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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 26, 2001

ELCA MINISTRIES AWARDED GRANTS
00-203-MM*

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Twenty ministry projects of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) were awarded grants totaling $443,300
from the Lutheran Brotherhood Foundation (LB) and Aid Association for
Lutherans (AAL) as part of the agencies' churchwide grant awards program
for 2001.
     AAL, based in Appleton, Wis., and LB, based in Minneapolis, are
both fraternal benefit organizations. AAL and LB recently announced
plans to merge by the end of this year.
     The ELCA Churchwide Grant Program, currently funded jointly by
both AAL and LB, assists the churchwide organization to develop and
pursue projects that have a positive impact on  the mission of the
church.
     "We are excited about the various new initiatives that are
currently being funded because of the fraternals' faithful partnership
in the ministry of the church," said Tammy Jackson, associate director,
ELCA Department for Synodical Relations.  Jackson oversees the
churchwide grant program for the ELCA.
     Jackson said a second round of proposals to be considered for
funding will be reviewed in the fall.
     The grants awarded were:
+ "Conflict Management in Asian Congregations," ELCA Commission for
Multicultural Ministries, $27,300: The commission will convene a working
group of church leaders to discuss the causes of conflict in
congregations in which the membership is primarily of Asian heritage to
find solutions.
     + "Congregation-Based Organizing Summit (II) -- Deepening and
Empowering Leaders for the Whole Ministry of the Church," ELCA Division
for Church in Society, $30,000: This three-day conference will help
initiate pilot projects in seminaries for equipping laity and clergy in
the use of a congregation-based organizing tool to build congregations.
     + "Consultation on Guyanese Ministry," Commission for
Multicultural Ministries with the ELCA Division for Outreach and ELCA
Division for Ministry, $7,000: Two consultations of ELCA Guyanese
leaders will be convened to help establish a network for Guyanese people
in the United States and develop a plan to start the first ELCA Guyanese
ministry in 2003.
     + "A Conversation on Homosexuality and the Church," Division for
Church in Society, $10,000: This educational program will enable ELCA
members to engage in thoughtful, focused deliberation about
homosexuality and the church at the 65 synod assemblies in 2002 or 2003.
     + "Coaching for Intervention," Division for Outreach, $35,000: The
division will identify up to 10 congregations in which trained division
and synod staff will implement a proven congregational intervention
model.
     + "Education Manual for Sexual Misconduct Case Management,"
Division for Ministry and ELCA Commission for Women, $9,000: Educational
materials will be produced for use by synod staff in the training of
case management teams who are expected to process allegations of sexual
misconduct in a consistent and fair manner.
     + "Evangelical Outreach and Faith-Based Community Organizing,"
Division for Outreach, $20,000: This program will gather pastors from
growing, "community organizing" and declining congregations for the
purpose of developing mentoring relationships.
     + "Faith Development Resources for Seekers in Higher Education and
Schools," ELCA Division for Higher Education and Schools, $15,000: This
educational program will provide both planning and production of new
resources to engage people who have little or no grounding in the
Lutheran faith tradition more deeply within the Lutheran community.
     + "Faith and the Practice of Law," Division for Church in Society
and Division for Ministry, $21,000: This churchwide gathering of 50-75
members in the legal profession will encourage the formation of local
conversation groups on concerns related to faith, vocation and
profession.
     + "Family Summer Camp," Commission for Multicultural Ministries,
$30,000: This grant will help conduct a multi-faceted summer camp
program for American Indian and Alaska Native families that will offer a
curriculum to help build relationships, leadership and to present
recruitment information that will encourage full-time careers in church
work.
     + "From White Privilege to Partnership," Commission for
Multicultural Ministries, $37,500: This workshop will assist White
leaders to understand the role of "White privilege" in shaping outreach,
evangelism and leadership ministry with people of color.
     + "Growing ELCA Congregations/U.S. Congregational Life Survey,"
Department for Research and Evaluation and Division for Congregational
Ministries, $30,000: This grant will enable further research on findings
from the U.S. Congregational Life Survey -- a nationwide,
pandenominational survey of the members of U.S. congregations -- to
provide valuable information about the distinct characteristics of ELCA
congregations.
     + "Latino Emerging Generations," Division for Outreach, $16,500:
This grant will assist church leaders by developing strategy and
resource materials to help congregations reach out with the gospel to
Latino people ages 14-28.
     + "Latino Youth Leadership Development," Commission for
Multicultural Ministries, $24,000: This development program will help
Latino youth leaders to become more aware of their power and place
within the ELCA.
     + "Men's Ministry Leadership Development," Division for
Congregational Ministries (Lutheran Men in Mission), $25,000: This
project, using a multi-site interactive telecast, will teach
congregational men's leaders how to build effective congregational
ministries that will draw more men of all ages into faith, the church
and ministry.
     + "Multicultural Music Festival," Commission for Multicultural
Ministries, $35,000: This event will share the gift of music from
various cultural traditions through a Multicultural Music Festival.
     + "One Body, Many Members," Commission for Multicultural
Ministries, $20,000: This project will help members of racially
homogenous congregations reach out to people in their communities who
are racially and culturally different, and welcome them into their
worshiping communities.
     + "Providing for Ministry Needs in Small Congregations," Division
for Ministry, Division for Outreach and Department for Research and
Evaluation, $22,000: This grant will help improve the ELCA's
understanding of the effectiveness of various leadership alternatives
available to small congregations in meeting their ministerial needs.
     + "Treasured and Safe: A Future for Children in Congregations and
Communities," Office of the Presiding Bishop, $20,000: This grant will
be used to conduct a three-day visioning and planning event to develop a
plan for how the ELCA will help children "live without poverty, be safe
and grow in faith."
     + "Web Streaming Pilot," ELCA Department for Communication,
$9,000: This project will post ELCA-generated streaming media audio and
video clips on the World Wide Web to reach out to seekers on the
Internet and to visitors to the ELCA Web site, helping users learn about
and be connected to the church and its work.
-- -- --
*Michelle T. Mills is a senior at Bradley University, Peoria, Ill.  This
summer she is an intern with ELCA News & Information.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
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