ELCA Assembly to Consider Two Candidates for Presiding Bishop
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The. Rev. Mark S. Hanson, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Saint Paul Area Synod, St. Paul, Minn., took the lead after the fourth ballot for presiding bishop of the ELCA. The Rev. Donald J. McCoid, bishop of the ELCA Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, Pittsburgh,...
ELCA Assembly Encouraged to Recall 'Songs of Faith'
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Christians have much to learn from past generations and from each other, said the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Almen delivered his report Aug. 10 to the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the...
ELCA Assembly Learns Mid-Sized Congregations Are Reaching out
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) with mid-sized membership are learning to evangelize and attract new members as part of a churchwide initiative. The Rev. Marta Poling-Goldenne, director for education and evangelism, ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries, gave a report on the "Mid- Sized...
ELCA Assembly Hears How Congregations Talk on Tough Issues
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Church members are learning to discuss contentious issues, said the Rev. Charles Miller, director of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Division for Church in Society. Miller presented progress on an ELCA initiative on witnessing to the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The churchwide assembly, the chief...
ELCA Leaders Meet with Homosexual Rights Leaders
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Five leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met with four leaders of organizations that seek church policy changes that would allow gay and lesbian people who are in committed relationships to serve in the ordained ministry. The group also discussed plans for related issues...
ELCA Assembly Receives Preliminary Budget
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The first presentation of the 2002 and 2003 fiscal year budget proposals for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) came before the 2001 Churchwide Assembly in a plenary session here Aug. 9. The Rev. Robert N. Bacher, ELCA executive for administration, presented the proposals totaling more...
ELCA Assembly Gives Servus Dei to Richard L. Mcauliffe
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America today conferred the Servus Dei medal upon Richard L. McAuliffe, treasurer of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention...
ELCA Assembly Receives Greetings from World Council of Churches
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Dr. Marion Best, vice moderator of the governing body of the World Council of Churches (WCC), brought greetings Aug.10, from that body to the ELCA churchwide assembly. The WCC represents 400 million members in 342 churches in 128 countries, and the ELCA is a member. The Churchwide...
ELCA Assembly Hears Third Ballot Results for Presiding Bishop
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The Rev. Donald J. McCoid, bishop of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), maintained his lead on the third ballot for presiding bishop of the ELCA. McCoid is also chair of the ELCA Conference of Bishops, an advisory body of the...
ELCA Assembly Receives Greetings from Lutheran Church in Jordan
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Viola Raheb, director of Lutheran schools in Jerusalem and Palestine, brought greetings Aug. 9 from Bishop Munib A. Younan, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and Palestine (ELCJ) to the ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14...
ELCA Assembly Participants Discuss Ideas on Rural Ministry
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- There is hope for rural ministry, said members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), but congregations must share ideas and educate others about the rural crisis. ELCA participants in the 2001 Churchwide Assembly discussed rural ministry in a hearing Aug. 9. The churchwide assembly, the...
ELCA Assembly Discusses Homosexuality in Well-Attended Hearings
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Hundreds of voting members and visitors came to talk and listen at two Aug. 9 hearings on "Homosexuality in the Church." Each 45-minute forum was moderated by ELCA Church Council member Ellen Maxon, Milwaukee. Only voting members had voice at the two hearings. The churchwide assembly, the...
ELCA Assembly Prompts Gay and Lesbian Meetings
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- A non-traditional congregation of 142 people gathered in a traditional sanctuary of Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral here for a midday festival worship during the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, Aug. 9. The Rev. Deborah D. Conrad of Indiana- Kentucky Synod preached and Bishop Kenneth R. Olsen, ELCA Metropolitan...
ELCA Assembly Honors Outgoing Presiding Bishop
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, was honored Thursday with the Servus Dei Medal at the ELCA's churchwide assembly. The award honors retiring ELCA officials, a tradition from predecessor church bodies. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA,...
ELCA Assembly Hears of Unfinished Business in Bishop's Final
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Evangelism and ministry with the poor are unfinished tasks facing the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), said Presiding Bishop H. George Anderson in his report to the churchwide assembly. It was his final report as presiding bishop, as a new ELCA bishop will be elected at...
ELCA Assembly Adopts First Five Memorials
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- A memorial about Israeli-Palestinian relations drew the most discussion when voting members adopted five memorials Aug. 9 at the churchwide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug 8-14 at the Indiana...
ELCA Assembly Hears Report of Vice President and Church Council
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Dr. Addie J. Butler, vice president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), gave a report of the Church Council to the 2001 Churchwide Assembly. As vice president, Butler chairs the Church Council. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here...
ELCA Roundtable Celebrates Women in Church Leadership
INDIANAPOLIS -- Almost 600 members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) -- including 16 men -- met here Aug. 6-8 for the first ELCA Women's Leadership Roundtable. They celebrated the growing number of women in positions of leadership across the Lutheran church, including 30 years as clergy, and...
ELCA Assembly Meets with the Seven Nominees for Presiding Bishop
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Voting members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly engaged the seven remaining nominees for ELCA presiding bishop in a special question-and- answer forum on Aug. 9. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the...
ELCA Assembly Opens with Service of Holy Communion
INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The 2001 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly opened with a service of Holy Communion. The Rev. H. George Anderson, ELCA presiding bishop, presided over the Eucharist, and the Rev. Susan R. Briehl, Spokane, Wash., delivered the sermon. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority...
