Title: Lutherans are "Building Men for Christ"
ELCA NEWS SERVICE
March 29, 1996
LUTHERANS ARE "BUILDING MEN FOR CHRIST" (53 lines)
96-07-021-FI
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Men in Mission, the men's
organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is
getting ready for more than its gathering this summer. The LMM
board met here March 15-17 to discuss some long-range plans, with
the goal of becoming an independent organization.
"Building Men for Christ" was used as the theme for the
board's planning. "We identify the three-legged stool --
relationships, faith development and ministry. The three have to
be in balance if one is to be identified as a master builder or
as a man of faith," said LMM President Charles Bruning,
Minneapolis.
"We have designed a strategic plan to become an independent
organization within an unspecified block of time," said Bruning.
LMM is now lodged in the ELCA's Division for Congregational
Ministries, and the organization's actions must be submitted
through DCM for support by the ELCA Church Council.
"Decisions were made at this meeting that suggested we start
the process as of the assembly in July," said Bruning. The 1996
Lutheran Men's Gathering, "Men of Faith: Together in Spirit,"
will be July 19-21 at Augsburg College, Minneapolis.
The board will propose a time line for independence. It
will also propose that the organization operate on three-year
cycles instead of the current two-year cycle -- to hold
assemblies every three years, elect officers for three-year terms
and prepare three-year budgets. Such changes require Church
Council approval.
Board members "having a three-year term with the possibility
of re-election provides a certain sense of stability," said
Bruning. It takes new board members a couple years "before they
can really grab hold of the issues." Serving on the board is
demanding, he added, "so I don't anticipate that we'll have a lot
of people who will try to be on it forever."
The assembly in July will vote on the board's plans through
consideration of proposed changes to the constitution and of two
budgets -- one for two years, the other for three years.
A simplified method to elect officers will be recommended.
LMM now uses a process similar to one the ELCA uses to elect
bishops.
The definition of membership in the organization will be
revisited. LMM has avoided charging its members dues. The board
is studying this as one way to finance the organization once it
is independent. It confirmed by a 7-to-5 vote the concept of
issuing membership cards but did not specify any further details.
LMM has about 5,000 members in more than 3,000 congregations
and in all 65 synods of the ELCA. There are 41 synod LMM
organizations.
For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service,
(312) 380-2958; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir., (312) 380-2955;
Lia Christiansen, Asst. Dir., (312) 380-2956
