ELCA Department for Communication, News & Information
8765 West Higgins Rd, Chicago, IL  60631  800/638-3522 ext. 2963

HEADLINES FOR ELCA NEWS RELEASE ISSUE #16, June 16, 1995

-- LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF CELEBRATES 50 YEARS
-- HUNGER CROSSES PARTY LINES
-- LUTHERANS SEE REGIONAL CHANGES

June 16, 1995

LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF CELEBRATES 50 YEARS
95-16-049-LH

        ST. PAUL, Minn. (ELCA) -- In 1945 a young Lutheran pastor
attended a rally on behalf of victims of World War II.  It was the first year
Lutherans in the United States began sending relief supplies to their
German and Scandinavian kin through a new agency called Lutheran
World Relief (LWR).
        To celebrate LWR's 50th anniversary more than 1,000 church
leaders, international guests, musicians, quilters and friends gathered
here June 8 on the campus of Concordia College.
        "In all the corners of the world, I've seen the remarkable work we
do together through Lutheran World Relief," said the Rev. Herbert W.
Chilstrom, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
        Gustavo Parajon, president of the Nicaraguan Council of
Churches, said, "In your face, we have seen the face of God.  In our
need, you were there.  LWR's ministry is a constant source of hope."
        From 1945 to 1950 Lutheran World Relief sent more used clothing,
blankets and supplies to Germany than any other relief agency.
"Lutheran World Relief helps people live with new hope and gain control
of their own futures," the Rev. Robert Marshall, former chair of the LWR
board of directors, told the audience in St. Paul.
        A growing expertise, the will to help and ties to overseas mission
called LWR beyond Europe.  In the late 1940s nearly 800,000 Palestinians
were forced from their homes by the creation of the state of Israel.  From
the early 1950s, in Hong Kong and Korea, Asia was a continent of
strife.  During the 1970s and 1980s, civil wars and drought made Africa
the new concern.  Today, LWR has 100 local partners working in some
40 countries.
        Kathryn Woford, LWR Executive Director, asked, "Who do we
see when we look into the eyes of the poor?  Are we able to see
beyond the gaunt faces of hunger, the scars of conflict and the stooped
back to see the face of Christ among the 'least of these,' to see the
God-given strengths and gifts which poor and oppressed people bring to
our common task?  The challenges are many, but like those who
pioneered let us always remember that God has given us a spirit of
power and love and of self discipline."
        Former LWR Executive Director Norman Barth shared his
memories of people he had met in Niger, India and Peru.  "Love will
rebuild; that is what LWR means to me," Barth said.  "To turn our love into
action, that is what we do through Lutheran World Relief."
        Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson proclaimed June 8, 1995,
Lutheran World Relief Day in Minnesota.  In a letter of greeting, President
Bill Clinton wrote, "Lutheran World Relief can take great pride in its
dedication over the past five decades.  I commend you for your hard
work on behalf of those in need around the world."
        In other business the LWR board of directors meeting here June
9-10 honored John W. Bachman, author of "Together in Hope: 50 Years
of Lutheran World Relief."   The book tells the story of how Lutheran
World Relief was formed, funded and led, and how it responded to the
needs of those who suffered from World War II.
        LWR receives support from the ELCA World Hunger Appeal and
the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS World Relief).  Both
churches have designated Nov. 19, 1995, as Lutheran World Relief
Recognition Sunday.

##########

June 15, 1995

HUNGER CROSSES PARTY LINES
95-16-050-FI

        CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "God is neither Republican nor Democrat,"
said representatives from the world hunger programs of eight Christian
church bodies, expressing "great concern over present polarizations
and divisions in the U.S. political climate."  After meeting in Washington,
D.C., May 18-19, the church leaders issued a statement laying out some
basic principles for Christians who make decisions affecting the poor
and hungry.
        "In meeting with some congressional leaders and visiting with
denominational staff people who work in Washington, D.C., we realized
again how divisive and polarized the whole situation is right now," said
the Rev. John L. Halvorson, coordinator of the World Hunger Program of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
        Party lines are being drawn more broadly.  Politicians are
"stereotyping people in other ideological camps as being uneducated,
inexperienced or `They just don't know any better,'" he said.
        The polarization is limiting discussion of the best ways to
"alleviate hunger here at home or address hunger overseas," said
Halvorson.  The group's statement was an attempt to bridge party lines.
        "We purposely did not use legislative or political language that
would immediately mark this as being `Democratic,' `conservative
Republican' or `conservative Democrat.'  Our intention was to state some
principles by which we, as Christian leaders, want to encourage our
people who are interested in addressing world hunger issues -- not the
specifics, but the principles," he said.
        Here's a summary of the group's nine principles:
        #The God of Old and New Testaments expresses particular
compassion for people who are hungry and poor.
        #       Hunger is a tragedy.
        #Hunger and poverty must not be ignored, tolerated or
fatalistically accepted.
#The driving force for change must address, alleviate and end poverty.
#Listen to poor people and to the organizations that have long histories
of working with and for poor people.
        #       Open discussion and energetic debate is necessary.
        #       God is neither Republican nor Democrat.
        #Faith, business and government communities all have
responsibilities to address the needs of poor and hungry people.
        #The United States has a responsibility to share its resources
with poor and hungry people in other parts of the world.

        "We learned a variety of things regarding the threat to reduce
U.S. foreign aid, especially developmental aid to sub-Saharan Africa,"
said Halvorson.  The group also looked at the current debate on Capitol
Hill about welfare reform.
        Halvorson said the principles are meant to help concerned
Christian citizens work together in addressing hunger in the United
States and around the world.  He plans to send a copy of the principles
to each ELCA member serving in Congress.
        Those signing the principles with the ELCA represent the
American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A., Christian Reformed Church in
North America, Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),
Reformed Church in America, United Church of Christ and United
Methodist Church.
        Those eight church bodies include about 24 million Americans.

##########

June 15, 1995

LUTHERANS SEE REGIONAL CHANGES
95-16-051-FI

        CHICAGO (ELCA) -- There are several changes in leadership in
the regional offices of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Three new coordinators take office this summer, while a fourth region is
looking for a part-time coordinator.
        The ELCA is 5.2 million Lutherans in 11,000 congregations across
the United States and Caribbean.  The congregations are organized into
65 synods, and the synods are organized into nine regions.  Regional
coordinators work with the synods in planning regional programs and
events and in assisting with the placement of church professionals.

REGION 2 -- Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New
Mexico, western Texas, Utah, Wyoming -- 349,667 Lutherans in
779 congregations, five synods

        The Rev. James E. Miley resigned as regional coordinator to
become pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Las Vegas, in January 1995.
For budget reasons, the Region 2 steering committee will "seek a
part-time coordinator to serve under contract," said the Rev. Michael
Cooper-White, director of the ELCA Department for Synodical Relations.
        The regional office in Las Vegas will close in September.  A
location for the part-time coordinator's office is yet to be selected.

REGION 3 -- Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota -- 1,126,573
Lutherans in 1,964 congregations, nine synods

        The Rev. Craig A. Boehlke, former pastor of Christ the King
Lutheran Church, Mankato, Minn., will become coordinator of the Region
3 Center for Mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on
July 1.  He has served congregations in St. Paul and Cottage Grove,
Minn.
        Boehlke, 47, is a graduate of Capital University, Columbus, Ohio,
and Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus.  He is currently working on the
Doctor of Ministry degree from Princeton Theological Seminary,
Princeton, N.J.
        Shirley A. Tieg was the coordinator until her resignation in 1994.
She had been director for administration of the former American
Lutheran Church's Division for Life and Mission in the Congregation.
        The ELCA's Region 3 Center for Mission has offices at Luther
Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.

REGION 5 -- Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin -- 1,049,843 Lutherans in
1,917 congregations, 12 synods

        The Rev. Carl R. Evenson, Our Savior's Lutheran Church,
Neenah, Wis., will become coordinator of the Region 5 Center for Mission
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on Aug. 1.  He will serve
as coordinator, while working half-time for the ELCA Division for Ministry
and Department for Synodical Relations.
        Evenson, 47, graduated from the University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, and Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.  He served
congregations in Boyceville, Wheeler and Green Bay, Wis.
        He succeeds the Rev. Edward F. Weiskotten who retired in 1994.
 Before becoming regional coordinator in 1987, Weiskotten had served
10 years as assistant to the bishop of the former Lutheran Church in
America's Wisconsin-Upper Michigan Synod.
        The ELCA's Region 5 Center for Mission has offices at Wartburg
Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa.

REGION 7 -- Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, eastern Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, Vermont -- 641,618 Lutherans in 1,357
congregations, seven synods

        The Rev. Richard H. Summy, 36, will become coordinator of the
Region 7 Center for Mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America on July 10.  The region's steering committee elected Summy to
the post at its April 4 meeting.
        He succeeds the Rev. George E. Handley, 65, who held that
position since the ELCA was formed in 1987.  Handley was Virginia
Synod Secretary and Administrative Assistant in the former Lutheran
Church in America for 11 years prior to that.
         In 1956 he was ordained a pastor of the United Lutheran Church
in America.  He served congregations in Jamaica, N.Y.; York, Pa.; and
Waynesboro, Va.
        Summy is a graduate of Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio,
and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.  He is currently
pastor of St. Michael Lutheran Church, Sellerville, Pa.  He will serve as
coordinator, while working half-time for the ELCA Division for Ministry
and Department for Synodical Relations.
        The ELCA's Region 7 Center for Mission has offices at the
Philadelphia seminary.  Among its seven synods, it serves the Slovak
Zion Synod -- the ELCA's only non-geographic synod -- which has 37
congregations located generally from New England to Wisconsin.

OTHER REGIONS

        The ELCA's other regional coordinators are (1) Ronald L. Coen,
Seattle; (6) the Rev. Hermann J. Kuhlmann Jr., Columbus, Ohio; (8) the
Rev. Phillip C. Huber, Gettysburg, Pa.; and (9) Dorothy L. Jeffcoat,
Atlanta.
        The six synod bishops of Region 4 decided to close the regional
office in 1994.  "One of the bishops serves on an annual basis to
coordinate regional consultations and other activities that may be
conducted on a regional basis," said Cooper-White.  Bishop Richard N.
Jessen, Nebraska Synod, currently serves in that role.

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