ELCA Publisher's 2001 Financial Losses Heavy but Situation Improving
MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Augsburg Fortress, the publishing house of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), incurred an operating loss of $4.22 million for the first nine months of 2001, said George W. Poehlman, Augsburg Fortress vice president for finance. However, the company showed operating profits for August and September,...
Episcopal Commission Assesses Lutheran Ordination Exceptions
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations (SCER) of The Episcopal Church, USA, offered its assessment that a bylaw adopted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), allowing exceptions to the way the two churches agreed to ordain new clergy, "need not impair" the new full-communion relationship...
ELCA November 2001 Calendar
1-4 Division for Higher Education and Schools, Student Affairs Deans, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, Pa. 1-4 Division for Congregational Ministries, Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) Multicultural Advisory Committee and Definitely Able Committee, Chicago 2-4 Board of Pensions, Trustees, Marquette Hotel, Minneapolis 2-4 Department for Communication, Advisory Committee, Lutheran Center, Chicago 2-4 Division...
Lutheran Services in America Tops NonProfit Times 100
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- For the second year in a row, Lutheran Services in America (LSA) has topped The NonProfit Times' list of 100 largest organizations. The publication released the "NPT 100" Nov.1, saying LSA also headed the list of organizations posting a financial increase this year, with an 87.5 percent...
Anderson Closes His Tenure as ELCA Presiding Bishop
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In 1517, Oct. 31 was the day Martin Luther posted 95 theses on the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany, launching what became the Protestant Reformation. In 2001, it is the Rev. H. George Anderson's last day as presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America...
Lutherans Increase Support for Afghanistan Refugees
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- International Disaster Response of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provided an additional $150,000 Oct. 25 to support millions of people in Afghanistan who have fled their homes as a result of years of civil conflicts, natural disasters, poverty and United States air strikes there. The...
Lutherans Provide Funds to Support People in the Middle East
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- International Disaster Response of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provided $50,000 Oct. 25 to support people affected by the crisis in the Middle East. "The vicious circle of killings and violence continues in Israel and the Palestinian territories," according to an Oct. 23 news release...
Augsburg Fortress CEO Will Not Seek Third Term, Search Process Begun
MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The Rev. Marvin L. Roloff, president and chief executive officer of Augsburg Fortress, the publishing house of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), announced Oct. 26 he will not seek a third term when his present four-year term concludes in 2004. Roloff, 67, informed the board...
ELCA to Address Sexual Exploitation, Health and Health Care
BALTIMORE (ELCA) -- Commercial sexual exploitation, and health and health care were among the main topics of discussion at the Oct. 18-20 meeting of the board of the Division for Church in Society (DCS) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The board also reviewed actions of the ELCA...
Lutherans Continue 'Creative Ministry' Response to Victims
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran churches continue their "creative ministry" to respond to people directly impacted by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, according to the Rev. Gilbert B. Furst, director for Lutheran Disaster Response, a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran...
Lutherans Sponsor Online Conference on Faith, Health
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Seven "storytellers," five commentators and 360 registered guests from around the world got together on the Web at http://www.faithandlifeforum.org/ for four weeks of conversation about health, health care, health care professions and the Christian faith. "For the Love of Life: Living Faithfully for Good Health" was sponsored...
Bishop of ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod to Resign in 2002
CHICAGO (ELCA) The Rev. Robert W. Mattheis, bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), announced in a letter to synod congregations last month that he will resign as bishop effective May 31, 2002. Mattheis also reported his decision to the Sierra Pacific Synod...
Luther's Works Now Available on CD-ROM from Fortress Press
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The complete works of Martin Luther are now available on CD-ROM from Fortress Press, the academic book imprint for Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis, the publishing house of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Fortress Press is working in conjunction with Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, the publishing...
Former Lutheran Church Leaders Hanson, Houser, Die
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Two former Lutheran church leaders -- the Rev. Paul A. Hanson and the Rev. Donald L. Houser -- died in the past month. Both were retired pastors of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Hanson, 78, was executive director of the Division for Life and Mission...
ELCA Chaplains, Counselors, Clinical Educators Minister to Victims
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- On Sept. 11, when terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center in New York and damaged the Pentagon near Washington, emergency personnel thronged to the sites from around the country. Chaplains, pastoral counselors and clinical educators of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) assisted local clergy and...
ELCA Ministry Board Approves Three Lifelong Learning Partners
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The board of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Division for Ministry approved three new Lifelong Learning Partners when it met here Oct. 12-14. The distinction means that the church will include them among more than 35 other lifelong learning centers and seminary programs providing theological...
ELCA Public Policy Directors Discuss Health, Government, Poverty
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Directors of state public policy advocacy offices of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) held their annual meeting here Oct. 12-14 to catch up on recent developments in the church's advocacy efforts, plan, share experiences and engage in discussions on three major topics -- health care,...
ELCA Commission for Women Calls for Nonviolent Response
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The steering committee of the Commission for Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) developed a resolution here Oct. 12-14 to express its support for the church's "Decade for a Culture of Nonviolence" by calling for a response to terrorism that seeks "justice through legal,...
ELCA Bishop Urges Military Restraint, Attention on Terrorism Causes
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), asked President George W. Bush to "exercise restraint in the use of military force" in responding to the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. Anderson also urged Bush and other leaders...
ELCA Ministry Board Tackles Study, Exceptions
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The board of the Division for Ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) launched into topics that will occupy its agenda for the foreseeable future here Oct. 12-14. A study of homosexuality and an exception to ordination practices were two of those topics. In August...
