Lutherans Concerned/North America names Emily Eastwood as its first Executive Director
Promotion to take effect immediately

Minneapolis, MN—Some 400 participants at the Lutherans Concerned/North America (LC/NA) “Gather Us In” biennial Assembly and North American RIC Conference were elated to hear that, effective immediately, Emily Eastwood of Richfield, MN has been named as the first Executive Director of LC/NA.

Eastwood is no stranger to LC/NA, having worked in the position of Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Executive since 2002. In fact, it was due to her unprecedented success with the RIC Program that she was promoted to oversee the entire operation of LC/NA. Since Eastwood took over the helm of the RIC program in 2002, the membership roster of congregations, synods, student groups and other organizations has seen a marked increase, from 267 to 337.

"In the first 18 years of the program we added an average of 14 congregations per year. In the last two years we have added 70 settings to the RIC roster," said Eastwood. "The solid growth in the RIC program has been practically miraculous," she added.

Emily Eastwood has already worked very hard for the RIC program. Over the past two years she has visited 34 different synods of the ELCA and 1 synod of the ELCIC. She is already well known as the face of Lutherans Concerned/North America due to her extensive travel schedule and contacts across the continent. Eastwood has successfully spearheaded three grant applications, resulting in a marked increase in available funds for LC/NA for development, resources, and training applications. In demand as a speaker, preacher, and presenter across the continent, she is booked for travel already into 2006 and realizes that she alone will not ever be able to keep up with the demand. To this end, she has initiated faith-based organizational training for the leadership of LC/NA and is overseeing the implementation of RIC Core Teams across North America—trained volunteers who will be available to meet the growing demand for local speakers and resource people and who will actively foster the expansion of the RIC program in their areas. Eastwood's promotion to the job of Executive Director of all of LC/NA now means that she can oversee an integrated model of the LC/NA program, rather than just one part of it.

"There is no person better qualified for this job," said Dirk Selland, one of two co-chairs for the Board of Directors of LC/NA. "The Board considered a national search process for this new position, but in the end it was decided that Emily's phenomenal performance as RIC Executive and her experience with the organization made her the obvious choice already. In fact, we're lucky to have her."

We're very happy to have Emily Eastwood as the first Executive Director of LC/NA," agreed Jeannine Janson, the other LC/NA co-chair. "We've seen such incredible work in the past two years that we are quite confident of the job that Emily is going to do in her new role. This promotion was essentially a vote of extreme confidence in Emily's work by the Board of Directors."

Emily can be reached at exec "at" lcna.org or at PO Box 4707, St. Paul, MN 55104, phone 651-665-0861, fax 651-665-0863.

Lutherans Concerned/North America is an independent membership organization comprised of members and former members of most Lutheran affiliations as well as other Christian denominations. LC/NA calls the entire church to be a visible proponent of justice for all gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people.

Reconciling in Christ is a program that has existed since 1984 to recognize those Lutheran congregations that welcome people of all sexual orientations and gender identities into full participation as members. There are currently over 330 Lutheran congregations, synods and organizations listed as on the RIC roster.

For more information about LC/NA or its RIC program, please visit our website at www.lcna.org.

AIDS Walk San Francisco 2004 raised over 3 million dollars and counting in support of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and 38 other Bay Area AIDS Service Organizations. 21,000 walkers and over 1,000 volunteers participated on July 18, the day of the AIDS Walk.

Kudos to the Lutheran teams. St. Francis Lutheran was fourth of ALL the 800 money raising teams ($62,679), placing right between Chevron/Texaco and Bank of America! St. Mark’s was third in the top religious teams ($12,191), and First United was right in there too ($3,555).

In addition to Max, LC/SFBA board members participating were Rachel Hoobing, Dean Atkinson, Chuck Lewis, Markus Mueller, and Judy Streets. Markus was a Star Walker, and Judy was a first time Star Walker (those who raise over $1,000). Max, Dean, and Chuck were especially brilliant Star Walkers because they were among the top fifty fundraising “stars,” bringing in $10,000, $7,760, and $2,800 respectively. Jeannine Janson, national co-director of LC was a Star Walker “in absentia.”

It is important to keep Dr. James Childs, director, and the ELCA’s sexuality task force in our prayers, especially as they move deeper into their task.

A recent press release from the ELCA reminds us that the sexuality task force is now in the process of forming recommendations to the ELCA 2005 Churchwide Assembly. Drawing upon what they have learned from reading, studying, interviewing, listening, and praying, the members of the task force have the daunting task of shaping recommendations on whether or not the church should bless same-gender relationships and whether or not it should allow people in such relationships to serve the church as professional lay and ordained ministers. Margaret Payne, chair of the task force, emphasized the dedication of the fourteen members, who, like the larger church, have struggled with their own differing views, but are committed to respecting each other and doing their jobs well.

The Council of Bishops met with the task force on October 1 and, among other things, talked about the implications of a “Yes” or “No” vote—the potential impact on synods as well as the national and international church body. Task force members talked about their hope that the wording of their report and recommendations could divert the churchwide assembly from having to make a possibly church-dividing decision.

Please remember Dr. Childs and members of task force in your personal prayer and the weekly prayers of the church in your congregation. Ask that God’s blessing and guidance be upon them, and thank God for their dedication to the well-being of the church.

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Among the statements describing Matthew was one made by his father in court at the sentencing of one of the two men sent to prison for the murder. Part of that statement by Dennis Shepard reads:

A number of resources are still available which were developed following his death. Among them are several websites and organizations, some of which continue to have the support, participation, and involvement of his parents. (On the web, visit www.matthewshepard.org or www.matthewsplace.com or “google” his name to find a lengthy list of others.) Movies have also been made which recount his death and some of what has transpired since then (The Laramie Project and The Matthew Shepard Story). And at least one production has linked discussion of his death with others who were senselessly murdered around the same time, including James Byrd, Jr., of Jasper, Texas, who was dragged to his death behind a pickup truck, and the Columbine High School students (Journey to a Hate Free Millennium).

(Reprinted and used with permission from the LC/Phoenix newsletter.)

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Deadline to respond to the Sexuality Task Force!
November 1, 2004
The ELCA Sexuality Task Force is immersed in reviewing written statements as well as response forms for the Journey Together Faithfully study guide. Submissions will be accepted until November 1, 2004 (especially welcome are personal stories/experiences). Please take the time to write something and send it to:

Dr. James M. Childs, Director for the ELCA Studies on Sexuality
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
8765 West Higgins Road
Chicago, IL 60631

You may also complete the response form for JTF online at www.elca.org/faithful journey.

Report from the ELCA Studies on Sexuality
January 12-13, 2005
The task force for the ELCA Studies on Sexuality plans to share its report and recommendations confidentially with ELCA lay and ordained ministers through e-mail on January 12. It plans to release the report and recommendations publicly on January 13, with a news conference at the Lutheran Center in Chicago.

LLGM/ECP Celebrate Anniversary
January 15-16, 2005
Save these dates to attend events celebrating the 15th anniversary of the ordinations that led to the birth of Lutheran Lesbian & Gay Ministries and the Extraordinary Candidacy Project. Festivities include a banquet with San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom and worship with ECP pastors, candidates, and seminarians. Watch www.llgm.org for details as they develop.