wfn.org | The Rev. Conrad Thompson, Former Lutheran Vespers Speaker, Dies

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 20, 2001

THE REV. CONRAD THOMPSON, FORMER LUTHERAN VESPERS SPEAKER, DIES
01-200-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Conrad M. Thompson, 84, speaker for
Lutheran Vespers from 1970 to 1982, died July 18.  Lutheran Vespers is
the radio ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
     The funeral will be held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church,
Burnsville, Minn., on July 22 at 4 p.m.
     "Lutheran Vespers is still reaping the fruits that Connie planted
during his time as speaker," said Susan V. Greeley, director and
producer of Lutheran Vespers, ELCA Department for Communication.  "It is
very common for staff to hear comments such as, 'I've been listening
ever since Connie Thompson was on the air,'" she said.  Lutheran Vespers
has been on the air since 1947.
  "To this day we receive wills and bequests from people who were
touched by Connie's ministry, both over the radio and in person.  His is
a legacy that continues to thrive," Greeley said.
  "Connie Thompson took a growing ministry and expanded it even
further.   Even though no one on the current staff of Lutheran Vespers
had the opportunity to work with Connie, we feel as though we know him
through our mutual love for listeners and this broadcast.  We are
grateful for the wonderful legacy Connie left us and thankful to God for
his ministry," she said.
  Thompson was born on a farm near Valders, Wis., April 2, 1917.  He
earned a bachelor of arts degree in music at St. Olaf College,
Northfield, Minn., in 1939, and taught music at Valders High School,
Valders, from 1939 to 1942.  Thompson earned a master of divinity degree
at Luther Theological Seminary (now Luther Seminary), St. Paul, Minn.,
in 1945.  He served as pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church, St. Paul,
Minn., from 1944 to 1949, and at Grace Lutheran Church, Watertown, S.D.,
from 1949 to 1951.  He served as director for evangelism in the former
Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1951 to 1970.
  Thompson developed the United States Congress on Evangelism held
in Minneapolis in 1969, and served as a delegate to International
Congresses on World Evangelization in Berlin, Germany, and Lausanne,
Switzerland.  He was a member of the Commission on Evangelism and
Stewardship of the Lutheran World Federation, a global communion of
Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition founded in 1947.  Thompson
is the author of several articles and booklets on marriage, spiritual
healing and family.
  A tribute to Thompson will be featured in the August 2001 issue of
the "Good Newsletter," a bi-monthly publication of Lutheran Vespers.
The tribute features a note written by Thompson last month with thoughts
about his ministry with Lutheran Vespers.  He wrote:
  "What helped to make our radio listeners so close to us were not
only the warm letters of response, but what was called our 'coffee cup
ministry.'  When I retired, Lutheran Vespers asked if my wife and I
would spend two years visiting as many Lutheran Vespers listeners as
possible.  How thrilling it was to meet people of every denomination,
both the elderly and many young people.  And how blessed we were as we
heard about their own stories and their prayers for Lutheran Vespers,
and especially to hear their fervent confession of faith."
  Thompson is survived by his wife, Swanhild (Swanee), a daughter,
three sons,  10 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.

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