ELCA Continues Humanitarian Support in Darfur, Earthquake Relief in Peru
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provided $50,000 to support humanitarian efforts in Darfur, Sudan, and $50,000 to support continued earthquake recovery in Peru through the church's International Disaster Response on Jan. 17. "The civil war in Darfur continues to be a major humanitarian...
'Trading Graces,' Lutheran Services in America's auction, starts Feb. 5
by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service "Trading Graces" -- an online auction on eBay hosted by Lutheran Services in America (LSA) -- will open Feb. 5 and continue through June 10. In its third year, Trading Graces is an effort to raise awareness and funds to support Lutheran health...
Lutherans survey tornado-affected areas in Wisconsin
by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service The Rev. Paul Stumme-Diers, bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Greater Milwaukee Synod, and the Rev. Gary A. Grindeland, state coordinator, Lutheran Disaster Response, and vice president of church and community relations, Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Milwaukee, toured...
Registration opens for Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2008
by Annie Lynsen, ELCA News Service Registration is open for Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2008 to be held March 7-10 at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Hotel in Alexandria, Va. Under the theme "2008: Claiming a Vision of True Security," the event -- consisting of workshops, worship and a lobby day...
Valparaiso University Names Mark Heckler, ELCA Member, Its Next President
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Mark A. Heckler will become the 18th president of Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind., on July 1. He will succeed Alan F. Harre, who will retire June 30 after 20 years as Valparaiso's president. Heckler, 52, is provost and vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at University...
Lutherans Seek Resolution to Violent Dispute in Kenya
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Officials of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Lutheran World Federation (LWF) called for peace in the Republic of Kenya and for resolution of a dispute over election results that has escalated into violence. The ELCA confirmed its missionaries in Kenya are safe, and it...
Registration opens for the 2008 'Coming of Age' Lutheran Men's Gathering
by Frank Imhoff, ELCA News Service Lutheran Men in Mission (LMM), the men's ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), opened online registration for its triennial gathering at http://www.ELCA.org/lmm/ on the ELCA Web site, with early registration through March 15. The 2008 "Coming of Age" Lutheran Men's Gathering...
St. James Lutheran Church featured in AgriBusiness Today, Dec. 22-24
by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service St. James Lutheran Church in Forreston, Ill., will be featured in an hour-long television Christmas feature of AgriBusiness Today, a nationally syndicated program. St. James, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), "was chosen as a rural congregation that represents...
ELCA Supports Relief Efforts in Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka, Mexico
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In an effort to help meet the basic needs of people in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provided $25,000 after Tropical Storm Noel left 116 people dead and destroyed land on the Caribbean islands. Lutherans provided another $50,000...
ELCA Synod Bishop, Other Faith Leaders Urge Reauthorization of PEPFAR
WASHINGTON (ELCA) -- The Rev. Richard H. Graham, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod, joined with other faith leaders and government officials on Capitol Hill Dec. 13 in advocating for robust funding and improved policies in the reauthorization of the President's Emergency Plan...
ELCA shares holiday ideas for the 'Twelve Days of Christmas'
by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service For the "Twelve Days of Christmas," Corporate Social Responsibility of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) "gave to me" a list of resources for the 2007 holiday season. From the 12th day to the first, ELCA Corporate Social Responsibility shares an ELCA "Good...
ELCA Advocacy Offices Purchase Carbon Offset Credits
WASHINGTON (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Washington Office, ELCA Corporate Social Responsibility, Pittsburgh, and Lutheran Office for World Community, New York, have purchased carbon offset credits to mitigate their carbon emissions accumulated through air travel. "Our offices have been working to reduce our carbon footprints by...
Everyday Lutherans Working in Mission and Ministry Overseas
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Brian E. Konkol does not see himself as "too special or anything like that" as a young pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) serving overseas. But he believes that God is capable of doing some "pretty amazing things through some pretty ordinary...
ELCA Closes Mosaic Television with 'The Life of Apostle Peter'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "The Life of Apostle Peter" with host Rick Steves is the Dec. 1, 2007, issue of Mosaic Television, the video magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). It is also the final episode of the video series, which began in 1988. Mosaic Television was the...
ELCA Nebraska Bishop Addresses Shooting at Westroads Mall, Omaha
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. David L. deFreese, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Nebraska Synod, Omaha, offered a message of hope to the church in response to the Dec. 5 shooting at the Westroads Mall, Omaha, where a 19-year-old man opened fire killing eight people and...
Mensaje Navideño de 2007 del Obispo Presidente de la IELA
"El nacimiento de Jesus, el Mesias, fue asi:..." (Mateo 1:18). Muchas generaciones despues de que Dios hubiera prometido al Mesias, una jovencita llamada Maria concibio un nino por gracia del Espiritu Santo. Un angel le dijo a Jose, el joven con quien estaba prometida en matrimonio, que el nino al...
ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson Featured in CBS's 'In God's Name' Dec. 23
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and president of the Lutheran World Federation, is featured in the two-hour primetime television special "In God's Name," airing Dec. 23 at 9:00 p.m. EST on CBS. Produced by French filmmakers Jules...
ELCA Presiding Bishop's 2007 Christmas Message
"Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way..." (Matthew 1:18). Many generations after God promised a Messiah, a young girl named Mary conceived a child by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, the young man to whom she was betrothed, was told by an angel that the child...
Lutherans Observe World AIDS Day Through 'Keep the Promise'
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In observance of World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) have the opportunity to reflect with other Christians on the worldwide response to the HIV and AIDS pandemic through "Keep the Promise - Advent in a Time of AIDS" --...
ELCA publishes 2008 election guide
by Annie Lynsen, ELCA News Service The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Washington Office released "Called To Be a Public Church: 2008 ELCA Voting and Civic Participation Guide" -- a resource to guide congregations through the 2008 election cycle. The resource includes IRS guidelines, suggested nonpartisan election activities for...
