Lutheran-Catholic Agreement Focus of Ecumenists
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The North American Academy of Ecumenists (NAAE) will explore possible implications an international Lutheran-Catholic agreement on a key Christian doctrine may have on relations between all Christian denominations. "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification: Ecumenical Implications" will be the NAAE 2000 Annual Conference theme Sept. 29-Oct....
'Mosaic' Fall 2000 Edition Focuses on ELCA Ministries in Bangladesh
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The fall 2000 edition of MOSAIC, the video magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), will focus on ELCA-sponsored health care ministries and economic development in Bangladesh. The edition's theme is "Being Christ in Bangladesh." MOSAIC, available Sept. 1, will feature three eight-minute segments on...
ELCA Suomi College Reborn as Finlandia University
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Suomi College, Hancock, Mich., was reborn as Finlandia University on July 1. The university is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The name change is designed to help students, administrators and others connect the institution with its Finnish roots...
ELCA Membership Decreases in 1999
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- With a total of 5,149,668 baptized members in 10,851 congregations, the membership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) remained stable, although decreasing in 1999 about half of one percent -- 0.55 percent. That figure represented a decline of 28,557 baptized members from 5,178,225 in 1998,...
Income for ELCA Congregations Exceeds $2.2 Billion in 1999
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Income for the 10,851 congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in 1999 was $2,261,204,350 -- up $140,896,720 or 6.64 percent from 1998, the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA secretary, reported in the annual tabulation of statistics from congregations. Of total congregational receipts, $1,515,493,949 was...
Arab and Middle Eastern Lutherans Gather in Bethlehem
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Speaking in both Arabic and English, the Rev. Munib Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (ELCJ), said, "If there is no Christianity in the Holy Land, then it will no longer be a holy land." Younan spoke at "Witness and Mission," an international conference...
ELCA Principal Honored by U.S. Department of Education
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Carolyn T. Coffey, principal for Christ Lutheran School, West Covina, Calif., will be honored by the U.S. Department of Education as a "2000 National Distinguished Principal" in an award ceremony this fall in Washington, D.C. Christ Lutheran School is an elementary school of the Evangelical Lutheran Church...
ELCA Announces Recipients of AAL Synodical Initiatives Grants
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Twenty-seven grants totaling $277,500 have been awarded to synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The grants were awarded as part of the Synodical Initiatives Grant Program of Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL). AAL is a fraternal benefits organization based in Appleton, Wis. "The awards...
ELCA 'Horizon' Internship Program Benefits the Whole Church
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Churches and other ministry settings from Alaska to the U.S. Virgin Islands and around the world are providing educational settings for Lutheran seminarians through the Horizon Internship Program of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). A master of divinity is the minimum degree required of ELCA...
American Indian, Alaska Native Lutherans Build Community
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- More than 90 American Indian and Alaska Native members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) gathered July 16-21 to build community, learn from one another and "have fun" at the American Indian and Alaska Native Family Summer Camp at the NE-SO-DAK Bible Camp, Waubay, S.D....
ELCA Council Hears Trends, Suggestions on Church Growth
MUNDELEIN, Ill. (ELCA) Lutherans have an "incredible, persuasive understanding of the gospel" but must communicate it creatively and effectively in today's changing culture, said Dr. Kenneth W. Inskeep in a presentation on church growth to the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Inskeep is director of...
Lutherans Find That Life after Disaster Is Difficult, Not Hopeless
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "It is difficult but not hopeless," said the Rev. Gilbert B. Furst, director for Lutheran Disaster Response, about the recovery efforts in North Carolina ten months after Hurricane Floyd destroyed 5,000 homes and damaged about 18,000 others there. Lutheran Disaster Response is a ministry of the Evangelical...
The Rev. Edward K. Perry, Former ELCA Synod Bishop, Dies
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Edward K. Perry, 73, president/bishop of the Upper New York Synod of the former Lutheran Church in America (LCA) from 1967 to 1987 and bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Upstate New York Synod from 1988 until his retirement in 1992, died...
Lutheran Video Explores Life on the Edge of Faith
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Young adults in North America are often living "on the edge of faith," according to a videotape and study guide produced by the Division for Ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). "Why Christian? for those on the edge of faith" presents the work of...
ELCA Council Discusses Issues Related to Homosexuality
MUNDELEIN, Ill. (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) discussed a wide variety of issues related to homosexuality and the church in non-legislative sessions July 29. The sessions included small group discussions and presentations from ELCA pastors and members with different points of view...
ELCA Council Elects Schwich Director for Synodical Relations
MUNDELEIN, Ill. (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) elected the Rev. Kathie Bender Schwich to a four-year term as director of the ELCA Department for Synodical Relations. In that position she will be an executive assistant to the presiding bishop. She has served...
ELCA Council Takes Mid-Term Action on Four Items
MUNDELEIN, Ill. (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) initiated a process to consider ways of dealing with "unusual circumstances" surrounding ordination ceremonies, elected a new director for synodical relations, selected the site of the ELCA's 2003 Churchwide Assembly, and approved the reorganization of...
ELCA Council to Consider 'Unusual Circumstances' for Ordinations
MUNDELEIN, Ill. (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) initiated a process to consider ways of dealing with "unusual circumstances" surrounding ordination ceremonies that would be in keeping with a new "full communion" agreement with The Episcopal Church, USA. The council met July 28-30...
Lutherans Plan Recovery Efforts after Granite Falls Tornadoes
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Disaster Response has provided a $10,000 initial grant to Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota to help manage recovery efforts in Granite Falls, Minn., after 13 tornadoes struck the town on July 25. Lutheran Disaster Response is a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)...
ELCA Mission Investment Fund Launches Investment for Children
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Mission Investment Fund (MIF) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) launched a new investment product July 1 that was designed for parents, family members and friends who want to invest funds for a child's future and help to build the future of the Lutheran...
