ELCA Bishops Speak on Iraq, to Study Lay Presidency
CHARLESTON, S.C. (ELCA) -- The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), noting that a war against Iraq seems more likely, urged members of the ELCA to "engage in special Lenten disciplines of prayer and fasting in behalf of peace." In a separate action, it affirmed...
Lutheran Vespers Airing on Des Moines' WHO Radio
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Vespers, the radio ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), recently began airing on WHO-AM, Des Moines, Iowa, one of 31 "clear channel" radio stations in the United States. Clear channel stations broadcast their signals exclusively on their assigned AM frequencies at specific times,...
ELCA Bishops Support Presiding Bishop's LWF Nomination
CHARLESTON, S.C. (ELCA) -- The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) appeared to support the nomination of the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, for a six- year term as president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). An election will take place in July...
ELCA Bishops Told Fiscal 2002 Results 'Mixed'
CHARLESTON, S.C. (ELCA) -- Unaudited financial results for the churchwide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for 2002 were "mixed," according to a report presented to the ELCA Conference of Bishops here. Receipts declined $3.7 million in 2002 compared to 2001, but a mid-year spending reduction in 2002...
ELCA Bishops Question Outreach Division Board Action
CHARLESTON, S.C. (ELCA) -- Several members of the Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) questioned a decision by an ELCA board to "acknowledge" a Lutheran organization that advocates for and promotes the involvement of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people within the Lutheran church. The...
Thrivent Foundation Grants $1 Million to ELCA Leaders' Fund
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation approved a $1 million "challenge grant" to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Fund for Leaders in Mission, an endowment designed to provide scholarships to support ELCA seminary students. The Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation is a private foundation funded...
ELCA Presiding Bishop Criticizes White House on Iraq
CHARLESTON, S.C. (ELCA) Saying he is "very disappointed" that President George W. Bush has declined thus far to meet with a group of U.S. religious leaders about the possibility of war with Iraq, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), said he...
ELCA Evangelism Strategy Moves Forward
CHICAGO (ELCA) --The board of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Division for Congregational Ministries (DCM) met here Feb. 21-22 and took steps to finalize "Sharing Faith in a New Century: A Vision for Evangelism in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America" for presentation to the ELCA Church Council...
U.S. House Recognizes 'Lutheran Schools Week'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The U.S. House of Representatives adopted a resolution March 4 -- by a vote of 407 to 0 -- supporting the goals of Lutheran Schools Week, and congratulating "Lutheran schools, students, parents, teachers, administrators and congregations across the nation for their ongoing contributions to education." The year's...
ELCA Church in Society Board Manages Statements, Messages
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Social statements and messages, in various stages of life and development, were topics for the board of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Division for Church in Society, which met here Feb. 20-22. The board discussed "the role of the church in public life" with the...
ELCA Outreach Board Reviews Church Strategies
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The board of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Division for Outreach reviewed an evangelism strategy and draft documents of an ELCA strategic planning process. The board also elected officers and conducted other business when it met here Feb. 28- March 2. The Rev. Gary M....
ELCA Commission Requests 'Moratorium' on Budget Reduction
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The steering committee of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Commission for Multicultural Ministries asked the ELCA Office of the Presiding Bishop to consider a "moratorium" on reductions in authorized spending for the commission this fiscal year. The committee also adopted other resolutions, discussed two churchwide...
'Story of the ELCA' Theme of Spring 2003 MOSAIC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The spring 2003 issue of MOSAIC, the video magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), tells the story of the formation of the ELCA, featuring interviews with key leaders of predecessor church bodies. The video became available March 1. This year the ELCA marks its...
ELCA Board Appoints Task Force on Education
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The board of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Division for Church in Society (DCS) appointed 15 members to a task force that will help the church develop a social statement on education. At its meeting here Feb. 20-22, the DCS board also made provisions for...
ELCA Rural Ministry Alliance to Form Around Affinity Groups
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- People and groups who share a common interest in small town and rural ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are developing into an alliance. A diverse group of people representing those ministries gathered here Feb. 19-20 to imagine the alliance and to figure out...
Lutherans Keep Disaster Response in Africa a Top Priority
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) keep disaster response in Africa a top priority despite little attention from the secular media, according to the Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida, director for international communication, ELCA Division for Global Mission. Information about "ongoing international disasters appears as...
Lutherans Eulogize Nightclub Victims in West Warwick
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Family and friends will gather for a memorial service at Emanuel Lutheran Church, West Warwick, R.I., today at 7:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) for those who died at a nightclub fire last week in West Warwick. Emanuel is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. "Emanuel...
LWF Appeals Israel Court Ruling on Jerusalem Hospital
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) challenged a Jerusalem court ruling regarding the tax status of its activities in Israel and Palestinian-controlled territories, saying the decision, if implemented, could jeopardize the LWF's humanitarian work in the region, the LWF said in a Feb. 19 news release. If the...
Lutheran "New Life Center" Serves Fujianese in New York
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The sounds of children echoed in the halls of True Light Lutheran Church, New York, N.Y., as the Rev. Gilbert B. Furst, director of Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) met with staff of the "New Life Center" earlier this year. The Center, located at the church, strives to...
Palestinian Lutherans Worship Despite Curfew
BEIT JALA, West Bank (ELCA) -- Twelve communicators from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) drove here in two vans from Jerusalem Feb. 2 to attend worship at a Lutheran church, but, with an Israeli curfew in place, the Lutherans wondered if anyone else would be at the church....
