ELCA NEWS SERVICE

December 10, 2007  

ELCA Closes Mosaic Television with 'The Life of Apostle Peter'
07-203-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "The Life of Apostle Peter" with host Rick
Steves is the Dec. 1, 2007, issue of Mosaic Television, the video
magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
It is also the final episode of the video series, which began in
1988.
     Mosaic Television was the quarterly video program produced
by ELCA Communication Services.  It was intended for educational
use in a variety of congregational settings, and each issue
included a user's guide with a synopsis of each segment and
discussion questions.  Several local and network television
outlets broadcast Mosaic Television, too.
     Steves is host of the popular public television series "Rick
Steves' Europe" and has written more than 30 books on European
travel.  He and his family are members of Trinity Lutheran
Church, Lynnwood, Wash.
     "Peter was originally named Simon.  Jesus gave him the
nickname Peter because it means the 'rock.'  Playing on this
Jesus said, 'You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my
church,'" Steves said in the program.  "It was Peter who rallied
the followers of Jesus in the first few days of the Church.
Peter helped to open the doors of Christianity to non-Jews," he
said.
     Dr. N. Clayton Croy, associate professor of New Testament,
the Rev. Joy A. Schroeder, associate professor of church history,
and the Rev. Walter F. Taylor Jr., professor of New Testament and
director of graduate studies, all of Trinity Lutheran Seminary,
Columbus, Ohio, are featured in the video. Trinity is one of
eight ELCA seminaries.
     "We will be restructuring the way we deliver video materials
for the future, and this will be the last episode of Mosaic as we
know it," said Ava Odom Martin, director for public media, ELCA
Communication Services.  "This program has been a vibrant
resource from the churchwide office for many synods,
congregations, adult education classes and broadcast television
outlets," she said.
     "In 1987 it was necessary for the infant ELCA to produce and
distribute video resources that helped tell the story of the
whole church, because the cost of video production and
distribution put this medium out of reach for most local
settings," said said Tim Frakes, writer and producer, who began
working with Mosaic in 1993 and resigned from the ELCA in March
2007 to form Tim Frakes Productions, Lombard, Ill.
     "The Rev. Larry Foreman kicked off the series early in the
life of the ELCA as a way to help members better understand the
big picture," Frakes said.  "Today, with Internet video resources
like YouTube and digital video cameras, the job of storytelling
is shifting from the churchwide office to the synods,
congregations and the individual baptized members," he said.
     Jim Parks, a freelance digital non-linear video editor,
edited Mosaic Television since 1996 and composed much of its
original music.
     "I have worked with the ELCA and on Mosaic -- 48 programs in
all -- longer than with any of my other editing clients.  I
consider myself blessed to have been a significant part of a
project that can positively affect the faith lives of many
people," Parks said.  "I hope to continue editing programs for
the ELCA that call Lutherans to be the best Christians that they
can be," he said.
     The Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA is funding
duplication of "The Life of Apostle Peter" and its distribution
to the ELCA's 10,470 congregations.
-- -- --
     Specific information about Mosaic Television is at
http://www.ELCA.org/mosaic/ or by contacting ELCA Communication
Services by phone at 1-800-638-3522, ext. 6009.
     Information about Tim Frakes Productions is at
http://www.frakesproductions.com/ and about the Mission
Investment Fund is at http://www.missioninvestmentfund.org/ on
the Web.

EDITORS: Digital photographs that accompany "The Life of Apostle
Peter" can be requested by e-mail at [log in to unmask] or by phone
1-800-638-3522, ext. 6009.

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