ELCA Joins National Week of Prayer for Healing of AIDS March 7-13
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is among many faith groups participating in the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, March 7-13, according to the Rev. Andrea DeGroot- Nesdahl, coordinator for the Lutheran Malaria Initiative and the ELCA Strategy on HIV and AIDS....
ELCA Board of Pensions Trustees Begin Process for Benefit Plan Changes
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Trustees of the Board of Pensions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) have taken steps to extend various plan benefits to eligible partners in same-gender relationships. More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4464 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews
Civil Rights Film Leads 2010 Wilbur Award Winners
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Blood Done Sign My Name, Jeb Stuart's film about a little-known chapter in the American civil rights struggle, leads the list of 2010 Wilbur Awards winners, according to a news release from the Religion Communicators Council (RCC). More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4463 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958...
ELCA Responds to Chile Earthquake, Ecumenical Team to Visit Concepción
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has committed an initial $40,000, through ELCA International Disaster Response, for this past weekend's powerful earthquake in Chile, according to a report from the ELCA Global Mission Executive Committee. More: http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4462 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or...
Lutherans in Chile Report Significant Earthquake Damage
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Earthquake damage is said to be extensive in Santiago and Concepcion following the Feb. 27 severe earthquake in central Chile, according to Karen Anderson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Global Mission staff in Santiago. More: http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4461 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958...
ELCA Initiates Response to Massive Earthquake in Chile
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A massive earthquake, with a magnitude of 8.8 on the Richter scale, struck central Chile in the early morning hours Feb. 27, killing at least 122 people. The earthquake is the biggest to hit Chile in 50 years. More: http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4460 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773)...
ELCA Washington Office Staff Responds to 2011 Federal Budget Proposal
WASHINGTON (ELCA) -- As deliberations begin on the fiscal year 2011 Federal Budget, the advocacy staff of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) sent a letter to members of Congress on Feb. 24, urging a number of priorities "that transform lives of poverty and hunger, and protect creation," according...
German Lutheran Bishop to Resign After Alleged Drunk-Driving Offense
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A German Lutheran bishop, elected in October to lead the 24-million Protestant members of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), said she is resigning days after she was apprehended for an alleged drunk-driving offense. More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4456 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news...
ELCA Presiding Bishop Hosts 'Town Hall Forum' March 7
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), will field questions on a variety of topics from members of the denomination at an online "Town Hall Forum" Sunday, March 7. The hour-long forum will begin at 5 p.m. Eastern Time...
ELCA Increases Financial Commitments to Haiti Earthquake Relief
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Focusing on immediate provision of shelter and non- food items as the rainy season approaches, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) announced it has increased its financial commitment by $2.5 million toward earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4457 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773)...
Richard Hillert, Distinguished Lutheran Composer, Teacher, Dies
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Dr. Richard W. Hillert, composer of well-known Lutheran liturgical music, and distinguished professor of music emeritus at Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, Ill., died Feb. 18, after an extended illness, according to the university's Web site. He was 86. More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4455 For information contact: John Brooks, Director...
Censure Against Missouri ELCA Congregation Lifted by Synod Bishop
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- For nearly 10 years members of Abiding Peace Lutheran Church in North Kansas City, Mo., have been worshiping under public censure and admonition, placed on the congregation for hiring a pastor in a committed same-sex relationship. Today the public censure has been lifted, and members of Abiding...
ELCA Churchwide Organization Responds to Lutheran CORE Announcement
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The churchwide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) said it "will continue to respond to those congregations with questions or concerns" related to the actions of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, adding it is "committed to ongoing conversation" with those congregations. More: http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4453 For...
Lutherans Work to Build Shelters in Anticipation of Haiti's Rainy Season
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- With the rainy season expected to begin at the end of March, it is critical that the people of Haiti have some shelter to help preserve health, sanitation and dignity, according to a Feb. 17 report from a Lutheran World Relief (LWR) assessment team in Haiti. To...
ELCA Delegation Meets Three World Church Leaders in Geneva
GENEVA (ELCA) -- Declaring that "we need some dreams," the Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, who recently began his new role as general secretary of the World Council of Churches, met with a delegation of clergy and lay leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) here Feb. 15. Tveit...
Two ELCA Congregations Become Partners in Mission
MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Two urban congregations in the Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are getting to know each other. One congregation gave the other money to help with finances, but the relationship is moving deeper than that. The money was a first step in...
ELCA Delegation, Roman Catholic Ecumenists, Discuss Future Vision
VATICAN CITY (ELCA) -- Since the early years of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the church has maintained a commitment to ecumenical dialogue and achieving full communion with other Christians. With full communion agreements with six other U.S.-based Protestant churches, the ELCA has developed three-year plans for implementing...
Lutherans Work to Tackle Hunger on Super Bowl Sunday
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran youth across the country huddled up more than 77,800 pounds of food and $378,900 in donations as of Feb. 12 in an effort to tackle hunger. Known as the "Souper Bowl of Caring," nearly 8,300 young members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) joined...
ELCA Gifts to Support Recovery Efforts in Haiti Exceed $4.6 Million
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Since the earthquake in Haiti one month ago, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has received over 27,000 gifts totaling more than $4.2 million to support humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti. According to ELCA Treasurer Christina Jackson-Skelton, the ELCA received an additional $320,000 in a matching...
ELCA Delegation, Pope Benedict XVI Meet, Exchange Greetings
VATICAN CITY (ELCA) -- Continuing dialogue between Lutherans and Catholics was a common theme expressed in an exchange of messages here between a delegation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Pope Benedict XVI. Speaking for the Lutherans, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop and president...
