August 23, 2011
The 2011 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted a social statement on genetics and a series of resolutions from an ELCA task force charged with recommending options for the future of the ELCA.
August 16, 2011
Every 45 seconds a child dies from malaria, a preventable and treatable disease. Now the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will join with Lutheran churches in Africa, to work toward a malaria-free future. This effort is part of the ELCA Malaria Campaign, officially launched by the ELCA Churchwide Assembly Aug. 15 by a 968-19 vote. A goal of the campaign is to raise $15 million over a four-year period.
January 7, 2011
Epiphany day marked the 10th Anniversary of the full-communion agreement between the ELCA and The Episcopal Church in the USA. "From shared local ministries and shared ordained clergy to campus ministries, disaster relief, ministry education, global mission training, advocacy work, and many daily ministries in and with our full communion partners, we give thanks to God for the many ways that CCM has blessed our churches," said the Rev. Donald J. McCoid, executive director of ELCA ecumenical and interreligious relations. Join in the celebration of this important anniversary by using specially prepared prayers in your congregation (click through for link).
November 14, 2010
ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson told young people who suffer bullying because of their sexuality that "you are a beloved child of God" in a video contributed to the It Gets Better Project. In the video, Hanson acknowledges that "sometimes the words of my Christian brothers and sisters have hurt you" and shares his hope" "God has called you by name and claimed you for ever. There's a place for you in this world and in this church."
June 22, 2010
Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will prepare a revised 2010 budget and spending plan for consideration in August, and they will create a plan to restructure the churchwide organization in 2011 in response to continuing declines in income, said the Rev. M. Wyvetta Bullock, ELCA executive for administration, in a June 21 e-mail to churchwide staff.
June 21, 2010
Bread for the World head David Beckmann, a Lutheran pastor who once worked for the World Bank, is one of the winners of the 2010 World Food Prize, which is often seen as the Nobel Prize on issues related to food security, hunger, and farming.
April 12, 2010
he Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted a series of historic and sweeping revisions to ministry policy documents April 10, the result of months of extensive writing, comment and review by hundreds of leaders and members following the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. The Assembly directed that policy documents be revised to make it possible for eligible Lutherans in committed, publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA clergy and professional lay leaders. The assembly directed that revised policies recognize the convictions of those who believe the ELCA should not allow such service.
December 17, 2009
Bishop Hanson's 2009 Christmas Message is now on the web. You can view it as a video, read the text, or download a bulletin insert to share with your congregation.
