Title: Richard Magnus, Head of ELCA Outreach, Congregational Mission, to Retire ELCA NEWS SERVICE
July 12, 2007
Richard Magnus, Head of ELCA Outreach, Congregational Mission, to Retire 07-126-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Richard A. Magnus, executive director of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission program unit, will retire Dec. 31, 2007.
"Pastor Dick Magnus' passion for the gospel, his vision for a church growing in evangelical outreach and stewardship, his desire to develop systems of support for missional leaders and his desire that the ELCA become a more diverse and inclusive church have been consistent marks of his leadership. It is fitting that his most recent call has been to lead a program unit that has responsibility for many of those areas," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA.
"I'm excited about how staff of EOCM has come together around the work of starting new and renewing congregations. The unit brings Christian Education, Evangelism, Stewardship, and Lutheran Men in Mission programmatic expertise directly into starting new and renewing congregations. It makes for a much more holistic development and renewal process," said Magnus.
"I'm grateful for the progress in working with the (church's) five ethnic communities," he said. "Leaders from each of the communities now give leadership to the work, helping to identify areas for new congregations, assisting with evaluation and support of the ministries, and helping to recruit leaders," said Magnus. "Great progress has been made in working with (ELCA) seminaries to strengthen the training for new and renewal. We look forward to more leaders graduating, ready to start a new congregation or renew an existing congregation."
"These past 10 years have been rich. The staff is a wonderful, creative group very deeply committed to God's mission. We all have had the privilege of working with persons wanting to reach out and invite people to community in Jesus Christ. It doesn't get any better than being able to work with these groups as they grow into their roles in God's mission," he said.
The 149-member EOCM staff works to foster and enhance "a culture of discipleship" in the ELCA, equip leaders and build capacity to start and renew congregations in a diverse and multicultural context.
Born in Foley, Minn., Magnus, 63, graduated from St. Cloud University, St. Cloud, Minn., in 1966 and from Luther Northwestern Theological (now Luther) Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., in 1970. Luther is one of eight ELCA seminaries.
In November 2005 the ELCA Church Council -- the ELCA's board of directors -- elected Magnus to serve a four-year term as executive director of EOCM. Hanson nominated Magnus to the position. Magnus was director of the former ELCA Division for Outreach from 1997 to 2005. He had been a mission director for the division and assistant to the bishop of the ELCA Rocky Mountain Synod, Denver, from 1988 to 1997.
Magnus served as assistant to the bishop of the Rocky Mountain Synod in the former Lutheran Church in America from 1981 to 1988. He was campus pastor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and the Auraria Higher Education Center, Denver, from 1975 to 1981. Magnus was community pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Denver, from 1970 to 1975; part-time instructor, Metropolitan State College, Denver, from 1977-1980; and coordinator for Lutheran Campus Ministry of Colorado from 1977 to 1981.
Magnus served in a variety of leadership positions including president of Lutheran Family Services of Colorado; board chair, Colorado Coalition for Full Employment; and president, Colorado Council of Churches.
Magnus is married to Kathy J. Magnus, who is regional officer, Lutheran World Federation in North America. She will also retire Dec. 31, 2007. They have two adult children and three grandchildren. - - -
Information about Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission is available at http://www.ELCA.org/eocm on the ELCA's Web site.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog