CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Paul O. Manz, a well-known Lutheran organist, composer, church musician and teacher, died Oct. 28 after several weeks of hospice care in St. Paul, Minn. Manz, 90, was surrounded by family at his death as they sang "E'en So, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come," his most famous choral work. A memorial service is planned for Nov. 8 at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, St. Paul, said Manz's son, the Rev. John C. Manz, a pastor at Gloria Dei, where the elder Manz attended. A...

WASHINGTON (ELCA) -- Protecting children and keeping immigrant families together were repeated concerns raised by a committee of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) bishops discussing issues of immigration. The group met with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) staff and others to discuss the status of immigration reform and refugee protection services, and visited with members of Congress here Oct. 28-29. The Rev. H. Julian Gordy, bishop, ELCA Southeaster...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The directors of the Wittenberg Center of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will end their service in Germany Nov. 30, the result of "harsh budget realities," according to the Rev. Robert O. Smith, ELCA Global Mission. Smith made the comment in an Oct. 19 letter sent to ELCA church companions and other partners in Germany. The departures of the Rev. Stephen E. and Dr. Jean Godsall-Myers leave the future of the center uncertain, said Smith, cont...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Throughout the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), leaders and members have responded in a variety of ways to changes in the church's ministry polices, a decision made by voting members of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. Some members agreed with the decision. Some were opposed. Some weren't sure how to react. Since the assembly, some ELCA congregations have taken votes to leave the denomination or redirect funds away from the ELCA. Leaders and members...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Margot Kaessmann, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hannover, was elected Oct. 28 to chair the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). Kaessmann, 51, is the first woman has become the highest representative of 25 million German Protestants. She is also the youngest chairperson of the EKD council. Kaessmann was elected to a six-year term by the EKD's highest governing body, its synod, meeting in Ulm, Germany. The lone candidate, Kaessma...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Enhancing the quality of relationships among churches in the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and embarking on a participatory planning process to ensure the organization's sustainability are priorities for the organization's general secretary elect, the Rev. Martin Junge. The LWF is 140 churches in the Lutheran tradition in 79 countries, representing 68.5 million Christians. The 49-member LWF governing council elected the Chilean theologian Oct. 26 at it...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is seeing the "first fruits" of a challenge gift from the ELCA Mission Investment Fund (MIF). Four seminarians received the first full-tuition scholarships from the ELCA Mission Developer Scholarship Fund, and another eight seminarians received full-tuition scholarships from the ELCA Fund for Leaders at an Oct. 22 banquet here. The new ELCA Mission Developer Scholarship Fund will support seminarians studying to...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Solmaz Institute for Obesity will work to prevent and treat childhood obesity in the Catawba Valley region of North Carolina. That work will be made possible by a $3 million gift to Lenoir- Rhyne University, Hickory, N.C. from Gungor and Diana Solmaz of Denver, N.C. Lenoir-Rhyne is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The gift and plans to create the institute were announced at an Oct. 21 news conference...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Carlos Peña, vice president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), wrote an Oct. 23 letter to the church's 4.6 million members, asking them to consider actions of the ELCA's 2009 Churchwide Assembly "as a catalyst to further strengthen our church and our relationships with each other." Peña related his experiences of devastation after Hurricane Ike struck his hometown of Galveston, Texas, in September 2008. "One year later, I can see the benefit...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Joy Mortensen-Wiebe is looking for congregations in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) East-Central Synod of Wisconsin to define mission. "We want mission to come from the community, and we're looking to (congregations) to define what mission means in their local contexts," she said. Mortensen-Wiebe, who serves as the synod's director for evangelical mission, said mission for her is about "getting the Good News of Jesus Christ everywh...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Council elected the Rev. Martin Junge on Oct. 26 to a seven-year term as the eighth LWF General Secretary. The former president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile (Iglesia Evangelica Luterana en Chile - IELC) becomes the first general secretary from the Latin America and Caribbean region. At the end of October 2010, Junge, 48, will succeed the Rev. Ishmael Noko, who became the first African to serve as LWF General S...

GENEVA, Switzerland (ELCA) -- In a report highlighting changing contexts of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and its respective member churches, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, LWF president, urged the organization's council to make decisions that reflect commitment to "a sustainable and strong LWF going into the future." Hanson is also presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). In a wide-ranging report to the council Oct. 23, Hanson noted that, while the LWF h...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America eliminated seven full-time positions from its churchwide staff, the result of a reduction in the organization's 2010 budget. "The Lutheran," the magazine of the ELCA, will eliminate two positions from its staff in 2010 because of circulation and advertising declines. Affected staff members were notified Oct. 20 that their positions will be eliminated Jan. 31, 2010. The executive board of Women of the ELC...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- This holiday season the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is offering exclusive gift ideas designed to help change the lives of people close to home and around the world. "ELCA Good Gifts," the church's yearlong giving catalog, features 19 pages of gift ideas designed to support the mission and ministries of the ELCA that "nourish, nurture, heal and inspire." Gifts can be purchased through the catalog or the newly designed http://www.ELCA.org/goodg...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Odyssey Networks, New York, has appointed the Rev. Eric C. Shafer to the post of senior vice president. Shafer is a former director of the Communication Services unit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). He is expected to start his newly created position on Jan. 1, 2010. As Odyssey's senior vice president, Shafer, 59, will be responsible for fundraising activities and relationships with U.S. faith groups, according to an Odyssey news release. ...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Communication Services unit, along with a diverse coalition of faith communication organizations, is part of the 2009 Media Violence Fast. The Fast is a movement of thousands of people across the United States who work to abstain from violence on television and radio, at least for one week. This year's seven-day emphasis, Oct. 19-26, asks interfaith participants to consider the effect of anti-immigrant speech...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The 2009 Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) may have ended July 26 in New Orleans, but the spirit and the music live on. Several artists who entertained and inspired the 37,000 Lutheran gathered in the Louisiana Superdome went on tour after the Gathering to continue raising money for ELCA World Hunger. As part of the "Change the World: 2009 Lutheran Youth Challenge" to raise $1 million for ELCA World Hunger, high-school-age Lut...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. James E. Boline and the Rev. Erma S. Wolf have at least one thing in common: South Dakota. Boline grew up there, and Wolf recently served a congregation there. They met while serving as communion ministers for opening worship of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in August. Conceivably, that's as far as their commonalities go. Wolf serves as vice president of the steering committee for Lutheran Coalition ...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Beginning Oct. 18 through December, at least 89 ABC Television affiliate stations plan to air "Ready to Forgive: An African Story of Grace" hosted by Immaculée Ilibagiza. Ilibagiza is a survivor of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and author of "Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust." The broadcast is a production of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) through the National Council of Churches USA and the Interfaith Broadcasting C...

WASHINGTON (ELCA) -- Lutherans are asking the Obama Administration to "remain firm" in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian impasse. In an Oct. 13 letter, 58 of 65 synod bishops and the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) expressed concern over the stalemate and the "fading hopes" for a two-state solution. "We urge the U.S. to insist upon an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land as well as an end to Palestinian violence against Israel...