Lutheran Brotherhood Foundation Supports ELCA Initiatives

CHICAGO (ELCA) - To support the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) efforts to teach the faith and deepen worship life, the Lutheran Brotherhood Foundation, Minneapolis, provided $250,000 for the work of the church's initiatives.
"Deepen our Worship Life" and "Teach the Faith" are two of seven ELCA "Initiatives to Prepare for a New Century." The 1997 ELCA Churchwide Assembly designated seven significant areas of ministry for the new century. Leadership teams were formed in 1998 to provide over-all guidance for the work of congregations, synods and the churchwide organization. There are 11,000 congregations organized into 65 synods of the ELCA in the United States and Caribbean.
Leaders of the "Teach the Faith" and "Deepen our Worship Life" teams recognized 19 congregations, synods and organizations for their effective ministry related to worship and faith formation. Grants of $2,000 to $8,000 represent the second and final round of awards.

Grants were awarded to:

+ Resurrection Lutheran Church, Juneau, Alaska
+ Cambridge Lutheran Church, Cambridge, Ill.
+ Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Chicago
+ ELCA Indiana-Kentucky Synod
+ Truth Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lanham, Md.
+ Trinity Lutheran Church, Midland, Mich.
+ Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Tecumseh, Mich.
+ Grace Lutheran Church, Andover, Minn.
+ Peace Lutheran Church, Hillsboro, Ohio
+ Resurrection Lutheran Church, Portland, Ore.
+ ELCA Oregon Synod
+ Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Erie, Pa.
+ New Creation Lutheran Church, Our Savior Lutheran Church and Hope
Lutheran Church, Philadelphia, Pa.
+ Immanuel Lutheran Church, Greenwood, S.C.
+ ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod
+ ELCA South Dakota Synod
+ ELCA Southeastern Synod
+ Lutherwood Camp and Retreat Center, Bellingham, Wash.
+ Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Ascension, Milwaukee

Award recipients were noted for their innovation and creativity, effective implementation of plans, clear objections and outcomes, and impact on congregation and community.
"The amount of interest in these grant funds was phenomenal," said the Rev. Wyvetta Bullock, executive director of the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries.
"The grant review team was struck by the creativity and passion of so many congregations and organizations truly eager to find creative ways to teach the faith and deepen the worship life among their people. We only wish we had the funds on hand to support all of the applications received. Our prayer is that the energy invested in casting a vision and creating a plan will lead even those that didn't receive funding support somehow to engage their dream," Bullock said.
Earlier this year 35 congregations, synods and organizations of the church also received grants totaling $170,000. A total of 519 grant requests were made from the two submission cycles, which amounted to more than $4.5 million in requests.
The initiatives grant program represents a partnership between the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries and the Lutheran Brotherhood Foundation. Lutheran Brotherhood, a fraternal benefits organization, established the Lutheran Brotherhood Foundation to fund innovative projects of Lutheran organizations and institutions.

[**The Rev. David Poling-Goldenne is director for evangelism and Christian education, ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries, and chairs the "Teach the Faith" leadership team.]

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html