ELCA NEWS

Recent News Stories

ELCA news releases are detailed accounts describing events and ministires of the ELCA

Statement from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton on executive order
About two weeks ago, I joined more than 20 other faith leaders in raising concerns about the administration’s announced plans that it would begin separating families and criminally prosecuting all people who enter the U.S. without previous authorization. In line with that statement, I acknowledge that President Donald Trump’s new executive order, “Affording Congress an Opportunity to Address Family Separation,” does keep families together, but for how long and in what conditions? I am troubled by what the executive order does and does not guarantee. There is no provision for reuniting children already separated from their families, nor for children whose parents have already been deported. The executive order also allows for the possibility of future family separations.

The forced separation of children from their parents is unnecessarily cruel, further traumatizing families who have already suffered in their countries of origin and on the dangerous journey to the U.S. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and its predecessor church bodies have a long history of caring for children, families and refugees. It’s who we are.

This executive order will expand the detention of families. The ELCA opposed the detention of families policy during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations, and we oppose the policy now. Detention centers are not designed to support families. Community-based alternatives to detention, like ones that Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) has piloted, are cost-effective ways to ensure that children and parents can await their court case in a dignified setting.

In his explanation of the Lord’s Prayer in the Small Catechism, Martin Luther reminds us that good government is part of our daily bread. As Lutherans and as citizens, we can work with elected officials toward humane, just, and compassionate solutions. Through AMMPARO and LIRS, the ELCA is committed to walking alongside children and families who are seeking asylum. You can be part of a network that uses their hands and voice to ensure they feel welcomed wherever they go. We can also advocate through ELCA Advocacy (elca.org/advocacy).

By grace we are set free to love and serve the neighbor. Let us, through prayer and action, serve these vulnerable children and families.
Deborah Hutterer elected bishop of the ELCA Grand Canyon Synod
CHICAGO – The Rev. Deborah K. Hutterer, Phoenix, was elected June 16 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Grand Canyon Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election was held during the Synod Assembly June 14-16 at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Oro Valley, Ariz.
Hutterer was elected on the fifth ballot with 145 votes to 135 votes for the Rev. Peter Perry, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in Glendale, Ariz.
The bishop-elect has served as chief development officer for Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest in Phoenix since 2012. She was executive director of Faith in the City in Minneapolis from 2008 to 2012 and served as pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pontiac, Ill., from 2004 to 2007.
Hutterer received a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Augsburg College in Minneapolis in 1999 and a Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., in 2004. Augsburg is one of 27 ELCA colleges and universities and Luther is one of seven ELCA seminaries.
Hutterer will be installed Sept. 8 at Valley Lutheran Church in Phoenix.
The Rev. Lowell G. Almen has served as interim bishop since 2017.
Information about the ELCA Grand Canyon Synod is available at www.gcsynod.org/

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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.5 million members in 9,300 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
773-380-2877
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
James Hazelwood re-elected bishop of ELCA New England Synod
The Rev. James E. Hazelwood, Wakefield, R.I., was re-elected June 8 to serve a second six-year term as bishop of the New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election was held during the Synod Assembly June 7-9 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass.
The bishop was re-elected on the fourth ballot with 311 votes to 72 votes for the Rev. Angel Marrero, pastor of Santuario Luterano in Waltham, Mass. A total of 254 votes were needed for re-election.
Hazelwood has served as bishop of the New England Synod in Worcester, Mass., since 2012. Previously, he served as pastor of St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Charlestown, R.I., from 1993 to 2012 and Bethany Lutheran Church in Brooklyn, N.Y., from 1987 to 1993.
Hazelwood received a Bachelor of Arts degree from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks in 1981. He received a Master of Divinity degree from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, Calif., in 1987 and a Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., in 2001. California Lutheran is one of 27 ELCA colleges and universities and Pacific is one of seven ELCA seminaries.
Information about the New England Synod is available at nelutherans.org.

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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.5 million members in 9,300 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
773-380-2877
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
DECLARACIÓN DE LÍDERES DE FE SOBRE LA SEPARACIÓN DE LA FAMILIA
7 de junio de 2018

DECLARACIÓN DE LÍDERES DE FE SOBRE LA SEPARACIÓN DE LA FAMILIA
Recientemente, la Administración anunció que comenzará a separar familias y procesar criminalmente a todas las personas que entren a los Estados Unidos sin autorización previa. Como líderes religiosos representantes de diversas perspectivas de fe, y con interés conjunto por el bienestar de migrantes vulnerables que cruzan nuestras fronteras huyendo del peligro y de amenazas de muerte, quedamos profundamente decepcionados y entristecidos cuando escuchamos esta noticia.
Ratificamos a la familia como la estructura fundamental de la sociedad que sostiene a la comunidad humana, y vemos al hogar como un estado bendecido por Dios. La seguridad de la familia provee del importantísimo respaldo mental, físico y emocional para el desarrollo y bienestar de los hijos. Nuestras congregaciones y agencias sirven a muchas familias migrantes que han llegado recientemente a los Estados Unidos. Con frecuencia, la única opción que tienen para ofrecer seguridad a sus hijos y protegerlos del peligro es abandonar sus comunidades. El separar a los niños de padres que han hecho tan peligroso recorrido para brindar a aquéllos una vida segura y adecuada es innecesariamente cruel y perjudicial para el bienestar de padres e hijos.
Mientras continuamos sirviendo y amando a nuestro prójimo, oramos por los niños y las familias que sufrirán por causa de esta política, y urgimos a la Administración que ponga un alto esta política de separar a las familias.
Su Eminencia Arzobispo Vicken Aykazian
Legado Diocesano y Director de la Oficina Ecuménica
Diócesis de la Iglesia Armenia de América

Sr. Azhar Azeez
Presidente
Sociedad Islámica de Norteamérica

El Reverendísimo Joseph C. Bambera
Obispo de Scranton, PA
Presidente, Comité de Obispos para Asuntos Ecuménicos e Interreligiosos

Obispo Mayor George E. Battle, Jr.
Prelado Presidente, Distrito Episcopal de Piedmont
Iglesia Metodista Episcopal Africana Sión

Obispo H. Kenneth Carter, Jr.
Presidente, Consejo de Obispos
La Iglesia Metodista Unida

El Reverendísimo Michael B. Curry
Obispo Presidente
Iglesia Episcopal (Estados Unidos)

El Rvdo. Dr. John C. Dorhauer
Ministro General y Presidente
Iglesia Unida de Cristo

La Rvda. Elizabeth A. Eaton
Obispa Presidente
Iglesia Evangélica Luterana en América

El Rvdo. David Guthrie
Presidente, Conferencia Provincial de Ancianos
Iglesia Morava, Provincia del Sur

Sr. Glen Guyton
Director Ejecutivo
Iglesia Menonita USA

La Rvda. Teresa Hord Owens
Ministra General y Presidenta
Iglesia Cristiana (Discípulos de Cristo)

Rabino Rick Jacobs
Presidente
Unión para el Judaísmo Reformista

Sr. Anwar Khan
Presidente
Alivio Islámico USA

La Rvda. Dra. Betsy Miller
Presidente, Conferencia Provincial de Ancianos
Iglesia Morava, Provincia del Norte

El Rvdo. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson II
Secretario
Iglesia Presbiteriana (EE.UU.)

Rabino Jonah Pesner
Director
Centro de Acción Religiosa del Judaísmo Reformista

El Rvdo. Don Poest
Secretario General Interino
El Rvdo. Eddy Alemán
Candidato a la Secretaría General
Iglesia Reformada en América

Obispo Mayor Lawrence Reddick III
Obispo Presidente, El Octavo Distrito Episcopal
Iglesia Cristiana Metodista Episcopal

El Rvdo. Phil Tom
Director Ejecutivo
Consejo Internacional de Iglesias Comunitarias

Obispo Mayor McKinley Young
Prelado Presidente, Tercer Distrito Episcopal
Iglesia Metodista Episcopal Africana
ELCA presiding bishop, faith leaders issue statement on family separation
CHICAGO (June 7, 2018) – The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has convened ELCA ecumenical and inter-religious partners in a statement addressing concerns over a recent U.S. government policy calling for more stringent enforcement of federal immigration laws. The policy will most likely result in an increase in family separations.
The statement follows:
Recently, the Administration announced that it will begin separating families and criminally prosecuting all people who enter the U.S. without previous authorization. As religious leaders representing diverse faith perspectives, united in our concern for the wellbeing of vulnerable migrants who cross our borders fleeing from danger and threats to their lives, we are deeply disappointed and pained to hear this news.
We affirm the family as a foundational societal structure to support human community and understand the household as an estate blessed by God. The security of the family provides critical mental, physical and emotional support to the development and wellbeing of children. Our congregations and agencies serve many migrant families that have recently arrived in the United States. Leaving their communities is often the only option they have to provide safety for their children and protect them from harm. Tearing children away from parents who have made a dangerous journey to provide a safe and sufficient life for them is unnecessarily cruel and detrimental to the well-being of parents and children.
As we continue to serve and love our neighbor, we pray for the children and families that will suffer due to this policy and urge the Administration to stop their policy of separating families.
His Eminence Archbishop Vicken Aykazian
Diocesan Legate and Director of the Ecumenical Office
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
Mr. Azhar Azeez President
Islamic Society of North America
The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera
Bishop of Scranton, PA
Chair, Bishops' Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs
Senior Bishop George E. Battle, Jr.
Presiding Prelate, Piedmont Episcopal District
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Bishop H. Kenneth Carter, Jr.
President, Council of Bishops
The United Methodist Church
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry
Presiding Bishop Episcopal Church (United States)
The Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer
General Minister & President
United Church of Christ
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Rev. David Guthrie
President, Provincial Elders' Conference
Moravian Church Southern Province
Mr. Glen Guyton
Executive Director
Mennonite Church USA
The Rev. Teresa Hord Owens
General Minister and President
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rabbi Rick Jacobs
President
Union for Reform Judaism
Mr. Anwar Khan
President
Islamic Relief USA
The Rev. Dr. Betsy Miller
President, Provincial Elders' Conference
Moravian Church Northern Province
The Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson II
Stated Clerk
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Rabbi Jonah Pesner
Director
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
The Rev. Don Poest
Interim General Secretary
The Rev. Eddy Alemán
Candidate for General Secretary
Reformed Church in America
Senior Bishop Lawrence Reddick III
Presiding Bishop, The Eighth Episcopal District
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
The Rev. Phil Tom
Executive Director
International Council of Community Churches
Mr. Jim Winkler
General Secretary & President
National Council of Churches USA
Senior Bishop McKinley Young
Presiding Prelate, Third Episcopal District
African Methodist Episcopal Church
#KeepFamiliesTogether
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.5 million members in more than 9,300 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.

For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
773-380-2877
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
Laurie Skow-Anderson elected bishop of the ELCA Northwest Synod of Wisconsin
CHICAGO – The Rev. Laurie Skow-Anderson, Menomonie, Wis., was elected June 3 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election was held during the Synod Assembly June 2-3 at the Davies Center at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire.
Skow-Anderson was elected on the fifth ballot with 228 votes to 187 votes for the Rev. John A. Sutherland, assistant to the synod's bishop.
The bishop-elect currently serves as the synod's director for evangelical mission. She served as a pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Pelican Rapids, Minn., from 2001 to 2014.
Skow-Anderson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in from Moorhead State University in Moorhead, Minn., in 1980, and a Master of Divinity degree from Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary (now Luther Seminary) in St. Paul, Minn. in 1986. She earned a Doctor of Ministry from Luther in 2010. The seminary is one of seven ELCA seminaries.
The Rev. Richard N. Hoyme has served as bishop of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin since 2013 and will retire June 30.
Skow-Anderson will be installed on Aug. 25 at Bethel Lutheran Church in Hudson, Wis.
Information about the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin is available at nwswi.org.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.5 million members in 9,300 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
773-380-2877
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org