Tag Archives: elca

Press release on Hawley Lutheran Church vote to exit the ELCA

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The Forum’s Marino Eccher reported today that the Hawley Lutheran Church voted Sunday to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Read that story here. Talk about it here.

Below is a press release sent by Rev. Jeff Teeples, pastor at Halwey Lutheran.

“At a special congregational meeting on Sunday December 19 Hawley Lutheran Church has voted to disaffiliate from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Our final vote passed by a 80% majority (239 for and 60 against). We are confident that God has led us as a congregation to this outcome for the sake of our mission. We are a group of sinners saved by grace and we are not perfect or even close. It grieves us that people have associated our decision to leave the ELCA with intolerance, contempt and bigotry, because these attitudes are not the attitude of Jesus who we follow and love and not the attitudes we teach or would want to exhibit. The decision to disaffiliate from the ELCA unites us to stand upon the Bible as the final authority in all matters of our faith and life and to proclaim Jesus as the Savior of the world. We look forward to being part of Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ and to serving our Lord, community and world into the future as we have in the past.”

ELCA leaders applaud Congress’ passage of child nutrition bill

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From www.elca.org“Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) applauded the passage in the U.S. House of Representatives of federal legislation that invests $4.5 billion in child nutrition programs,” according to an ELCA press release. ”The legislation was approved Dec. 2 during the lame-duck session this week, as Congress prepares to adjourn for the holiday season.”

“ELCA members across the country were part of a coordinated effort to pass the bill. Top leaders of several Christian denominations, including the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, wrote to U.S. House leaders earlier this week, urging the legislation’s adoption. Hanson also spoke about the legislation in a Nov. 1 meeting faith leaders’ meeting with President Obama in Washington.”

“‘This bill is an exciting victory for hungry children. After a largely gridlocked year, passage of this bill is a positive sign that Congress can work together in the best interests of Americans,’ Hanson said.”

Read the full release: http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4686

Some express concern about agricultural implications of ELCA draft statement on genetics; Eastern ND bishop says ELCA is not against genetically modified seeds

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A North Dakota church recently left the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, expressing concern about the ELCA’s attitude toward biotech farming. There has been concern on the part of some that an ELCA statement on genetics, which is currently in the draft stage, condemns GMOs (genetically modified organisms).  But Bill Rindy of the ELCA says, “The draft does not condemn GMOs.”

Two recent stories in The Forum discuss the issue. Read them at: http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/298142/ and http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/298285/

More info related to the the ELCA’s draft social statement on genetics

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The Forum ran a story today on a church that voted to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. There was a sense in that rural North Dakota congregation that the ELCA was making statements that went against farmers. If you want to take a deeper look at the issue, here are some additional resources related to that story.

ELCA bishop to hold virtual town hall meeting

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ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson

Mark Hanson, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, will field questions at a webcast town hall meeting at 4 p.m. Central time Nov. 21. If the format of previous virtual town halls is followed, Hanson will take questions both from a live audience and online.

Participants can follow conversations on Facebook or tweet about the event using the hash tags #ELCA or #BishopHanson. Submit questions and watch the forum at http://www.ELCA.org/townhall on the ELCA website. Images and transcripts in English and Spanish are available on the website, as well as the opportunity to watch previous webcasts and monitor dates for future forums.

A tool kit is available at http://www.ELCA.org/townhall to help congregations host a viewing party with electronic and technical assistance, social media opportunities and more.

Read more about the ELCA town hall at http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4669

ELCA bishop submits video for ‘It Gets Better’ video essay, telling gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender young people ‘You are a beloved child of God’

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Mark Hanson

Mark Hanson, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, has submitted a video for the “It Gets Better” video essay on YouTube.com, an effort designed to support and encourage gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender young people.

“I’ve listened with pain and shock to reports of young people taking their lives because they’ve been bullied and tormented for being different, for being gay or perceived to be gay, for being the people God created them to be,” Hanson said. “I can only imagine what it’s like to be bullied for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.”

The video is below. If it does not function properly, you can view the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJOhjLXJmaY

 Read a transcript of Hanson’s video here. Read the ELCA press release here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJOhjLXJmaY[\embed]

ELCA’s European American Lutheran Association to hold first biennial meeting this month; group’s purpose is to ‘dismantle racism, white privilege and white power by recognizing and confessing our individual and corporate sin and addressing institutional racism in the church’

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The European American Lutheran Association (EALA) will hold its first biennial meeting Oct. 28-30 at the Wyndham Milwaukee Hotel and Conference Center, Milwaukee. The EALA is the newest and one of six ethnic associations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

“The purpose of the EALA is to dismantle racism, white privilege and white power by recognizing and confessing our individual and corporate sin and addressing institutional racism in the church,” said Kathy B. Long, EALA president, Redmond, Wash. “We want to walk with our brothers and sisters of color together.”

Source: ELCA press release.

Read more: http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4650

A $4.2 million reduction in spending helps ELCA maintain income/outgo balance, but treasurer expresses concern about continuing declines in mission support

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A mid-year budget reduction of $4.2 million in current fund spending by the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has helped the churchwide organization maintain a balance of income and spending for 2010 through Aug. 31, said Christina Jackson-Skelton, ELCA treasurer.  However, in a report to ELCA leaders, she expressed concern about continuing declines in mission support income to the churchwide organization, down $5 million so far this year.

Source: ELCA press release.

Read the full release: http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4649

Editor of ELCA magazine “The Lutheran” says magazine won’t give NALC “any special coverage just because of its heritage. This group, like Elvis, has left the building”

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Daniel J. Lehmann

In the current issue of “The Lutheran,” an ELCA publication, its editor Daniel Lehmann writes:

“Page 8 of this issue contains a 203-word article (“Another Lutheran body formed“) on the founding of another Lutheran denomination. No more, no less.

The North American Lutheran Church came about in response to the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly decisions on sexuality…

“What we have here is a classic case of schism — a formal division or separation in the Christian church …

“So now the NALC becomes, in the eyes of this magazine, one more Lutheran denomination. Just as the staff follows major events in the life of the LCMS, the same will be true with the NALC. The Lutheran won’t give it any special coverage just because of its heritage. This group, like Elvis, has left the building.”

Read the full editorial: http://www.thelutheran.com/article/article.cfm?article_id=9348

Rural Menahga, Detroit Lakes churches cut ties to ELCA

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Lutheran congregations near Menahga and Detroit Lakes in Minnesota have passed final votes to sever ties with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The votes made those congregations the eighth and ninth congregations to leave the Northwestern Minnesota Syond since the controversial 2009 Churchwide Assembly.

Read the story: http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/292807/

Talk about it: http://topics.areavoices.com/2010/09/27/menahga-detroit-lakes-churches-cut-ties-to-elca/