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ELCA bishops urge Congress to support funds for Augusta Victoria Hospital
Chicago – In a May 18 letter, bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) urged congressional leaders to support the transfer of much-needed funds to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to cover debt owed to Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH) in East Jerusalem.
AVH is owned and operated by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and supported by the ELCA and several other member churches of the LWF. Located on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, the hospital provides lifesaving health care to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. The hospital's cash flow problems stem from the inability of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to make regular payments on the fees for cancer patients it refers to the hospital.
"AVH is the first and only hospital to provide radiation therapy for cancer patients in the Palestinian territories and the only medical facility in the West Bank offering pediatric kidney dialysis," the letter states. "On a daily basis, these and other specialty services touch countless lives, both young and old, from communities across the Palestinian territories. . . .
"Please support the transfer of $120 million to the USAID to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people in 2022. These allocations are needed to cover the PA's debt to AVH and the other East Jerusalem hospitals," the letter continues.
"From the Holy Land, our Lutheran Palestinian siblings are crying out, asking us to step into the breach and renew funds to Augusta Victoria Hospital," said the Rev. Laurie Larson Caesar, bishop of the ELCA Oregon Synod. "Due to no fault of their own, the situation has become an urgent humanitarian crisis. Let's not close our ears and eyes. We are proud of the crucial role this Lutheran medical center has played in the West Bank, but when funds are threatened, so are the lives of refugees, children, elders and more." Caesar is chair of the ELCA Conference of Bishops Middle East Ready Bench.
Read the letter.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.3 million members in more than 8,900 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
773-380-2877
Candice.Buchbinder@ELCA.org.
William Gohl reelected bishop of ELCA Delaware-Maryland Synod
CHICAGO ― The Rev. William J. Gohl Jr., Baltimore, was reelected May 12 to serve a second six-year term as bishop of the Delaware-Maryland Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly May 12-14 at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, Md.
The bishop was reelected on the first ballot, with 341 votes. A total of 271 votes was needed for election.
Gohl has served as bishop of the Delaware-Maryland Synod since 2016. Prior to becoming bishop, he served as pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church of Baltimore from 2007 to 2016, as evangelism coordinator for the synod from 2004 to 2010, and as pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Glen Burnie, Md., from 2000 to 2007.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pa., one of 26 ELCA colleges and universities, and a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, one of seven ELCA seminaries.
Information about the Delaware-Maryland Synod is available at demdsynod.org/.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 3.3 million members in more than 8,900 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
773-380-2877
Candice.Buchbinder@ELCA.org
ELCA statement on the Buffalo mass murders
"Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of my poor people not been restored?" —Jeremiah 8:22
Our hearts grieve for those who have been killed and our souls cry out against more lives lost to the hatred birthed by racism. As we mourn those lives lost as a result of the racially motivated killings in Buffalo, we ask God to ease the continued suffering and trauma of our Black siblings throughout the nation and in our church. We are one body in Christ, so when one part suffers, we all suffer.
We of the ELCA acknowledge our complicity in the ongoing cycle of violence that grows out of white supremacy. "Through colonization and slavery, the United States of America helped to create and embrace a system of valuing and devaluing people based on skin color and ethnic identity," the National Council of Churches declared in 2020. "The name for this system is white supremacy." As a predominantly white church, we benefit from this system, and we must double our efforts to dismantle it.
In 2019 the ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopted the social policy resolution "Condemnation of White Supremacy and Racist Rhetoric." Through this action we committed to pushing back and speaking out against racist ideas that divide God's children and perpetuate white supremacy in our church and society. At the Heidelberg Disputation of 1518, Martin Luther reminded us that "a theology of glory calls evil good and good evil. A theology of the cross calls the thing what it actually is." Calling a thing what it actually is can be a first step toward healing the wounds of God's people, but not the last. We must take real and lasting action now—through education, relationship-building with Historic Black Churches, ongoing anti-racism education, advocacy, and self-reflection. Churches have a foundational role in eradicating racism and white supremacy in society.
The ELCA's European Descent Lutheran Association for Racial Justice (a network of white leaders committed to anti-racism in our church) calls upon all ELCA members, especially white congregations and leaders, to join their communities and other congregations in prayer, study and actions utilizing many churchwide and ecumenical resources. The association will host a drop-in Zoom call on Tuesday, May 24, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time. Advance registration is required at bit.ly/DropInGathering.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.3 million members in more than 8,900 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
773-380-2877
Candice.Buchbinder@ELCA.org.
A pastoral message on abortion
Our unity as Christians is through Jesus Christ, the One who embodies God's grace among us. Every day we dive into our baptism, through which God promises grace and mercy and draws us out to love and serve neighbors.
Yet, there are times when, even in our unity, we do not agree. The people of this church and this country have various and perhaps contrasting responses to the Supreme Court's leaked draft opinion on abortion. Regardless of where each of us stands on the issue, the ELCA's 1991 social statement on abortion speaks to all of us.
In the social statement, this church holds both women and "developing life in the womb" (p. 2) as neighbors. This church declares that any person who has become unexpectedly pregnant has moral agency to discern what to do, and this decision-making usually happens in a community — not only the person who is pregnant but with God, family, partners, friends, doctors and pastors. While this church longs for a future with fewer abortions every year, the social statement points out that outlawing all or nearly all abortions is not the way to do this. The ELCA opposes both "the total lack of regulation of abortion" and "legislation that would outlaw abortion in all circumstances" (p. 9).
This church's social teaching states that abortion must be legal, regulated and accessible. People who choose to have legal abortions should not be harassed or prevented from accessing abortion due to economic or other factors.
I recognize that the leaked court draft does not represent the Supreme Court's ruling in its final form; nevertheless, it contradicts this church's teaching. This church teaches that abortion and reproductive health care, including contraception, must be legal and accessible. But it also teaches that, as a society and as a church, we must continuously strive to mitigate the factors that make it difficult to bear, raise and nurture children: lack of affordable health care, affordable childcare, paid sick time and paid parental leave; high student debt; and compensation that is inequitable based especially on gender or race.
I urge you to work locally to moderate any Supreme Court decision similar to the leaked draft. Not only would such a decision cause grave harm for many people with unexpected pregnancies, but it could create other problems as well. It has the potential to foster communities of conflict and moral policing rather than complex moral discernment. It will likely endanger or cause the deaths of people who need an abortion. And the legal bases established by any such decision threaten people's access to birth control, same-sex marriage, voting rights and their right to privacy.
Any ruling similar to the leaked draft will upend 50 years of legal precedent in our nation and damage the health and well-being of many. The prospect is daunting. As Christians, we persevere in hope. We must continue to be bold in our prayers and in our public witness for a more just society that cherishes and guarantees the dignity of all. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).
In Christ,
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with nearly 3.3 million members in more than 8,900 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
773-380-2877
Candice.Buchbinder@ELCA.org
A message from Presiding Bishop Eaton
May 11, 2022
On March 8, 2022, I appointed a listening panel to review the interactions of Bishop Megan Rohrer with Misión Latina Luterana leading up to and on Dec. 12, 2021. The panel has thoughtfully and judiciously conducted their listening process as is appropriate for a situation as multifaceted as this. Informed by the panel's recommendations, and with much prayerful deliberation, I will reach a decision on this matter by the end of May. I continue to urge you to hold all who are involved or concerned with these matters in your prayers.
In Christ,
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Read the Spanish version.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with nearly 3.3 million members in more than 8,900 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
773-380-2877
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
Erik Gronberg reelected bishop of ELCA Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod
CHICAGO ― The Rev. Erik Gronberg, Fort Worth, Texas, was reelected April 29 to serve a second six-year term as bishop of the Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly April 29-30 at King of Glory Lutheran Church in Dallas.
Gronberg was reelected on the first ballot, with 154 votes. A total of 129 votes was needed for election.
Gronberg has served as bishop of the Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod since 2016. Prior to becoming bishop, he served as senior pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Fort Worth from 2010 to 2016 and as senior pastor of Dr. Martin Luther Church in Oconomowoc, Wis., from 2005 to 2010.
He earned a bachelor's degree in environmental science and public policy from Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., in 1999 and a Master of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., in 2005. Luther is one of seven ELCA seminaries. Gronberg earned a Ph.D. in leadership studies at Dallas Baptist University in 2017.
Information about the Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod is available at ntnl.org/.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 3.3 million members in more than 8,900 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
773-380-2877
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org