wfn.org | ELCA Council Re-Elects Shafer, Learns Two Leaders to Retire

[news@ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 10, 2001

ELCA COUNCIL RE-ELECTS SHAFER, LEARNS TWO LEADERS TO RETIRE
01-079-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) elected the Rev. Eric C. Shafer to a third
four-year term as director of the ELCA Department for Communication.
The council also learned that two other key leaders plan to conclude
their churchwide service Oct. 31.
     The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as
the legislative authority of the church between its churchwide
assemblies.  The council met here April 6-7.  Assemblies are held every
other year; the next is Aug. 8-14 in Indianapolis.
     Shafer, 51, served as acting director of the department for nearly
five months after he was appointed in November 1992 by the Rev. Herbert
C. Chilstrom, former ELCA presiding bishop.  He was elected to his first
four-year term in April 1993 and re-elected in April 1997.
     In his role Shafer serves on the staff of the ELCA Office of the
Bishop.  He is chair of the Communication Commission of the National
Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. (NCC), and is vice president
of the Religion Communicators Council, the largest professional
organization of religion communicators.  The NCC has 36 Protestant and
Orthodox member churches in the United States.  Shafer is a member of
the board for Lutheran Film Associates.
     Those who announced to the council their plans to retire were the
Rev. Robert N. Bacher, executive for administration and assistant to the
presiding bishop, ELCA Office of the Bishop; and the Rev. Daniel F.
Martensen, director, ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs and
assistant to the presiding bishop.
     Both said they will conclude their churchwide service Oct. 31, the
same day the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA,
concludes his six-year term.  Anderson confirmed last November that he
would not seek re-election.  A new presiding bishop will be elected at
the ELCA Churchwide Assembly this August.
     Bacher, 66, will retire Oct. 31.  In his role Bacher supervises
executive directors and directors of churchwide divisions and
departments, and develops and manages the churchwide organization's $100
million annual budget.  Bacher has served in his current role since the
ELCA was formed in 1987.  He previously served in the national offices
of the former Lutheran Church in America, a predecessor church body of
the ELCA.  Bacher has written many articles and books on congregational
development and organizational administration.
     Martensen, 65, will retire from the active clergy roster Oct. 31.
He said he plans to move to Rockville, Md., where he has a lifetime
relationship with the Washington Theological Consortium, Washington,
D.C., as distinguished ecumenical research fellow, a title he was
granted in 1987 by the board of trustees.  Martensen was elected to his
second four-year term as director in April 2000.  During his service,
the ELCA entered into full communion agreements with the Episcopal
Church, Moravian Church in America, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),
Reformed Church in America and United Church of Christ.  He has also
directed ELCA participation in official dialogues with other churches,
and serves as the ELCA's ecumenical representative to the Lutheran World
Federation, a global communion of 131 Lutheran churches; NCC; and the
World Council of Churches, a worldwide fellowship of 342 Christian
churches.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html