LWR head moves on
John Nunes will step down as Lutheran World Relief president and CEO Sept. 1 to serve as Emil and Elfrieda Jochum Chair at Valparaiso [Ind.] University. The chair, which supports the study of Christian val- ues in public and professional life, was held by ELCA pastor and author Walter Wangerin Jr. from 1991 to 2009. Previously, Nunes, a Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod pastor, served as a theology professor at the LCMS-affiliated Concordia Univer- sity Chicago in River Forest, Ill. He holds a master of divinity from Con- cordia Seminary (LCMS), St. Catha- rines, Ontario; and a master of theol- ogy and a doctor of philosophy from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (ELCA). Executive Vice President Jeff Whisenant will serve as interim president of LWR.
Methodist paper folds
UMR Communications, which pub- lished the United Methodist Reporter and provided printing and communi- cation services to churches and non- profits, ceased publication in early June, citing financial losses. The closure, announced in mid-May, cost the jobs of 26 remaining employees, including some with more than 40 years of service. Alan Heath, CEO since August 2011, said the ministry had struggled financially for several years. But the late 2012 loss of a major contract—for printing, as well as for warehousing and shipping cur- riculum materials—reduced revenue by about 40 percent. Alternatives were explored, but Heath said “there was no solution that didn’t involve red ink.”
Reader call: Church work The Lutheran magazine is asking two questions as it develops a 2014 cover story about the work of the church. Please respond in 300 words
LDR responds after tornadoes A
fter dozens of tornadoes struck Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois, Iowa and Texas in May, Lutheran Disaster Response began assessing immediate and long-term needs in affected communities. LDR director Michael Stadie said members of Zion (Hollenberg, Kan.) and Good Shepherd (Washington, Kan.) Lutheran churches saw their proper- ties damaged by a May 19 tornado. Five ELCA families in the Oklahoma City area are known to have homes destroyed, he added. Visit
www.ldr.org to learn more about future needs for volunteers, rebuild-
ing efforts, and spiritual and emotional care for those affected. To give, send checks (write “U.S. Tornadoes” on the memo line) to Lutheran Disaster Response, 39330 Treasury Center, Chicago, IL 60694- 9300; call 800-638-3522 or visit
www.ldr.org. One hundred percent of gifts will be used to help individuals and families whose lives and livelihoods were affected by the disaster.
or less by July 15 to one or both of these questions: What is the work of the church? Given the ever-changing perspectives in our culture today, has the work of the church changed? Send your response (and your con- tact information: name, church, city and state) to section editor Julie B. Sevig at
julie.sevig@thelutheran. org or mail it to The Lutheran, 8765
W. Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631. 10
Quote I actually wasn’t thinking of this as an act of civil disobedience or church disobedience. I was thinking of it as a response to my son.
Thomas Ogletree, a United Methodist theologian and former dean of Yale Divin-
ity School, New Haven, Conn., who is facing church charges for presiding at the same-sex wedding of his son. He was quoted by TheNew York Times.
Malaria ‘stinks’! Allison Olson, 5, Grace
Lutheran Church, Des Moines, Iowa, says, “Malaria stinks.” Allison watched the ELCA Malaria Campaign video and heard that babies in Africa were dying from the dis- ease. To “help save those babies,” she sold lemon- ade after worship, raising $231. Her generous spirit inspired her congregation as well, which has given nearly $2,000 so far. Alli- son is reportedly ponder- ing another fundraising effort.
July 2013 9
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52