http://www.elca.org/newsOfficial news releases of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Americahttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rssen-usSat, 4 Oct 2008 22:16:31 GMTEvangelical Lutheran Church in America. All Rights Reserved.20http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3967http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3967Sat, 4 Oct 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Alan R. Anderson, a former president of Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis., died Sept. 28 at his home in Racine, Wis. He was 86 years old. Carthage is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). A celebration of Anderson's life was held Oct. 3 at Carthage's A. F. Siebert Chapel. Born Sept. 30, 1921, in Rockford, Ill., Anderson graduated from Rockford High School in 1939 and served in the U.S. Navy during Worl...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3966http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3966Fri, 3 Oct 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A quilt created by Nigerian women who are HIV-positive is now available to the congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The 22-by-24 foot quilt, weighing more than 65 pounds, is based on a painting by Dr. He Qi, a Chinese Christian artist. The quilt was used as a stage backdrop during the 2008 ELCA Global Mission Event this summer. It illustrates three biblical stories of "accompaniment" -- a method of mission defined by ELCA Glob...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3965http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3965Wed, 1 Oct 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is adding television to a pilot advertising campaign with the tag line, "God's work. Our hands." The Travel Channel is broadcasting two 30-second spots a total of about 60 times from Sept. 29 through Oct. 12 on cable and satellite television. The limited run of television spots is meant to "give ELCA members an idea of what it would be like to see this church's ministry stories being told in a very public way...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3964http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3964Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutherans have produced a cookbook -- "Food for Life: Recipes and Stories on the Right to Food" -- that calls attention to the global food crisis. Containing more than 100 recipes from around the world, the cookbook features stories, photographs and table blessings illustrating how Lutherans take part in food production, addressing issues of food scarcity, sharing culturally nutritious dishes and more. "As Lutherans in North America, we cannot live without o...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3963http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3963Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- At least 75 young adult Lutherans of African descent will travel to Atlanta from across the United States and Caribbean for "Sitting at the Welcome Table," Oct. 2- 5, the second national conference designed to help leaders aged 19-35 find their roles in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). "I am sure that the future of the ELCA, as well as our local congregations and synods, will be in good hands once these future leaders return to their homes i...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3962http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3962Fri, 26 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- People are re-entering Galveston, Texas, and it is "incredibly emotional," according to the Rev. Michael W. Rinehart, bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, Houston. Along with synod staff and others, Rinehart will travel to Galveston Sept. 26 to survey damage left behind from Hurricane Ike. "We're bringing generators, food and water," he said. Most of the 122 congregations in the synod "have been impacted in...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3961http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3961Thu, 25 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- More than 270 mission personnel of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are serving in 48 countries, and about 30 more Lutherans -- plus 14 members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (PCUSA) and three members of the Reformed Church in America (RCA) -- will begin mission service this fall in Asia, the Middle East and other parts of the world. PCUSA and RCA are two of five "full communion" partners of the ELCA. Lutherans from the United States hav...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3960http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3960Mon, 22 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT LUTHERSTADT WITTENBERG, Germany (ELCA) -- The Sept. 20-21 kickoff of the "Luther Decade" here was significant for all Lutherans because it offered opportunities for evangelism and "deep theological conversation" among Lutherans and ecumenical partners, said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), made the comments Sept. 21 during a news conference here. Hanson partici...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3959http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3959Mon, 22 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT LUTHERSTADT WITTENBERG, Germany (ELCA) -- Repentance is God's gift to the world through Jesus Christ, and it is one central theme of the ongoing Lutheran Reformation, said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, president of the 68.3 million-member Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Geneva, and presiding bishop of the 4.7 million-member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Chicago. Hanson made the comment in remarks here Sept. 20 at a groundbreaking ceremony for a Luther Garden, a pr...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3958http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3958Wed, 17 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Elected officials and candidates for public office should remember people living in poverty and speak about specific proposals to alleviate poverty, said the Rev. James F. Mauney, bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Virginia Synod, at a Sept. 16 prayer vigil on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. The prayer vigil concluded "Fighting Poverty with Faith: A Week of Action," Sept. 9-16, during which people representing a variety of faith groups calle...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3957http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3957Wed, 17 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- More than 2 million people have been affected by floods in Bihar, India, according to Megan E. Bradfield. Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) gave $100,000 Sept. 15 to help provide "life sustaining assistance" to 10,000 families affected by the flooding. The Kosi River changed its course, said Bradfield, associate director for international development, ELCA Global Mission. The river, which gathers water from some of the highest moun...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3956http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3956Wed, 17 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- As many as 22,417 participants registered during the 36 hours after registration opened online for the 2009 Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The registrants were from at least 1,392 congregations by midday Sept. 16. Registration is possible only online and is limited to 36,000 high-school-age and adult leaders for the gathering July 22-26, 2009, in New Orleans. Special consideration will be given to "congregations that h...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3955http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3955Tue, 16 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) and several other Lutheran organizations have joined a coalition of almost 3,000 organizations to promote September as "National Preparedness Month." The coalition is working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to increase public awareness about emergency preparedness through a variety of activities. "After a recent storm, I realized that despite my years of work in the area of disaster response and as a hospital ch...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3954http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3954Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In the wake of Hurricane Ike, the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Houston, has temporarily moved its office operation to St. Paul Lutheran Church of Phillipsburg, Brenham (Phillipsburg), Texas, reported the Rev. Michael W. Rinehart, bishop, ELCA Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod. Rinehart said synod staff continues to communicate with pastors and others regarding the status of ELCA congregations impacted ...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3953http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3953Fri, 12 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- More than 1 million people have evacuated along the U.S. Gulf Coast in anticipation of Hurricane Ike, which is expected to make landfall Sept. 12-13, according to the Rev. Kevin A. Massey, director, Lutheran Disaster Response -- a collaborative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). Although evacuation is essential, the process is a physical, emotional and financial hardship for many, he said. ...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3952http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3952Fri, 12 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Some of the greatest needs in Cuba and Haiti are securing food and clean water for survivors of the 2008 hurricane season, according to Megan Bradfield. In an effort to respond to the needs of people in the two Caribbean islands, members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provided funds Sept. 11 to help secure life-sustaining resources. Through ELCA International Disaster Response, Lutherans provided an initial $25,000 to support immediate r...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3951http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3951Thu, 4 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are preparing to create caring and welcoming places for returning veterans and their families. "Care for Returning Veterans" is a series of workshops being held through January across the United States. The workshops are designed to prepare pastors, caregivers and others interested in providing "care and hospitality for our brothers and sisters who have been impacted by the trauma and stress o...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3950http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3950Tue, 2 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are responding in the aftermath of tropical storms and hurricanes, waiting to assess the damage of Hurricane Gustav and preparing for the remainder of the 2008 hurricane season. "We are in difficult days," said the Rev. Kevin A. Massey, director, Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR). "It is important for us all to stay in close communication with each other, to remain deeply in prayer for the needs of ...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3949http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3949Tue, 2 Sep 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Members of Trinity Lutheran Church, Ashland, Ohio, believe their mission is "doing for others in our community." When personnel from a school in the area approached the congregation about using its new gym for an after-school program, Trinity saw an opportunity. But neither the congregation nor the school staff anticipated that the program would change the lives of children in special ways. The after-school program is not "a babysitting program," said Charm...http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3948http://archive.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?article=3948Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:00:00 GMT CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Two Ohio congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) -- one urban, one suburban -- will celebrate a "mission partners" covenant Sept. 6-7. The covenant commits Redeemer Lutheran Church, Toledo, and Zoar Lutheran Church, Perrysburg, to several activities "for the purpose of mutual support as we proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ in our own communities." "The two parishes are developing a reciprocal relationship linking an inner city...http://www.elca.org/ScriptLib/CO/ELCA_News/emblemforreleases.gifhttp://www.elca.org/news