ELCA NEWS - www.elca.org

ELCA, Catholic leaders celebrate their Christian unity, continue dialogue

2012-02-22T16:52:49

CHICAGO (ELCA) - In gratitude for the "unity in Christ" between the Catholic Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson shared with Pope Benedict XVI a sense of urgency between Lutherans and Catholics in responding to the "great needs of poverty and human care" in the world.

     Hanson led a delegation of ELCA leaders to meet with Pope Benedict and other Catholic Church leaders Feb. 14-16 at the Vatican. The ELCA and its predecessor church bodies have been in active dialogue with the Catholic Church since the 1960s.

     In his greeting to Pope Benedict, Hanson said, "As Catholics and Lutherans, we have a renewed commitment to unity in Christ.

     "We recognize that there is urgency in our joining Catholics to respond to the great needs of poverty and human care. Being stewards of creation and working toward peace throughout the world are commitments that Christians are able to share in daily life and in our ministries of care," he said.

     "With you, we pray for peace. As we see the suffering in Syria, in Africa, and in the Middle East, we join your call for peace throughout the world. As Lutherans, we share this call and commitment with you and the leaders of the Abrahamic faiths. This time calls for Jews, Christians and Muslims to deepen our understanding of one another and our resolve to work together to build a world of peace with justice."

     Hanson also shared his deep respect for Pope Benedict, his ministry of oversight, and for the well-being of the Catholic Church. He also asked that Pope Benedict and Catholic Church leaders remember in prayer The Lutheran World Federation and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America "as we promise to remember you in our petitions to our gracious God."

     The ELCA is the only U.S. Lutheran church in The Lutheran World Federation, a global communion representing more than 70 million Christians worldwide.

     Accompanying Hanson in the delegation were the Rev. Jessica R. Crist, chair of the ELCA Conference of Bishops and bishop of the ELCA Montana Synod; the Rev. Robert D. Hofstad, bishop of the ELCA Southwestern Washington Synod; and the Rev. Donald J. McCoid, assistant to the ELCA presiding bishop on ecumenical and inter-religious relations.

     Together they met with several Catholic Church leaders as "Christians in dialogue," said Hanson. "These engagements are signs of a mature ecumenical relationship," he said.

     In the United States, the ELCA and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have recently completed an eleventh round of dialogue. During their meetings at the Vatican, the ELCA leaders presented "The Hope of Eternal Life" -- a common statement from the eleventh round of dialogue -- to Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

     The common statement offers fresh insights into some issues that proved contentious in the debates of the 16th century, such as the communion of saints, prayers for or about the dead, the meaning of death, purgation, the promise of the resurrection and more.

     The current round of dialogue, "Ministries of Teaching: Sources, Shapes and Essential Contents," will address through the lens of Scripture areas of morality, ethics and theology, looking at the Bible as an authoritative source for teaching ministries.

     According to McCoid, members from the Council for Promoting Christian Unity affirmed the dialogues and shared the importance of "coming back to what we have in common. This will help us remember what we have done and harvest the fruits toward unity."

     McCoid said the ELCA delegation received an update on the dialogue between The Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church. A statement on the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation is being developed. Information about the Catholic Church's emphasis on the Year of Faith was shared. It will include an ecumenical focus and accomplishments as the 50th anniversary of Vatican II is observed.

     "Ecumenism is central to the ELCA's mission and identity," said McCoid. "Our meetings provided an opportunity to discuss the depth of mutual concerns, celebrate the round on 'The Hope of Eternal Life' and affirmed the systematic approach in the current round on authority."

     For Crist, ELCA members and Catholics have "come to a point where we can celebrate our unity and talk about our differences and concerns in the spirit of Christian unity."

     In response to the meetings at the Vatican, Hofstad said he was encouraged "both by our reception as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America representatives and by the affirmation on the part of Catholic leaders that we must continue our joint ecumenical relationship."

     During their time in Rome, ELCA leaders also met with Archbishop Luis Ladaria, secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith; Monsignor Michael Crotty, from the Secretariate of State for questions regarding the Near East; and Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

     Click here for information about the Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with approximately 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@ELCA.org

http://www.ELCA.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

ELCA and Missouri Synod leaders continue conversations together

2012-02-20T14:12:44

CHICAGO (ELCA) - Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod met Feb. 8 as the Committee on Lutheran Cooperation to discuss church-to-church cooperation and to share denominational updates.

     Although leaders of both church bodies have agreed to continue communication and information sharing as the Committee on Lutheran Cooperation, leaders from the Missouri Synod said they have ended their participation in cooperative work, particularly in areas of support for chaplaincy, response to HIV and AIDS and national coordination of recovery after disaster.

     According to the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, the ELCA has been committed to being engaged in conversation with the Missouri Synod.

     "Participating in the Committee on Lutheran Cooperation has been a continued commitment of the ELCA since its formation. We share the Lutheran confessional witness, an identity of being Lutherans in this culture, and we have historically shared a commitment to respond to human need together -- be it the need of refugees or those in the world who are experiencing disaster and the challenges of development," Hanson said in an interview.

     "Our history, great capacity and generosity as Lutherans in response to the cries of our neighbors should not be diminished because of our theological differences," said Hanson.

     According to the Rev. Donald J. McCoid, who serves as assistant to the ELCA presiding bishop on ecumenical and inter-religious relations, "It has been important for the ELCA that the Committee on Lutheran Cooperation provide the opportunity for us to engage in theological conversations on topics such as law and gospel, the authority and interpretation of scripture, natural law and the confessional basis for ELCA ecumenical agreements."

     While Hanson said he "regrets that The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has taken action to discontinue our shared ministries, that work will continue to be a priority for us as the ELCA with existing partners, and we will continue to look for ways to serve our neighbors with Lutherans and ecumenical partners," said Hanson.

     At the meeting, Missouri Synod President Matthew C. Harrison said the conclusion of church-to-church work "is very sad." He said there may be opportunities for engagement at the local level as circumstances allow, but cooperation on a national level "is no longer possible."

     In light of the Missouri Synod's action, the committee appointed a subgroup to draft a charter for how it will constitute future meetings of the Committee on Lutheran Cooperation.

     Hanson said he is "thankful that the commitment to being in conversation about our respective church bodies will continue."

     The leaders also shared updates regarding their denominations' ecumenical endeavors, budget and finance, areas of concerns and ministry focus, and international developments. The committee also received written reports from Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and Lutheran Services in America.

     The ELCA is a 4.2-million-member church based in Chicago. The 2.3-million-member Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is based in St. Louis.

---

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@ELCA.org

http://www.ELCA.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

Ann Svennungsen elected bishop of the ELCA Minneapolis Area Synod

2012-02-18T15:32:27

CHICAGO (ELCA) - The Rev. Ann M. Svennungsen was elected Feb. 18 to a six-year term as bishop of the Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Elected on the fifth ballot during the synod assembly Feb. 17-18 in Prior Lake, Minn., Svennungsen is the first woman to serve as bishop in any of the ELCA's six synods in Minnesota.

     Svennungsen is interim pastor at St. Olaf College, an ELCA college in Northfield, Minn. She will be installed as bishop of the Minneapolis Area Synod May 6 at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.

     Of the 329 votes needed for an election, Svennungsen received 339 votes. The Rev. Kelly Chatman, senior pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, received 317. On the fourth ballot, Svennungsen received 239 votes to 219 for Chapman, and 197 for the Rev. Christopher P. Nelson, senior pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. There were 18 names on the nominating ballot.

     Svennungsen was president of Texas Lutheran University, an ELCA university in Seguin, Texas, from 2007 to 2010, and she was a resident scholar at The Ecumenical and Cultural Institute in Collegeville, Minn., from 2010 to 2011.

     Svennungsen earned a degree in mathematics from Concordia College, an ELCA college in Moorhead, Minn., and was elected student body president there. She earned a master of divinity degree at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., and was awarded Luther's "Seminary Preaching Award." Luther, one of eight seminaries of the ELCA, honored Svennungsen with its Alumni Achievement Award in 2005.

     One of five Lutherans nationwide selected to participate in the Lilly Endowment National Religious Leadership Program from 1997 to 1999, Svennungsen was also one of 12 pastors nationwide chosen for the Lilly Endowment Pastors' Working Group from 2001 to 2002.

     Since her ordination in 1982, she served congregations in Iowa and Minnesota until 2003, when she became president of The Fund for Theological Education in Atlanta.

     Svennungsen and her husband William Russell, are parents of three children.

     Prior to the election, the Rev. Glenn W. Nycklemoe served as interim bishop for the Minneapolis Area Synod since July 2011. The Rev. Craig E. Johnson resigned as synod bishop the month before to become interim senior pastor of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Johnson, who served as synod bishop for 10 years, was offered the position after the death of Mount Olivet's senior pastor, the Rev. Paul Youngdahl.

     Information about the ELCA Minneapolis Area Synod is at http://www.mpls-synod.org/home on the Web.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@ELCA.org

http://www.ELCA.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

ELCA, North American Lutheran Church leaders meet for the first time

2012-02-15T16:04:56

CHICAGO (ELCA) - Representatives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the North American Lutheran Church met for the first time Feb. 6-7 for conversation on areas of disagreement, mutual interest and concern.

     The invitation for the meeting came from the ELCA in response to an action of the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The assembly resolved to "strive for a mutual relationship, where possible, for both the ELCA" and the North American Lutheran Church.

     In a statement, the representatives said they spent time together in prayer and in "cordial and candid" conversations.

     "This meeting was not intended to, nor did the participants seek to, resolve issues between the two church bodies," said the statement. "Rather, the participants sought to share and clarify disagreements to improve mutual understanding." Conversations also centered on local mission and ministry.

     The Rev. Donald McCoid, assistant to the ELCA presiding bishop for ecumenical and inter-religious relations, delivered an opening statement at the meeting on behalf of the ELCA:

     "We recognize the North American Lutheran Church as a church body and seek to represent the intent of the ELCA Assembly to be in dialogue with the North American Lutheran Church and seek to find better understanding, address concerns that both experience and to see if we can open communication channels with one another."

     In their opening statement, representatives of the North American Lutheran Church gave thanks to the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly for "affirming the need for a conversation and relationship" and pledged their "goodwill, diligent prayer and commitment to honesty and integrity."

---

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@ELCA.org

http://www.ELCA.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

Lutherans break ground for a new resettlement village in Haiti

2012-02-07T09:34:18

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The commitment between members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the people of Haiti was celebrated Feb. 2 at a groundbreaking ceremony in the nation's Gressier municipality, where a new resettlement village is planned for 2012.

     A project of The Lutheran World Federation, the village will provide housing for 1,200 people in Gressier displaced by an earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010.

     The ELCA is funding the project with $3.5 million through ELCA Disaster Response and is further engaged with the Lutheran Church of Haiti in responding to the needs of earthquake survivors. The ELCA is the only U.S. Lutheran church in The Lutheran World Federation, a global communion representing more than 70 million Christians worldwide.

     The village will include the construction of 200 solar-powered homes with indoor plumbing, a "green" sanitation system and community space that includes a children's playground and multipurpose community center. Women-headed households and people living with disabilities will be among the village residents. They will lead an association to manage the village's common assets and allow for the ongoing participation of all involved in the project.

     "We are a church that is deeply rooted in God's mission to restore community and address the brokenness in our world," said the Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla, executive director of the ELCA’s global mission work who, along with other ELCA leaders, attended the groundbreaking.

     "Through The Lutheran World Federation and the ministries of our companion church, the Egliese Lutherienne D'Haiti (Lutheran Church of Haiti), members of the ELCA have been walking with the people of Haiti in addressing the economic marginalization that has prevented large sectors of the Haitian society to reach its full potential," he said.

     Gressier is west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The 2010 earthquake nearly reduced the capital city to rubble. As in Port-au-Prince, a majority of the 63,000 inhabitants of Gressier continue to live in tents since the earthquake, according to The Lutheran World Federation.

     More than 58,000 square meters of land in Gressier was donated by the government through the municipality's mayor. The contribution was validated by Haiti's Ministry of Finance and the State Domain. Land ownership rights are registered for development and will be transferred to village residents.

     According to ELCA leaders, the construction project is more than building homes.

     "It is a sign of hope," said Malpica Padilla at the groundbreaking. While the project "is an attempt to offer a new start for families who lost their homes in the earthquake," he said, it "is not isolated from other work being done by the Lutheran Church of Haiti."

     "Just a short distance from this place, the (Lutheran church) has a vocational training center. Here we are not engaged in brick and mortar construction, but (we are) engaging the minds and spirit of Haitians through education to lay the foundation for the rebuilding of this nation, using sustainable and durable solutions, and building on the human potential through empowering people," said Malpica Padilla, adding that the devastating effects of poverty and economic stagnation "can rob people of their hope for a brighter future."

     Other expected results of the housing project include employing local construction workers, providing construction experience for students at the vocation training center, opportunities for micro-enterprising, training community members in managing assets and building a community-based, disaster risk reduction team.

     The village project also serves as a model for relief, rehabilitation and development work in other parts of Haiti, in an effort to promote "a dignified life" for community residents.

     "Before many people were suffering in Gressier," said Jean Merilus St-Urbain at the groundbreaking. "But today this new project can let us say that 200 families among the vulnerable can have hope." Merilus St-Urbain is a beneficiary of the housing project.
Lutherans continue their work to reduce cholera infection

     Since the earthquake, the Lutheran Church of Haiti also has been active in responding to an outbreak of cholera in Gressier and neighboring Sapotille.

     Cholera is an infectious, contagious disease transmitted through contamination of food or water. Symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain can lead to dehydration and acute renal failure that is fatal without treatment. The outbreak has resulted in more than 5,000 deaths, according to the Lutheran Church of Haiti.

     ELCA Disaster Response has invested more than $1 million worth of work with the Lutheran Church of Haiti to contain the outbreak, care for patients and support two temporary health posts in Sapotille and Gressier. The response strategy between the ELCA and the Lutheran Church of Haiti further addresses access to clean water and basic sanitation services for about 17,000 families in both municipalities.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@ELCA.org

http://www.ELCA.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

ELCA presiding bishop supports Syrian church leaders' call for peace

2012-01-30T15:53:31

CHICAGO (ELCA) - In letters to Christian church leaders in Syria, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), offered his support of the churches' collective call for an end to violence and his prayers for the people in the region.

     "In these difficult days, I will continue to pray and encourage members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to pray for you and your efforts to sustain the courage and faith of your communities," wrote Hanson. In addition to prayers for the people of Syria, the presiding bishop said he mourns the recent death of a priest there, "who died serving others."

     As the violence in Syria continues, Hanson acknowledged in his letters that there are no simple answers to resolve the current situation, and therefore agrees with many Syrian church leaders on the need for dialogue instead of further fighting.

     "We who are at 'the ends of the earth' cannot forget the importance of Syria for the growth of our faith or the communities of disciples keeping the faith in the land of Christianity's birth," Hanson wrote. "We affirm, with you, that the Christian communities in Syria are an essential component to the fabric of Syrian culture and history."

     At the conclusion of his letter, Hanson said he will pray for the efforts of Syrian church leaders toward renewing and strengthening their relationships with Muslim neighbors, and he asked how the ELCA might assist church leaders and the people of Syria.

     "We know that well-meaning actions can sometimes result in unintended negative consequences, thus we seek your guidance. In this critical time, we hope to do all we can to strengthen your callings to be ministers of reconciliation in your land," wrote Hanson.

     The letters were hand-delivered to three Christian leaders in Syria Jan. 28 by His Eminence Jean Kawak, archbishop patriarchal office director, Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. Bishop Kawak offered to deliver the letters after they were read aloud by an ELCA member attending a World Council of Churches meeting in Beirut.

     Hanson wrote to His Holiness Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Syrian Orthodox Church in All the World; His Beatitude Ignatius IV Hazim, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East of the Greek Orthodox Church; and His Beatitude Gregory III Laham, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East of Alexandria and Jerusalem of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church.

     The letters were also shared with Christian Syrian leaders in the United States.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@ELCA.org

http://www.ELCA.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

ELCA leaders' effort to protect families pays off

2012-01-30T11:26:36

CHICAGO (ELCA) - Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) believe progress has been made with a recent policy change that would keep some families living in the United States, without legal residency, to remain here while applying for legal status -- a step intended to keeping families together.

     Such "policies have significant human consequences that affect the lives and well-being of our neighbors," said the Rev. H. Julian Gordy, bishop of the ELCA Southeastern Synod, Atlanta, and chair of the ELCA Immigration Ready Bench.

     Before the policy change, people living in the U.S. undocumented who return to their country of origin to apply for legal U.S. residency or green card face years of separation from their family.The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the new regulation Jan. 6. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the proposed change will only permit the applicant to apply for a waiver of the "unlawful presence" bar while still in the United States. They must still, by law, leave the United States for immigrant processing. The proposed change, expected to take effect later in 2012, is designed to make the wait outside the country shorter.

     "There are many people who were brought to the United States without documents as children. They've grown up here, gone to school, landed a job, paid taxes, married and had children. They are Americans in every way except for place of birth. Having to go back to their country of origin and apply for residency could take years, posing hardship to their families and communities," Gordy said.

     Although the policy change is considered a step in the right direction in keeping families together, ELCA leaders still believe a complete federal overhaul of the U.S. immigration system is needed.

     "What we really need in this country is comprehensive immigration reform," Gordy said.

     Along with other ELCA members and synod bishops, Gordy advocated for the policy change in Washington, D.C., this past fall. He also helped initiate a letter to members of Congress and President Barack Obama to express concern over new state immigration laws.      Nearly 60 of the 65 synod bishops of the ELCA endorsed the letter in November 2011, which said that federal reform should restore trust in communities and include:

+ An earned pathway to lawful permanent residency and eventual U.S. citizenship for immigrants and their families who learn English and pay back taxes.

+ Expeditious reunification of families and protection against separating families.

+ Expansion of legal avenues for workers to allow immigrants to migrate to the United States in a safe and legal manner.

+ Decreased use of immigration detention, improvement in detention conditions with increased access to medical assistance, pastoral care and legal council and the increased use of community-based programs that assist immigrants who do need to be incarcerated.

+ Improved border policies that treat all individuals with respect and allow the U.S. government to focus on individuals involved in the trafficking of people, drugs, weapons or other dangerous people seeking entry.

+ Increased programs and resources to help immigrants participate fully in U.S. social and civic life.

     The Nov. 30 meetings with Congress and the White House were organized by the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, one of the United States' leading agencies in welcoming and advocating for refugees and immigrants. Based in Baltimore, it works on behalf of the ELCA, The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod and the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

     "We wanted to underscore the work of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and the ELCA's concern about the broken immigration system, and to move forward with ways to help and keep families and communities intact," said Eric Sigmon, director for advocacy at Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.

     "This Congress has been unable to agree upon fair and humane immigration reform legislation," said Sigmon. The ELCA, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and other groups have worked with the Obama administration in the past year "to make good policy changes that help families (and) do not necessarily require Congress to pass new laws. The administration can make decisions given the authority provided," he said.

     ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson, who serves on Obama's advisory council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, also wrote Congress and the president this past November, calling for immigration reform and support for the DREAM Act (the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act) -- legislation that would provide a path for citizenship for undocumented high school graduates.

     The 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the chief legislative authority of this church, called on its leaders to support comprehensive U.S. immigration reform and the DREAM Act.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@ELCA.org

http://www.ELCA.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

Palestinian Lutheran pastor to receive 'German Media Award'

2012-01-22T23:08:27

CHICAGO (ELCA) - Dr. Mitri Raheb, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, will receive the German Media Prize award Feb. 24 for his work in founding educational, cultural and health care institutions and his commitment to inter-faith dialogue and peacemaking in the Middle East.

     "Mitri Raheb is a pastor with passion in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. Persistently working for a lasting, just peace in the Middle East, Pastor Raheb is a visionary leader who has created new pathways in the areas of education, employment and health care," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

     "This deserved recognition of Pastor Raheb is testimony to the global leadership shared by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, and the ELCA remains committed to accompanying this partner church," he said.

     The Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church is one of six congregations of the 2,000-member Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. The denomination is the only Arabic-speaking Lutheran church in the world and the only indigenous Lutheran Church in the Middle East. The church and ELCA engage in ministry together in a variety of ways, and both are members of The Lutheran World Federation based in Geneva.

     In 1988 Raheb became pastor of Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church and founded the International Center of Bethlehem in 1995. The center includes the Dar al-Kalima Health and Wellness Center, which focuses on general preventive medicine, community health awareness and psychological health issues associated with the current situation in Palestine.

     Raheb also founded the Dar al-Kalima School and Academy in Bethlehem. Together with the International Center of Bethlehem, the school and academy have become the second largest private employer in the Bethlehem area.

     The Mission Investment Fund, a financial ministry of the ELCA, provided a loan to support the construction of Dar al-Kalima College in Bethlehem. The loan is the Mission Investment Fund's first to an ELCA global partner.

     According to Raheb, the college is an answer to the current shortage of higher education institutions in Palestine and "a beacon of hope for future generations." Raheb is president of Bright Stars of Bethlehem, a not-for-profit organization based in the United States that is instrumental in securing funding for the college.

     "We wanted to contribute to empowering generations of Palestinians and help strengthen this vital ministry of the ELCA's companion, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land," said Eva Roby, president and CEO of the Mission Investment Fund.

     "The ELCA's relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land is long-standing and deep, and we are proud to have relationships with each of the pastors in that church and to accompany them as they seek to respond to the needs of their context," said the Rev. Robert Smith, ELCA program director for the Middle East and North Africa and coordinator of the Peace Not Walls Campaign.

     Born in Bethlehem, Raheb received his undergraduate degree in protestant theology from the Hermannsburg Mission Seminary in Germany and earned a master's degree and doctorate in theology at Philipps University Marburg there.

     He has written numerous articles, essays and books that concentrate on inter-religious dialogue, contextual theology, church history, biblical interpretation and issues related to the civil society.

     Raheb will receive the 2011 German Media Prize along with three others in Baden-Baden, Germany.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@ELCA.org

http://www.ELCA.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

Lutherans invite students to help end malaria

2011-12-22T14:57:46

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The ELCA Malaria Campaign, a campaign of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and the Lutheran Malaria Initiative will provide new opportunities for college and university students attending Lutheran schools and ELCA campus ministries to engage in the global fight against malaria. Supported with a generous gift from Arne and Ruth Sorenson of Washington, D.C., the campaign and initiative will help equip and inspire young leaders to help make a difference.

     Every 45 seconds a child dies of malaria, a treatable and preventable disease that kills more than 800,000 people a year, mostly children in Africa.

     "Our goal with this gift is to educate, equip and mobilize," said Arne Sorenson. "We want to raise awareness of the malaria epidemic among students on Lutheran schools and campus ministries, to equip them to inspire their fellow students, teachers and communities, and assist them in mobilizing their communities to make a difference in the fight against this devastating disease. By investing in helping students raise funds for malaria, we're able to multiply the impact of our own gift to reach even more people in need with life-saving prevention and treatment -- and also helping to develop the next generation of leaders in the church."

     Through the ELCA Malaria Campaign, the Sorenson College and Campus Ministries Program and Sorenson Social Media Grants will provide funding in the form of grants for students at the ELCA's 26 colleges and universities and campus ministries to implement awareness and fundraising campaigns at their schools. Students chosen as grant recipients must make a commitment to emphasize the ELCA Malaria Campaign on their campuses for two years through activities ranging from guest speakers to video contests.

     Through Lutheran World Relief, the Lutheran Malaria Initiative Fellowship will provide opportunities for students at campuses of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod to manage awareness and fundraising campaigns in their campus communities. Each of the students will receive a stipend and a program budget, as well as funding to travel to Africa to learn firsthand about how malaria affects communities and how the Lutheran Malaria Initiative is making a difference.

     Students in both programs will make a two-year commitment and receive training in fundraising.

     "The generous gift from ELCA members Arne and Ruth Sorenson enables the ELCA Malaria Campaign to build up three strengths of the ELCA: students with a passion to be engaged in God's work of healing and restoring community, longstanding partnerships with churches in Africa who are creating programs for malaria campaign activities, and a strong network of 26 colleges and universities as well as campus ministries," said ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson.

     "This is an innovative, forward-looking partnership," said John Nunes, president and CEO of Lutheran World Relief. "We are so grateful to the Sorensons for making this exciting program a reality. Not only will the students who receive the grants have an unparalleled learning experience, the funds they raise through their communities will have a very real impact on communities in Africa struggling with the scourge of malaria."

     The ELCA Malaria Campaign, working through Lutheran Churches in Africa, is uniquely positioned to provide mosquito nets, insecticides, medication, health care, education and more to eliminate deaths from this disease -- for good.

     The Lutheran Malaria Initiative is a partnership of Lutheran World Relief and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod to end malaria deaths by 2015. The Lutheran Malaria Initiative is made possible through support from the United Nations Foundation.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@elca.org

http://www.elca.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

Lutheran-Anglican-Episcopal meeting a sign of hope for the church

2011-12-21T12:12:22

CHICAGO (ELCA) - Lutheran, Anglican and Episcopal leaders from the United States and Canada met in December to explore new possibilities for working together and to deepen their sense of unity for doing God's work in the world. In a report issued from their meeting, the leaders stated that their conversation and work together "are hopeful signs for the church."

     "There was truly a spirit of Advent expectant hope as we met to pray and plan for greater cooperation in ministry and mission," said ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson of the meeting.

     "There is so much more we can do when working together, whether that is in military chaplaincy, global mission, campus ministry, planting new congregations or advocacy. I look forward to our continued shared leadership and to new possibilities that exist to proclaim the good news of Jesus, engaging in God's work for the life of the world because of our full-communion relationship," he said.

     Gathered together for their second annual meeting was Hanson; the Rev. Susan Johnson, national bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada; the Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church U.S.A.; and the Rev. Fred Hiltz, archbishop of the Anglican Church of Canada.

     Topics representing their mutual areas of interest and concern ranged from ecumenical and interfaith issues to immigration reform and poverty, from relief and development work to Middle East policies. They reviewed the possibility of producing materials, study guides and resources that congregations and parishes in all four churches could use in various seasons of the liturgical year, and they also addressed the challenges of "church planting" and the need for strategy to do this work with full-communion partners.

     The national leaders formed a subcommittee to further consider how to make the bilateral full-communion relationships effective among the four churches.

     The group will meet again in 2012, and staff of the four churches will be invited to provide updates on collaborative work. In February, the co-chairs of the Lutheran Episcopal Coordinating Committee will attend a regular session of the Joint Anglican Lutheran Commission.

     "The meeting of leaders from our four churches continued to deepen our sense of unity in the gospel and our sense of being united in Christ's mission. We look forward to tangible ways in which we do ministry together that will support our congregations and our witness in God's world," said the Rev. Donald McCoid, assistant to the presiding bishop, ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations.

     McCoid attended the meeting, along with other representatives of the four denominations.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with approximately 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.

For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@elca.org

http://www.elca.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

2011 Christmas message from ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson

2011-12-15T16:35:21

CHICAGO (ELCA) - The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), shared a Christmas greeting today with the 4.2 million members of this church. Hanson also delivered his greeting to the ELCA's six full communion, ecumenical and interfaith partners, and member churches of The Lutheran World Federation. The full text of the presiding bishop's message follows:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all (Titus 2:11).

Yes   In this world where God creates with deep

                beauty and profound mystery.

         In this world where so many yearn for

               God's healing and peace.

         In this world where some have thought God has forsaken us:
Yes  Here, in this world, the grace of God has appeared.

         Not just in this world but for you.

Yes For you, weary from trying to meet the

                 expectations of others.

        For you, worrying about an uncertain future.

      For you, wondering if you are worthy.
Yes  For you, the grace of God has appeared,

                 bringing salvation.

      Not just for you but for all.

Yes For all, salvation has come in the wonder of

               God in mercy bending low to meet us

                 in our humanity.

        In the mystery of Christ's death and resurrection.

      In the power and promise

                 of the gospel's proclamation,

        God's goodness and loving-kindness has appeared

                 in the Savior Jesus.
So with angelic messengers and witnessing shepherds,

                 we raise our voices:
"Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace among those whom he favors."
Mark S. Hanson

Presiding Bishop

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
     Click here for a video version of Presiding Bishop Hanson's Christmas message.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with approximately 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@elca.org

http://www.elca.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

Secretary of State Clinton highlights the work of ELCA-related ministries

2011-12-07T16:59:18

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton noted the vital work of Lutheran social ministry organizations in welcoming refugees to the United States, during her Dec. 7 address at the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugee's ministerial conference in Geneva.

     In her presentation to world leaders, Clinton shared a story about Fatuma Elmi, who applied for asylum in the United States after civil war broke out in her native Somalia in 1991. Settled in Minneapolis, Elmi has worked as an employment counselor at Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota for the past 17 years. She has been able to find jobs for 79 percent of her clients this year, despite the difficult economy.

     Elmi's life is "clear evidence of the wisdom of investing in women," said Clinton, adding that the United States would be delivering 28 pledges to the conference, one designed to build awareness on a major "cause of statelessness, which is discrimination against women," she said.

     Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota is an affiliated ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), along with 285 other social ministry organizations across the country.

     ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson said he appreciates Clinton's sharing of Elmi's story and the recognition of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, particularly "on this historic occasion of the 60th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 50th anniversary of the Statelessness Convention in a gathering of world leaders." The ministerial conference brings together more than 150 representatives from around the world. Clinton is a member of the U.S. delegation.

     "In sharing Fatuma Elmi's story, Secretary Clinton has affirmed the invaluable contributions resettled refugees bring to life in American communities. In naming Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, she has also recognized the vast network of Lutheran social service organizations that are an expression of faith active in loving service to our neighbor," Hanson said.

     "This is who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Many are descendants of a once immigrant people, and others of those who came as slaves. Together we are now participating in God's work of restoring and reconciling communities by welcoming refugees and working towards fair and just immigration reform," he said.

     "As individuals, congregations, Lutheran social ministry organizations and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, we know we can achieve things together on a scale and scope we could never do otherwise. As the ELCA, let us make these significant anniversaries an occasion for renewing our commitment to welcoming the new immigrant into the life of our neighborhoods and congregations."

     Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is one of the United States' leading agencies in welcoming and advocating for refugees and immigrants. Based in Baltimore, it works on behalf of the ELCA, The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod and the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

     Kim Dettmer, director of refugee services at Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, said Elmi has "dedicated her life to helping refugees find safety and stability in our community as an employment specialist. Through partnerships with employers, primarily in manufacturing and hospitality industries, many refugees have found entry-level work that has required minimal technical or English skills."

     Calling this "a win-win-win situation for refugees, employers and our community," Dettmer said it takes "a community to help refugees succeed. Minnesota has a long tradition of lending a hand to refugees, and they have enhanced our quality of life in many ways. Fatuma is a great example of people from war-torn countries who have worked hard to establish new lives and have given back to the community."

     Shortly after her arrival in the United States and prior to her work at Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, Elmi volunteered at a Somali women's organization mentoring mothers and daughters to ensure that both understood women's roles in the U.S. and the value of an education. Her actions were effective, as five of the six girls Elmi mentored went on to receive a college education, according to Dettmer.

     Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota is one of five resettlement organizations in Minnesota helping refugees gain self-sufficiency. Information about the service is at www.lssmn.org.

     Information about Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is available at www.lirs.org.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@elca.org

http://www.elca.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

ELCA, Episcopal presiding bishops remember lives lost to HIV, AIDS

2011-11-30T09:45:39

CHICAGO (ELCA) - Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Episcopal Primate Katharine Jefferts Schori said World AIDS Day on Dec. 1 is "an opportunity for us to remember the 30 million lives that have been lost to the deadly pandemic."

     In their first joint letter about the international observance, the presiding bishops said, "The struggle against HIV and AIDS is our own struggle as churches and, as the pandemic continues into its fourth decade, the urgency in our work is born out of the intimacy with which we know it."

     "Together we are part of a global family of 150 million Anglicans and Lutherans, most living in developing countries for whom the virus is an ever-present daily reality," they wrote.

     The ELCA and the Episcopal Church have been full communion partners since 1999. The relationship allows both churches to keep their autonomy and structures yet work together in mission, witness and the interchangeability of members and clergy.

     Most recently, both denominations began sharing a staff position responsible for federal legislative and policy advocacy on international issues in Washington, D.C., as part of a commitment to deepen cooperative ministries.

     According to the Rev. Andrew Genszler, ELCA director for advocacy in Washington, D.C., working together in this way is "all the more credible."

     "I am really pleased with the opportunity to work more closely with our Episcopal counterparts," Genszler said. "We know that the shape of effective faith-based advocacy has changed from resting on principle to the marshaling and representation of global relationships, ministries and commitments in the public square to speak for policy change. The witness of both church bodies in this way will be all the more credible for their combined representation."

     In their letter, Hanson and Schori highlighted programs that illustrate how both denominations address HIV and AIDS and "the systems of poverty it permeates."

     "Episcopalians and Lutherans are invested in prevention, treatment, care and support, and alleviating stigma for all living with HIV and AIDS," they wrote, adding that the global community has made significant progress in working to end the pandemic.

     Together ELCA members and Episcopalians continue to serve as key leaders in helping to stop the "shaming of people living with HIV" and providing care and support for those coping with the disease. Hanson and Schori said members must increase these kinds of efforts and work toward the goal of an "AIDS-free generation" recently set by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

     "Unfortunately, today we face the danger that our dream of an AIDS-free generation will remain just that -- a dream. U.S. funding for these life-saving global health programs continues to be targeted for disproportionate cuts," they wrote.

     "Through our shared witness in Washington, our churches are working to ensure that our government allocates the highest funding levels possible to address HIV and AIDS, including full funding for the president's Global Health Initiative. The voice of every Episcopalian and every ELCA member is vital to this work," wrote Hanson and Schori, encouraging members to join both churches' advocacy efforts.

     At the conclusion of their letter, the presiding bishops expressed their hope to "cross from 30 years of death and loss to a future of abundant life for all."

     For the full text of their letter, along with a Spanish-language version, click here.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@ELCA.org

http://www.ELCA.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

Presiding bishop says ELCA is deeply rooted in God's mission

2011-11-19T18:06:24

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In his report to the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson said that the ELCA is "a church deeply rooted in God's mission (and) in the belief that Christ frees us all to serve our neighbor and seek the common good." The council, which serves as the ELCA's board of directors, met here Nov. 11-13.

     "Never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit to bring forth fruit from our labors. (In 2005), this church invested in a young woman's education. Leymah Gbowee wanted to study peacemaking, and we gave her an (International Leadership) scholarship," said Hanson. Today she is one of three women who earned the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.

      To further illustrate the ways this church is deeply rooted in God’s mission, Hanson highlighted the process by which the ELCA adopts social documents, which "informs our public witness, but not bind our conscience, to help us live as responsible people of faith in a complex world."

      The presiding bishop also shared several stories with members of the Church Council about recent visits with ELCA members, including a student at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., who said that decisions made by the 2009 Churchwide Assembly had saved his life. The student, who is gay, spoke of being welcomed by the ELCA as a church which told him, "This is Christ's church. There is a place for you here."

      Hanson cited the actions of the 2011 Churchwide Assembly to support the DREAM Act (the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act), legislation that would provide a path for citizenship for undocumented high school graduates.

     ELCA members are "called to be part of God's reconciling and restoring community" in the world, said Hanson.

     "That's why no matter what political party is in power in the White House, Congress, state houses, legislatures or in local communities, we will first of all affirm the vocation of political service as being a calling from God," he said, and therefore need to hold public servants accountable.

     In recent months ELCA members have held public servants responsible, "so that the balancing of budgets and the reducing of debts is not done on the backs of those who live in poverty. That's why we advocate that there must be a circle of protection around those programs that historically have been untouched when deficits arise and budgets must be reduced. And we believe it's a moral issue … it's a matter of faith," Hanson told the council.

     Along with several other national religious leaders, Hanson attended a White House meeting Nov. 8 to hold "this current administration accountable, as we have the Bush administration, on behalf of our companions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, to work tirelessly to exert our power and influence to bring Israelis and Palestinians back to the negotiating table and challenge this administration and the government of Israel to quit settlement expansion that becomes a deterrent to that peace."

     Now in his 11th year as presiding bishop of this church, Hanson said, "I'm so grateful and so hopeful for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It's a great time to be called into leadership."

      He told the council that not only with the ELCA's congregations, synods, churchwide organization, partner agencies and institutions, "but together with ecumenical partners and global companions, we are called to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and engage in God's work of restoring community."

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@ELCA.org

http://www.ELCA.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

ELCA Church Council responds to actions of the 2011 Churchwide Assembly

2011-11-16T17:08:54

CHICAGO (ELCA) - The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) acted on several recommendations in response to actions of the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The council, which serves as the ELCA's board of directors, also approved revisions to the 2012 current fund spending authorization and considered other matters when it met here Nov. 11-13.

     The council appointed a six-person advisory committee to continue the work of the "Living into the Future Together: Renewing the Ecology of the ELCA" Task Force. The 2011 Churchwide Assembly, held Aug. 15-19 in Orlando, Fla., approved a series of resolutions designed to set a course for the ELCA's future and to consider this church's structure and relationships.

     The council requested that the advisory committee provide an interim report for the council's April 2012 meeting and a final report and possible recommendations for presentation at its November 2012 meeting.

     Council member Deborah L. Chenoweth, Hood River, Ore., said the Living into the Future Together task force report "is not a report that will sit on the shelf." She said that there are items members of the ELCA Church Council will continue to work together on, as well as the ELCA Conference of Bishops. A critical component of the report, Chenoweth cited, is the call for the 10,000 congregations of this church to engage in "missional planning."

     In a separate action, the council moved to establish a review process on the current procedures for the development and adoption of social documents that address social concerns. The 2011 assembly called for this review.

     In its action, the council requested that its executive committee appoint ELCA members to serve on the Addressing Social Concerns Review Task Force and approved a charter to facilitate the work of this task force, which is expected to bring a report to the November 2012 meeting of the council. The report will serve as a basis for a report and possible recommendations to the 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.

     Social documents guide ELCA members in their moral deliberation and govern this church's institutional policies and advocacy work.

     The 2011 assembly adopted "Genetics, Faith and Responsibility," the ELCA's 11th social statement. A social statement on criminal justice is underway and, at the beginning of 2012, a task force will be appointed to initiate work for a social statement on justice for women.

     In other business, the council:

+ Established time lines for response to actions of the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly that have been referred to the council and the churchwide organization.

+ Approved an initial 2012 fiscal year current fund spending authorization of $64,173,000. This amount reflects a $2.4 million or 3.9 percent increase from the budget approved by the 2011 Churchwide Assembly. The council approved an initial 2012 fiscal year World Hunger spending authorization of $18.5 million. The council also approved revisions to 2012 synodical mission-support plans.

+ Amended a continuing resolution on changing the name of the ELCA Board of Pensions to Portico Benefit Services.

+ Elected council members to serve on its executive committee and ratified the membership of council committees.

+ Acknowledged the commitment of council members to attend synod assemblies and synod council meetings.

+ Responded to resolutions from synods about the ELCA's Health and Benefits Program, a call for the adoption of "The Decade for Women" and to delay a resolution about "Human Rights Violations Against the Oromo People" until the April 2012 council meeting.

+ Implemented a resolution designed to add two youth and one young adult as advisers to the council.

+ Amended continuing resolutions in the ELCA's Constitution, Bylaws and Continuing Resolutions.

     The council received reports from officers and churchwide organization leaders. The Rev. M. Wyvetta Bullock, executive for administration, delivered an overview of the 2011-2013 operational plan for the churchwide organization.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@ELCA.org

http://www.ELCA.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

ELCA Board of Pensions announces name change to Portico Benefit Services

2011-11-16T16:36:19

MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The Board of Pensions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will begin doing business as Portico Benefit Services, effective immediately.

     The trustees of the ELCA Board of Pensions approved the name change during their November meeting and recommended that the ELCA Church Council amend Continuing Resolution 17.20.A11 at its Nov. 11-13 meeting in Chicago. The Church Council unanimously approved the amendment.

     "Changing our name to Portico Benefit Services follows recommendations we've heard over several years from plan members, advisers, church leaders and our own employees," said the Rev. Jeffrey Thiemann, president and CEO.

     "We believe a new name will help people better understand what we do as this church's provider of health, retirement, disability and survivor benefits and related services. Though our name is changing, our connection to this church remains strong. I look to our future together with enthusiasm."

     Thiemann, who wanted to assure plan members that benefits would continue without interruption, assumed leadership on Oct. 1. The organization is a separately incorporated ministry of the ELCA and is headquartered in Minneapolis.

     ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson observed that the new name is grounded "in biblical witness" and is reflective of the organization's commitment to expand and deepen its services.

     The word portico evokes the portico of Solomon's temple, where Jesus taught in John 10:22-28, Hanson pointed out. "It was a place of gathering and entry into God's sacred presence at the temple.

     "Portico Benefit Services identifies this ministry with a whole-person-wellness emphasis," said Hanson. "They will continue to serve those who serve and help to empower people to live well for the sake of ministry for the life of the world."

     The transition from Board of Pensions to Portico Benefit Services will occur over the next 12 to 18 months. Thiemann said that the new name will appear gradually, allowing the organization to use up, rather than discard, existing benefits materials and take advantage of natural product lifecycles.

     Portico Benefit Services, formerly called the ELCA Board of Pensions, provides health, retirement, disability and survivor benefits and related services for 50,000 active and retired ELCA pastors, rostered laypersons, lay employees and their families.

     For more information on the Board of Pension’s name change, visit www.ELCAbop.org/name.

     Information about the ELCA Board of Pensions is at http://www.ELCAbop.org.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Marianne Griebler

773-380-2968 or Marianne.Griebler@ELCA.org

http://www.ELCA.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

ELCA bishop visits White House to discuss Israeli-Palestinian conflict

2011-11-11T15:04:24

CHICAGO (ELCA) - The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), attended a Nov. 8 meeting at the White House as part of a group of ecumenical faith leaders. They asked that the United States take a stronger stance in its opposition to the rapid expansion of Israeli settlement construction in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The construction threatens the viability of a future Palestinian state, thus precluding a two-state solution and support for a shared Jerusalem.

     Hanson and the other faith leaders met with Dennis Ross, special assistant to President Barack Obama, and Catherine Powell, director for human rights, Office of Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights in the National Security Council. The meeting took place before Ross announced his resignation Nov. 10.

     The faith leaders discussed U.S. policies towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and problems facing Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land. They expressed hope for a high-level U.S. administration visit to the Middle East, especially in Bethlehem, which would include meetings with Christian leaders.

     According to Hanson, continued meetings with the Obama administration are "a priority because of our commitment to our companions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. It is also carried out in the commitment we have made in the ELCA's Churchwide Strategy for Engagement in Israel and Palestine.

     "As we began our conversation with Mr. Ross, I expressed disappointment. We hear our Christian partners in the region question the United States' commitment. They wonder why the U.S. has not been more vocal about the increased settlement construction. I told Mr. Ross that we repeatedly hear Palestinian churches say they see this as a moment of abdication by the U.S. administration."

     Reflecting on the meeting, Hanson said, "More progress must be made toward the goal of a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. Since our meeting a year ago, the prospects for peace seem to have diminished with the expansion of settlements and the absence of face-to-face negotiations."

     According to a Nov. 10 news release from Churches for Middle East Peace, the church leaders who attended the Nov. 8 meeting said they are disappointed with developments since their 2010 meeting at the White House.

     "The position of the Palestinian Christian community is precarious," stated the release. "There are constant problems of obtaining visas for clergy who must travel outside Jerusalem and the West Bank. Restriction on movement between Bethlehem and Jerusalem is a problem that undermines Christian life. Church leaders are humiliated at check points."

     Ecumenical leaders at this year's White House meeting included Hanson; Katharine Jefferts Shori, presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church; Denis James Madden, auxiliary bishop of Baltimore and chairman-elect of the Committee for Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Neil Irons, executive secretary of the Methodist Council of Bishops; and Sara Lisherness, director of compassion, peace and justice for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A).

     The meeting was arranged by Churches for Middle East Peace, a coalition of 24 national church denominations and organizations working to encourage U.S. government policies that promote a just and lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

     For information about the ELCA's strategy for engagement in Israel and Palestine click here, and for the ELCA's Peace Not Walls campaign click here.

---

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@elca.org

http://www.elca.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

ELCA Board of Pensions Trustees announce annuity adjustment for 2012

2011-11-11T13:25:12

MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Trustees of the Board of Pensions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) announced adjustments in 2012 ELCA Participating Annuity payments and the interest crediting rate for bridge accounts.

     The Board of Pensions is a separately incorporated ministry of the ELCA. The trustees made the decision here at their Nov. 4-6 meeting.

     The trustees reduced payments for 2012 by 3.8 percent for ELCA Participating Annuity members and set the interest crediting rate for 2012 at 2.1 percent for bridge accounts.

     Before making their final decision, trustees discussed the size of the 2012 adjustments. The Rev. Jeffrey Thiemann said he appreciated the thoughtful discussion leading up to the trustees' decision, saying, "We hold in tension the needs and desires of our annuitants for annuity payments now with the expectation that payments will be made for life. We have a great group of trustees and advisers that discharge this responsibility with great care."

     Thiemann assumed leadership as Board of Pensions president and CEO on October 1. The 3.8 percent reduction reflects a new guideline adopted earlier this year. The guideline takes into consideration the funded ratio of the ELCA Participating Annuity Investment Fund. The funded ratio compares the Fund's net assets to its future benefit obligations.

     Under the new guideline, a funded ratio below 1.000 calls for a reduction in annuity payments. As of September 30, 2011, the Fund's assets were estimated to cover 88.5 cents of every dollar in future benefit obligations.

     "The 2012 adjustment directly reflects the year-over-year market performance of the Fund," said Brad Joern, Board of Pensions' Director of Products and Services. "To moderate the magnitude of annual adjustments, we follow a process that adjusted 2012 annuity payments by one-third of the difference between the 0.885 funded ratio and 1.000."

     Joern explained how the new adjustment guideline is different from the three-year recovery period the Board of Pensions had announced in 2009. Adjustments are now intended to be more responsive to market performance. He said the 2012 adjustment is smaller than the three years of 9 percent reductions that had been previously announced, but reductions are now likely to occur over a longer period of time.

     The ELCA Participating Annuity is a type of immediate variable annuity that provides an income stream for life and income growth potential over the long term.

     In other action, the Board of Pensions welcomed seven new trustees to the 15-member board. Of the new trustees, four began their terms at the Nov. 4-6 meeting: William Falk, Arlington Heights, Ill.; Gregory Heidrich, Wheaton, Ill.; the Rev. Dr. Marty Stevens, Gettysburg, Pa.; and Dianne Witte, New Haven, Conn. Also in attendance were three new trustees who are scheduled to begin their terms immediately following election in November by the ELCA Church Council: Janette Drew, Alamo, Calif.; Raye Nae Nylander, Baltic, S.D.; and the Rev. Paul W. Stumme-Diers, Bainbridge Island, Wash.

     Also joining the board of trustees were two new churchwide advisers: the Rev. Linda Norman, ELCA treasurer; and the Rev. Dr. Duane Pederson, bishop of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin.

     The trustees acted on other matters and heard about other topics related to their work. Trustees approved a $49.4 M operating budget for 2012, up from about $46.7 forecasted for 2011.

     The ELCA Board of Pensions provides health, retirement, disability and survivor benefits and related services for 50,000 active and retired ELCA pastors, rostered laypersons, lay employees and their families. Information about the ELCA Board of Pensions is at http://www.ELCAbop.org on the web.

---

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.

For information contact:

Marianne Griebler

773-380-2968 or Marianne.Griebler@ELCA.org

http://www.ELCA.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

First ELCA member installed as National Council of Churches president

2011-11-09T15:50:49

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Kathryn M. Lohre was installed as president of the National Council of Churches Nov. 9 at a service held at the Lutheran Center here. A member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Lohre is the first Lutheran and ELCA member to serve as president of the council and the youngest woman to serve in that role.

     While her presidency marks these two historic firsts, it will also be the first time a woman succeeds a woman as president of the council.

     Lohre said her presidency also provides a unique opportunity for the ELCA. It will "visibly demonstrate (this church's) commitment to the ecumenical vision, as well as its commitment to lifelong ecumenical formation, leadership development and women's leadership," she said.

     Lohre joined the ELCA churchwide staff in October as part of the ecumenical and inter-religious relations team under the leadership of the Rev. Donald McCoid, assistant to the presiding bishop, ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations.

     The installation was a service of word and sacrament. McCoid was the presiding minister and ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson preached the sermon.

     Reflecting on the Book of Amos, Hanson told the assembly, "God's promise, justice and righteous will flow like refreshing waters of the highest mountain, it will flow abundantly upon you and through you and me, flowing into the life of the world just as the light of Jesus will now flow into your life through bread and wine."

     The Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, general secretary for the National Council of Churches, presided over the installation, which included the installation of other council officers for the organization. Ecumenical guests also participated in the service.

      In addition to her positions with the ELCA and the National Council of Churches, Lohre represents the ELCA as a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches.

     Before joining the ELCA churchwide staff, Lohre was assistant director of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University, a research project on the changing religious landscape in the United States.

     Lohre was a member of the ELCA Bishop's Communal Discernment Task Force and on the Bishop's Global, Ecumenical and Interfaith Relationships Roundtable. She served on the former ELCA Commission for Women Steering Committee and as an assistant to the 2000 ELCA Youth Gathering.

     Lohre is a summa cum laude graduate of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., and earned a Master of Divinity degree at Harvard Divinity School. St. Olaf is one of 26 ELCA colleges and universities.

     In May 2011, the Graduate Theological Foundation in Mishawaka, Ind., conferred an honorary Doctor of Divinity to Lohre, "in recognition of her election as president-elect of the National Council of Churches and also in recognition of her contributions to women's interfaith issues and pluralism."

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@elca.org

http://www.elca.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com

ELCA bishops call state immigration laws 'shortsighted'

2011-11-03T15:01:01

CHICAGO (ELCA) - Nearly 60 of 65 synod bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) expressed their concern over new state immigration laws in Nov. 2 letters to President Barack Obama and members of Congress. In their letter, the synod bishops asked that both Congress and the administration work together on a complete federal overhaul of the U.S. immigration system and offered provisions for what the reform should entail.

     The synod bishops said federal reform should restore trust in communities and include:

+ An earned pathway to lawful permanent residency and eventual U.S. citizenship for immigrants and their families who learn English and pay back taxes.

+ Expeditious reunification of families and protection against separating families.

+ Expansion of legal avenues for workers to allow immigrants to migrate to the United States in a safe and legal manner.

+ Decreased use of immigration detention, improvement in detention conditions with increased access to medical assistance, pastoral care and legal council and the increased use of community-based programs that assist immigrants who do need to be incarcerated.

+ Improved border policies that treat all individuals with respect and allow the U.S. government to focus on individuals involved in the trafficking of people, drugs, weapons or other dangerous people seeking entry.

+ Increased programs and resources to help immigrants participate fully in U.S. social and civic life.

     "The fair treatment of immigrants is a core religious value and welcoming the stranger is welcoming a child of God," wrote the synod bishops.

     Six U.S. states have passed immigration laws that are "shortsighted and misguided," the synod bishops wrote. Because this church values family unity, justice, equity, compassion and the humane treatment of all people, the synod bishops said they are concerned that the individual immigration laws of each state "damage the social fabric of our communities."

     "We are particularly troubled by the laws which would criminalize churches, church ministries and church members that serve all people who need assistance - regardless of their immigration status," they wrote.

     "The ELCA believes and teaches that all people are created in the image of God and are beloved of God. In our scriptures, we are instructed to care for the stranger and to love the immigrant living among us," they wrote, adding that the ELCA carries out social ministry programs, initiates programs to aid all God's people and partners with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.

     Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is one of the nation's leading agencies in welcoming and advocating for refugees and immigrants. Based in Baltimore, it works on behalf of the ELCA, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

     The letters to the president and Congress were initiated by Bishop H. Julian Gordy of the ELCA Southeastern Synod, Atlanta, and Bishop Michael W. Rinehart of the ELCA Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, Houston.

     "I am overjoyed that so many of our leaders are willing to speak boldly for immigrants," said Rinehart.

     "This is a key moral issue of our day. Are we going to welcome the stranger or are we not? Will we be the city on the hill or a mean-spirited gated-country for the elite? Will our laws make immigration impossible through exorbitant fees, racist quotas and decade-long waiting periods? I hope not. The America most of us know and love has open arms for huddled masses yearning to breathe free," said Rinehart.

     Gordy said he's grateful that "our church has spoken clearly on behalf of immigrants living among us, both in this letter, signed by a large majority of our bishops and in the actions of our Churchwide Assembly in August. It is appropriate that the church, which counts migrants like Abraham and Sarah, Moses and Miriam and the wandering Hebrews as its spiritual ancestors and the migrant infant Jesus as it's Lord, speak against and resist these unhelpful state laws, passed in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform."

     "Since the passing of anti-immigration legislation in Alabama and Georgia, two of the states in the synod I serve, undocumented and documented immigrants are leaving our communities and our congregations to move to more immigrant friendly states," Gordy said. "This exodus does harm to our communities, farms and businesses. Such state laws do not succeed in addressing our immigration crisis. They do, however, succeed in fostering a spirit of hostility, suspicion and ethnic discrimination in our communities. Our immigrant church must speak out and resist these laws."

     The ELCA synod bishops' letters follow two Nov. 1 letters sent to the president and members of Congress by ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson, who serves on Obama's advisory council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

     The 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly voted to "declare its support of and encouragement for all efforts to prevent the enactment of punitive and unjust federal and state laws that target immigrants." This action also calls for leaders of this church to support comprehensive U.S. immigration reform and the DREAM Act (the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act), legislation that would provide a path for citizenship for undocumented high school graduates.

     The churchwide assembly is the ELCA's highest legislative authority serving on behalf of the ELCA's 4.2 million members.

     The full text of the synod bishops' letters is available at http://www.ELCA.org/immigration.

- - -

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact:

Melissa Ramirez Cooper

773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@elca.org

http://www.elca.org/news

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lutherans

Living Lutheran: http://www.livinglutheran.com