of the ELCA Grants Program selection committee chose 50 recipients this...
ELCA Pastor Naw-Karl Mua Sentenced to 15 Years in Laos
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A Laotian court convicted the Rev. Naw-Karl Mua, Light of Life Lutheran Church, St. Paul, Minn., a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), of "use of warfare items or ordnance" and "obstructing an official in the performance of his duty" in a trial June...
Lutherans Manage Recovery after Tornadoes, Forest Fires
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Disaster Response, a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod (LCMS), is organizing recovery efforts after tornadoes struck Minnesota and Nebraska, and after forest fires broke out in parts of Arizona this month. Zion Lutheran Church, Buffalo Lake,...
Rafael Malpica Padilla Named Director, ELCA Global Mission
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla, associate executive director for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Division for Global Mission, was elected June 28 to a four-year appointment as executive director of the division effective August 1. As executive director, Malpica Padilla, 46, will oversee a global...
ELCA Mission Investment Fund Announces New Investment Rates
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Mission Investment Fund (MIF) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has announced the introduction of MissionFirst, a savings investment plan available to members of ELCA congregations beginning July 1. The MIF also announced interest rates for its adjustable-rate and fixed-rate mission investments. "The Mission...
'Bonhoeffer' Documentary to Show in Several Cities
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The feature length documentary "Bonhoeffer," directed by Martin Doblmeier, is showing in several cities this summer, including a return engagement June 27-July 10 at the Gene Siskel Film Center here. The film, which ran at that theater in late March, returns in a series of national showings....
Ohio Congregation Wins ELCA Accessibility Award
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Peace Lutheran Church, Gahanna, Ohio, won the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Accessibility Award for 2003. Announcing the honor, the Rev. Lisa T. Cleaver, director for disability ministries and deaf ministry, ELCA Division for Church in Society, said Peace Lutheran went well beyond ramps and elevators....
ELCA Bishops Support Lawsuit Against Concealed Weapon Law
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Six Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) bishops in Minnesota made a public statement June 19 supporting a lawsuit filed by the Edina Community Lutheran Church, Edina, Minn. The lawsuit against the state of Minnesota is an attempt to have concealed weapons banned from church-owned property. The...
LutherLink Book Discussions Begin in July
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In a cooperative project of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Department for Communication and Augsburg Fortress, the publishing house of the ELCA, LutherLink members will begin holding online book discussions in July. LutherLink, an online network maintained by the ELCA, is part of Ecunet, a...
Vagley Directs Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Karen S. Vagley became director of the Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs (LOGA), Washington, D.C., on June 16. LOGA is the federal public policy advocacy office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and a program of the ELCA Division for Church in Society. "I am...
MOSAIC to Receive Award for 'Lutheran Roots'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Concordia Historical Institute, a division of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, recently selected MOSAIC, the video magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), to receive an Award of Commendation. The award is for the production of "Lutheran Roots in America" hosted by the Rev. Lowell...
ELCA Conducts Consultation on Workplace Ministries
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Ministry happens in workplaces across the United States, and it happens in ways that are almost unique to each setting, according to about 20 participants in a workplace ministries consultation here June 6-8. The Division for Ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) hosted the...
Anderson Elected Bishop of ELCA Southwestern Minnesota Synod
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Jon V. Anderson, 43, was elected to a six-year term as bishop of the Southwestern Minnesota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) during the synod assembly at Gustavus Adolphus College, an ELCA higher education institution in St. Peter, Minn. Anderson was elected...
Pile Re-elected Bishop in ELCA Allegheny Synod
CHICAGO (ELCA) -– The Rev. Gregory R. Pile, 54, was re-elected on the first ballot for bishop of the Allegheny Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) June 13 at the synod's assembly June 12-14 at Altoona Casino, Altoona, Pa. Pile has served as bishop of the synod...
