ELCA NEWS SERVICE March 28, 2007 Paul N. Hanson Named Director of ELCA Fund for Leaders in Mission 07-045-MRC CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Paul N. Hanson, senior pastor at Ascension Lutheran Church, Brookings, S.D., will become director of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Fund for Leaders in Mission April 2. Housed in ELCA Development Services, Fund for Leaders in Mission is a church initiative to build an endowed scholarship resource that provides tuition assistance to qualified candidates studying at ELCA seminaries. When fully endowed the Fund's goal is to support full-tuition assistance for every student at the church's seminaries who is committed to a future in parish ministry. "The Fund is already providing Lutherans with an opportunity to leave a legacy that makes a huge and lasting difference for our church. What could be more important, more basic, than having pastors in churches, preaching the Word of God and offering sacraments? Those who give to the Fund can know that their gifts really matter. That's what people want to do with their God-given wealth," said Hanson. "The Fund continues to grow until we realize our vision, that we be able to provide seminary education, without debt, for all students, forever. Someday, we'll achieve that goal," he said. Hanson succeeds Cynthia J. Halverson, president-elect of the ELCA Foundation and executive director-elect for ELCA Development Services. Halverson served as director of the ELCA Fund for Leaders in Mission from 1999 to 2007. Under her leadership, the Fund for Leaders in Mission endowment grew to more than $15 million, with 200 seminarians receiving scholarship support. "It is really a joy for me to turn over the reigns of the Fund for Leaders in Mission to such a competent person. Pastor Hanson is an enormously gifted leader who understands the goals and objectives of the Fund. His story and ministry give testimony to the possibility of what can happen when financial assistance is provided to gifted students through scholarships," said Halverson. "From his early experience as a seminary student who received scholarship support to, more recently, having the responsibility to lead the (ELCA) South Dakota Synod's 'Answer the Call Campaign' to raise support for ordained leaders, Pastor Hanson has demonstrated a strong commitment and passion to assist this church to bring forth faithful, wise and courageous leaders," Halverson said. Hanson graduated from Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D., in 1985, and Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., in 1989. Augustana is one of 28 colleges and universities of the ELCA; Luther is one of eight ELCA seminaries. Hanson was pastor at Resurrection Lutheran Church, Pierre, S.D., from 1989 to 1995, and senior pastor at Ascension from 1995 to 2007. He was a council member of the ELCA South Dakota Synod, Sioux Falls, from 1996 to 2001. From 2004 to 2005, Hanson served as administrative director of "Answer the Call Campaign" -- a major gifts campaign of the ELCA South Dakota Synod. In 2002 Hanson became a certified fund-raising executive, and he is a member of the Association of Lutheran Development Executives. Hanson and his wife, Sally, have three children. - - - Information about ELCA Fund for Leaders in Mission is available at http://www.ELCA.org/fundforleaders/ on the ELCA Web site. 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