ELCA NEWS SERVICE
June 27, 2005
Lutheran Men in Mission Gathers July 21-24 in North Charleston
05-108-FI
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- About 600 men from across the United
States and Caribbean will converge on South Carolina to build
relationships among themselves and with Jesus Christ. Lutheran
Men in Mission (LMM), the men's ministry of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), will host a business assembly
July 21-22 and an inspirational gathering July 22-24 at the North
Charleston Area Convention Center.
"This area of the country has long been a strong advocate
for men's ministry and this will give the men in North and South
Carolina an opportunity to show the rest of the country some real
Southern hospitality as well as Christian fellowship," said Heber
Rast, LMM president, Cameron, S.C.
"Run the Race: Keep the Faith" will be the theme for the
gathering's speakers, workshops, worship and fellowship. "Give
the 'rat race' a rest and run the race that counts," a
promotional LMM poster announced. "We are calling men, young and
old, to come together and to discover a fresh relationship with
God and with other men who are on the same journey."
"It's going to be a life-changing event for them, especially
if they come with their son or their dad or a buddy or a friend
or other guys from their church," said Doug Haugen, LMM director.
"It's going to be an extraordinary time for them as far as just
bonding and building relationships."
Haugen said the gathering program will be built around six
marks of discipleship: daily prayer, weekly worship, Bible
reading, service, spiritual friendships and generous giving.
The Rev. Michael W. Foss, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church,
Burnsville, Minn., outlined the six marks of discipleship in his
book, "Power Surge." He will be one of the gathering's featured
speakers.
Tommy Bowden, head football coach, Clemson University,
Clemson, S.C., will "give a brief testimony to his faith," Haugen
said. Well-known among college football fans as the first head
coach in Clemson history to take his team to a bowl game in each
of his first five seasons, Bowden is also a popular speaker about
strong family relationships and his Christian faith.
Ned Jarrett, radio and television sports commentator and
retired race car driver, won the NASCAR Sportsman (now Grand
National Series) championship in 1957 and 1958 and went on to win
the National Series championship in 1961 and 1965. He is the
father of Dale Jarrett, champion of the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup.
"Gentleman Ned" is a committed Lutheran, Haugen said.
"Something that's very dear to his heart is stewardship and
giving. A theme of Ned's life is that you cannot out-give God,"
Haugen said.
The Rev. Harvard W. Stephens Jr., dean of Siebert Chapel,
Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis., will lead the gathering in
prayer. He contributed to the 2002 Augsburg Fortress
publication, "What Can Happen When We Pray."
On and off campus, Stephens is known for ministry with young
men, especially young African-American men, Haugen said. He was
honored by the State of Ohio and the National Council of Churches
for giving leadership to the "Young Men With A Future" program.
The Rev. Roland D. Martinson, Carrie Olson Baalson Professor
of Children, Youth and Family Ministry, Luther Seminary, St.
Paul, Minn., has been leading a spirituality study for LMM among
young men, Haugen said. Martinson will lead exercises to help
men build relationships across generations.
The Rev. David A. Donges, bishop of the ELCA South Carolina
Synod, Columbia, will preach during the gathering's closing
worship service. The Rev. Leonard H. Bolick, bishop of the ELCA
North Carolina Synod, Salisbury, will bring greetings. The Rev.
Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, will meet with
LMM's Young Men's Ministry Council.
The Rev. Charles E. Atkins Jr., Peter Mayer and Paul Todd
will provide the gathering music.
Atkins is a Baptist minister, teacher, hip-hop recording
artist and field director for Jericho Prison Ministries, Mount
Holly, N.J. His faith-based performances in congregations,
streets and prisons teach methods of overcoming violence.
Mayer, solo artist and lead guitarist for Jimmy Buffett,
released his first inspirational CD, "Stirrin' Up the Water," at
the 2002 Lutheran Men's Gathering. A member of Trinity Lutheran
Church, Nashville, Tenn., he describes himself as a Christian
musician whose ministry is in the world in which he works and
performs.
Todd, a musician and songwriter from Cape Coral, Fla., has
composed theme songs for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Marine
Corps Toys for Tots program and Lutheran Men in Mission. He has
used his talent to raise thousands of dollars in benefit concerts
for Lutheran Disaster Response.
"We're really excited about the gathering. In addition to
some tremendous speakers we've lined up, we're going to be doing
some interactive things," Rast said. The convention center's
exhibit hall will include rope courses, rock-climbing walls and
other activities designed to draw younger men to the gathering,
he said.
In 2003 LMM established the Young Men's Ministry Council,
which organized a "Road Trip" event last fall at YMCA of the
Rockies near Estes Park, Colo. The council is also involved in
planning the North Charleston gathering.
Working with Habitat for Humanity, LMM gathering
participants will be involved in building projects -- possibly
tool sheds and Habitat playhouses -- for the Charleston area,
Rast said.
About 125 men are expected to arrive a day before the
Lutheran Men's Gathering starts to conduct the organization's
business at the LMM Assembly.
"Our business assembly that precedes the gathering will be
especially important this year for LMM as we plan our next three-
year program," Rast said. "We are excited about the
opportunities to expand our Bible ministry and our special
outreach effort to incorporate more of our young men ages 18 to
34 in the work of the church," he said.
"We will also be voting to proceed with becoming a self-
supporting organization within the church, with our own identity.
This will give us more visibility within our ELCA," Rast said.
Proposed changes to the LMM constitution will be on the agenda of
the assembly, he said.
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a not-for-profit financial
services organization based in Minneapolis, provided funding for
the events, including $25,000 for the Habitat for Humanity
projects.
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The home page for 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
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