Lutherans Will Reconsider Episcopal Full Communion
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will see "Called to Common Mission: A Lutheran Proposal for a Revision of the 'Concordat of Agreement'" (CCM) at its 1999 Churchwide Assembly in Denver next August. The document is a proposal that the ELCA establish a partnership of "full...
ELCA Begins Study of Health and Health Care
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has begun an in-depth study of health and the ethical challenges of health care. Next year the church will decide if those issues warrants a social statement. The ELCA Church Council passed the question on to the 1999 Churchwide Assembly....
ELCA Will Establish a Small Town and Rural Ministry 'Desk'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) approved a plan Nov. 16 to establish a small town and rural ministries "desk" in the ELCA's Division for Outreach. The desk will be managed by a full-time director beginning about March 1, 1999. The Church...
ELCA Congregations Will 'Teach the Faith'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is extending an invitation to the church's 11,000 congregations to "renew their commitment to be faith-forming communities."= =20 The invitation is part of a major emphasis "to embark on a period of focus on discipleship and faith...
Norway to Help Ease Financial Problems at Jerusalem Hospital
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The government of Norway is providing funds to help clear an accumulated deficit at Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem, which will lead to a new model of management for the hospital in which Norway is a significant partner, the Rev. Robert N. Bacher told the Church Council...
ELCA Increases Awareness for Domestic and World Hunger
=20 CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will ask the 5.2 million members of the ELCA to give generous "second- and third-mile" gifts this fall to respond to = recent weather disasters and the ongoing "silent disaster" of poverty. The Church Council...
Council Calls on Government, ELCA to Respond to Farm Crisis
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) called upon leaders in federal and state government to take steps to help farmers in crisis, and called on ELCA churchwide units to educate the church's 5.2 million members about the = farm crisis and about...
ELCA to Act on New York Medical Center Consolidation
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) authorized its executive committee to act on a proposed consolidation of Lutheran Medical Center (LMC) and Maimonides Medical Center (MMC), both of New York. "This action will expedite consideration of a proposal from Lutheran Medical Center...
ELCA Adopts Message on Immigration
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted an educational "ELCA Message on Immigration" that addresses several concerns about U.S. immigration laws. The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between meetings of...
ELCA Presiding Bishop Sums up a Very Busy Week
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Referring to a current movie title, "Six Days and Seven Nights," the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, told the ELCA Church Council about his experiences the week of Nov. 9-15. His report included information from meetings with the Lutheran...
ELCA's Computer Systems Will Be Y2K Compliant
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The primary business computer systems of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are Year 2000 (Y2K) date compliant, said Ken F. Aicher, director of the ELCA's Department for Information Technology, in his report Nov. 15 to the ELCA's Church = Council.=20 The primary business systems include...
ELCA Addressing Sexual Abuse in the Church
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) received a 12-page report, "Implementation of the ELCA Strategy for Responding to Sexual Abuse in the Church, November 1993- November 1998" from the ELCA's Division for Ministry and Commission for Women as a summary of work...
ELCA Secretary: Membership Stable, Income Up
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Membership in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) for 1997 remained stable, but income for congregations grew beyond the $2 billion milestone, said the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, secretary of the ELCA, in a report to the ELCA Church Council. The Church Council is the ELCA's...
Good News from the ELCA Treasurer
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Two-thirds of its way through its 1998 budget year, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is experiencing positive cash flow, thanks in large part to a $2 million increase in giving from = the church's 11,000 congregations over the same period the previous year. "The church...
Lutherans Write Letters For Prisoner In Ethiopia
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are writing letters and postcards to officials of Ethiopia, asking them to release Zawditu Deressa. On April 3 the Ethiopian government arrested Deressa, a nurse, for providing medical treatment in 1996 for two patients who may have been...
ELCA's Magazine Will Expand Coverage Of Multicultural Events
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "The Lutheran," a magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), will work to increase its coverage of ethnic-specific ministries and events with help from the ELCA's Commission for Multicultural Ministries (CMM). Regular dialogue between staff of The Lutheran and CMM will be more intentional under...
Sales Are Up At Augsburg Fortress
MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The board of trustees of Augsburg Fortress, Publishing House of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), heard good news and bad news at its Oct. 22-24 meeting here. "Augsburg Fortress has areas of concern and future challenges," said board chair Todd P. Engdahl of Denver, "but...
Lutherans Establish 'Millions for Mitch' Campaign
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutherans in the United States and Caribbean are working together to assist immediate response and long-term recovery efforts in Central America following the devastation of Hurricane Mitch. "Millions for Mitch" is a campaign involving millions of Lutherans in contributing millions of dollars. Hurricane Mitch killed more than...
Swan to Head North American Academy of Ecumenists
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Darlis J. Swan, associate director of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Department for Ecumenical Affairs, will be president of the North American Academy of Ecumenists (NAAE) in 1999 and 2000. The organization held its 1998 conference Sept. 25-27 in Covington, Ky. "I hope...
Alice Marshall Dies at 80
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Alice Hepner Marshall, 80, died here Oct. 30. School teacher and office secretary, Marshall was "both a delightful and fascinating person with her own interests and a fierce supporter of her husband," said the Rev. Robert N. Bacher, executive for administration in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in...
