Lutherans in the News

Seeing the church and the doors was plenty

2008-09-22T15:57:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had the most amazing experience. I'm writing from Germany, where I was with Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and president of the Lutheran World Federation. We were in Wittenberg, the town where Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the doors of the Castle Church in 1517. His theses questioned biblical interpretations and practices of the Catholic Church. What followed was the Lutheran or Protestant Reformation.

The purpose of our trip was for the bishop to participate in a series of events Sept. 20-21 that initiated the "Luther Decade." Local civic and church leaders are planning several events and activities over the next 10 years leading to 2017, the 500th anniversary of Luther's posting of the 95 Theses.

We went to the Castle Church, where Bishop Hanson preached Sept. 21, and we saw the most famous doors in the world. No doubt they were made of wood back then. Today they have been replaced by two large metal doors inscribed with the 95 Theses.

The night Bishop Hanson preached, we were invited to dinner with representatives of the Evangelical Church in Germany. I was seated next to the mayor of Wittenberg, Eckhard Naumann. He is the only mayor that Wittenberg has had since the former East German government collapsed in 1989. Naumann is an optimistic, upbeat person, who has an enormous opportunity to improve Wittenberg's prominence and its economic situation during the Luther Decade.

During our conversation, he said the city must plan meaningful activities and events to attract visitors, tourists and pilgrims. He said that seeing the doors wasn't really enough. I told him I would love to come back to Wittenberg someday, but for this weekend, seeing the Castle Church and the doors was plenty. I told him that for all of my life, since I was a child, I've heard the Reformation story of a German monk who defied church authorities by writing and posting his 95 Theses on a church door. The result was Luther's excommunication, the Reformation of the church, and the roots of Lutheranism. I told him it was a special moment for me to stand outside the church and to see the doors. I thought about all of those stories I heard when I was young and continue to hear today. For this weekend, I needed nothing else, I said to the mayor. In fact, I think for many Lutherans, just seeing where it all began would be very special.

We'll all be hearing a lot about the Luther Decade during the next several years. Check out the details on the Web at http://www.wittenberg.de and http://www.luther2017.de

Lutherans' work already underway in the wake of Gulf Coast hurricanes

2008-09-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

Lutheran Disaster Response, a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, has been busy in the past few weeks, responding to or preparing for a series of tropical storms and hurricanes. This ministry of the churches has a network of disaster coordinators already in place throughout the United States, primarily through Lutheran social ministry organizations and local church synods or districts. This week, staff was working with coordinators on the ground in Louisiana, following Hurricane Gustav, and preparing for Hurricane Ike, which was headed for southeast Texas. The people associated with this ministry are professionals, who deserve our support, through prayer and finances.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson also asked the ELCA to keep sisters and brothers in the Gulf Coast region in our thoughts and prayers. In a message to the ELCA Aug. 12, he wrote:

"I call on you to respond in the midst of danger and loss. While some are preparing for storms yet to come, others are fleeing from storms, and still others are rebuilding in the aftermath of disasters. I ask you to respond with your prayers, your generous gifts of time and money, your volunteer hours and skills, the open doors of your homes and churches, and your commitment to a sustaining presence for the long haul.

These expressions of our faith remind us that we are called by name and are bound together by our baptisms into community with those who suffer. Thank you for your generous and sustaining response in the midst of the disasters."

Lutheran bishops meet in Washington, D.C.

2008-09-13T09:26:00.000-07:00

This week, 28 bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met in Washington, D.C. to learn about the church's advocacy and to visit members of Congress. This is an annual gathering. It's a good chance for our bishops to become more engaged in advocacy in their regular ongoing work. What was really impressive is that the ELCA Washington Office staff had arranged more than 50 Capitol Hill meetings for the bishops, either with congressional staff from their districts or with members of Congress themselves. These personal connections are important for the church in our work related to such topics as farm and food issues, the environment, serving impoverished people, health care, immigration, HIV and AIDS, the Middle East, etc.

It was a privilege for me to address the ELCA bishops at this meeting about branding, communication and media relations.

ELCA Communicators Conference introduces 'God's Work, Our Hands'

2008-08-16T12:40:00.000-07:00

Communication Services of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) had the privilege of hosting about 175 communicators from the throughout the church Aug. 7-10 in Chicago. The ELCA Communicators Conference, held every two years, is a continuing education opportunity for all of us. The theme was "Network Power," and what a great event it was this year. Our keynotes, Rick Klau, Clarence Page, Jamila Paksima and ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson each brought great enthusiasm for their specific areas of communication to our gathering. Workshop and devotion leaders, Pastor Peter Marty and Pastor Alexia Salvatierra, each brought wisdom and Christian insight to our gathering. We had many workshops, each contributing something to each communicators' knowledge and skills. Check "ComCon Blog" for more detail, and check the conference Web site soon for videos of the keynotes.

Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of this gathering was it got the momentum rolling for the ELCA's tagline, "God's work, our hands." Get ready for this roll out. You'll be seeing and hearing much more about it in the coming months. I'm excited about this, and we think you will be, too!

'God's Work. Our Hands' resonates with Lutherans in Denver

2007-11-23T13:46:00.000-08:00

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.

PRSA: A conference worth attending

2007-10-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

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 Ten Commandments" hits theaters

2007-10-21T19:59:00.000-07:00

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.

Personal Log: Working with Lutheran Disaster Response

2006-11-20T19:31:00.000-08:00

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

ELCA Presiding Bishop, LWF President Visits Romanian Government Officials

2006-11-04T12:12:00.000-08:00

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

2006-10-29T15:47:00.000-08:00

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.

'Evangelical Lutheran Worship' brings new life to worship

2006-10-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

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.

Serving you, serving the ELCA better

2006-10-05T12:10:00.000-07:00

A question we're always asking ourselves in the News Service of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is: "How can we serve our constituents better?" That was the subject of a recent planning retreat for the staff of the ELCA News Service.

We agreed that we need to conduct some formal research with a variety of audiences that receive our materials. We're going to ask questions about the kinds of news users want to receive from the ELCA News Service, the ELCA News Web site, story length, news photos, audio news, video news, and the ELCA News Blog. You may be part of the audiences we'll be asking these questions of, and we hope you'll offer us opinions. Of course, I'm always eager to hear from you. Write me with your comments at john.brooks@elca.org

Another new phenomenon you'll notice from us in the coming months is greater use of a variety of methods of telling our stories. We're combining our written news stories with photographs or images, audio cuts and video cuts. We call this "convergence," and we hope that you'll find this method of reporting more interesting.

Finally, we're paying close attention to our working relationship with The Lutheran, the magazine of the ELCA. We're cooperating on more and more projects, and that's a good thing for the church. This month, a staff member with The Lutheran will report for us (and the magazine, of course) when staff of the churchwide organization visit our partners in Lebanon for the first time since the war this summer; one of our staff will report for the magazine (and the News Service) when Presiding Bishop Hanson visits Eastern Europe; and we're releasing jointly a feature story about an ELCA seminarian later this year.

Let me hear from you, and thanks for your interest in the ELCA News Service!

Lutheran connections are global

2006-09-08T08:55:00.000-07:00

In my role with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Chicago, occasionally I get to meet church leaders who travel to the churchwide offices in Chicago to consult with ELCA staff and church leaders. They come from all over the world, just as staff from here travel throughout the world to carry out the mission of the church.

Recently, I met with an interesting person who traveled here from a long, long way away. He is Isaac Teo, recently elected as general secretary of the 900,000-member Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea. Teo had been a participant at the recent International AIDS Conference in Toronto and visited the ELCA offices in Chicago last month before going home.

Teo has an unusual background -- he spent several years as a corporate planner and communication engineer. During those years he was a church volunteer serving on councils and boards. We talked about his background and how he came to be in the role of general secretary. We talked about his church's work to minister to people with HIV and people with AIDS.

But it was something he said about the importance of global Lutheran church partnerships that struck me. From his point of view the wider church -- in this case -- Lutherans in North America -- helped him understand what it means to be "one" church. I could see it was important for him to tell me this.

"Even though we are separated by mountains, by sea, so many miles away, at that part of the day on Sunday, you here in America, you say the Lord's Prayer, and you say the Apostle's Creed." he told me. "At the same time in the Papua New Guinea church we say that same prayer. That binds us together as one big family. I am glad that I am (a) witness to that." Teo said his own pastor prays every Sunday for people throughout the world including those of us who live in North America. "These are the people we are praying for, and I actually met them," he said.

It is easy for North Americans like me to forget that there are millions of people of faith throughout the world, who, like me, go to church each week and worship the same Lord in the almost the same way. Isaac Teo reminded me that the common faith we Lutherans share should never be taken for granted. Our common faith sustains and enriches all of us.

John

'Voices of Faith' speaks of tragedy, hope and faith

2006-08-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

This week I received a copy of book published this year called Voices of Faith in the Midst of the Storm. A friend of mine, the Rev. Robin McCullough-Bade, interim pastor at my former congregation, the Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, Baton Rouge, La., sent it to me. Her husband, the Rev. John McCullough Bade -- whom I have known for several years -- edited the book.

It's an interesting and fascinating account of the experiences of pastors and lay leaders serving Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) congregations in south Louisiana who were directly affected by Hurricane Katrina. The storm and its aftermath affected these congregations in many ways. Some church buildings were destroyed or damaged, and some suffered little damage. Many pastors, their families and members were displaced by flooding or damaged homes. Almost every congregation in the New Orleans area today is back in business in one way or another, but most, says Bishop Paul Blom, have significantly changed congregations. Members were scattered in so many directions that those attending ELCA congregations there today are not necessarily attending the church they attended before Katrina. Some congregations' memberships have ballooned while others persevere with few members attending worship.

Voices of Faith tells the story of these faithful Lutherans through their own writings. It is a collection of short stories, sermons, reflections and prayer. The collection focuses on themes including "The Exodus," "Passing Through the Waters," "Exile" and "Restoration."

I know many of the authors personally. My family and I lived for nearly 20 years in Baton Rouge before we moved to Chicago in 1999. I remember the fear of hurricanes, and in particular, I recall the many times I heard fears of a hurricane hitting New Orleans. It never happened while we lived there, but there were many close calls.

There are many memorable lines in the book such as these:

+ Sandra Barnes, associate in ministry, Christ the King Lutheran Church, Kenner, La. , writes of the time she returned to her flooded-out home, where she and her husband lost nearly everything: "If I had been there, my instinct would have been to try to cling to some of those treasures which had so many memories. But one of the lessons I learned is that "things" don't hold memories; your heart does."

+ The Rev. Ron Unger, pastor, Christ the King, who presided at an informal service of Holy Communion on Sept. 4, 2005, in a Jackson, Miss. hotel that he and his family had traveled to for refuge from the storm. Unger, who had just been called to the congregation, wrote about his unusual experience in his first sermon to the congregation which he delivered by e-mail! He wrote: "I conducted worship for about 35 evacuees in the motel lobby. For Holy Communion we used a bagel left over from the complimentary continental breakfast and a plastic 'Super 8 Motel' cup as a chalice."

+ The Bades traveled to LaPlace, La. to lead worship at the Lutheran Church of the Galilean on Sept. 11. The congregation was Unger's former congregation. John Bade writes: "We didn't know what to expect when drove the 50 miles from Baton Rouge to the church ... We didn't know if people would be able to get to the church ... As people arrived we asked for volunteers to assist with the readings ... It became clear that there were people gathered from all over the city. Some had driven 40 miles to gather for worship that Sunday. As we inquired during the announcements we discovered there were members from at least eight congregations -- ELCA and Missouri Synod Lutherans -- present. Strangers were strangers no more. Lines of division were erased."

Voices of Faith has a lot of stories just like that. As I read the book, I was reminded again and again of who we are as Lutherans. We are motivated by our faith, sustained by our faith, and we look forward to new and amazing things that come into our lives through faith. And, nothing separates us from the love of God, who watches over us in the worst of times and the best of times. I believe God blesses those who suffer, and brings hope and healing into their lives in a variety of ways.

By the way -- proceeds from sales of the book go to assist in long-term Katrina recovery ministries.

John

Remembering Katrina

2006-08-24T12:26:00.000-07:00

Next week the nation will mark the first anniversary of last year's devastating Gulf Coast hurricanes. These included hurricanes Wilma, Rita, and of course, Katrina. Certainly we all remember the television pictures from the Gulf Coast, especially from New Orleans, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

When this happened one year ago, ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson and I were a world away, part of an official Lutheran delegation visiting the Middle East. We were on guests of the government of Jordan at the time Katrina struck. The day after we drove into Israel where Bishop Hanson, who is also president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), would chair an important week-long meeting of the LWF Council in Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

Before I joined the ELCA churchwide organization in Chicago, my family and I lived in Baton Rouge, La. During our 20 years there we visited New Orleans and the Gulf Coast of Mississippi many times. I remember watching TV late at night (it was mid-afternoon in the U.S.) in my hotel room in Bethlehem after my work was done at the LWF council meetings each day, watching the video from New Orleans in disbelief. I saw so many places where I had visited that were now scenes of devastation and chaos. I remember thinking about how ironic it was that I was watching this in a city that had seen its own share of violence and chaos. It was absolutely quiet at night where I was. Now the chaos was happening near a place where I used to live.

In his letter to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on the first anniversary of Katrina, Bishop Hanson expressed great thanks to many people for their generous response to the Gulf Coast hurricanes of 2005. He also gave us something to think about:

"Yet even while rejoicing at the abundant generosity of this church, many of us struggle with the painful knowledge that poverty and inequality exacerbated the storms' impact. In addition to the strong winds and rain, the hurricanes shocked many with a glimpse of poverty close to home and underscore the need for a heightened commitment to fighting the "silent disaster" of chronic hunger and poverty," he wrote.

Later this year, I'm planning to get to the Gulf Coast to see what has happened for myself. In the meantime, I hope you'll say prayers for those whom we know are still reeling from the storms of one year ago. Though these people are no longer regularly in the headlines, it gives me comfort to know that my church -- through ELCA Domestic Disaster Response and Lutheran Disaster Response -- continues today to serve people in need living throughout the U.S. Gulf Coast region.

John

Video Google brings new dimension to work

2006-08-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

Tim Frakes, producer of Mosaic Television and resident follower of trends in electronic communication in ELCA Communication Services, brought some startling statistics to our attention this week. Earlier this summer he began uploading ELCA videos to "Google Video" a free online video sharing site. Since June 1, he reports, 60 ELCA-produced videos have been uploaded and they been viewed some 36,000 times!!

The implications of such a huge audience are important for the church. For example, congregations can upload a video about a local ministry and reach a huge, new audience. This is the mission field we often speak about. Frakes argues that congregations can share news with these audiences by uploading video through sites such Google Video and YouTube.

Of course, such a trend also tells me something about our work to deliver the news of the ELCA. We're already delivering news through print, plus we deliver photographs, video and audio -- but should we do more? The answer is obvious. We must think creatively. That's our work. Stay tuned as we think about new ways of delivering the news. I invite you to share your ideas with me.

John

Video Google may bring changes

2006-08-16T13:55:00.001-07:00

Tim Frakes, producer of Mosaic Television and follower of trends in electronic communication in ELCA Communication Services, brought some startling statistics to our attention this week. Some weeks ago he began uploading ELCA videos to "Google Video," a new video sharing service offered by this popular online search engine. Since June 1 viewers have looked at some 60 ELCA videos about 36,000 times!! Those numbers are startling, and they're only going to get bigger.

What does this mean for congregations? A simple video about a particular ministry could be uploaded to Google Video or YouTube (also a video sharing site), and a congregation could reach an entirely new audience -- in large numbers. This is the mission field that we often talk about, and now here's a simple way to reach it.

These numbers also tell me that in our work to deliver the news for the ELCA, we must be creative and use photographs, video and audio to tell our stories, too. Take at look at our Web site, and you'll see we're already doing it -- but given what we are learning about how the world communicates today, we must think much more creatively about how to reach new audiences. That's always been our work. Stay tuned for more on this.

John

Video Google may bring changes

2006-08-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

Great stories: Grace Matters, Marcus Miller

2006-08-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, there were two very interesting articles about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in the press. The Jackson Hole (Wyo.) Star-Tribune published a piece about the Rev. Peter Marty, host of Grace Matters, the ELCA radio ministry. Pastor Marty does a great job with this program every week. Have you heard it? Check the Grace Matters Web site and see why more than 175 radio stations stations in the United States (and a few other countries) air this program of faith and hope. I listen to every program, usually in the mornings when I'm out walking through the neighborhood.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer ran a fine piece about Bishop Marcus Miller who is leaving as bishop of the ELCA Northeastern Ohio Synod for a new call as president of the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C. I've known Bishop Miller for several years and traveled overseas with him. He has distinguished himself an outstanding ELCA leader. The Cleveland story emphasizes his work in ecumenism, something he was always very passionate about. I'm sure the synod will miss him -- and Southern Seminary is very fortunate! Meanwhile, Lee Miller (no relation) has stepped out of retirement as bishop of the ELCA Upstate New York Synod and will serve as interim bishop in Ohio. A permanent successor for Marcus Miller will elected in December.

Stay tuned for news about the latest developments with ELCA partners in Lebanon, now that there's a (fragile) cease-fire in effect there. And, we'll be reporting some news about how ELCA videos have gained bunches of new viewers via the Web -- something that could benefit congregations.

John

Bishop Hanson writes to U.S. church leaders

2006-08-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

Today was a busy day for the ELCA News Service! Our presiding bishop, Mark Hanson, wrote a letter to about 35 U.S. religious leaders asking them to join him in calling for a halt to the violence in Lebanon and Gaza, an international peacekeeeping force and a negotiated "just" peace. The religious leaders included leaders from Christian, Jewish and Muslim traditions. Shortly after our story went out, we were contacted by a radio host who produces a weekly program in New York, and soon after, a producer from a nationally syndicated radio program that originates in Washington, D.C. We like that. Meanwhile, we sent the statement out through our usual means, and we used e-mail to contact several reporters at major news organizations. Whew!

In his letter Bishop Hanson appealed to his colleagues to focus on what the faiths have in common, not what divides them. "The world daily sees how religion is used to divide and destroy," he wrote. "It is time for us together to publicly, clearly and courageously give witness that the One in whom we believe unites us in our diversity rather than divides us in our hostilities."

This week we wrote about Lutheran World Relief President Kathryn Wolford, who is leaving that role after several years for a new role as president of The McKnight Foundation, Minneapolis, Minn. Kathryn served faithfully with LWR, and we will miss working with her. We also reported that the ELCA Board Of Pensions trustees approved an overall rate increase of about 7 percent for 2007, something that will be of great interest to ELCA congregations and professional church leaders.

Up ahead Bishop Hanson will be speaking at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto during the weekend. One of my colleagues is there with the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance as part of the media team. We're looking forward to reports about Bishop Hanson's comments at this important international meeting.

Keep in touch.

John B.

Middle East, International AIDS Conference

2006-08-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

Aug. 9, 2006

ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson, who serves as president of the Lutheran World Federation, called for an end to the fighting in Lebanon and Israel and conflict in Gaza. He was joined by the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Rev. Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches in a joint public statement Aug. 8. The three church leaders said they were "shocked" by the violence, death and destruction occurring in Gaza, Israel and Lebanon. I'm sure there will be more on this in the coming days.

In adddition, Bishop Hanson is traveling to the International AIDS Conference in Toronto where he will be a presenter at an ecumenical/interfaith pre-conference, and the actual AIDS conference itself. A member of the ELCA News Service staff member is there working on the media team, which was put together by the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance. We expect to have reports on the AIDS Conference in the coming days.

Thanks for your interest. Let me hear from you.

John B.

Lutherans in the News

2006-08-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

Lutherans in the News

Aug. 6, 2006

This weekend our staff participated in the ELCA Communicators Conference in Chicago. What a great meeting this was. Great speakers -- especially Rick Klau of Feedburner -- made us think about new ways of doing our work. It was a pleasure for ELCA Communication Services to host this meeting, and it was especially pleasing to meet so many Lutheran communicators from synods, institutions and agencies.

John Brooks

Welcome to my blog!

2006-08-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

Aug. 7, 2006

Welcome to my blog! I'll use this space to keep you up to date on the work we're doing in the News Service of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We invite you to read our news releases online or subscribe to them online.

Let me hear from you, too. Write me at john.brooks@elca.org

John R. Brooks
ELCA News Service