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...
200 ELCA Pastors to Go to New York April 6-7 to Show Solidarity
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- As many as 200 pastors of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America -- including at least 32 synod bishops -- will be in New York April 6-7 in a show of support for ELCA pastors, congregations and ministries nearly seven months after the terrorist attacks of Sept....
ELCA Bishops Told of Early Progress of Evangelism Task Force
VANCOUVER, B.C. (ELCA) -- Implementing an evangelism strategy for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a "daunting task,' in part because the church's membership has declined while the general population has grown, said the chair of a 32-member task force on evangelism appointed by the board of the...
ELCA Slovak Zion Synod Bishop to Resign Aug. 31
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Juan Cobrda, bishop of the Slovak Zion Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), announced he will resign as bishop effective Aug. 31, one year earlier than the end of his present term as bishop. Cobrda, 71, has served nine years as bishop...
ELCA Lectures Address Preaching in a 'Post-Christian' World
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Two prominent preachers are delivering a series of sermons and lectures on the difficulties of preaching on deep theological themes to an audience that may or may not know basic Bible stories. The 11th Hein-Fry Lecture Series, titled "Biblical Preaching in Babel: Preaching in a Post-Christian World,"...
ELCA Board of Pensions Trustees Discuss Enron Debacle
MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- At their March 1-3 meeting here, trustees of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Board of Pensions discussed how the organization can avoid a situation such as that involving the much-publicized Houston-based Enron. Trustees also talked about the board's relationship with Arthur Andersen, the accounting firm...
Braaten Resigns as President of Midland Lutheran College
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Dr. Jennifer L. Braaten, president of Midland Lutheran College, Fremont, Neb., resigned from her post effective July 1. Midland is one of 28 college and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). "It is with deep regret and mixed emotions that I announce my decision...
ELCA Commission Supports Middle Eastern, Muslim U.S. Detainees
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The steering committee of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Commission for Multicultural Ministries adopted a resolution here March 15-16 to express its support for Arab, Middle Eastern and Muslim people detained in the United States. "There may be up to 8,000 Arab, Middle Eastern and...
