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Breaking News

John Brooks
John Brooks
8/27/2008
Saint Paul: Synod bishop joins Minnesota governor in ONE campaign declaration

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) declared Minnesota a "ONE State," joining the ONE campaign against global poverty and disease by signing a pledge in a ceremony Aug. 20 in St. Paul.

Peter Rogness, bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Saint Paul Area Synod, joined Pawlenty, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and other Minnesota leaders at the ceremony.

The ONE campaign is a grassroots effort to motivate people to fight HIV and AIDs and extreme poverty. The campaign seeks an additional 1 percent of the U.S. budget to address global poverty, debt relief for the world's most impoverished countries and fair international trade rules.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman also signed declarations earlier in the week making their respective cities official "ONE Cities."

"Today the Lutheran Church and others of faith and conscience in Minnesota and throughout the country are uniting to speak with one voice to urge ongoing U.S. leadership in the fight against global poverty and deadly disease," Rogness said. "It is because of the generosity of the American people that Lutheran ministries in Tanzania and Nigeria are able to provide life-saving treatment and care to our brothers and sisters infected with HIV and AIDS. Lives are saved. Hope is reclaimed." Rogness, who introduced Pawlenty, is chair of the ELCA Conference of Bishops' international poverty and conflict special interest group.

"This campaign reflects the very best of what Minnesotans are all about: being good neighbors and helping those who are less fortunate than us," Pawlenty said. "The fight against global disease and extreme poverty is not a Republican or Democratic or Independent issue; it's an issue that brings us all together and an issue that we all must work to address. Global poverty won't be solved by government alone or faith-based organizations alone or philanthropy alone or businesses alone. It takes all organizations and people working together, doing their part and urging others to get involved. That's what the ONE Campaign, and being a ONE State, is all about."

About a dozen states and some local governments have also signed the pledge, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported.



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Julie B. Sevig
Julie B. Sevig
8/25/2008
Obama worships with ELCA congregation


It wasn’t a Sunday to skip church.

At least that’s what members of First Lutheran Church, Eau Claire, Wis., might be muttering this week if they missed worship on Sunday. Barack Obama was a surprise worshiper at the 10 a.m. contemporary service. He walked into church about 10 minutes before the service began after being greeted by some 60 parishioners on the front steps.

“It was exciting. It was like Christmas, Easter and a marriage celebration all together,” said John Kerr, one of two interim pastors at First Lutheran.

Obama sat in the fourth row and brought his own Bible. Pastor Jennifer Elmquist acknowledged Obama in her welcome. The service included communion and two baptisms.

Kerr preached on the day’s Gospel text, Peter’s confession, and said he had his sermon done before he knew he’d be preaching to the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

Obama’s advance people had contacted Kerr earlier in the week to ask whether Obama could worship there. Most members did not know he was coming, Kerr said, although by the end of the morning there were some 100 photographers/journalists camped outside the church.

As Elmquist carried one of the baptized babies down the aisle, she stopped before Obama, drawing chuckles from the congregation. Kerr said Obama posed for photos with the babies and their families following worship.

“He was gracious and the people just loved him,” Kerr said, saying that when he and Elmquist escorted Obama to his seat before worship those seated around him had “eyes as big as silver dollars.” He was a popular target during the passing of the peace, and signed the guest book with his name, Chicago and drew an arrow and then wrote “White House.”



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Frank Imhoff
Frank Imhoff
8/18/2008
Schreiber, Lutheran Bishop of Southeast Michigan, dies
John H.K. Schreiber, bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Southeast Michigan Synod, died suddenly Aug. 16 in Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. He was 47.

A service of Christian burial will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 21 at St. Blase Roman Catholic Church, Sterling Heights, Mich. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 19 and 20 at the synod office in Detroit.

"Bishop John Schreiber's ministry was centered in Jesus — Jesus' love for John that began in baptism and John's love for Jesus that led John into the ministry of word and sacrament," said Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop.

"John's Christ-centered life and ministry gave him a passion to proclaim the gospel and invite all to come and follow Jesus, together working for justice, peace and reconciliation. That commitment was reflected in Bishop Schreiber's tireless work for racial reconciliation, his advocacy for a lasting just peace in the Middle East and his deep desire that as a church we exemplify God's gift of unity in diversity," Hanson said.

"Bishop Schreiber's love for the people of the Southeast Michigan Synod was reflected in his attentive listening, his reaching out to all, and in his recognition that a community facing great economic challenges needs to hear the hope of the gospel," he said.

"I pledge this church's prayers and support for Colleen, Paul and Claire and the people of the Southeast Michigan Synod," Hanson said.

Born May 10, 1961, in Pittsburgh, Schreiber earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, and a master of divinity degree from Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio. Trinity is one of eight ELCA seminaries.

Ordained in 1987 in the former Lutheran Church in America, Schreiber served as pastor of Olivet Lutheran Church, Detroit, until 1993, when he became an assistant to the bishop of the Southeast Michigan Synod — J. Philip Wahl, who returned to parish ministry in 1998 and later retired, and Wahl's successor, Robert A. Rimbo.

Rimbo resigned as bishop in 2005 to accept a call as pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, New York. A special synod assembly Nov. 19, 2005, elected Schreiber to a six-year term as bishop. He was installed as bishop and assumed the office on Jan. 21, 2006.

"John Schreiber was the consummate pastor. He loved people and he loved God, and he demonstrated that in all that he did," said Rimbo, now bishop, Metropolitan New York Synod. "Even when dealing with the nuts and bolts of finance and administration, he always kept the mission of God central and called us to witness to Jesus Christ crucified and risen."

"He was there with people in their need, and he challenged us to respond to God's call to do justice for the sake of the world. He served as a parish pastor with distinction. He continued to carry that pastor's heart into everything he did. And he loved ministry as a bishop of this church," Rimbo said.

Schreiber is survived by his wife, Colleen F.S. Kamke, St. Thomas Lutheran Church , Sterling Heights, Mich., and their children, Paul and Claire. He is survived also by his mother and sister.

The Southeast Michigan Synod consists of nearly 60,000 baptized member in 132 congregations across 10 Michigan.

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Luke Tatge,
ELCA News Service
8/13/2008
Wartburg College regent dies in Wyoming plane crash

Ralph E. Otto, 67, Wilmette, Ill., died Aug. 10 in an airplane collision near Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport, Rock Springs, Wyo.

Otto was a board of regents member of Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Otto was a cardiothoracic surgeon at Resurrection Medical Center, Chicago, and was a member of the Flying Physicians Association, Montgomery, Texas. Otto was flying one of the planes involved in the crash. Dr. C. Michael Downey, 67, Columbus, Ohio, and Dave Knezovich, 54, Rock Springs also died in the crash.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Otto and Downey were flying from Montana and had been cleared to land when their plane collided with an aircraft piloted by Knezovich, who was on a solo student flight.

Otto graduated from Wartburg College with a degree in chemistry and biology in 1963 and has served on the board of regents since 1992.

Otto and his late wife, Diane, who died in December 2007 from breast cancer, were members of Lutheran Church of the Ascension, Northfield, Ill. Plans for a memorial service are pending.



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Luke Tatge,
ELCA News Service
8/12/2008
Minnesota Lutheran dies, spouse injured in Beijing attack
Todd and Barbara Bachman, Farmington, Minn., members of Christiania Lutheran Church, Lakeville, Minn., a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), were attacked Aug. 9 while touring the Drum Tower in Beijing, China. Todd Bachman, 62, chief executive officer of Bachman's Floral, Home and Garden, Minneapolis, was stabbed by the attacker and died, and Barbara Bachman underwent eight hours of surgery after being stabbed and is hospitalized in serious but stable condition.

A Chinese tour guide was also injured. The attacker, a 47-year-old Chinese man, died after he leaped off the tower following the attacks.

Elisabeth McCutcheon, the Bachmans' daughter and 2004 U.S. Olympic volleyball player, Irvine, Calif., was with her parents at the time of the attack but was uninjured. An Aug. 11 open letter from McCutcheon and her husband Hugh McCutcheon, coach of the U.S. Olympic men's volleyball team which is competing in the Beijing Olympic Games, was released by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).

"During this tremendously difficult time, we have been blessed to be surrounded by a tremendous support system of caring individuals and organizations," it read. "We are extremely grateful for the outpouring of assistance and generosity that we have received and hope to convey our appreciation to everyone who has supported us and kept us in their thoughts and prayers."

Todd Bachman served on several Christiania church committees and Barbara Bachman helped rebuild the church after an arsonist burned it down, according to KARE-TV, St. Paul, Minn. Todd Bachman was a former regent of Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa. Wartburg is one of 28 ELCA colleges and universities.

An Aug. 9 official statement from the USOC said, "Our priority in this hour is to attend to the needs of the family members, the U.S. Olympic men's indoor volleyball team and staff and the entire U.S. Olympic delegation. In addition, the USOC is working closely with the United States Embassy, United States law enforcement authorities and local law enforcement authorities."

Plans for a memorial service are pending. All 28 Bachman's Floral Home and Garden locations have memorial posters displayed to commemorate Todd Bachman.

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Nate Harris
8/11/2008
Church mourns death of member attending Beijing Olympics

Christiania Lutheran Church of Lakeville, Minn., is mourning the death of former church president Todd L. Bachman, who was killed in an apparent random act of violence in Beijing, China, on Aug. 9. Bachman, the father-in-law of U.S. Olympic Men's Volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon, also formerly served on the Board of Regents of Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa.

Bachman's wife, Barbara Bachman, was also injured in the attack and is in critical but stable condition following surgery. The couple's daughter, Elisabeth McCutcheon, was with the Bachmans at the time of the attack but was not injured. McCutcheon was a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Women's Indoor Volleyball team.

For more information and continuing updates, please visit the Bachman's Inc. Web site.



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