ELCALutherans Observe Rachel's Day
RACHEL'S DAY OBSERVED "Many children today fear they will not grow up to be adults," said Joan Pope, a program director for the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the women's organization of the ELCA. "They also fear drugs, guns, gangs, going home to an empty house, friends...
The Rev. Juan Cobrda Re-Elected in Slovak Zion Synod
COBRDA RE-ELECTED IN SLOVAK ZION SYNOD The Rev. Juan Cobrda, 66, was re-elected June 28 to a six-year term as bishop of the Slovak Zion Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The election came on the third ballot during the Slovak Zion Synod Assembly, June 27-29, at Muhlenberg...
Reformed Churches Approve Full Communion with ELCA
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Three U.S. churches of the Reformed tradition have given initial approval to sharing full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The ELCA Churchwide Assembly will vote on the proposal when it meets Aug. 14-20 in Philadelphia. "The work we do in the name of Jesus...
The Rev. Gregory R. Pile Re-Elected in Allegheny Synod
PILE RE-ELECTED IN ALLEGHENY SYNOD The Rev. Gregory R. Pile, 48, was re-elected June 13 to a six-year term as bishop of the Allegheny Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The election came on the first ballot during the Allegheny Synod Assembly, June 12-14 in Altoona, Pa. Pile...
Lutheran Church Planter Minnick Retired
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. M.L. Minnick Jr., 65, retired July 15 from the active ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and as executive director of the ELCA Division for Outreach. Minnick is credited with seeing the starts of 875 Lutheran congregations across the United States and Caribbean...
ELCA Members Plan for Initiatives
ELCA MEMBERS PLAN FOR INITIATIVES About 60 members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) helped develope "creative and exciting" action plans for seven "Initiatives for a New Century." The initiatives are entitled: Deepen Our Worship Life, Teach the Faith, Witness to God's Action in the World, Strengthen One...
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Lutheran Vespers Turns 50
LUTHERAN VESPERS TURNS 50 Lutheran Vespers, a radio ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, celebrates 50 years of programming. Lutheran Vespers began as an evening radio broadcast on WNAX, Yankton, S.D., in 1947. Today Lutheran Vespers is carried on over 200 stations in the United States, Africa and...
Christian Krause Elected LWF President
CHRISTIAN KRAUSE ELECTED LWF PRESIDENT Bishop Christian Krause, 57, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick was elected president of the Lutheran World Federation, July 14, to succeed Gottfied Braakemeier of Brazil. Krause is the third German president of the worldwide Lutheran communion. He was elected on the second ballot...
Giving to ELCA Congregations Grew by Nearly $70 Million
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Income for the 10,936 congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in 1996 totaled $1,871,488,600 -- up $68,693,159 or 3.81 percent from 1995, reported the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA secretary. Of total congregational receipts, $1,330,490,347 was received in regular, unrestricted offerings -- up 2.68...
Lutheran Asian Association Plans for the Future
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "You are the sign of hope, the future of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America," the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, told members of the Association of Asians - ELCA. Under the theme "Rejoice in Hope: Prayer and Spirituality in Everyday Life," 95...
ELCA Membership Remained Stable in 1996
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- With a total of 5,180,910 baptized members in 10,936 congregations, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) remained largely stable in membership for 1996, according to the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA secretary. The membership figure represented a slight decrease of 9,517 from 5,190,427 in 1995. The...
ELCA Lutheran Global Events Set for Summer
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "Look to Jesus, Run the Race" will be the theme when members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America gather this summer for two Global Mission Events. The events are July 10-13 at Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill., and July 17-20 at Texas Lutheran University, Seguin, Texas. In...
World Lutherans to Meet in Hong Kong
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) will hold its Ninth Assembly July 8-16 in Hong Kong, a week after the British dependency's transfer to China. It will be the first major international Christian conference in Hong Kong after the turnover. The assembly will celebrate the LWF's 50th anniversary....
Lutherans Say There is Enough Food for All
WASHINGTON, D.C. (ELCA) -- "There is enough food for all. Decisions made by the United States Congress affect the children of our country, and we must speak on behalf of our children who are hungry. Hunger does have a cure," according to Deborah Martin, Cross and Crown Lutheran Church, Roscoe,...
Opposition Organizing Against ELCA Ecumenical Proposals
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Opposition is organizing within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America against proposals for the church to enter into "full communion" with the Episcopal Church and with three churches of the Reformed tradition -- Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America and United Church of Christ. The ELCA...
ELCA Pension Board Redesigns Survivor Benefits Plan
MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Trustees of the Board of Pensions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America unanimously approved a redesigned Survivor Benefits Plan, including the possibility of a terminally ill plan member collecting the benefits before death. The action was taken at the trustees quarterly meeting here May 29-30. The...
ELCA Aids Cyclone-Hit Madagascar
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Cyclone Gretelle tore through south-eastern Madagascar in late January, its high winds in the north and torrential rains in the south left behind a trail of death and destruction that affected more than half a million people. The Malagasy Lutheran Church and Action by Churches Together (ACT)...
Lutherans Writing About Ethics
ROSEMONT, Ill. (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is in the middle of developing a book of essays on Lutheran ethics, "with different perspectives, emphases and topic references." The authors met here May 30-31 to share outlines of their essays and to identify points at which they might...
Dunkin Elected Bishop in ELCA'S West Virginia-Western
DUNKIN ELECTED BISHOP IN WEST VIRGINIA-WESTERN MARYLAND The Rev. Ralph W. Dunkin, 46, was elected to a six-year term as bishop of the West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on June 7. He received 93 votes to 33 votes cast for the Rev. Phillip C....
