Title: SA=CFD AILABOUNI JOINS ELCA GLOBAL MISSION STAFF ELCA NEWS SERVICE September 12, 1997 SA=CFD AILABOUNI JOINS GLOBAL STAFF The Rev. Sa=EFd R. Ailabouni, North Barrington, Ill., will be the program = director for Europe, Middle East and Horn of Africa in the Division for = Global Mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, beginning = Sept. 29. Since 1987 he has served as pastor of Lutheran Church of the = Atonement, Barrington, Illinois. He will provide support to the 60 ELCA = missionaries and volunteers serving in Europe, the Middle East and = Ethiopia and take part in the selection of personnel for those areas. = Ailabouni was born in Nazareth. He is a graduate of Concordia College, = Moorhead, Minn., and Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn. He served as pastor = of St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Racine, Wis. In 1988 he was awarded a = Doctor of Ministry degree in pastoral care and counseling from Lutheran = School of Theology at Chicago. Ailabouni will oversee the ELCA=27s = relationships with churches, congregations and agencies in Europe, the = Middle East and the Horn of Africa, including the Evangelical Lutheran = Church in Jordan (Palestine), the Ethiopian Evangelical Lutheran Mekane = Yesus, Lutheran churches in eastern, central and western Europe and = international English language congregations throughout Europe. Ailabouni = succeeds the Rev. David H. Nelson. The Rev. Bonnie L. Jensen, executive = director of Division for Global Mission, said, =22We welcome Pastor = Ailabouni=27s leadership and pastoral skills, his ability in Arabic, = French and Hebrew languages, and his deep and enduring commitment to the = gospel of Jesus Christ.=22 =20 For information contact:=20 Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS=40ELCA.ORG http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html