wfn.org | ELCA Hosts "Faith and Action" Conference

[ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

NEWSBRIEF

September 13, 1996

"PROVOKING TO FAITH AND ACTION!"

Christians are involved in American society because "it's what
we're called to do," Christine Grumm, executive director of The
Chicago Foundation for Women, told about 120 Lutherans who came
to Chicago Sept. 6-8 from 32 states.  They represented 59 of 65
synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America during a
conference, "Provoking to Faith and Action!" hosted by the ELCA
Division for Church in Society.  "Advocacy means being a servant
in a community," said Grumm.  "Because we see the brokenness of
the community, as the family of God, we are called to act."
Grumm is a former vice president of the ELCA and former deputy
secretary of the Lutheran World Federation.  Small groups
discussed the "church in society" issues confronted in ELCA
synods, such as gambling, racial tensions and gay-lesbian issues.
They explored ways to act in partnership with other synods and
the churchwide organization to address those issues.
Participants heard descriptions of the work done by the various
departments of the Division for Church in Society, including the
Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs in Washington, D.C.
They also took part in skill  and topical workshops.  Skill
workshops dealt with advocacy, resources, organizing, setting
priorities and communicating.  Thirteen topical workshops
addressed such issues as Lutherans with disabilities, the ELCA
World Hunger Program and earthkeeping ministries.

For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service,
(312) 380-2958 or AHAFFTEN@ELCA.ORG; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir.,
(312) 380-2955 or FRANKI@ELCA.ORG