Herbert W. Chilstrom: What being evangelical means to me

Herbert W. Chilstrom: What being evangelical means to me
By tacking on a political agenda, some have sullied and secularized what once was a revered term, the former ELCA presiding bishop writes.

Lansing State Journal: New age: Aging congregations, clergy driving change

Lansing State Journal: New age: Aging congregations, clergy driving change

Everyday Lutherans Working in Mission and Ministry Overseas

wfn.org | Everyday Lutherans Working in Mission and Ministry Overseas

Immigration raids demean our values

Commentary by Bishop Roy Riley, NJ Synod, and Ralston Deffenbaugh of LIRS.

An early Christmas present

People from Lansdale and Trinity Lutheran Church sent $7,000 worth of toys and gifts for Central Elementary School children, teachers and staff in Katrina-ravaged Gulfport, MS…

SunHerald.com : An early Christmas present

Make sure to view the photo gallery.

wfn.org | ELCA Advocacy Offices Purchase Carbon Offset Credits

wfn.org | ELCA Advocacy Offices Purchase Carbon Offset Credits

WASHINGTON ELCA — The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ELCA Washington Office, ELCA Corporate Social Responsibility, Pittsburgh, and Lutheran Office for World Community, New York, have purchased carbon offset credits to mitigate their carbon emissions accumulated through air travel.

“Our offices have been working to reduce our carbon footprints by turning off lights and power strips when were not in our offices, for example. But short of turning off all electricity and ceasing to travel, its very difficult to eliminate your carbon emissions entirely,” said Mary Minette, ELCA director for environmental education and advocacy.

An unlikely magnet for Jewish students | Philadelphia Inquirer

AT Mullenberg College, An unlikely magnet for Jewish students | Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/10/2007

Annapolis Peace Conference announcement said to ‘bring hope’ to Middle East

An Episcopal Life article reports on interfaith reactions to the Annapolis Peace Conference this week.

Episcopal Life Online - NEWS

Congregation wont be punished over gay celibacy rule :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Religion

The Metro Chicago Synod bishop says he won’t discipline a congregation that plans to call a lesbian who will not pledge to be celibate, but instead wants to stay in dialogue with the congregation.

Congregation wont be punished over gay celibacy rule :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Religion

Presiding bishop responds to Muslim leaders

Commands to love God and one’s neighbor flow through the sacred writings of Christians, Jews and Muslims, and people of all faiths can “read the beauty of these passages found in the sacred texts of the Abrahamic faiths, which signify God’s vision for how and whom we love in a broken world,” ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson wrote in response to an Oct. 11 letter sent to him and several global Christian leaders by 138 Muslim leaders from throughout the world.

The 29-page open letter, “A Common Word Between You and Us,” calls for Muslims and Christians to work more closely together for peace.

“Muslims and Christians together make up well over half of the world’s population,” the Muslim leaders wrote. “Without peace and justice between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful peace in the world. The future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians. The basis for this peace and understanding already exists.”

“I receive this letter in the sincere expression of faithfulness intended by its drafters, and with the hopeful expectation for peace that calls to us from the origins of our sacred texts and professions of faith,” wrote Hanson, who is president of the 60-million member Lutheran World Federation. “I encourage prayer and planning for communities of justice, peace, and security where Muslims, Jews, and Christians draw from these origins as from essential wells of living water.”

Read Bishop Hanson’s complete response on the ELCA website.