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The ELCA Church Council of the appointed the Rev. Michael Burk as presiding bishop pro tempore after its Executive Committee approved Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton’s request for a four- to six-month leave of absence, to begin Nov. 17. The council, which serves as the ELCA churchwide organization’s board of directors and interim legislative authority between meetings of a churchwide assembly, gathered at the Lutheran Center in Chicago, Nov. 9-12.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Church Council Executive Committee approved Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton's request for a 4-to-6-month leave of absence. Her leave starts Nov. 17, 2023.

The ELCA's commitments call on us to denounce unequivocally any attacks — past, present or future — by any party that lead to civilians becoming victims. Our hearts are with all those who have been killed or injured, and with their families and friends.

As Lutherans, we are accustomed to holding tension between two truths. Thus the ELCA denounces the egregious acts of Hamas, acts that have led to unspeakable loss of life and hope. At the same time the ELCA denounces the indiscriminate retaliation of Israel against the Palestinian people, both Christian and Muslim.

The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met Sept. 26-30 at the Lutheran Center in Chicago. The conference, an advisory body of the ELCA, comprises 65 synod bishops, the presiding bishop and the secretary.

The Rev. Jeff R. Johnson, Berkeley, Calif., was elected Sept. 17 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, Sept. 15-17, at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport in Burlingame, Calif.

The Rev. Jeff Thiemann, President and Chief Executive Officer of Portico Benefit Services, has announced that he will retire on Sept. 30 at the end of his third term with the organization.

Lutheran Disaster Response, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)'s ministry to provide short- and long-term recovery when disasters strike in the United States and around the world, is responding to urgent humanitarian needs and supporting agricultural livelihood recovery in Ukraine though a $1 million grant to Lutheran World Relief, a Corus International organization.

As presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, I join my colleague, the Rev. Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, in being "deeply dismayed at the ongoing Israeli military incursions into Palestinian communities, especially in the city and refugee camp of Jenin."

In a joint letter commemorating World Refugee Day, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and Global Refuge President and CEO Krish O'Mara Vignarajah remind us to "live out the calling of our faith by seeking justice, peace and protection for our refugee and migrant siblings."

The Rev. Dr. Phyllis Blair Milton, Portsmouth, Va., was elected June 11 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Virginia Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, June 9-11, at Roanoke College in Salem, Va.

The Rev. Greg Busboom,Springfield, Ill.,was elected June 3 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Central/Southern Illinois Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, March 25 via Zoom and June 1-3 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in East Peoria, Ill.

The Rev. Katherine A. Finegan, Marquette, Mich., was reelected May 19 to serve a second six-year term as bishop of the Northern Great Lakes Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election was held during the synod assembly May 18-20 at the Northern Center at Northern Michigan University in Marquette.

The Rev. Dr. Donald P. Kreiss, Detroit, was reelected May 19 to serve a third six-year term as bishop of the Southeast Michigan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election was held during the synod assembly May 18-20 at the Blue Water Convention Center in Port Huron, Mich.

The Rev.Rebecca Middeke-Conlin,Tulsa, Okla.,was elected May 7 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, May 5-7, at the Hyatt Place Tulsa–South in Tulsa.

The Rev. Meggan H. Manlove,Nampa, Idaho,was elected April 29 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Northwest Intermountain Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, April 28-30, at the Red Lion Airport Hotel and Conference Center in Pasco, Wash.

As we approach March 31, many people are preparing to recognize Transgender Day of Visibility, an international day to celebrate the contributions of transgender people and raise awareness about the deadly injustices they face.As bishop of this church, I am concerned that the rights of transgender and nonbinary Americans have...

The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met Feb. 28–March 4 at the Eaglewood Resort in Itasca, Ill. The conference, an advisory body of the ELCA, comprises 65 synod bishops, the presiding bishop and the secretary.

Dear church,For many months we have seen an alarming spike in anti-Jewish, anti-Muslim and white supremacist hate. It has been reported that extremist groups are planning a national "Day of Hate" tomorrow, targeting Jews. This evening, as the sun sets and Shabbat begins, our Jewish neighbors are living in fear.As...

ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton has issued a statement on the killing of Tyre Nichols.