ELCA NEWS SERVICE
August 15, 2008
Bible to Basketball -- Lutheran Men in Mission Adopts Resolutions
08-143-FI
OMAHA, Neb. (ELCA) -- Delegates to the Eighth Assembly of
Lutheran Men in Mission (LMM), the men's ministry of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), adopted
resolutions affirming the organization's "coming of age" and an
initiative of the ELCA to read the Bible more often. They also
instructed their board to "begin a conversation" to revive a
Lutheran sports tradition.
LMM's assembly brought 101 delegates here July 31-Aug. 1
from across the ELCA. About 600 men attended the 2008 Lutheran
Men's Gathering here at the Hilton Hotel and Qwest Center, Aug.
1-3. The event theme, "Coming of Age," focused on LMM's 20th
anniversary, its new relationship with the ELCA and its emphasis
on the spirituality of men ages 18-34.
Delegates heard reports that LMM had every indication the
Internal Revenue Service would grant its application for
incorporation soon. They ratified "the actions of the board of
directors taken in compliance with the resolution of the 2005
Assembly which reads as follows: 'That the Lutheran Men in
Mission Board pursue a structure of incorporation that would
allow for optimal ministry to men in congregations and
communities that surround them.'"
LMM became financially self-supporting on Aug. 1, when it
assumed full responsibility for the salaries of its staff. The
salaries had been part of the ELCA's churchwide budget.
The LMM assembly voted to support a three-year strategic
plan that was presented to the delegates. The plan has three
program initiatives: develop leaders in men's ministry, equip men
for men's ministry, and provide resources and leadership for
men's ministry.
Another resolution committed LMM to join the ELCA "in a five-
year collaborative initiative -- identified as 'Book of Faith:
Lutherans Read the Bible' -- with the goal of raising to a new
level this church's individual and collective engagement with the
Bible and its teaching, yielding a more profound appreciation of
Lutheran principles and approaches for the use of Scripture."
LMM delegates pledged "to deepen their devotional life
through Bible study." They asked the organization to encourage
every man in the ELCA to bring his Bible to church regularly and
to use it to follow the Scripture readings during worship.
The assembly also passed a resolution asking that "the LMM
board of directors begin a conversation with Thrivent Financial
for Lutherans to co-sponsor an All-Lutheran College Holiday
Basketball Tournament as soon as possible."
The corporate archivist for Thrivent Financial for
Lutherans, Minneapolis, said the first Lutheran Brotherhood
Invitational was held Dec. 28-30, 1970, at Si Melby Hall,
Augsburg College, Minneapolis. It consisted of eight Lutheran
collegiate basketball teams and at the time was the only such
thing in the nation. Letters of inquiry were sent to 30 Lutheran
colleges and universities in the country. Augsburg is one of 28
ELCA colleges and universities.
The discussion among the LMM delegates suggested that
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans could invite all Lutheran
colleges and universities in North America to send their
basketball teams to compete in a tournament during their
Christmas breaks.
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Information about Lutheran Men in Mission is at
http://www.ELCA.org/lmm 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
