Title: ELCA Council Honors Former LWR President Kathryn Wolford ELCA NEWS SERVICE
November 14, 2006
ELCA Council Honors Former LWR President Kathryn Wolford 06-172-FI
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) expressed "its deep appreciation to Kathryn Wolford for her service and leadership as president of Lutheran World Relief (LWR)." Wolford resigned as LWR president Oct. 31 to become president of The McKnight Foundation, Minneapolis, starting Dec. 1.
The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies. The council met here Nov. 11-13. Assemblies are held every other year; the next is here Aug. 6-11, 2007.
LWR is a ministry of the ELCA, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, individuals and parish groups in international relief, development, advocacy and social responsibility. It's based in Baltimore.
A council resolution asked the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, to convey a "heartfelt expression of thanks, along with this church's best wishes, to Kathryn Wolford as she moves to a new phase of her life."
The resolution noted that, through LWR, the ELCA deepened and extended "its ministry among the poor and marginalized" and reached "people in need through community-based organizations and other sectors of civil society."
"Lutheran World Relief effectively assists the ELCA to become engaged ever more deeply in both service and justice ministries through a range of activities, including parish projects -- from quilts to fairly traded coffee," the resolution said.
Wolford "provided exemplary leadership since being appointed LWR's third president in 1993, providing clear direction for LWR's work in poverty eradication, sustainable development, and advocacy through global trade, justice, gender equity, and peace- building," it said.
The LWR board appointed Jeff Whisenant to serve as acting president of LWR beginning Nov. 1. He is LWR's vice president for finance and administration.
Hanson told the council that the LWR board had appointed a presidential search committee and that it welcomed nominations from council members. -- -- --
The home page of Lutheran World Relief is at http://www.lwr.org/ on the Web.
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