ELCA NEWS SERVICE
May 17, 2006
Clark Named Executive Director, Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta
06-069-CH*/JB
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Lawrence J. Clark, associate to
the bishop, Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has accepted the position of
executive director, Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta
(LTCA). Clark, 41, will begin his new call in mid-July.
In his role Clark will be a member of the administrative
staff of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS), Columbia,
S.C., one of eight ELCA seminaries.
"We are very excited about Pastor Clark coming to be
executive director of the Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta,
after his election by the LTCA steering committee," said the Rev.
H. Frederick Reisz Jr., LTSS president.
"It is my pleasure to appoint him to the administration of
LTSS. I expect that our seminary will learn a lot from him, and
our students and faculty will be served richly by LTCA and its
considerable resources. The three ELCA seminary clusters welcome
his leadership, even as we express our profound appreciation for
the ministries of Dr. Arthur Lewis, current executive director of
LTCA, who will be retiring at the end of June 2006," Reisz added.
LTCA is located on the campus of the Interdenominational
Theological Center (ITC), a consortium of theological schools of
several traditionally African American denominations in the
Atlanta University complex.
LTCA offers courses in a diverse ecumenical environment and
theological reflection on urban and cross-cultural issues. LTCA
provides an intentionally focused educational program for
Lutheran seminarians, especially African American candidates for
ministry.
LTCA is an extension of LTSS plus the other ELCA seminaries:
Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.; Lutheran School of Theology at
Chicago; Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa.;
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia; Pacific Lutheran
Theological Seminary, Berkeley, Calif.; Trinity Lutheran
Seminary, Columbus, Ohio; and Wartburg Theological Seminary,
Dubuque, Iowa.
LTCA personnel also work in cooperation with three Atlanta
theological institutions -- the United Methodist Church's Candler
School of Theology, Emory University, the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.) Columbia Theological School and ITC.
Clark was born in San Francisco. In 1986 he earned a
bachelor's degree in history from San Francisco State University.
In 1995 he received a master of divinity degree from Trinity
Lutheran Seminary. From 1994 to 1995 he studied at LTCA. He has
done work toward a doctoral degree in mission and leadership at
the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
Clark served as a lay campus pastor at San Francisco State
University and pastor at Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church,
Chicago, before he joined the staff of the ELCA Metropolitan
Chicago Synod in 2003 as associate to the bishop.
He currently serves on the governing board of the African
American Lutheran Association, where he is national treasurer and
a lifetime member. In Chicago, he is a governing board advocate
for Trinity Hospital. Clark serves on the Multidisciplinary Team
for Elder Abuse, Metropolitan Family Services. Clark is a member
of the board of directors, Wartburg Theological Seminary. He
serves on the Metropolitan Chicago Synod's African American
strategy team and has served on the ELCA's Evangelical Outreach
and Congregational Mission unit's National African American
strategy team. Clark has participated in the mentor program of
Luther Seminary.
In July Clark will be a workshop leader at the ELCA Youth
Gathering, San Antonio.
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Information about the Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta
is at http://ltca.ltss.edu on the Web.
* Cristy Huntley is director of church and public relations,
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
