Tag Archives: evangelical lutheran church in america

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

Wannaska church votes to cut ELCA ties

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Riverside Lutheran Church in Wannaska, Minn., passed its final vote Sunday to cut ties with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Read more: http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/293049/publisher_ID/1/

Talk about it: http://topics.areavoices.com/2010/09/29/wannaska-church-votes-to-cut-elca-ties/

Video of ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson’s town hall forum is now online

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Bishop Mark Hanson

Video from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s “town hall” Sunday is now online. Bishop Mark Hanson took questions from individuals at the event and via the internet. Here’s the video:

http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Faithful-Mission/Town-Hall-Forum/Video-100919.aspx

Here’s  info on the forum if you’re not familiar with it.

ELCA Northwestern Minnesota Synod bishop comments on Hawley Lutheran Church vote

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Bishop Larry Wohlrabe - from www.prettygoodlutherans.com

Forum reporter Mila Koumpilova reported today that Hawley Lutheran Church in Hawley, Minn., had passed the first of two votes required to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Read the story here: http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/291776/

Northwestern Minnesota Synod Bishop Larry Wohlrabe made a comment for the story that couldn’t be included in the story because of deadline constraints. Here is his comment: “Hawley Lutheran Church is a strong, active congregation. We would hate to lose them from our fellowship in the ELCA. I look forward to the consultation I’ll be having with them, which is a required part of the disaffiliation process. This will be an opportunity for me to hear their concerns and urge them to remain in the ELCA.”

Talk about the Hawley Lutheran vote here: http://topics.areavoices.com/2010/09/19/hawley-church-votes-to-leave-elca/

Video from Sunday’s ‘Town Hall’ with ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson will be available online this week

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Mark Hanson, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, held a town hall question-and-answer forum today (Sunday). On-demand video and transcripts from the event will be posted on  the ELCA website Wednesday, Sept. 22.

Visit www.elca.org/townhall

If you missed the previous forum with Hanson on March 7, it’s still online at the above URL.

I’ll post a reminder after Sunday’s forum hits the web.

Thanks for reading…

Star-Tribune: Three lesbian pastors from Twin Cities welcomed as ELCA clergy

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“Three pastors from the Twin Cities who are lesbians in committed relationships were embraced Saturday as Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pastors. The Reverends Anita Hill, Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart were inducted during a service presided over by St. Paul Bishop Peter Rogness at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of the Redeemer,” the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

In 2009, the ELCA voted at its biannual Churchwide Assembly to allow individuals in committed same-gender relationships to serve in the clergy. Hundreds of congregations in the ELCA have explored the possibility of exiting the denominations in the wake of the assembly. The ELCA has at more than 10,0o0 congregations.

Read the full story: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/faith/103204234.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUac8HEaDiaMDCinchO7DUs

Read the ELCA press release: http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4638

ELCA bishop Mark Hanson to hold online town hall meeting

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ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), will answer questions on a variety of topics from members of the denomination at 4 p.m. (Central Time) Sept. 19.  Hanson will take questions during an hour-long “Town Hall Forum.”

The town hall comes a little more than a year after the 2009 Churchwide Assembly when the denomination opened it’s pulpits to individuals in same-gender relationship. Critics have seen that as another step in a continuing slide away from the scriptures.

Don’t expect that issue to eclipse all else in the discussion. It’s likely that other issues will be brought to bear. Though not completely unrelated to the gay clergy issue, there may be questions related to financial issues in the denomination.

It is the second such meeting of the year and the third since December 2009.

For more info on the town hall, visit: http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx#&&a=4616

ELCA joins interfaith religious leaders to address anti-Muslim rhetoric

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From www.elca.org

From an ELCA press release:

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) joined a coalition of Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders to denounce rising anti-Muslim rhetoric and bigotry in the United States, as the country prepares to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The religious leaders met in Washington at the request of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), Plainfield, Ind., which hosted an emergency interfaith summit Sept. 7. Afterward, the interfaith leaders released a statement at a news conference at the National Press Club.

They stated, “As religious leaders in this great country, we have come together in our nation’s capital to denounce categorically the derision, misinformation and outright bigotry being directed against America’s Muslim community. We bear a sacred responsibility to honor America’s varied faith traditions and to promote a culture of mutual respect and the assurance of religious freedom for all.”

Read the full ELCA release: http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4628

Lutheran Disaster Response, ELCA synods, social ministry organizations prepare for hurricane Earl

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From www.elca.org

From an ELCA press release:

“Leaders and members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) living along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States are preparing for Hurricane Earl, while leaders of Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) and affiliated organizations have made some preliminary response plans.

“Hurricane Earl, with maximum sustained winds of 125 miles per hour as of Sept. 1, is a threat to the mid-Atlantic Coast of the United States, according to an advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Miami.”

Read the full release: http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4623&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter