News

The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA, joined leaders of Christian churches and church-related organizations from the United States and the Holy Land in Atlanta April 19-20 for “Pursuing Peace and Strengthening Presence: The Atlanta Summit of American and Palestinian Churches.”

In anticipation of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017, the ELCA has introduced "Called Forward Together in Christ," an initiative that invites its 3.7 million members to consider what kind of church God is calling the ELCA to become.

The Church Council of the ELCA approved recommendations and implementing strategies to help sustain theological education across this church when it met here April 7-10. The council, which serves as the ELCA’s board of directors, also took action on a variety of matters designed to help move the church’s mission and ministries forward.

Affirming its commitment to ensure voting rights for all U.S. citizens, the ELCA has introduced ELCAvotes, an initiative to help members advocate for fair elections and engage in local efforts to guarantee the right to vote.

The ELCA has awarded the 2016-2017 Rossing Physics Scholarships to 11 ELCA college and university students. The annual scholarships are made possible through gifts from Dr. Thomas D. Rossing, who created the fund through the ELCA Foundation. There are 26 ELCA colleges and universities.

In her Easter message, the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA, said,“On Easter morning we will gather to greet the risen Son and give thanks to God for the new life we have in Jesus Christ.”

The ELCA's first comprehensive campaign, Always Being Made New: The Campaign for the ELCA, is celebrating the completion of its second year with $80 million in cash gifts and gift commitments, representing 40 percent of the five-year, $198 million goal by Jan. 31, 2019. In addition, the ELCA has received another $17 million in planned gifts commitments to the priorities of the campaign.

The Conference of Bishops of the ELCA is discerning the denomination’s future directions and priorities in a new process known as “Called Forward Together in Christ.”

The Rev. Wolfgang D. Herz-Lane, bishop of the ELCA's Delaware-Maryland Synod based in Baltimore, traveled with an interfaith delegation to the Vatican for a March 2 meeting with Pope Francis. The group met the pope following his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square and received a blessing for their ecumenical work in the aftermath of the April 2015 death of Freddie Gray.

Members of the ELCA are offering prayers for the congregation of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Duluth, Minn., whose church suffered major damage in a fire Feb. 18.

Heidi Hagstrom, former program director of the ELCA Youth Gathering, was presented with the Tom Hunstad Award for Excellence in Children, Youth and Family Ministry during the ELCA Youth Ministry Network Extravaganza held Feb. 4-8 in Anaheim, Calif.

In response to the water crisis in Flint, Mich., members from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Livonia, Mich., delivered more than 3,000 gallons of donated water Jan. 31 to the congregation of Salem Lutheran Church in Flint.

Members of the ELCA offer prayers to those impacted by program and staff reductions at Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI). On Jan. 22 the nonprofit social service agency of the three ELCA Illinois synods announced the cuts due to the state’s inability to pass a budget for the past seven months.

Building on a path toward greater unity, The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the Catholic Church will participate in a joint ecumenical commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation on Oct. 31, 2016, in Lund, Sweden.

The ELCA has received a $1 million grant as part of Lilly Endowment Inc.’s National Initiative to Address Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders. The endowment is giving a total of $28 million through this initiative, which supports religious organizations across the country as they address the financial and economic struggles that often impair the ability of pastors to lead congregations effectively.

In simultaneous meetings held on their respective campuses January 12-13, the boards of Gettysburg and Philadelphia Lutheran seminaries adopted identical resolutions calling for “the creation of a new school of theology and leadership formation.”

Portico Benefit Services, a ministry of the ELCA, has launched what it calls the ELCA wellness reformation and is inviting ELCA pastors and church leaders to pursue healthier lifestyles in 2016 through its annual wellness program, the GO! Challenge. Portico provides benefits and services to enhance the well-being of ELCA rostered leaders and lay employees.

After a December visit to the Chicago Immigration Court of the Executive Office for Immigration Review, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton reaffirmed the ELCA's commitment to work as "church together" to bear witness and respond to the significant number of children and families fleeing Central America and Mexico.

Lifting up this church’s commitment to the 500-year-old Lutheran intellectual tradition, the ELCA has created the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities, established in collaboration with the ELCA’s 26 colleges and universities to promote their shared mission and identity.

The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA, met with Syrian refugees living in the Za’atari refugee camp during a Dec. 12-15 trip to Jordan.