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A Reflection
by Teresita Valeriano, ELCA LWF
Belonging to a Communion of Churches: A
Gift of Relationship
When you hear the
“Lutheran World Federation,” what comes first to your mind? A young
mother arriving at a refugee camp with her children? A farming
community in Cambodia benefiting from a LWF drilled deep well? Then
followed by an urge to respond by sending help to those who are
suffering in different parts of the world? Read
more...
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We express our sincere sorrow
and sympathy to the families of those who were killed
or
injured in the shootings last week at the Mercaz Harav
Yeshiva in Jerusalem," said
World Council of Churches (WCC)
general secretary
Read more... |
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ELCA Presiding
Bishop, NCC Leaders Express Sorrow over Jerusalem Shootings
SAN MATEO, Calif.
(ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA), joined leaders of National
Council of
Churches USA (NCC) member communions in a statement to
express shock
and sorrow over the March 6 shootings at the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva in
Jerusalem
Read
more... |
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 National Workshop on Christian Unity (NWCU) – April 14-17 in Chicago
Theme: "Equipping
Church Leaders to in the Quest for Christian Unity ".
This is the 41st
year of the NWCU which celebrates the spirit of ecumenism
Read more...
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 The
Fourth Annual Seminary Essay Contest Winning Essay
Mr. John Kalis, a student of Trinity Lutheran Seminary
in Columbus, Ohio
was chosen as the 2008 winner of the
contest. He will be presenting his
essay:
"Pray without Ceasing: The Lord's Prayer as a Model for
Christian
Unity and accompanying prayer for Christian unity
with explanation." The presentation of his essay will take place at the
National Workshop on
Christian Unity (NWCU)-April 14-17 in
Chicago. |
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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.
Please fill out the evaluation form and send it to us!
Download the ELCA study guide Confessing our Faith Together
Color
PDF | Black and White
PDF
Read more about the ELCA's bilateral dialogues with other
churches! |
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The American Association of
Interchurch Families National Conference
June 27- 29, 2008
Louisville
Presbyterian Theological Seminary-Louisville, KY
If you are an interchurch
family, meaning a couple from different Christian
traditions
and your support each other participating in both
traditions, or if you
are interested in, and/or support such
couples for families, this conference is
for you
Read more...
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 National Council of Churches An invitation
to prayer
The National Council of Churches is a
community of churches that is grounded
in God's amazing love
and, therefore, in prayer for one another. A letter of
invitation
to share locally in prayer and fellowship with
other members churches is shared
by the new General
Secretary, Michael Kinnamon and the President of the NCCC,
Archbishop Vicken Aykazian.
NCCC-Letter
to the Churches PDF
NCCC List of
Communions PDF |
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ELCA 'Draft Social Statement on Human Sexuality' Now
Available
The Task Force for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) studies on Sexuality released the 'Draft
Social Statement on Human Sexuality" March 13 for study and
response the 4.8 million-member ELCA. Responses to the
draft social statement are due to the task force.
Read more... |
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ELCA Presiding Bishop's 2008 Easter Message
"For you have
died, your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who
is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him
in glory." (Colossians 3:3-4)
Read more.... |
 ELCA -
Stewardship at the heart of the church
You
may be new to the task or your congregation may be new to the idea of Stewardship ministry.
These resources introduce solid stewardship principles to your leaders and
help lay a firm foundation to start you on your way.
 Money Leadership for
Thriving Congregations is a workshop for
Rostered Leaders and Faithful Stewards.
There are two formats- an overnight retreat or six small group sessions.
The focus is on household finances (Giving, Saving, Spending, Debt
Management, Financial Life Planning), and understanding money within the
congregational family system.
Through a series of paired and
small group discussions, participants will establish a scriptural
foundation for financial management and address
issues relevant to your
setting. Read
more.... |
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Global Mission Lenten Series- Living in Gods Grace, we reach
out with the love of God to our neighbors.
ELCA Global Mission is
pleased to provide this Lenten Worship Series, "Global
Companions: Who Is My Neighbor?" as a gift to
all congregations for use during
Lent,
either at mid-week services or for during Sunday worship.
This is the fifth
resource ELCA Global Mission has provided
for web distribution only. New for
2008 is an Easter Sunday
resource from Jerusalem.
Download bulletin
insert you can use to publicize this Lenten series:
PDF -
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North American Academy of Ecumenists-
Announces The 2008 Essay
Ecumenical
Ecclesiology: One Church of Christ for the Sake of the
World
The winning essay
writer will receive an award of $250, will attend the
2008
conference of the NAAE in St. Louis, MO, and may be invited
to present a
précis of the essay.
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Peace
not Walls-Stand for Justice in the Holy Land -
April 20-22, 2008
in Washington, D.C.
 Calming the Storm: Middle East
Peacemaking in a Turbulent Time
an upcoming advocacy
conference, is being held by the Churches for Middle East
Peace (CMEP) from Advocates from churches around the country are invited to
participate. This ecumenical conference will focus on US
policy and Middle East peacemaking with speakers, workshops,
advocacy preparation and a day
of lobbying your elected officials. |
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Vicious
cycle of violence returns to Holy Land, says Jerusalem Lutheran Bishop Younan after Israel attack
 The
vicious cycle of violence which tormented Israel and
Palestinians for years has returned, says Jerusalem Lutheran
Bishop Munib Younan following a shooting attack on a Jewish
religious seminary. "This will not save the Holy Land, it
will only unfortunately put it in a pool of blood," the
bishop told Ecumenical News International in a telephone
interview the day after the 6 March attack. "The
shooting attack is shocking but the whole past week has been
shocking"
Read more...
A letter from the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the
Holy Land
(ELCJHL)
expressing sincere condolences to all who mourn
the loss of loved ones and a
call to non-violence.
We in the
church have been steady and strong voices for non-violence.
As it says in one of our Lutheran schools, "violence is the
tool of the incompetent." I believe
it is also the tool of the desperate and the hopeless. This
is not to excuse any
violence on any side but to face the hard reality that
unless people have something to live for they have nothing
to lose
Read more...
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 World Council of Churches: 60 years of
fellowship
WCC central committee:
Making a difference together -
A festive
celebration at
Geneva's St. Pierre
Cathedral marked the
WCC
60th anniversary,
which is being
celebrated this year
under the theme
"Making a difference
together". Central
committee members as
well as
local church
representatives,
ecumenical partners
and international
guests gave thanks
to God for the gift
of a fellowship that
has endured
many challenges
through six decades
of existence.
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 Ecumenical Institute of Bossey
The
Ecumenical Institute at Bossey is the international centre
for encounter and formation of the World Council of
Churches. The Institute brings
together people from
diverse churches, and backgrounds
for ecumenical learning,
academic and personal exchange.
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Strasbourg 42nd International Ecumenical Seminar
 Institute
for Ecumenical Research Strasbourg, France - July 2-9, 2008
"Spiritual Ecumenism-Ecumenical Spirituality" - at some
levels at least,
the ecumenical movement seems to have come
to stagnation. There are
reasons to speak of a crisis
in the ecumenical movement. Thus different
kinds of
ecumenical spirituality have developed and have shaped what
today is understood as spiritual ecumenism this seminar will
be divided in
two
parts.
Information:
Inquiries by email should be directed either to
Theodor Dieter: Theodor_Dieter[AT]yahoo.de or
Elke Leypold: strasecum[AT]ecumenical-institute.org
(please replace [AT] by the sign @ )
Postal address:
Institute for Ecumenical Research
8, rue Gustave Klotz
F - 67000 Strasbourg, FRANCE |
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 National Muslim-Christian
Initiative Launches in North America
“This Initiative is part of ongoing
Muslim efforts to engage other faith communities in North
America, and to bring about an understanding of common goals
and reconciliation in our communities,” stated Dr. Syeed
Sayyid, National Director in the ISNA Office for Interfaith
and Community Alliances.
Representatives of
several Muslim organizations and Christian denominations
have launched a National Muslim-Christian Initiative
in
North America
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 Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. - June 22-June
28, 2008
The Institute on Muslim-Christian Relations for Pastors,
Pastoral Workers,
Imams & Muslim Community Leaders will
give the opportunity and time to
learn and reflect together
about the two religions and the history of relations
between
two faiths. Christians and Muslims are increasingly aware of the
need for a clearer understanding of one another for developing
closer
relationships
Read more... |
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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.
Additional
Inter-Religious
Links:
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 NEW
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Your Guide to Inter-Religious
Life in the ELCA
This guide will help you and your
congregation gain a hands-
on appreciation of the inter-religious
relations in the life of the
church. Navigate the waters of inter-religious relations, and
take
opportunities to learn more about how you can be part
of an important
journey.
 Your
Guide to Ecumenical Life in the ELCA
This guide will
you and your congregation gain a hands -on
understanding of
ecumenism in the life of your church. So what is
ecumenism? Explore
as you visit each place along the "ecumenical
landscape", take
the opportunity to learn more about an dhow you
and your
congregation can be part of this exciting journey.
Soon to come!
April 1, 2008 - Download as PDF file. |
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National Council of Churches USA-Kinnamon:
Ecumenists are 'hopeful realists"
The General
Secretary of the National Council of Churches
described
ecumenists as "hopeful realists" because of their
determination to hold together two religious streams that
are often considered in conflict: the pursuit of Christian
unity and social activism
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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 Newsletter
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March 2008 Issue
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 NEW
- The Lutheran World Federation
Deepening Faith, Hope and Love in Relations with
Neighbors
of other Faiths
Churches are facing complex interreligious realities.
These require a multidimensional approach that addresses
theological as well as societal aspects. Faith, hope and love are seen as three basic dimensions
in interreligious encounters that can be constructively
engaged and further deepened
Read more... |
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NEW
- Holy Land Mosaic: Stories of
Cooperation and Coexistence between
Israelis and Palestinians
 The unrelenting conflict between Jews
and Arabs in the Middle East is reported
daily, but the ongoing dialogue and
cooperation between the two is less known.
Holy Land Mosaic chronicles the less
reported side of the Middle East scene:
the ongoing project of conciliation
and coexistence between Israelis and
Palestinians, and between Arabs and
Jews in Israel
Read more... |
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NEW
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In
God's Name
Who is God?
What is death? What is worth dying for? How do you explain
fanaticism and violence waged in the name of God? Candid
responses by the world's great
spiritual leaders are accompanied by
never-before-published images of these leaders
as well as ordinary people engaged in religious practices
around the world
Read more...
Mark Hanson,
Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church In American and President of the Lutheran
World Federation is one of the featured leaders. |
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