Lutheran world leaders visit U.S. areas marred in Hurricane Sandy's wake
CHICAGO (ELCA) - In a historic visit, leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and a delegation of church leaders representing The Lutheran World Federation traveled together Nov. 30-Dec. 1 to areas of the United States impacted by storms produced from Hurricane Sandy. Eleven leaders of the ELCA...
ELCA, Episcopal bishops unite with a goal for a human race free of AIDS
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- On World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, people around the world pause to grieve the 30 million people who have died from HIV and AIDS in the past 30 years and unite in solidarity towards a goal of a “human race free of AIDS,” according to the Rev....
ELCA Church Council adopts message on mental illness
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted “The Body of Christ and Mental Illness” as an official social message of the church when it met here Nov. 9-11. The message lifts up the ministries of ELCA congregations, social ministry organizations and others...
Janet Stump elected director of ELCA Deaconess Community
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Deaconess Community of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) elected Sister Janet Stump, Saint Johns, Pa., to serve a four-year term as its directing deaconess. After more than a year without a director, the community met earlier this fall at the St. Paul Retreat Center...
ELCA begins homeless ministry network
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Leaders from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and representatives from 14 homeless ministries across the country have officially launched the ELCA homeless ministry network -- a coalition of ministries designed not only as an outreach but led by people with personal experiences of homelessness and...
ELCA presiding bishop shares a post-election message
CHICAGO (ELCA) - With the 2012 elections coming to a close in the United States, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), offers a post-election pastoral message on video at http://bit.ly/WwGcVT. “Whether you are rejoicing or lamenting the outcome of the elections,...
ELCA provides, receives aid following Hurricane Sandy
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) continue to meet the immediate needs of people affected by Hurricane Sandy and its subsequent storms with food, water and shelter as damage assessments continue from the Caribbean to the northern Atlantic coast of the United States. Through...
ELCA Disaster Response begins relief efforts after Hurricane Sandy
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In the wake of Hurricane Sandy and its subsequent storms, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson said that the 4.2 million-member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is "in prayer and will respond generously and work tirelessly to rebuild lives, congregations and communities." In an Oct. 31 video,...
ELCA presiding bishop says church is 'always being made new'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- As the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2013 under the theme "Always being made new," ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson said the theme embodies far more than the anniversary in his report to the ELCA Conference of Bishops,...
ELCA Fund for Leaders honors 2012-2013 scholarship recipients
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- As part of its commitment to supporting seminary students preparing for ministry, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Fund for Leaders honored 16 first-year seminarians with full-tuition scholarships starting with the 2012-2013 academic year. Each student is enrolled in one of the eight ELCA seminaries. The...
ELCA, other churches call for investigation of military aid to Israel
CHICAGO (ELCA) - Concerned about the deteriorating conditions in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories and the commitment for a just peace, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and other U.S. Christian leaders are urging Congress to conduct an investigation into...
ELCA effort toward controlling malaria yielding successful results
CHICAGO (ELCA) - Ackson Chisaka, a Lutheran pastor in Zambia, is witnessing first hand how education about malaria, prevention and treatment of the disease is making a life-saving impact. Enoch Shidola, a clinical officer at a health center in the same town where Chisaka serves, agrees and went so far...
Violence in Egypt, Libya, elsewhere condemned by ELCA presiding bishop
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In letters to Coptic Orthodox, Islamic and Muslim leaders across the United States, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), denounced the hate video "Innocence of Muslims" and shared his commitment to speak against the violence and hate demonstrations...
ELCA leaders call for an end to hate crimes, domestic extremism
CHICAGO (ELCA) - Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) commend the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee for convening a hearing Sept. 19 on hate crimes and domestic extremism in a "Statement for the Record" submitted today by the ELCA to the Senate. In the record, ELCA leaders stated...
ELCA presiding bishop explores mission with Christian leaders in China
CHICAGO (ELCA) - In his first visit to China, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), shared a message of hope, appreciation for and commitment to the ministries and relationships between ELCA members and Chinese Christians. During his Sept. 11-17 trip, Hanson...
ELCA presiding bishop responds to new U.S. poverty data
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In response to the new poverty figures released today by the U.S. Census Bureau, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), said that this church's commitment to those who live in poverty is "a biblical imperative for which Christ...
ELCA presiding bishop to visit church leaders in China
CHICAGO (ELCA) - The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), will meet with national Chinese church leaders Sept. 11-17 in Shanghai and with regional leaders in the Sichuan Province of China to share the current context of mission and explore opportunities for...
ELCA synods affected by Hurricane Isaac begin to assess damage
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In the past week Hurricane Isaac has caused flooding and damage across parts of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Southeastern and Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synods. Both synods are now working with ELCA Disaster Response and their congregations, as well as other social service providers to...
ELCA leaders hopeful about citizenship for undocumented youth
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- As thousands of young people are now seeking legal temporary residency in the United States, under the Obama administration's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals process, leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are hopeful about this first step toward citizenship for undocumented immigrant youth. "This...
ELCA working to meet needs of Syrian refugees in neighboring Jordan
CHICAGO (ELCA) - The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is responding to the needs of Syrian refugees in Jordan, where an estimated 150,000 Syrians -- 39,600 of which are registered with the United Nations as refugees -- have fled. As the conflict in Syria continues to worsen, some Syrians...
