| Violence flared in the Middle East. The November presidential election
wasn't finally decided until weeks later. |
2000 |
"Called to Common Mission," full communion agreement with the
Episcopal Church, became the focus of news both pro and con during the year; the Episcopal
Church approved the agreement in its convention in Denver. 40,000 teen-agers attended
the ELCA Youth Gathering in St. Louis, spread over two five-day events. |
| September 11 groups of Al Quaeda terrorists hijacked planes
and crashed them into the New York City World Trade Towers, the Pentagon,
and a field in Pennsylvania. President Bush declares a "war on
terrorism"
The stock market began a major slide, culminating in the Enron
bankruptcy in December, coincidentally the same month Lutheran Brotherhood
and Aid Association for Lutherans merged to form what would later be named
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
|
2001 |
he Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) was involved Feb. 4 in the international launch of the World
Council of Churches Decade to Overcome Violence: Churches Seeking
Peace and Reconciliation (2001-2010).
ELCA's Division for Church in Society launches an onlne Journal
of Lutheran Ethics -- a forum for discussing Christian ethics from a
Lutheran perspective.
The ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Indianapolis elected Mark
S. Hanson presiding bishop, authorized the "Stand
With Africa" program, appended a bylaw to the document "Called
to Common Mission." requested two sexuality-related
studies and a new evangelism
strategy.
|
| Conflict in the Middle East dominated news all year:
Israeli-Palestine issues at first, then escalation of pressure on Iraq by
the international community, especially the United States. |
2002 |
The Rev. James M. Childs Jr. is named to direct a four-year study on
homosexuality, and a task force appointed to assist him.
The ELCA, Involved in a variety of ministries in continuing response to the 2001 terrorist
attacks through Lutheran Disaster Response-New York. developed Camp New Ground, a ministry
for children affected by trauma, and "Solidarity Weekend." During that weekend, some 200 ELCA pastors, including at
least 32 of the church's 65 synod bishops, went to New York April 6-7 in a show of support for ELCA pastors, congregations and ministries.
The visiting pastors preached in most New York-area ELCA congregations
April 7.
Due to declines in income tied to lower investment earnings and drops in bequests, the ELCA churchwide
organization announced a mid-year spending reduction of $2,415,000. Lutheran Immigration and Refugee
Service, Baltimore, cut staff and reorganized. Lutheran Social Services of Illinois reduced
staff and spending, and Lutheran Social Services of Kansas and Oklahoma closed its doors.
|