wfn.org | Luther Institute Honors Lutheran World Relief, Three Leaders

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 16, 2002

LUTHER INSTITUTE HONORS LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF, THREE LEADERS
02-266-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Luther Institute awarded its 2002
Wittenberg Awards "for outstanding service to church and society" to
Lutheran World Relief (LWR) and three individuals -- Dr. Joachim
Gauck, the Rev. Arthur Simon and General John Vessey.  The awards
were presented Nov. 9 during a day of special programs in Washington,
D.C.
     The Luther Institute is an independent center for laity and
clergy fostering education and research on social, educational and
ethical issues in the public sphere.  Based in Washington, the
institute conducts programs to promote its mission and to encourage
service to church and society.
     The Wittenberg Awards were established in 1990 to recognize
Lutherans from around the world for outstanding service to church and
society.
     Lutheran World Relief is based in Baltimore and works with
partners in 50 countries in relief and development on behalf of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS).
     Kathryn F. Wolford, LWR president, and Norman E. Barth, former
executive director of LWR, accepted the award.
     "This is an award not to one or two people, but to the hundreds
and thousands of people who are Lutheran World Relief," said Dr.
Edgar B. Schick, Luther Institute president.  "LWR has been such a
significant influence for good around the globe because so many have
contributed and so many have benefitted," he said.
     LWR is only the second organization to receive the Wittenberg
Award.	The St. Olaf Choir, St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn.,
received a 1999 Wittenberg Award.  St. Olaf is one of 28 colleges and
universities of the ELCA.
     The other 2002 Wittenberg Award recipients were:
 + Dr. Joachim Gauck, German pastor, theologian, noted human rights
activist and leader in the movement to unify Germany;
 + the Rev. Arthur Simon, LCMS pastor, author and founder of Bread
for the World, a Christian advocacy network for ending hunger; and
 + General John Vessey, LCMS member, former Chair of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff, involved in Missouri Synod efforts to double the number of
students in Lutheran institutions of higher learning.
     The Luther Institute sponsored a special public affairs
seminar, featuring the award recipients the afternoon of Nov. 9.
Participants viewed exhibits before the awards dinner that evening.
     The awards are made possible with a grant from Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans, a fraternal benefit society based in
Minneapolis.
-- -- --
     The Luther Institute has a home page at
http://www.lutherinst.org/ on the Web.

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