ELCA NEWS SERVICE

May 22, 2007  

John Nunes Named President of Lutheran World Relief
07-088-MRC

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. John Arthur Nunes, 44, will
become the fourth president of Lutheran World Relief (LWR) on
July 1.  LWR is a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), individuals
and parish groups in international relief, development, advocacy
and social responsibility.
     Nunes succeeds Kathryn Wolford, who left LWR this past fall
to become president of the McKnight Foundation, Minneapolis.
LWR's board of directors elected Nunes on May 21.
     "We are thrilled to announce the presidency of (the) Rev.
John Nunes.  His passion for the mission and ministry of Lutheran
World Relief combined with his incredible ability to engage
others in our quest to create a world where each person and every
generation can live in justice, dignity and peace will serve our
partners, friends and supporters well," said Kirk Betts, vice
chair of the LWR board and chair of LWR's presidential search
committee.
     Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Nunes is assistant professor
of theology at Concordia University, River Forest, Ill., pastor
of Bethany Lutheran Church, Chicago, and staff associate for
urban ministry research at Wheat Ridge Ministries, Itasca, Ill.
Concordia is a university of the LCMS; Bethany is a congregation
of the LCMS.  Nunes also writes and presents on topics ranging
from social theology to ministry among youth.
     Nunes served as director for church resource development at
Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, and he was a Research
Fellow for the Action Institute, Grand Rapids, Mich.  Nunes
earned a bachelor's degree from Concordia University, Ann Arbor,
Mich.  He earned a master of theology degree from the Lutheran
School of Theology at Chicago and a master of divinity from
Concordia Seminary, St. Catharines, Ontario.  He received an
honorary doctorate from Concordia University and is a doctor of
philosophy candidate at LSTC -- one of eight seminaries of the
ELCA.
     Author of the book "Voices from the City," Nunes is a
contributing scholar for "Modern Reformation" magazine and a
member of the American Academy of Religion.  Nunes and his wife
Monique, principal at St. John Lutheran School, Forest Park,
Ill., have four daughters and one son.  They are members of
Bethany Lutheran Church.
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     Information about Lutheran World Relief is available at
http://www.lwr.org on the Web.

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