Title: The Rev. C. Thomas Spitz Jr., Lutheran Ecumenist, Communicator, Dies ELCA NEWS SERVICE
November 9, 2007
The Rev. C. Thomas Spitz Jr., Lutheran Ecumenist, Communicator, Dies 07-189-FI
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. C. Thomas Spitz Jr., a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and former general secretary of the Lutheran Council in the U.S.A. (LCUSA), died Nov. 2 in Manhasset, Long Island, N.Y. He was 86. A funeral is planned for Nov. 10 at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Port Washington, N.Y.
Robert E.A. Lee, Baldwin, Long Island, N.Y., said he thinks "stature," when remembering Spitz, not only because Spitz was a tall man. Lee directed the Lutheran Film Associates, which became a unit of LCUSA.
"Tom, for all of his pastoral gifts, was a political person. In my mind that refers to a person who negotiates with others to practice the art of the possible. He used his political skills to truly earn one of the other meanings of 'stature': reputation, standing, status. Tom was known within pan-Lutheranism for his stature," Lee said.
"Tom used his political talents and ecumenical global experience in serving as a key member of the committee to form our new church -- the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America," Lee said.
Born May 26, 1921, in Hazard, Neb., Spitz graduated from St. Paul's Academy and College, Concordia, Mo., and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Ordained by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) in 1944, he served as pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Waterloo, Iowa; missionary-at-large for the Southern Illinois Mission Board, Fairfield, Ill.; and pastor of St. John Lutheran Church, Marengo, Iowa.
In 1953 Spitz joined the staff of the Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) and served as director of broadcasting. LHM -- an auxiliary of the LCMS -- is a worldwide radio ministry supported by the International Lutheran Laymen's League.
Spitz became the first general secretary of LCUSA in 1967, when the American Lutheran Church (ALC), Lutheran Church in America (LCA), LCMS and Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches launched the cooperative organization. LCUSA succeeded the National Lutheran Council in developing various programs, including social service, missions, public relations, service to military personnel, service to students, overseas aid, and ecumenical and interfaith dialogue.
Spitz left LCUSA in 1973 to serve as pastor of the Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, Manhasset, until he entered semi-retirement in 1983. He was executive associate for Evangelical Lutherans in Mission and president of the Lutheran Church in Mission, organizations that served the formation of the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC). The AELC, ALC and LCA merged to form the ELCA in 1988.
Spitz received honorary doctorates from Concordia Seminary; Capital University, Columbus, Ohio; Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pa.; Luther College, Decorah, Iowa; and Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pa. Capital, Gettysburg, Luther and Muhlenberg are four of the 28 colleges and universities of the ELCA.
Spitz is survived by three adult children -- C. Thomas Spitz III, Gretchen Ann Bourbon and Garrett R. Spitz. His first wife, Dorothy Gross Spitz, died in 1982. He married Karen Ankener Lucas Spitz, who survives him.
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