Rev. Jon S. Enslin Named to Interim Role as ELCA Ecumenical Leader
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Jon S. Enslin, former bishop of the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has been named interim director of the ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs, effective Nov. 1. The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop-elect, appointed Enslin for...
ELCA Deepens its Advocacy Efforts Surrounding U.S. Agriculture
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- As the United States Congress considers legislation this month that will determine the nation's agriculture policy for the next decade, the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has written to ELCA leaders in an effort to strengthen the church's...
Lutherans Respond to Attacks with Organized Relief, Resources
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A variety of resources, intended to help members and church leaders respond to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, have been posted on the Web site of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The resources are being made available through Lutheran Disaster Response...
ELCA Takes Part in 'Responding to Tragedy' on the Internet Sept.
CHICAGO (ELCA) - The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and other faith organizations will participate in "Responding to Tragedy: A Live Video Forum for Pastoral Care Workers" on the Internet at www.faithandvalues.com Sept. 14 from 1 to 3 p.m., Eastern Time. The forum, conducted in real-time through FaithandValues.com, Lexington, Ky.,...
ELCA Leaders' Response Continues in Aftermath of Terrorist Attacks
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Pastors and members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are working with a variety of organizations in New York and Washington, D.C., to respond to enormous human needs in the aftermath of deadly terrorist attacks Sept. 11. In addition, the ELCA churchwide offices here have...
ELCA Presiding Bishop's Statement on Apparent Terrorist Attacks
ELCA PRESIDING BISHOP'S STATEMENT ON APPARENT TERRORIST ATTACKS I am shocked by today's apparent terrorist attacks upon the people in the Eastern United States. I join with all of you in mourning these enormous human tragedies. Congregations, pastors and members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are praying...
ELCA Expresses Shock, Sorrow at Apparent Terrorist Attacks
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), expressed "shock" at today's apparent acts of terrorism in at least three locations in the eastern United States. ELCA congregations, pastors and members "are praying for the comfort of all people affected...
ELCA Presiding Bishop-Elect Addresses Churchwide Staff
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Saying he comes to his new call as presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) "in a spirit of gratitude and hope," the Rev. Mark S. Hanson addressed some 400 members of the churchwide staff Sept. 5 for the first time since his election....
ELCA September 2001 Calendar
ELCA SEPTEMBER 2001 4-6 Division for Congregational Ministries, Regions 1, 2, & 3 Stewardship Event, Denver Marriott West, Golden, Colo. 5 Office of the Bishop, Bishop's Convocation on the Churchwide Assembly, Lutheran Center, Chicago 6-9 Department for Ecumenical Affairs, Lutheran-United Methodist Dialogue, Denver 7 Department for Synodical Relations, Installation of...
ELCA Presiding Bishop to Be Installed Oct. 6 in Chicago
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson will be installed as the third presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Oct. 6 here at Rockefeller Memorial Chapel on the campus of the University of Chicago. Hanson, 54, was elected to a six-year term as presiding bishop...
ELCA Communicator Participates in White House Roundtable
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Dr. Paul D. Edison-Swift, director for resource information and networks, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Department for Communication, was one of a dozen media literacy educators invited by White House officials to attend the "Roundtable on Faith, Media Literacy and Youth Drug Prevention" Aug. 30 at...
Lutheran Chaplain Emeritus of U.S. House James Ford Dies
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. James D. Ford, 70, chaplain emeritus of the U.S. House of Representatives, and a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), died Aug. 27 at a Washington, D.C., marina. Ford retired in 2000 after serving 21 years as the 58th chaplain of the...
ELCA Latino Congregations Talk Together about Tough Issues
CHICAGO (ELCA) "Dialogando en Conjunto como Cristianos" (Talking Together as Christians) is a new Spanish-language resource designed for Latino congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) to talk together about difficult ethical and social issues. The resource "presents a process which helps Latino Christians deal with issues they...
ELCA Health Care Rates to Increase in 2002
MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Trustees for the Board of Pensions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) approved the 2002 contribution rates for the health care plan at their Aug. 1-3 meeting here. Rate increases will range from 6.7 percent to 16.4 percent with an average of 10.6 percent. Rates...
Israeli Soldiers Withdraw from Lutheran Church in Beit Jala
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Soldiers with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) withdrew from the premises of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Beit Jala, West Bank, Aug. 29, one day after entering the church property and taking up positions on the roof of the church building, according to the...
Lutheran Diaconal Ministers Strengthen Community, Elect Leaders
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- About 45 diaconal ministers of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) gathered Aug. 6-8 in Indianapolis to strengthen their community and to discuss ways these lay ministers relate to the whole church. The group elected six of its members to leadership. "Together for Ministry" was the...
Lutherans Denounce Israeli Occupation of Church Property
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Israeli military forces shelled and entered the West Bank town of Beit Jala Aug. 28 and occupied several homes and buildings, including the premises of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Reformation, said the Rev. Munib A. Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and...
Fall 2001 MOSAIC Focuses on Africa, 'Stand with Africa' Campaign
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- MOSAIC, the video magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), focuses on the church in Africa in the fall 2001 issue. MOSAIC topics include the spread of Christianity in Africa, the AIDS crisis and a campaign to focus support for African churches and communities. The...
Lutheran College Fairs Scheduled for Fall 2001
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will participate in "Lutheran College Fair" programs in 11 states this fall. The purpose of the fairs is to connect Lutheran college representatives with prospective students and their families. The Lutheran College Fair program is coordinated...
Lutheran Latino Young People Gather to Build Leadership Skills
LOIZA, Puerto Rico (ELCA) -- About 150 Latino children and youth from across the United States and Puerto Rico met in this small seaside community Aug. 3-5 in a first-ever gathering for young Lutherans of various Hispanic backgrounds hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). They met under...
