NALC News N o r t h A m e r i c a n L u t h e r a n C h u r c h J u l y 2 0 1 1 Convocation to elect new bishop and other leaders to guide NALC NALC Convocation is Aug. 11-12; Lutheran CORE Convocation is Aug. 9 Lutheran CORE - NALC Theological Conference is Aug. 10-11 The 2011 Convocation of the North American Lutheran Church will meet Thursday and Friday, Aug. 11-12, at Upper Arlington Lutheran Church at Mill Run in Hilliard, Ohio. Convocation delegates will elect leaders for the NALC including a new bishop and members of the Executive Council and Court of Adjudication. Four pastors have been nominated to serve as the next bishop of the NALC, the church body’s chief pastor and evangelist: + the Rev. John F. Bradosky. + the Rev. James T. Lehmann. + the Rev. Paul A. Schultz. Upper Arlington Lutheran Church at Mill Run in Hilliard, Ohio, will host the + the Rev. Dr. J. Larry Yoder. Convocations of the North American Lutheran Church and Lutheran CORE and the Lutheran CORE-NALC Theological Conference. The church also Ten lay people and 16 pastors houses the national offices of the NALC. have been nominated to serve on the North American Lutheran Church’s Executive Council. The Convocation will elect four The seven people who have lay people and four clergy to served the NALC for its first year The Executive Council functions staggered terms of one to four as provisional members of the as the board of directors for the years. Future terms will be Court of Adjudication have been NALC, providing leadership for staggered so that one pastor and nominated for election to regular the church body between one lay person will be elected at terms of from one to four years. Convocations. each annual Convocation to four- year terms. Continued on Page 2 Lutheran CORE and NALC Convocations and Theological Conference are Aug. 9-12 Continued from Page 1 electing leaders to staggered situations. The registration fee of terms at the 2011 Convocation. $50 includes lunch and supper. Lutheran CORE’s 2010 Convocation elected provisional Amendments to the constitution To vote at the Lutheran CORE leaders to guide the NALC must be approved by a two-thirds Convocation, individuals must be through its first year and to majority at the Convocation and enrolled as individual members of enable the congregations that ratified by two-thirds of NALC Lutheran CORE. Visitors are join the NALC to elect their own congregations. welcome to attend. Individuals leaders in 2011. may join Lutheran CORE by Voting delegates for the NALC completing the membership form Elections for all NALC positions Convocation — the annual at www.lutherancore.org or by will take place at the 2011 meeting of the NALC — include requesting a membership form Convocation. lay people elected by their from the Lutheran CORE office congregations and all NALC by calling 888-551-7254 Congregations were asked to pastors. Each congregation is submit nominations for the entitled to at least one lay Lutheran CORE - NALC positions. Additional nominations delegate. Those who are not Theological Conference may be made from the floor at delegates for the Convocation the Convocation for all positions. are welcome to attend as visitors. “Salvation Today” is the theme of the Aug. 10-11 Lutheran CORE - Biographical information provided The $75 registration fee for the NALC theological conference by the nominees for bishop was Convocation includes supper on Registration for the theological printed in the May NALC News. Thursday and lunch on Friday. conference is $95. Information on Executive Council nominees was in the June NALC The NALC Convocation is one of Presentations for the theological News. Both issues and additional three events that will take place conference include: Professors information are available online Aug. 9-12 at Upper Arlington Robert Benne and Gerald at www.thenalc.org. Lutheran Church at Mill Run. McDermott of Roanoke College in Salem, Va.; President Convocation delegates will also Lutheran CORE Convocation Wakseyoum Idossa of the consider constitutional amend- Ethiopian Evangelical Church ments and the church body’s Lutheran CORE’s 2011 Convo- Mekane Yesus; and the Rev. Dr. 2012 budget. cation meets on Tuesday, Aug. 9. Sarah Hinlicky Wilson of the The Rev. Dr. Gemechis D. Buba, Institute for Ecumenical The proposed amendments were Missions Director of the NALC, Research in Strasbourg, France. approved by the NALC Executive will deliver the keynote address. Council. They are available You may register online for any online at www.thenalc.org. They The Convocation will elect or all of the events at also have been mailed to NALC members of Lutheran CORE’s www.thenalc.org or you may call congregations. Steering Committee and consider 888-551-7254 to request a constitutional amendments and a registration form. Registration Most of the amendments to the budget for 2012. There also will must be completed by July 29 to constitution remove provisions be two sessions of workshops for enable planners to plan food for related to the first year of the congregational ministry and a all attendees. Those registering NALC’s life such as providing breakout session for after July 29 may have to go off leaders for the first year and congregations in different campus for meals. N A L C N e w s 2 J u l y 2 0 1 1 Nominees for Bishop - 4-year term John F. Bradosky James T. Lehmann Paul A. Schultz J. Larry Yoder Centerville, Ohio Fithian, Ill. Marysville, Ohio Lincolnton, N.C. Nominees for Court of Adjudication Jon Evans James Gale Jeffray Greene Ralph Kempski Caroline Nestingen Pittsburgh, Pa. Washington, D.C. Rantoul, Ill. Aiken, S.C. Dallas, Ore. Executive Council - Lay 1-year term Court of Adjudication No Photo Available James L. Hanson Richard A. Ortt Sr. James Winegardner Richard F. Currey Ron Warren Hurricane, W.Va. Baltimore, Md. Millersport, Ohio Colorado Springs. Grove City, Ohio N A L C N e w s 3 J u l y 2 0 1 1 Ex. Council - Lay 2-year term Ex. Council - Lay 4-year term Carol H. Lattier Frank C. Polkowski Douglas Schrader Ryan M. Schwarz Bullard, Texas East Amherst, N.Y. Crownsville, Md. Washington, D.C. Nominees for Executive Council - Lay 3-year term John H. Burgess Johannes Olsen Kay J. Weaver Mansfield, Ohio Williamsville, N.Y. Vale, N.C. Nominees for Executive Council - Clergy 1-year term Kurt Borows Jr. Roy A. Harrisville Victor C. Langford Dieter W. Punt Oak Harbor, Ohio Menonomie, Wis. Seattle, Wash. Pontiac, Ill. N A L C N e w s 4 J u l y 2 0 1 1 Nominees for Executive Council - Clergy 2-year term Randall Eisenbeisz N. Amanda Grimmer Marshall Hahn Judy M. Mattson Sanford C. Mitchell Hayti, S.D. Hatboro, Pa. St. Olaf, Iowa L’Anse, Mich. Ashland, Ohio Nominees for Executive Council - Clergy 3-year term Donald Allman Nila G. Cogan Rebecca Heber Marty Ramey Frezil Westerlund Grove City, Ohio Friedens, Pa. Heathrow, Fla. Dallas, N.C. Phillip, S.D. Nominees for Executive Council - Clergy 4-year term Bradley J. Hales James T. Lehmann Patti Morlock David W. Priem Culpepper, Va. Fithian, Illinois Thornville, Ohio Fredericksburg, Tex. N A L C N e w s 5 J u l y 2 0 1 1 Joy in the midst of sorrow and faithfulness in the midst of division By Pastor John Bradosky a realistic picture of discipleship. NALC General Secretary You will be betrayed by both governors and the governed. Every week, as I have the Following Jesus may mean privilege to speak in division in families between congregations throughout the parents and children, between North American Lutheran spouses and among siblings. Church, I encounter people who There are times when the Gospel share a common story of joy in brings division instead of peace. the midst of sorrow and of faithfulness in the midst of In a sermon for the Sunday after division. Christmas, Martin Luther writes about the confession of Anna The launch and growth of the and Simeon. Giving thanks is a North American Lutheran Church matter of confession. When we has not been without personal confess the grace we have and corporate sacrifice. received, the goodness of the One offering that grace and our While we celebrate with joy unworthiness, we properly give Pastor John Bradosky amazing renewal in thanks. Then he writes, “Beyond congregations and the maturing cannot be minimized by virtue of this ‘confess’ also means to take faith of individuals, we do so in her brothers’ rejection. a stand concerning a thing; as the midst of grief and loss. Christ says in Matthew 10, The authority of the Scriptures, whoever confesses me before Our movement forward is the nature and mission of Christ men, him will I confess before My anything but easy. It has divided and His Church, redemption and Father in heaven. But whoever families, broken the bonds of salvation, law and gospel, faith denies me before men, him will I friendships, and produced a form and grace are fundamental to our also deny before My Father in of persecution from within the identity, shape our life together heaven.” body of Christ. and our mission in this world. Then Luther adds, when we Two weeks ago a woman, in If you didn’t spend time with the reject Christ’s teaching we reject tears, told me the story of her two entire 10th chapter of Matthew in Him and His Father. “Christ is not brothers — both pastors in the preparing for the second Sunday interested in having His person ELCA — who refuse to engage after Pentecost, I encourage you and name greatly honored, rather her in dialog about her concerns.