CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The synod council of the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) declined a request from a Fort Pierce, Fla., congregation to terminate its membership in the denomination after the congregation successfully completed two votes to leave as required by the ELCA Constitution. More: http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4479 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news...

ITASCA, Ill. (ELCA) -- The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) discussed the time line for a new social statement on genetics at the conclusion of their meeting here March 5-9. The discussion occurred following an earlier closed session March 5 on this week's release of a draft social statement. More: http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4478 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://ww...

ST. PAUL, Minn. (ELCA) -- Bishops of the six Minnesota synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) visited House and Senate leaders at the State Capitol here March 11 "to advocate for the common good of all people in the state," according to a news release from the ELCA Saint Paul Area Synod. The visits were planned so that the bishops could share their concerns "about the toll of the state's budget deficit on the state's poorest citizens," the release said. More h...

ITASCA, Ill. (ELCA) -- Three ordained pastors on the roster of "Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM)" said they were pleased with the draft rite, "Reception onto the Roster of Ordained Ministers" that emerged from discussions March 5-9 in the Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4476 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitt...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is now the fourth largest member church of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). For the first time in its history, the overall membership of churches belonging to the LWF has reached 70 million. More: http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4475 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews...

ITASCA, Ill. (ELCA) -- The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) offered its counsel on revisions to churchwide ministry policy documents before they are sent to the ELCA Church Council, which is expected to consider them for adoption next month. More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4474 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanew...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Senegal is a place where Christians and Muslims coexist. To learn more about life there, 10 members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) journeyed through the western African country to learn about peace-building at the intersection of faith and life. More: http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4473 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcane...

ITASCA, Ill. (ELCA) -- The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) reached a consensus March 8 on a draft proposal for a rite that would bring onto the church's official clergy roster those pastors who were ordained and are on the clergy roster of "Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM)." ELM "expands ministry opportunities for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in the Lutheran church," according to its Web site. More http:...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- For the first time since the earthquake, Lutherans were able to visit the Chilean town of Concepcion, March 4-7. Karen Anderson likened the scene in Concepcion to "a war zone." More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4471 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews ...

ITASCA, Ill. (ELCA) -- The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) was introduced to the content of a soon- to-be-released draft of a social statement on genetics in a closed background session here March 5. More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4470 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews ...

ITASCA, Ill. (ELCA) -- Despite the financial challenges of 2009, much of it the result of the downturn in the U.S. economy, the churchwide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) finished the year with net income of $3.9 million. More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4469 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews ...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), responded to a variety of questions about the economy, ecumenism, evangelism, youth and young adult ministries, decisions of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly and more at a "Town Hall Forum" here March 7. This was the second in a series of online forums hosted by Hanson. More: http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4468 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) will engage in mission and ministry overseas together as part of a new agreement between both denominations. More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4467 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews ...

NEW YORK (ELCA) -- A delegation of 12 Lutherans and other faith group representatives attended the 54th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) held at the U.N. headquarters here, March 1-12. More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4466 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews ...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is among many faith groups participating in the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, March 7-13, according to the Rev. Andrea DeGroot- Nesdahl, coordinator for the Lutheran Malaria Initiative and the ELCA Strategy on HIV and AIDS. More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4465 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Trustees of the Board of Pensions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) have taken steps to extend various plan benefits to eligible partners in same-gender relationships. More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4464 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews ...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Blood Done Sign My Name, Jeb Stuart's film about a little-known chapter in the American civil rights struggle, leads the list of 2010 Wilbur Awards winners, according to a news release from the Religion Communicators Council (RCC). More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4463 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews ...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has committed an initial $40,000, through ELCA International Disaster Response, for this past weekend's powerful earthquake in Chile, according to a report from the ELCA Global Mission Executive Committee. More: http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4462 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Earthquake damage is said to be extensive in Santiago and Concepcion following the Feb. 27 severe earthquake in central Chile, according to Karen Anderson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Global Mission staff in Santiago. More: http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4461 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews ...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A massive earthquake, with a magnitude of 8.8 on the Richter scale, struck central Chile in the early morning hours Feb. 27, killing at least 122 people. The earthquake is the biggest to hit Chile in 50 years. More: http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4460 For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews ...