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

HEADLINES FOR ELCA NEWS RELEASE ISSUE #17, June 23, 1995

-- ELCA MEMBERSHIP STABLE
-- GIVING BY ELCA MEMBERS JUMPS IN '94
-- EXPRESS CONSENSUS ON HUMAN SEXUALITY
-- "WORLD FRIENDS" OFFERS STORIES OF DEVELOPMENT


June 23, 1995

ELCA MEMBERSHIP STABLE
95-17-052-LA

        CHICAGO (ELCA) -- With a total membership for 1994 of
5,199,048, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) continues
to be the fifth largest Protestant denomination in the United States -- after
the Southern Baptist Convention, United Methodist Church, National
Baptist Convention U.S.A. and the Church of God in Christ (Memphis,
Tenn.).
        The ELCA's 1994 membership remained largely stable, with a
slight decrease of 12,752 from 5,211,800 in 1993.
        At the end of 1994, there were 10,973 ELCA congregations -- a
decrease of 47 from 11,020 in 1993, primarily as a result of mergers and
consolidations.
        For the first time in three years, congregations reported an
increase in baptisms of adults 16 years and older -- up 113 people from
7,408 in 1993 to 7,521 in 1994.  For the first time in five years, an
increase was seen of members coming from non-Lutheran
congregations -- up 356 from 20,731 in 1993 to 21,087 in 1994.
        "Increases in adult baptisms and in transfers from denominations
other than Lutheran may indicate expanding outreach efforts by
congregations to persons who have lapsed in their past church
connections and who have not grown up in the Lutheran church," said
the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, secretary of the ELCA.
        The number of youth confirmed in 1994 increased 1 percent over
1993 -- up 563 from 53,965 in 1993 -- though the percent of
confirmations has declined from 2 percent in 1991.
        "Losses attributable to `roll cleaning' by congregations were
down substantially in 1994 compared to 1993," Almen noted.  In 1994,
congregations of the ELCA reported 13,644 fewer losses -- down from
170,125 to 156,481 -- for reasons other than deaths and transfers.
        Congregations of the ELCA continued to report fewer baptisms of
children under age 16 -- down 2,267 to 80,323 in 1994 -- and fewer
affirmations of faith -- down 660 to 55,386.  Fewer baptisms reflects the
decreasing birth rate.
        Confirmed membership in 1994 for ELCA congregations was
3,849,692 -- down 11,208 from 1993.
        Communing and contributing membership, indicators of active
participation, was 2,563,892 in 1994 -- a decrease of 29,689 or 1.14
percent from 1993.  "This needs to be a matter of concern in each
congregation," Almen said.
        The average number of people at weekend worship, which is
another indicator of participation by members in the life of congregations,
remained the same in 1994 as in 1993.  Average attendance at worship
for 1994 was 145.
        About 1.6 million or 30.32 percent of all baptized ELCA members
attend worship each week.  Since 1988, average worship attendance
has fluctuated slightly between 30 and 31 percent.
        An indicator of vitality was seen in an increase in the number of
unconfirmed children partaking of the sacrament of Holy Communion.
The number of children receiving Holy Communion rose from 221,573 in
1993 to 233,347 in 1994 -- an increase of 5 percent.
        The average number of baptized members per congregation was
474, and the average confirmed membership was 351.  In 1994, the
average number for communing and contributing members per
congregation was 234.
        Losses due to deaths decreased -- down 472 from 47,249 in
1993 to 46,777 in 1994.
        For 1994, 2.07 percent of ELCA baptized members were African
American, Asian, Hispanic or Native American.  For 1993, the percent
was 2.02.
        In the year of its birth, 1988, the ELCA counted 98,166 African
American, Asian, Hispanic and Native American members.  By 1994, that
number increased to 109,088 people.
        The actual numbers for 1994 were:  African American
memberships, 49,156, down 47; Asian and Pacific Islander membership,
21,870, up 348; Hispanic membership, 27,661, up 1,912; and Native
American membership, 6,685, up 149.  Some 3,716 members declared
their race or ethnic heritage as "other."
        More than 9,430 congregations reported having Sunday schools
that involved 909,167 pupils and 143,403 leaders.  A total of 7,261
congregations reported holding vacation Bible schools in 1994.
        Ninety-one percent of ELCA congregations returned completed
reports for 1994, according to the report from the Office of the
Secretary.
        ##########

June 23, 1995

GIVING BY ELCA MEMBERS JUMPS IN '94
95-17-053-LA

        CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Income for the 10,973 congregations of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in 1994 was
$1,720,742,578 -- up $60,672,311 from 1993.
        Of that total, $1,236,157,852 was received in regular,
unrestricted offerings, which increased by 2.91 percent.
        For 1994, congregations reported the largest increase -- 3.65
percent -- in total receipts since 1991, according to the Rev. Lowell G.
Almen, secretary of the ELCA.
        The average regular giving per confirmed member increased in
1994 to $367.55 -- up 3.33 percent from $355.69 in 1993.
        Total disbursements by ELCA congregations increased by 3.02
percent, significantly less than the 1994 level of income growth.  "Last
year (1994) was the first year since 1992 that congregations were able
to spend less than they received," Almen noted.
        Almost 89 cents of every dollar was committed by ELCA
congregations in 1994 to operating expenses, capital improvements, debt
payments and other expenses.
        Eight and a half cents of every dollar -- down from nine cents of
every dollar in 1993 -- was given to regular and designated mission
support.  Local, synodical and other benevolences accounted for the
remainder.
        Regular mission support passed from congregations to the 65
synods and the churchwide organization shrank less than 0.5 percent or
$513,274.  Total mission support reported by congregations for 1994
was $118,085,199.
        Congregations reported that contributions to the ELCA World
Hunger Appeal decreased $1,016,060 or 8.47 percent to $10,974,208.
Mission Partner gifts declined only slightly -- 0.54 percent -- compared to
a 5.3 percent decline in 1993.  Mission Partner gifts in 1994 totaled
$3,161,444.
        Through the ELCA Mission Partners program, established
congregations give financial gifts, loans or gifts of equipment and
supplies to new ministries, or they can share time and skills through
volunteer projects.  Gifts go directly to the new ministry without
administrative costs.
        Missionary sponsorship showed an increase of $70,496 -- up
1.38 percent -- in 1994 for a total of $5,171,395.
        Gifts to ELCA special appeals dropped 1 percent -- from
$473,959 to $468,812 in 1994.
        Designated gifts showed a decrease of almost $360,000 or 5.18
percent in 1994 after an increase of 14.31 percent in 1993.  The total
designated gifts for 1994 was $6,568,781.
        Benevolence given to synodically related organizations -- such as
social services, educational institutions and church camps -- showed an
increase again in 1994 as in 1993.  Such synodically designated
benevolences grew $409,065 or 3.89 percent to $10,918,063.
        Money given to local community benevolent causes was down
0.39 percent -- from $22,193,785 in 1993 to $22,106,035 in 1994.
        Congregations reported nearly a 3.81 percent increase in other
expenses -- up $2,180,398 to $59,350,179.
        "Financially, 1994 was a better year for congregations, synods
and benevolent causes than 1993," Almen said.  "Congregations had
more income and lower local expenses, and they gave more away to
benevolent causes," he noted.
        At the same time, Almen observed that "of every dollar received
in 1994, congregations used 89 cents and gave away 11 cents to
synodical and churchwide ministries, as well as to local benevolent
causes, social service agencies and educational institutions."
        Sixty-one percent of ELCA congregations reported that they had
no debt in 1994.
        At the same time, ELCA congregations reported $888,779,211 in
savings, endowment and memorial funds -- up $29,490,879 from the
previous year.

        ###########

June 23, 1995

EXPRESS CONSENSUS ON HUMAN SEXUALITY
95-17-054-FI

        CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A consulting panel of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America is advising the church "against moving
toward development of a social statement on human sexuality."  Instead,
the ELCA should collect what has been learned during six years of
study, state what consensus has been reached and continue a
theological conversation on issues of disagreement.
        The advice was presented June 14 to the Rev. Charles S. Miller,
executive director of the Division for Church in Society (DCS), as he and
his staff prepare a progress report for the ELCA Churchwide Assembly
in August.
        The panel members agreed that a social statement is not the best
way to address church issues related to human sexuality, said the Rev.
Melissa M. Maxwell-Doherty, panel chair and pastor of Calvary Lutheran
Church, Grand Forks, N.D.  Each seemed to have a different reason:
deal with methods of biblical interpretation first, timing is bad with the
election of new ELCA leadership in August, politically a "no-win" topic,
not a topic that can be legislated with a vote.
        DCS has been leading the church in a study of human sexuality
and the drafting of a social statement on which an assembly could vote
in 1997.  During the study, the division has issued study materials and
two different drafts of a possible social statement, receiving responses
from ELCA congregations and individual members.
        "We've made two tries," said the Rev. Timothy F. Lull, Berkeley,
Calif., referring to the two draft statements.  "This isn't going to work in
the form that we thought, but there are a lot of positive things to
celebrate.
        "We found a whole batch of issues on which we do have
consensus.  They are not the hardest issues, but they're not
insignificant.  They would give us a good basis for our public witness,"
said Lull.      "There are portions from both working drafts ... that deal
with our church's public witness -- standing against abuse and
pornography.  We believe those could be gleaned," said
Maxwell-Doherty.  The panel suggested that the ELCA Church Council
could issue a message on those topics.
        The panel also suggested that various units of the church work
together to develop study materials that fairly present the general
perspectives on human sexuality.  They would include support for each
perspective from the Bible and Lutheran confessions.
        The materials would be used to help ELCA members understand
each others theological bases for views on human sexuality, and would
not necessarily be used to develop a social statement.  They could
include using the Internet, LutherLink on the Ecunet computer network,
videotapes or a series of booklets.
        "We need a lot more study," said Lull.  "That ought to be good
news for us as Lutherans.  We've got the expertise, resources and
structures that can produce good study material.
        "A part of that should be a continuing permission for people to be
able to talk about this in their local congregations.  If there's one good
thing that happened out of all of this, congregations that haven't
discussed these issues in more than 20 years actually were able to do
so," said Lull.
        Fran Burnford, the division's associate executive director, told the
panel that the current working draft has generated 845 responses and
that she expects that total to reach 1,000 by June 30 -- the deadline for
responses.  She has been informally monitoring responses, while the
ELCA Department for Research and Evaluation is conducting the formal
analysis.
        "I have read very few responses that are passionately for or
against the working draft," she said.  An initial draft received 21,000
responses, mostly negative.
        Burnford said 732 of the responses came from individuals and
113 came from congregations.  Of those using the response form, 46
percent said the latest draft should become a social statement of the
church without change or with minor change, and 53 percent said it
would need significant change or that it should not be a statement of
church, she said.
        About 70 percent of those responding gave "the lowest marks" to
a section of the draft dealing with homosexuality, Burnford said.  A
majority of that 70 percent said the section was too liberal, but some said
it was too conservative.
        "We realized that by not having a social statement we had a piece
of unfinished business -- pastoral concerns for gays, lesbians and their
families," said Maxwell-Doherty.  "We want our church to speak that
word and to help equip our churches to be hospitable places where all
people are welcome."
        The ELCA Church Council named the 11-member consulting panel
in January 1994, after an initial draft of a statement became public.  The
panel is "to provide advice to the Division for Church in Society and the
Church Council on subsequent steps for the possible development of a
social statement on human sexuality."
        "As a member of the ELCA, I'm proud of our church for the work
that we have been engaged in," said Maxwell-Doherty.  "All the
viewpoints have been heard, and we as a church can feel very good
about how we are now responding to the concerns that our constituents
have lifted up."

        ##########

June 23, 1995

"WORLD FRIENDS" OFFERS STORIES OF DEVELOPMENT
95-17-055-LC

        CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "StoryBarn: World Friends," produced by
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is in production for an
August 31 distribution to NBC-TV affiliate stations through the National
Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.  "World Friends" is related to
the popular holiday program, "StoryBarn Christmas," that NBC has
offered at Christmas for the last two years.
        The hour-long program features stories of development from
around the world.  "The program will answer the question: `What do you
need to live?'" said John L. Peterson, ELCA's director for public media
ministry.
        Among its many stories "StoryBarn: World Friends" tells a tale
from Jerusalem of the "Little Flute Player," a  young Palestinian boy who
learns the meaning of home through the beauty of his own music.  The
program travels to Trinidad in the Caribbean for the story of a curious
youngster who is torn between obligations to his Anglican congregation
and the excitment of the steel band, Indian drums and the Spiritual
Baptists.  In a segment from Rio de Janiero a young boy organizes a
neighborhood puppet show to raise money to fix a broken window.
        In Kenya, the Kamila Band uses the power of music to tell stories
that encourage self-sufficiency.  The villagers of Minomartami in
Indonesia teach children art, dance and theater as a way of preserving
and passing on their ancient ways of storytelling.  A North American
segment features a Native American "naming ceremony."  All six
segments were produced locally because "we wanted local people to
have the freedom and flexibility to share their own stories and their own
reality," said Peterson.
        The audience for the program is children and their parents and
"people who are interested in learning more about the world," said
Peterson.  "As a culture we [in the United States] speak more than we
listen.  This is an opportunity for us to learn about the world community
and the positive examples of development that exist in the world that we
don't often see."
        Peterson said he wants people who watch the program to get a
"better understanding that we are all one family.  We can share expertise
and experience with one another back and forth.  We have things to
learn from each other."
        Since the program is a network feed to local NBC broadcast
affiliates, each station can choose whether or not to air "StoryBarn:
World Friends."  Peterson says calls or letters may persuade stations to
carry "StoryBarn: World Friends."  Friends of "StoryBarn Christmas" can
make a difference, he added.
        Funding for the program came from the ELCA, Lutheran World
Relief, Lutheran World Federation, Canadian Lutheran World Relief and
Lutheran Brotherhood.

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