ELCA Ecumenical Life PowerPoint Presentation - From grass-roots to seminaries and your local congregation -- 27 minutes long with discussion questions, pictures, and a brief history of ecumenism in the ELCA
 

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A Reflection on Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations by Dr. Michael R. Trice, ELCA Office for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations 

The Faith and Order Commission of the National Council of Churches USA will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary July 19-23, 2007, by returning to Oberlin, Ohio, for a conference titled, "On Being Christian Together: The Faith and Order Experience in the United States." The celebration will consider where Faith and Order has been, its current gifts, and its future life.  The meeting will both celebrate the achievements of Faith and Order in the United States and explore the ecumenical significance of Oberlin as a place, combining repentance for continuing disunity with joyful worship in response to the unity the churches already experience in Jesus Christ. 

NEW  New Horizons Journal -- Emerging Leaders Speak About New Trends in Faith and Order

• Daily Themes:

  - Thursday: Journeying Together for Fifty Years

  - Friday: The Nature of Our Journey

  - Saturday: The Context of Our Journey

  - Sunday: The Future of Our Journey

  - Monday: Tools for Our Journey
   

Film Festival -- View HERE!  The celebration includes a screening of ten short films that addresses themes of healing of memories, cultural difference, epistemological fragmentation, and personal transformation.  The films will try to illuminate the complexities, challenges, joys, and beauty of being Christian together.

Ecumenical and Inter Religious Scholarships --
Summer 2007!!

• ELCA sponsored ecumenical scholarships -- Visit WEBSITE
• Religions for Peace USA Interfaith Academy for Religious Leaders -- Register TODAY
• Pilgrimage to Taize, France -- Register TODAY
• Georgetown Summer Institute for Pastors and Pastoral Workers on Islam and Muslim-Christian Relations -- Register Today

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Joint ELCA-UMC Resource - Confessing Our Faith Together:  A Discussion and Study Guide is designed so that the ELCA and UMC congregations learn about Full Communion between our churches. 

Download the study guide:

Color PDF | Black and White PDF

Read more about the ELCA's bilateral dialogues with other churches!

• In celebration of Interim Eucharistic Sharing between the ELCA and the United Methodist Church in USA , the First United Methodist Church in Pasadena, CA hosted  a Worship service on May 7, 2006 at 3:00 P.M.
  - Click here to view the invitation

• The Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church
   

• Learn about The United Nation Millennium Development Goals
• The Episcopal Church: ONE Campaign to make Poverty History  and Insertos para boletines dominicales sobre los Objetivos de Desarrollo del  Milenio
• The ONE Campaign: Become a ONE Lutheran Congregation
• Hunger, poverty can be diminished by political action, charity head says
• Religious Leaders Call for Restoration of Medicaid Coverage

NEW ELCA Presiding Bishop Calls for Action and Advocacy on Global Warming

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The Tenth Biennial Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will be held at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, August 6-11, 2007.

• Theme: Living in God's amazing grace : Thanks be to God!

• Mission and Daily Worship

• Site: Navy Pier - Chicago, Illinois

ELCA represented at Anglican conference on global poverty and HIV

The Rev. Callon W. Holloway, Jr., bishop of the Southern Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), was one of three ELCA representatives at the "Towards Effective Anglican Mission" (TEAM) conference March 7-14 in Boksburg, South Africa. Billed as "an international conference on prophetic witness, social development, and HIV and AIDS," the conference aimed to enhance current initiatives in social outreach work to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

The conference consisted of worship, Bible study, workshops and plenary sessions, culminating in the development of 10 recommendations for dioceses and parishes of the Anglican Communion toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The Most Rev. Rowan Williams, archbishop of Canterbury, was a keynote speaker.

Holloway described the highlight of the conference as "the opportunity for networking and learning about how our full communion partners are approaching the Millennium Development Goals as we move forward together in God's mission." Kimberly C. Stietz, director for international policy, ELCA Washington Office, and the Rev. Philip J. Knutson, program assistant for Southern Africa, ELCA Global Mission, also participated in the conference.

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What is Conciliar Ecumenism?

National Council of Churches of Christ (NCCC)

• NCCC Joins Religious Mideast Peace Effort

• Interfaith Relations Commission

• Standing in the Gap: A reflection on the U.S. Christian Delegation's Visit to Iran

• American religious delegation travels to Iran to seek peace

• NCCC suggests Attorney General Gonzales cast interfaith net on religious freedom plan

• Attorney General Gonzales touts religious-freedom plan to SBC; others question Bush record

• Attorney General Gonzales announces ‘First Free

Christian Churches Together in the USA (CCT)

• CCT formally launched as an organization in Pasadena, California; Importance on evangelism and an end to poverty. Click here to view pictures!

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Lutheran World Federation Celebrates 60th Anniversary in Lund, Sweden

• View this historic event HERE and read Lutheran World International -- 60 Years

• ELCA Council Urges Synods to Join in LWF’s 60th Anniversary Celebrations

• LWF General Secretary Urges Palestinian Parties’ Commitment to Resolving Middle East Crisis

• Total Membership of LWF Churches Increases to Just Under 66.7 Million

• PowerPoint slide shows about the Lutheran World Federation projects in Jerusalem,  including Augusta Victoria Hospital.
   

NEW  The Apostolicity of the Church

The international Lutheran-Catholic Commission on Unity offers a study-document with visible steps toward the unity of the Lutheran and Catholic churches. The commission’s document treats (1) the church’s apostolic character in continuity with its original foundation, (2) the apostolicity of its ordained ministry, and (3) the means it has for maintaining faith and teaching in that truth which the apostles communicated once and for all to the churches.  

Anglican Lutheran Society  Web Site!  Bringing Lutherans and Anglican closer...read more! 'Aspects of Reconciliation' is the topic for the 2007 Conference that will be held in All Hallows College, Dublin, Ireland, Friday 7th to Tuesday 11th September 2007. Dr. Michael Trice and Dr. Randy Lee will attend on behalf of the ELCA. Read more about the conference and see brochure.

POPE BENEDICT XVI Celebrates 80th Birthday

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, sent a letter of congratulations and best wishes.  "I pray that your ministry of vision and friendship as Bishop of Rome and primate of the Roman Catholic Church will continue for many years to come," Hanson wrote.  The full text of the letter is attached to a Lutheran World Information news release.

World Council of Churches (WCC)

- Lutheran World Federation 60th Anniversary Celebrations on Web March 25

- WCC supports groundbreaking global framework to fight climate change

- Churches need to be "vigilant" about nuclear proliferation WCC governing body says

- Churches urged to support UN Peacebuilding Commission

WCC Central Committee in Geneva, Switzerland (August 6 - September 30, 2007) - The central committee serves as the main decision-making body of the WCC between assemblies. This is the first meeting of the new committee, elected last February at the 9th Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil. It will decide on program plans and a renewed organizational structure, and will appoint a series of advisory bodies. Read more here.

- Reflections on a new ecumenical epoch - A new book, "Called to the One Hope", - authored by WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, offers reflections on the ecumenical movement based on his personal experiences and travels.

- European church representatives committed to overcome violence

- Meeting of WCC Commission on World Mission and Evangelism

- Coordinator of International Ecumenical Peace Convocation to Visit US

- Building an interfaith community is the theme of the seminar offered by Ecumenical

- Institute of Bossey in July 2007. Deadline for Applications March 31, 2007.
 Bossey Institute strengthens teaching faculty

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lnter-Religious Resource:

Windows for Understanding: Jewish, Muslim, Lutheran Relations

This resource offers opportunities to learn more and become better informed. You are invited to explore Windows and grow in your faith. We encourage you to send us your comments and suggestions by filling out the Evaluation Form on back of Windows.

ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations designed a new page for Inter-Religious Relations. Visit our web site and send your comments at /ecumenical/

• ELCA Strategy for Peace in the Middle East

• ELCA Social Statement for Peace in God's World

• Inter-Religious Resources from other Churches including Discussing Tough Issues, a resource from the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.

• The Lutheran - Theme of the March 2007: "Meet the Neighbors"

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The LERN network is a group of ELCA clergy and laypeople appointed by their synodical bishops throughout the ELCA.  They are the eyes and ears of ecumenism in their synods.  LERN reps meet annually at the National Workshop on Christian Unity and with staff members of the ELCA  Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations Office. These representatives and the LERN Executive Committee meet the challenge of the ELCA’s strategic directions to authentically “step forward as a public church, support congregations, assist synods, produce wise and courageous leaders, and deepen and extend our... ecumenical relationships.”

LERNing May 2007 - This issue of LERNing highlights recent meetings of the LERN Board and the Network’s officers. Also included are articles on ecumenical and interfaith activities in California. Finally, information is provided on the upcoming anniversary celebration for the Faith and Order Commission.

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• Executive Order Gives Vatican's UN Personnel Diplomatic Immunity (Whitehouse News Release HERE)

• ELCA Presiding Bishop's Statement on Virginia Tech Tragedy

• Lutherans Provide Emotional, Spiritual Care at Virginia Tech

• ELCA, LWR Join Other Faith Groups in Advocacy on the Farm Bill

• Ecumenical News International (ENI).

• Lutheran Bishop of Canada Greets ELCA Church Council

• Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue Continues 'Hope of Eternal Life' Theme

• LWF Council Calls for Cooperation with Palestinian Leaders, End to Blockade

• Journal of Lutheran Ethics March 2007

• ELCA represented at Anglican conference on global poverty and HIV

• Inter-Religious Organizations, Resources, and Links.

• www.lutherlink.org is one of many religious networks joined in Ecunet, the world's longest-running ecumenical online community. You can sign up here or call 800/733-2863.

• WCC UPDATE: Christ's call to unity is 21st century church challenge

• Churches  World-Wide To  Participate  In Major  Mobilization For Peace

• Religions for Peace - USA April 2007 E-Newsletter

• Cardinal Bea Center for Judaic Studies Launches New Newsletter - Read HERE

• New York Times Explores Relations Between Metro NY Area Muslims

• Violence Keeps American Muslims from Making Pilgrimage to Iraq

• http://www.beliefnet.com

• http://www.religionwriters.com

• http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/current/headlines.html

• http://religionclause.blogspot.com/

• http://meaningoflife.tv/

• http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news/news.shtml

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