ELCA Bishops Protest Israeli Occupation of Bethlehem School
VANCOUVER, B.C. (ELCA) -- The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted a resolution "vigorously" protesting the Israeli military's occupation of a Lutheran school in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. The bishops' resolution also deplored "all acts of violence against innocent civilians." The ELCA...
Israeli Troops Reoccupy Bethlehem Lutheran School
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The property of a Lutheran grade school in the West Bank town of Bethlehem was occupied by Israeli military forces March 9, resulting in damage to some of the school property and building. The Israeli troops later withdrew, only to return around noon on March 11, said...
Lutherans Assess Personal Power and Stewardship
LISLE, Ill. (ELCA) -- Patterns of giving in the church not only vary over time but may be influenced by a parishioner's faith journey and "stage of personal power." That idea was expressed as Lutheran stewardship leaders met here Feb. 28-March 3 for "At the Heart: Stewardship and Power," a...
ELCA Board Conducts Business of Outreach
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The board of the Division for Outreach of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) emphasized maritime, rural, new and renewed ministries of the church while conducting its first business session of 2002 here March 1-3. Dorothy Baumgartner, chief administrative officer for Trinity Lutheran College, Issaquah, Wash.,...
ELCA Board Affirms Principles for Outreach to Unchurched
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The board of the Division for Outreach of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) affirmed five principles for the ELCA's outreach to the unchurched. Chair Dorothy Baumgartner said board members received a paper, "a work in progress," which offers "a fresh model for leading the church...
Jerusalem Lutheran Bishop Calls for World Response to Violence
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Lutheran bishop in Jerusalem has called on the world community to pray and act on behalf of Palestinians and Israelis who are being "victimized" by a deadly cycle of violence throughout Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. The call was part of an urgent message March...
ELCA Presiding Bishop Calls for Conservation in Energy Plan
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The U.S. Congress should not adopt an energy policy based on "short-term regard for long-term solutions," said more than 1,000 religious leaders who signed a Feb. 12 statement addressed to members of Congress. Among those who signed "An Interfaith Call for Energy Conservation and Climate Justice" was...
ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson's Easter Message
No God-forsaken places! That is the good news of Christ's resurrection. Women went to the tomb grief stricken. They must have felt that in Jesus' death God had forsaken them. An angel startled them with earth-shaking news: "Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was...
Lutheran Schools Week Recognizes Learning Ministries
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Some 230 elementary and secondary schools, and 2,000 early childhood education centers operated by congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will celebrate Lutheran Schools Week March 4-10, 2002. About 20,000 teachers work with 250,000 students who attend ELCA-affiliated schools and early childhood education centers....
Peace Prize Forum Focuses on the Republic of Korea, March 8-9
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- David Halberstam and Sung Chul Yang will address the 14th annual Peace Prize Forum, "Striving for Peace: Who is Responsible?" March 8-9 at Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. Augustana is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Students attending the...
ELCA Presiding Bishop Urges U.S. to Help in Madagascar Crisis
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), appealed to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to insist that the government of Madagascar "take verifiable steps to ensure a free and fair election process." Hanson made the request of the...
Samuel J. Roth, ELCA Pastor, Former ELIM President, Dies
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Samuel J. Roth, former president of Evangelical Lutherans in Mission (ELIM) and retired pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), died Feb. 20 following complications resulting from heart bypass surgery. Roth, 74, was serving as interim pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Town and...
ELCA Board Names Task Force on Evangelism, Renews Worship
CHICAGO (ELCA) The board of the Division for Congregational Ministries (DCM) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) named a "blue ribbon" task force to develop a comprehensive strategy on evangelism and approved "Principles for Worship" for the ELCA when it met here Feb. 15-17. The 2001 ELCA Churchwide...
Lutheran-United Methodist Dialogue Discusses Sacraments
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the United Methodist Church (UMC) both accept two sacraments -- Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Members of the Lutheran-United Methodist dialogue met Feb. 14-17 in Orlando, Fla., and "found significant agreement among the churches' histories and doctrinal teachings" on...
Augsburg Fortress Introduces Web-based Ministry Resource
CHICAGO (ELCA) Augsburg Fortress, the publishing house of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has introduced a Web- based congregational ministry resource designed to help members and non-members live out their faith anywhere they have access to the Internet. The resource, "ReadyClickGrow," was introduced in January. It was developed...
Lutherans Respond to Terrorism, Tornadoes, Tropical Storms
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR), a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), continues to help survivors recover from acts of terrorism, tornadoes, tropical storms and other disasters across the United States. Response to a disaster is often carried out by...
Hallmark Channel to Air Pilots for 'The Protestant Hour'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Two pilot programs of a new television version of "The Protestant Hour" will be broadcast March 3 and March 24 on the Hallmark Channel's "America at Worship" Sunday morning programming block. The pilot programs include the name "Day One," which will become the new name for The...
Lutheran Palestinians Working for Peace Not Featured in News
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Palestinians working for peace and reconciliation in the Middle East are not featured in most international news reports, according to the Rev. Munib A. Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (and Palestine). In a Feb. 6 interview, Younan said most media outlets portray...
ELCA Bishop Convenes Consultation of Ecumenical Advisors
ROSEMONT, Ill. (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop and chief ecumenical officer of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), gathered staff of the ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs and 15 advisors here Feb. 8-9 to discuss the church's ecumenical priorities for the next 10 years. Hanson...
ELCA Hosts "Living Faithfully in a Violent World"
WASHINGTON, D.C. (ELCA) -- School shootings, incidents of police brutality, domestic violence and child abuse consistently made headlines in 2001. In response to these acts of violence the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) brought together nearly 200 adult and youth participants for an intense training event here Jan. 18-19...
