Friday, November 23, 2007
'God's Work. Our Hands' resonates with Lutherans in Denver
You may have heard about the a pilot advertising project in the Denver metropolitan area in which staff of ELCA Communication Services, Chicago, and the ELCA Rocky Mountain Synod worked together with local Lutheran congregations. The pilot campaign was funded in part by a grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Minneapolis. The result was a series of billboards, signs and other printed information about the ELCA presented throughout the Denver area under the theme, "God's Work. Our Hands." Find the ads and other resources related to this project at http://www.elca.org/love on the Web.
At a recent meeting of the ELCA Church Council, Kristi Bangert, executive director, ELCA Communication Services, said in each ad, crosses were presented in an "iconic" way. Each ad told stories of the church in action, she said. The goal of the pilot project was to help ELCA members "own and tell" the story about their church. The project was a hit with Denver-area congregations -- members routinely would point to the ads and say, "That's my church," Bangert said.
Research results from the ad campaign are being compiled and should be available to the ELCA soon.
What's next? Other local areas are needed for possible future campaigns, Bangert said. A television component for the ad campaign is also being considered, she added.
At a recent meeting of the ELCA Church Council, Kristi Bangert, executive director, ELCA Communication Services, said in each ad, crosses were presented in an "iconic" way. Each ad told stories of the church in action, she said. The goal of the pilot project was to help ELCA members "own and tell" the story about their church. The project was a hit with Denver-area congregations -- members routinely would point to the ads and say, "That's my church," Bangert said.
Research results from the ad campaign are being compiled and should be available to the ELCA soon.
What's next? Other local areas are needed for possible future campaigns, Bangert said. A television component for the ad campaign is also being considered, she added.
Friday, October 26, 2007
PRSA: A conference worth attending
I had the pleasure of attending the international conference of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in Philadelphia this past week. Through the plenary sessions and workshops, I discovered again that there are many places where our communications work in the church intersects with the work others are doing in industry, advertising agencies and nonprofit organizations. The theme was "PR Evolution: Innovation, Collaboration, Influence."
The most important session I attended at this meeting was the first one, a plenary session in which Mia Farrow was the speaker. Mia Farrow? At a communication conference? I wondered about that. She was there not there to talk about her film career, but her experiences as an humanitarian activist for the people of Darfur. She was passionate in her descriptions of the genocide that is occurring there. Her enthusiasm for this difficult work is amazing. In the ELCA, we have been doing a lot of advocacy work for this region of the world, and I deeply appreciated Farrow's remarks. I also know that for many people in the audience -- nearly 3,500 people -- much of what she was describing was new information. For me, hers was the most important presentation I've heard this year. I only wish more could hear her message.
I went to a workshop called "Think the Press Release is Dead? Think Again." What I learned is that the work we've been doing to improve our delivery of ELCA News is precisely what we ought to be doing. The experts on this panel talked at length about combining written text with audio and video, and using things such as blogs, RSS feeds, podcasts, etc. In other words, use as many vehicles as you can to tell the story. I left this workshop knowing that we must continue to tell our stories in many forms. For example, you may have noticed recently that we're delivering more video news releases, and we continue to embed audio and pictures in our stories.
Tim Russert, host of NBC's "Meet the Press," among other things, said elected leaders in Washington, D.C. aren't communicating across party lines, and he described the atmosphere as "poisonous." Media outlets have contributed to this, encouraging politicians to attack each other and counterattack, he said. Further, the presidential candidates are not addressing questions with the specifics of what they will do if elected.
“This is the time to try to get commitments from these candidates, asking them repeatedly if necessary, ‘What are you going to do?’ Tell us specifically. Don’t just say, ‘We have to have a withdrawal from Iraq.’ Explain it. How many soldiers? What will be the consequences? What if genocide results? Give us your best sense of planning and preparation,” Russert said.
“We need to have the confidence that our next president has thought these things through the best as humanly possible, and has the judgment and inner strength to deal with problems that are going to confront us,” he said. “They are going to be enormous.”
As I listened to that, I wondered about the impact people of faith can play in engaging political candidates on these issues in the coming months.
Finally, I was impressed with the comments of Brian Tierney, chief executive officer, Philadelphia Media Holdings, and publisher of the The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News. Tierney used his experience in branding, marketing and advertising to turn the circulation slide of these papers completely around this year. How did he do it? Two basic strategies: Get the best journalists he could find to work for these publications and give them the tools and support they need to succeed -- and market what you publish. Tierney said when he assumed his current role, $300,000 was being spent to market the products of a $450 million company. It now spends some $14 million on the task and has done some other things to promote the publications, such as putting the Web address "philly.com" right under the masthead.
Now that sounds like a winning combination for any organization.
John B.
The most important session I attended at this meeting was the first one, a plenary session in which Mia Farrow was the speaker. Mia Farrow? At a communication conference? I wondered about that. She was there not there to talk about her film career, but her experiences as an humanitarian activist for the people of Darfur. She was passionate in her descriptions of the genocide that is occurring there. Her enthusiasm for this difficult work is amazing. In the ELCA, we have been doing a lot of advocacy work for this region of the world, and I deeply appreciated Farrow's remarks. I also know that for many people in the audience -- nearly 3,500 people -- much of what she was describing was new information. For me, hers was the most important presentation I've heard this year. I only wish more could hear her message.
I went to a workshop called "Think the Press Release is Dead? Think Again." What I learned is that the work we've been doing to improve our delivery of ELCA News is precisely what we ought to be doing. The experts on this panel talked at length about combining written text with audio and video, and using things such as blogs, RSS feeds, podcasts, etc. In other words, use as many vehicles as you can to tell the story. I left this workshop knowing that we must continue to tell our stories in many forms. For example, you may have noticed recently that we're delivering more video news releases, and we continue to embed audio and pictures in our stories.
Tim Russert, host of NBC's "Meet the Press," among other things, said elected leaders in Washington, D.C. aren't communicating across party lines, and he described the atmosphere as "poisonous." Media outlets have contributed to this, encouraging politicians to attack each other and counterattack, he said. Further, the presidential candidates are not addressing questions with the specifics of what they will do if elected.
“This is the time to try to get commitments from these candidates, asking them repeatedly if necessary, ‘What are you going to do?’ Tell us specifically. Don’t just say, ‘We have to have a withdrawal from Iraq.’ Explain it. How many soldiers? What will be the consequences? What if genocide results? Give us your best sense of planning and preparation,” Russert said.
“We need to have the confidence that our next president has thought these things through the best as humanly possible, and has the judgment and inner strength to deal with problems that are going to confront us,” he said. “They are going to be enormous.”
As I listened to that, I wondered about the impact people of faith can play in engaging political candidates on these issues in the coming months.
Finally, I was impressed with the comments of Brian Tierney, chief executive officer, Philadelphia Media Holdings, and publisher of the The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News. Tierney used his experience in branding, marketing and advertising to turn the circulation slide of these papers completely around this year. How did he do it? Two basic strategies: Get the best journalists he could find to work for these publications and give them the tools and support they need to succeed -- and market what you publish. Tierney said when he assumed his current role, $300,000 was being spent to market the products of a $450 million company. It now spends some $14 million on the task and has done some other things to promote the publications, such as putting the Web address "philly.com" right under the masthead.
Now that sounds like a winning combination for any organization.
John B.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
"The Ten Commandments" hits theaters
Oct. 19, 2007
This is an animated feature that is not to be missed. The film is a superbly animated feature that closely follows Cecil B. Demille's original motion picture by the same name, which featured Charlton Heston. This version of The Ten Commandments is distributed by Promenade Pictures, a worldwide distributor of family films. This picture will appeal to children and adults, and it was meant for families to watch it together.
The film features some big Hollywood names as the voices of the key characters: Christian Slater as Moses, Alfred Molina as Ramses and Elliott Gould as God. Ben Kingsley is the film's narrator.
The film is the story of Moses' life, focusing on his relationship with Ramses, the Egyptian king, leading the Jews out of Egypt to the Promised Land, parting the Red Sea and destroying Ramses' army. The film concludes with Moses' death, after he saw the Promised Land but was not allowed to cross into it.
Prior to its release, there was some controversy involving The Ten Commandments and Radio Disney, which asked for the word "God" to be stricken from advertisements for the movie. Promenade President and Chief Operating Officer Cindy Bond complied with the request, because Radio Disney's listeners are the core audience for the film, she said. Viewers of the film will hear plenty about God and Scripture, but the feature is not overly heavy in its use of "God" language.
I watched a DVD of the movie on a computer screen. This is a picture filled with colorful animated scenery and large landscapes that is meant to be watched on the big screen. Families will enjoy this film, and it provides the basis for more discussion later.
John B.
This is an animated feature that is not to be missed. The film is a superbly animated feature that closely follows Cecil B. Demille's original motion picture by the same name, which featured Charlton Heston. This version of The Ten Commandments is distributed by Promenade Pictures, a worldwide distributor of family films. This picture will appeal to children and adults, and it was meant for families to watch it together.
The film features some big Hollywood names as the voices of the key characters: Christian Slater as Moses, Alfred Molina as Ramses and Elliott Gould as God. Ben Kingsley is the film's narrator.
The film is the story of Moses' life, focusing on his relationship with Ramses, the Egyptian king, leading the Jews out of Egypt to the Promised Land, parting the Red Sea and destroying Ramses' army. The film concludes with Moses' death, after he saw the Promised Land but was not allowed to cross into it.
Prior to its release, there was some controversy involving The Ten Commandments and Radio Disney, which asked for the word "God" to be stricken from advertisements for the movie. Promenade President and Chief Operating Officer Cindy Bond complied with the request, because Radio Disney's listeners are the core audience for the film, she said. Viewers of the film will hear plenty about God and Scripture, but the feature is not overly heavy in its use of "God" language.
I watched a DVD of the movie on a computer screen. This is a picture filled with colorful animated scenery and large landscapes that is meant to be watched on the big screen. Families will enjoy this film, and it provides the basis for more discussion later.
John B.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Personal Log: Working with Lutheran Disaster Response
I don't often get to do things in the ELCA that are strictly personal business, but this week I've got that opportunity. I write to you from Slidell, Louisiana, where I'm spending the week of Thanksgiving as a volunteer with Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR). LDR is here engaged in recovery and rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the severe flooding that followed. I came here on Sunday, Nov. 19 with 15 other members of my congregation, Redeemer Lutheran Church in Park Ridge, Ill.
I came here for two reasons: I used to live in Baton Rouge, La. (about 60 miles west), and I know many of my friends and former colleagues have been affected by the storm and its aftermath. I also wanted to see our church at work.
LDR's set-up here in Slidell is impressive. They've really thought through a lot of things, and they are well-equipped to handle volunteers. Those of us who are volunteers are staying at Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Slidell which has the quarters and staff available to handle volunteers. This week there are volunteers from Ohio, California, Pennsylvania and our group. Today we had an orientation session, and then we were sent to a duplex home in a neighborhood in Chalmette, La. That area is in St. Bernard Parish, southeast of New Orleans. The storm and flood devasted this area. There are FEMA trailers at some houses, and other houses are completely empty. It's like a ghost town in some places. The city looks like something bad happened here. There are a lot of broken trees and businesses that are closed. But slowly I guess people and businesses are starting to come back.
The duplex we were sent to has remained untouched since the storm 14 months ago. All of us must wear coveralls, three sets of gloves, boots, respirators, goggles and hardhats. It's really cumbersome, but we sure needed the protection. If you can imagine everything in your house under about 8 feet of water, mud and whatever, then you can imagine what we were working in. It's hard work -- especially removing appliances -- but the homeowner sure did appreciate our being here. By the end of the week, we hope to have the duplex completely cleared, and all of the drywall and insulation out. Just the support beams and wall studs will be left. Then the owner can begin to rebuild.
I've heard there are many houses like this -- untouched because there is such an overwhelming mess that the owners just can't even begin to clean up. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of homes like this.
Anyway, it's an interesting experience just being here as a participant. It's also a bit strange, but gratifying, to be here again after being away for the past seven years.
John
I came here for two reasons: I used to live in Baton Rouge, La. (about 60 miles west), and I know many of my friends and former colleagues have been affected by the storm and its aftermath. I also wanted to see our church at work.
LDR's set-up here in Slidell is impressive. They've really thought through a lot of things, and they are well-equipped to handle volunteers. Those of us who are volunteers are staying at Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Slidell which has the quarters and staff available to handle volunteers. This week there are volunteers from Ohio, California, Pennsylvania and our group. Today we had an orientation session, and then we were sent to a duplex home in a neighborhood in Chalmette, La. That area is in St. Bernard Parish, southeast of New Orleans. The storm and flood devasted this area. There are FEMA trailers at some houses, and other houses are completely empty. It's like a ghost town in some places. The city looks like something bad happened here. There are a lot of broken trees and businesses that are closed. But slowly I guess people and businesses are starting to come back.
The duplex we were sent to has remained untouched since the storm 14 months ago. All of us must wear coveralls, three sets of gloves, boots, respirators, goggles and hardhats. It's really cumbersome, but we sure needed the protection. If you can imagine everything in your house under about 8 feet of water, mud and whatever, then you can imagine what we were working in. It's hard work -- especially removing appliances -- but the homeowner sure did appreciate our being here. By the end of the week, we hope to have the duplex completely cleared, and all of the drywall and insulation out. Just the support beams and wall studs will be left. Then the owner can begin to rebuild.
I've heard there are many houses like this -- untouched because there is such an overwhelming mess that the owners just can't even begin to clean up. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of homes like this.
Anyway, it's an interesting experience just being here as a participant. It's also a bit strange, but gratifying, to be here again after being away for the past seven years.
John
Saturday, November 04, 2006
ELCA Presiding Bishop, LWF President Visits Romanian Government Officials
BUCHAREST, Romania (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), met Oct. 30 with top officials of the Romanian government here. Accompanied by two bishops of Romanian Lutheran churches, the church leaders may have achieved one of their objectives -- to form partnerships with the government that could lead to cooperative social projects funded by the state and the churches.
Hanson, accompanied by his wife Ione, is in the midst of an eight-day visit to Hungary and Romania in his role as LWF president. They began their visit Oct. 26 as guests of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary. They traveled here Oct. 30.
The LWF is a global communion of 140 churches in 78 countries, comprising 66 million Lutherans.
Romania is a nation of 21 million citizens from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Most Romanians are Orthodox Christians; about 50,000 are Lutheran. Until 1989 the country was under Communist rule, and today it is continuing to develop as a democratic society.
During his visit to Romania, Hanson was accompanied by the Rev. D. Christoph Klein, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania, Silbiu/Hermannstadt, which primarily serves German-speaking Romanians, and the Rev. Dezso Zoltan Adorjani, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Romania, Cluj/Napoca, made up of mostly Hungarian-speaking Romanians. Klein is an LWF vice president; Adorjani is an advisor to the LWF Council.
They invited Hanson to Romania, asking him to help them work with the government on some specific concerns:
+ urge enactment of a new "Bill of Religions" to update an old law adopted in 1948
+ seek return of church property or restitution for church property seized by the former Communist rule
+ ask the state to address minorities, both national and religious; state and minority churches, and to ask for a draft a minority rights document required by the European Union
+ seek work on a bill of education and the situation of church schools and teaching
+ seek state-church partnerships in education, social, cultural and media activities
A key meeting took place Oct. 30 with Calin Popescu Tariceanu, prime minister of Romania. During the meeting Tariceanu asked Adrian Lemeni, secretary of state for religious affairs, Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs, "to undertake an effort to adopt legislation to enable us to become partners" with the Lutheran churches.
The prime minister also said he wanted the Lutherans to be more involved in education projects, and he said property restitution is an important issue.
"We have to provide restitution for the property despite the fact that sometimes we have problems at the local level. The law supports (restitution)," Tariceanu said. But such an effort requires significant budget dollars, he said. Ingrid Zaarour, president, National Authority for Property Restitutions, was also in the meeting.
In an earlier meeting, Lemeni said he was hopeful the Parliament will adopt a bill on religions by year's end.
"Our main concern is to have this law as soon as possible," said Adorjani.
Restitution of property is more complex, requiring documentation, though some restitution has been made, Lemeni said.
Adorjani said "process problems" at the local level have slowed restitution efforts considerably.
The Lutheran bishops met with Anton Niculescu, secretary of state for foreign relations; Ted Tanoue, chief advisor of the political department, U.S. Embassy, Bucharest; Adrian Iorgulescu, minister of cults and culture; and Bela Marko, vice prime minister.
At a luncheon meeting Marko told the Lutherans, "We are trying to fix mistakes of the Communists against the church, and we have much to correct. We have created a framework for churches to get their property back."
"We want to accelerate adoption of a law concerning churches," Marko continued. "Your attention and your interest in what's going on in Romania honors us."
At the U.S. Embassy Tanoue said Romanians have achieved a great deal economically, including the government's decision to join the European Union effective Jan. 1. The Romanian economy has an annual growth rate of 7 to 8 percent per year, he added.
Bishops pleased with government commitments
The Lutheran bishops held a joint news conference here at the Evangelical Lutheran Church following the meetings with the Romanian officials.
"The Lutheran churches in Romania are ready to be partners with the private sector and with government in expanding schools, hospitals and services to those who live in poverty. We were very pleased that we heard the prime minister making a strong commitment toward making this a greater possibility in Romanian society," Hanson said.
Hanson said he was pleased Romanian government officials said they were concerned about restitution issues too and "would work with us." He said language for a new bill on religions has been agreed upon by Romanian church leaders and was adopted by one of the two houses of Parliament.
"We hope by the end of the year Romania will adopt this new law," he said.
Hanson's visits with government and church leaders here have helped the Lutherans' local visibility and self-confidence, Klein said.
"It's very important because we are a minority church," he said. "Romanian people, also Orthodox people, know very little about this church and are sometimes confused with other small churches. We are a big church in terms of (the) world. We are a big family. We also have a part in the leadership in the family of the LWF.''
Adorjani said he felt the LWF and its president had made a difference for the local Lutheran churches in working with the government. "It was a political signal that first of all Lutheranism is a serious organization, a serious church. A signal was most important to give, and the perception was good, as I saw. The prime minister was very sympathetic and open, and he promised us something to move on. I think it was very important," he said.
"Maybe it was a first step to show, even for the Romanian society, that we are multicultural, and multi-ethnic and multi-religious. We are different. This difference is a constructive part of this country," Adorjani added.
The Hansons traveled by car Oct. 30 to Transylvania in northwestern Romania. The LWF president spent Reformation Day, Oct. 31, with local pastors. He also preached a Reformation sermon at the historic "Black Church" in Bra?ov, Transylvania.
---
Information about the Lutheran World Federation, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Romania and the Evangelical Lutheran Church C.A. in Romania is at http://www.lutheranworld.org/ on the Web.
Comments of Bishop Hanson from the news conference are at: http://media.ELCA.org/audionews/061102A.mp3
Comments of Bishop Klein from the news conference are at: http://media.ELCA.org/audionews/061102B.mp3
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
Hanson, accompanied by his wife Ione, is in the midst of an eight-day visit to Hungary and Romania in his role as LWF president. They began their visit Oct. 26 as guests of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary. They traveled here Oct. 30.
The LWF is a global communion of 140 churches in 78 countries, comprising 66 million Lutherans.
Romania is a nation of 21 million citizens from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Most Romanians are Orthodox Christians; about 50,000 are Lutheran. Until 1989 the country was under Communist rule, and today it is continuing to develop as a democratic society.
During his visit to Romania, Hanson was accompanied by the Rev. D. Christoph Klein, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania, Silbiu/Hermannstadt, which primarily serves German-speaking Romanians, and the Rev. Dezso Zoltan Adorjani, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Romania, Cluj/Napoca, made up of mostly Hungarian-speaking Romanians. Klein is an LWF vice president; Adorjani is an advisor to the LWF Council.
They invited Hanson to Romania, asking him to help them work with the government on some specific concerns:
+ urge enactment of a new "Bill of Religions" to update an old law adopted in 1948
+ seek return of church property or restitution for church property seized by the former Communist rule
+ ask the state to address minorities, both national and religious; state and minority churches, and to ask for a draft a minority rights document required by the European Union
+ seek work on a bill of education and the situation of church schools and teaching
+ seek state-church partnerships in education, social, cultural and media activities
A key meeting took place Oct. 30 with Calin Popescu Tariceanu, prime minister of Romania. During the meeting Tariceanu asked Adrian Lemeni, secretary of state for religious affairs, Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs, "to undertake an effort to adopt legislation to enable us to become partners" with the Lutheran churches.
The prime minister also said he wanted the Lutherans to be more involved in education projects, and he said property restitution is an important issue.
"We have to provide restitution for the property despite the fact that sometimes we have problems at the local level. The law supports (restitution)," Tariceanu said. But such an effort requires significant budget dollars, he said. Ingrid Zaarour, president, National Authority for Property Restitutions, was also in the meeting.
In an earlier meeting, Lemeni said he was hopeful the Parliament will adopt a bill on religions by year's end.
"Our main concern is to have this law as soon as possible," said Adorjani.
Restitution of property is more complex, requiring documentation, though some restitution has been made, Lemeni said.
Adorjani said "process problems" at the local level have slowed restitution efforts considerably.
The Lutheran bishops met with Anton Niculescu, secretary of state for foreign relations; Ted Tanoue, chief advisor of the political department, U.S. Embassy, Bucharest; Adrian Iorgulescu, minister of cults and culture; and Bela Marko, vice prime minister.
At a luncheon meeting Marko told the Lutherans, "We are trying to fix mistakes of the Communists against the church, and we have much to correct. We have created a framework for churches to get their property back."
"We want to accelerate adoption of a law concerning churches," Marko continued. "Your attention and your interest in what's going on in Romania honors us."
At the U.S. Embassy Tanoue said Romanians have achieved a great deal economically, including the government's decision to join the European Union effective Jan. 1. The Romanian economy has an annual growth rate of 7 to 8 percent per year, he added.
Bishops pleased with government commitments
The Lutheran bishops held a joint news conference here at the Evangelical Lutheran Church following the meetings with the Romanian officials.
"The Lutheran churches in Romania are ready to be partners with the private sector and with government in expanding schools, hospitals and services to those who live in poverty. We were very pleased that we heard the prime minister making a strong commitment toward making this a greater possibility in Romanian society," Hanson said.
Hanson said he was pleased Romanian government officials said they were concerned about restitution issues too and "would work with us." He said language for a new bill on religions has been agreed upon by Romanian church leaders and was adopted by one of the two houses of Parliament.
"We hope by the end of the year Romania will adopt this new law," he said.
Hanson's visits with government and church leaders here have helped the Lutherans' local visibility and self-confidence, Klein said.
"It's very important because we are a minority church," he said. "Romanian people, also Orthodox people, know very little about this church and are sometimes confused with other small churches. We are a big church in terms of (the) world. We are a big family. We also have a part in the leadership in the family of the LWF.''
Adorjani said he felt the LWF and its president had made a difference for the local Lutheran churches in working with the government. "It was a political signal that first of all Lutheranism is a serious organization, a serious church. A signal was most important to give, and the perception was good, as I saw. The prime minister was very sympathetic and open, and he promised us something to move on. I think it was very important," he said.
"Maybe it was a first step to show, even for the Romanian society, that we are multicultural, and multi-ethnic and multi-religious. We are different. This difference is a constructive part of this country," Adorjani added.
The Hansons traveled by car Oct. 30 to Transylvania in northwestern Romania. The LWF president spent Reformation Day, Oct. 31, with local pastors. He also preached a Reformation sermon at the historic "Black Church" in Bra?ov, Transylvania.
---
Information about the Lutheran World Federation, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Romania and the Evangelical Lutheran Church C.A. in Romania is at http://www.lutheranworld.org/ on the Web.
Comments of Bishop Hanson from the news conference are at: http://media.ELCA.org/audionews/061102A.mp3
Comments of Bishop Klein from the news conference are at: http://media.ELCA.org/audionews/061102B.mp3
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
Sunday, October 29, 2006
ELCA NEWS SERVICE
October 27, 2006
ELCA Presiding Bishop Visits Hungary in LWF President Role
06-161-JB
BUDAPEST, Hungary (ELCA) -- In his first official visit to a European church since he became president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the Rev. Mark S. Hanson paid tribute to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary (ELCH), pointing out the contributions of the LWF Assembly held here in 1984.
Hanson, who is presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), is visiting with church and government leaders here before traveling to Romania next week. His wife, Ione, is accompanying him. In his role as LWF president, Hanson periodically visits LWF churches.
The LWF is a global communion of 140 Lutheran churches in 78 countries representing 66 million Lutherans.
In opening remarks to church leaders, Hanson said he wanted to visit Lutherans in Hungary and Romania because he wanted them to know they belong to a global Lutheran organization.
Lutheranism in Hungary dates back to the beginnings of the Protestant Reformation in the early 1600s, inspired by the teachings of Martin Luther, a German monk and church reformer.
"It's a fact that most Hungarians became Lutherans in the first decade of the Reformation," said the Rev. János Ittzés, presiding bishop of the ELCH, in comments at Hanson's initial meeting with church leaders Oct. 26. Later, many became "Calvinists," he said. Today there are about 300,000 Lutherans in 300 congregations in Hungary, he said.
Throughout its history the Hungarian church has been deeply affected by the political situations. Losses in membership occurred following World War I and during the Communist occupation that followed World War II through 1989, when the Cold War ended, Ittzés said.
This week marked the 50th anniversary of the unsuccessful uprising against Communist rule. The commemoration was marred by protests, fueled by unhappiness with the current prime minister. "God has kept his church even in the hardest time," Ittzés said.
Hanson also learned about the church's only seminary, the Lutheran Theological University. The seminary, which has 200 students, will mark its 450th anniversary in 2007, said the Rev. András Korányi, assistant lecturer.
Hanson noted that the 1984 assembly here was "a very significant assembly" in the life of the LWF. That assembly adopted "altar and pulpit fellowship" with all churches that upheld the Augsburg Confession, said apartheid in South Africa was heresy and suspended churches that upheld such policies, and lifted the roles of women and youth in the LWF.
"We want to continue to work for the full inclusion of women and youth in the LWF," Hanson said.
In a question-and-answer session Hanson said he enjoys meeting young Lutherans when he travels because he says they are interested in the "structures of the church."
"They have a desire to experience the presence of God in their lives, and they want to be part of a church that is making a difference in the world," he said.
The LWF president told the ELCH staff there are four challenges today for the LWF and its member churches: reaching out to people of other faiths and determining how it will interact with Jews and Muslims especially; confronting HIV and AIDS; understanding the Word of God and the authority of Scripture; and meeting its financial needs to remain a viable and interdependent organization.
During the meeting the Hansons were shown the original handwritten Last Will and Testament of Luther, a document that was written in the 1540s. It was presented as a gift to the Lutheran Church here in the 19th century and has remained in the church's possession since.
October 27, 2006
ELCA Presiding Bishop Visits Hungary in LWF President Role
06-161-JB
BUDAPEST, Hungary (ELCA) -- In his first official visit to a European church since he became president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the Rev. Mark S. Hanson paid tribute to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary (ELCH), pointing out the contributions of the LWF Assembly held here in 1984.
Hanson, who is presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), is visiting with church and government leaders here before traveling to Romania next week. His wife, Ione, is accompanying him. In his role as LWF president, Hanson periodically visits LWF churches.
The LWF is a global communion of 140 Lutheran churches in 78 countries representing 66 million Lutherans.
In opening remarks to church leaders, Hanson said he wanted to visit Lutherans in Hungary and Romania because he wanted them to know they belong to a global Lutheran organization.
Lutheranism in Hungary dates back to the beginnings of the Protestant Reformation in the early 1600s, inspired by the teachings of Martin Luther, a German monk and church reformer.
"It's a fact that most Hungarians became Lutherans in the first decade of the Reformation," said the Rev. János Ittzés, presiding bishop of the ELCH, in comments at Hanson's initial meeting with church leaders Oct. 26. Later, many became "Calvinists," he said. Today there are about 300,000 Lutherans in 300 congregations in Hungary, he said.
Throughout its history the Hungarian church has been deeply affected by the political situations. Losses in membership occurred following World War I and during the Communist occupation that followed World War II through 1989, when the Cold War ended, Ittzés said.
This week marked the 50th anniversary of the unsuccessful uprising against Communist rule. The commemoration was marred by protests, fueled by unhappiness with the current prime minister. "God has kept his church even in the hardest time," Ittzés said.
Hanson also learned about the church's only seminary, the Lutheran Theological University. The seminary, which has 200 students, will mark its 450th anniversary in 2007, said the Rev. András Korányi, assistant lecturer.
Hanson noted that the 1984 assembly here was "a very significant assembly" in the life of the LWF. That assembly adopted "altar and pulpit fellowship" with all churches that upheld the Augsburg Confession, said apartheid in South Africa was heresy and suspended churches that upheld such policies, and lifted the roles of women and youth in the LWF.
"We want to continue to work for the full inclusion of women and youth in the LWF," Hanson said.
In a question-and-answer session Hanson said he enjoys meeting young Lutherans when he travels because he says they are interested in the "structures of the church."
"They have a desire to experience the presence of God in their lives, and they want to be part of a church that is making a difference in the world," he said.
The LWF president told the ELCH staff there are four challenges today for the LWF and its member churches: reaching out to people of other faiths and determining how it will interact with Jews and Muslims especially; confronting HIV and AIDS; understanding the Word of God and the authority of Scripture; and meeting its financial needs to remain a viable and interdependent organization.
During the meeting the Hansons were shown the original handwritten Last Will and Testament of Luther, a document that was written in the 1540s. It was presented as a gift to the Lutheran Church here in the 19th century and has remained in the church's possession since.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
'Evangelical Lutheran Worship' brings new life to worship
During the past five years, the ELCA News Service has written several stories about "Renewing Worship," a multi-year project of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) aimed at developing new worship resources. Last week, a key piece of this project became a reality for the church when the pew volume for "Evangelical Lutheran Worship" was released.
This is a positive for the church, and the quality of this volume speaks to the dedication of many people who worked on this for several years. Among them are the ELCA's worship team, editorial teams, artists, writers, designers, composers, and of course, the publisher, Augsburg Fortress.
The new burgundy-colored book is an attractive volume that's full of all kinds of worship resources for Lutheran congregations in the United States and Canada. Following an introduction that describes how the book was created, there is a detailed listing of the church year; 10 settings for Holy Communion, plus a Service of the Word; services for baptism, healing, funerals and marriages, plus special services for Holy Week. There are prayers, and in the back of the book is Martin Luther's Small Catechism.
There are almost 900 hymns (!), encompassing traditional favorites and newer hymns, some of which are written in languages other than English. Interestingly the editors decided to include The Psalms as the first 150 hymns -- since they are intended to be sung -- followed by hymns arranged by season or subject. I looked through the book and found a variety of familiar hymns. In the "National Songs" section, there are several well-known patriotic hymns familiar to those of us in the United States. There is also "O, Canada" the national anthem of Canada.
In the introduction to the hymn book, it states quite clearly that Evangelical Lutheran Worship is a "core" rather than "comprehensive" resource, which suggests there will be more resources in the future. And, we should remember that there are electronic versions of the Evangelical Lutheran Worship due out very soon, too.
There's a quote in the pew volume that sums it up for me: "Evangelical Lutheran Worship bears the rich tradition of Christian worship practiced among Lutherans, and, at the same time, seeks to renew that tradition in response to a generation of change in the church and the world."
Finally, the pew volume itself is well done -- it's a work of art that any Lutheran should be proud to show. Beth Lewis, president and CEO of Augsburg Fortress, says the book is sewn and not glued. It has a special bright white paper that takes several weeks to import. Careful attention went into the book's ingredients so that it would not become too big -- but it's rich.
What's the response of the church been? The Rev. Michael Burk, ELCA director for worship, says nearly 600,000 copies of the pew volume had been ordered through Oct. 6. That is something to be proud of and to cheer about. I hope you'll take a look at this new worship book in the near future.
John B.
This is a positive for the church, and the quality of this volume speaks to the dedication of many people who worked on this for several years. Among them are the ELCA's worship team, editorial teams, artists, writers, designers, composers, and of course, the publisher, Augsburg Fortress.
The new burgundy-colored book is an attractive volume that's full of all kinds of worship resources for Lutheran congregations in the United States and Canada. Following an introduction that describes how the book was created, there is a detailed listing of the church year; 10 settings for Holy Communion, plus a Service of the Word; services for baptism, healing, funerals and marriages, plus special services for Holy Week. There are prayers, and in the back of the book is Martin Luther's Small Catechism.
There are almost 900 hymns (!), encompassing traditional favorites and newer hymns, some of which are written in languages other than English. Interestingly the editors decided to include The Psalms as the first 150 hymns -- since they are intended to be sung -- followed by hymns arranged by season or subject. I looked through the book and found a variety of familiar hymns. In the "National Songs" section, there are several well-known patriotic hymns familiar to those of us in the United States. There is also "O, Canada" the national anthem of Canada.
In the introduction to the hymn book, it states quite clearly that Evangelical Lutheran Worship is a "core" rather than "comprehensive" resource, which suggests there will be more resources in the future. And, we should remember that there are electronic versions of the Evangelical Lutheran Worship due out very soon, too.
There's a quote in the pew volume that sums it up for me: "Evangelical Lutheran Worship bears the rich tradition of Christian worship practiced among Lutherans, and, at the same time, seeks to renew that tradition in response to a generation of change in the church and the world."
Finally, the pew volume itself is well done -- it's a work of art that any Lutheran should be proud to show. Beth Lewis, president and CEO of Augsburg Fortress, says the book is sewn and not glued. It has a special bright white paper that takes several weeks to import. Careful attention went into the book's ingredients so that it would not become too big -- but it's rich.
What's the response of the church been? The Rev. Michael Burk, ELCA director for worship, says nearly 600,000 copies of the pew volume had been ordered through Oct. 6. That is something to be proud of and to cheer about. I hope you'll take a look at this new worship book in the near future.
John B.
