pretty good lutherans

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Hundreds of Augsburg Fortress workers and retirees learned over the weekend that their retirement plan is being canceled, according to documents obtained by Pretty Good Lutherans.

“These decisons and actions break our hearts and we apologize, but they are necessary,” wrote Beth Lewis, president and C.E.O. of the Minneapolis-based company, in a letter to employees and retirees dated New Year’s Eve.

Augsburg Fortress is the publishing house of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the nation’s largest Lutheran denomination. Like most U.S. book publishers, Augsburg Fortress has been struggling financially because of the nation’s economy and because of the impact of digital technology on sales. Over the past year, the company has laid off at least four dozen employees and shut down nine bookstores.

The documents said the retirement plan’s assets totaled $8.6 million and estimated its obligations at $24.2 million. If Augsburg Fortress were to declare bankruptcy and sell its assets, “even this drastic measure would not entirely fund the plan’s shortfall,” the documents said.

“Furthermore, it would be a tragedy for the proclamation of the Gospel and would put almost 200 employees out of work.”

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© Pretty Good Lutherans

Ever want to know what books ELCA members are writing?

When I sent out a query a few weeks ago, several authors kindly responded.

They included ELCA journalists, pastors, theologians and writers. Some are scholars and teachers at ELCA colleges.

I’d like to make books a regular feature at Pretty Good Lutherans. Authors, publishers and publicists are welcome to send information about their current projects.

In the meantime, here are a few books from 2009 and 2008:

The Future Starts Now: The Renewable Organization for Faith-Based Groups
(A Renewal Enterprise, 2009, $18)

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Readers,

As 2009 draws to a close, I wish to thank you for your storytelling, sharing and support.

Thank you for your openness to a different approach to telling the news — an approach that emphasizes timeliness and truthfulness.

Thank you for supporting efforts to cover the church in all of its dimensions — the joys, woes and all of the moments in between.

Thank you for the opportunities to share your stories and your writings. Hearing your thoughts is the best part of my day.

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Tigger Olson of Cottage Grove, Minn., endorses an ELCA bishop's suggestion not to yell at dogs in 2010.

© Pretty Good Lutherans

Bishop Peter Rogness knows about New Year’s resolutions.

“You may, like most of us, take a stab at some New Year’s resolutions,” he writes in the Saint Paul Area Synod’s January newsletter. He offers a list of possibilities:

“Only three desserts per week from now on. Read the Bible every day. No more yelling at the dog.”

He suggests the most important resolution may be something else altogether. Below is his column, titled: “This year, claim the promise!”

From the bishop:

“Behold, I make all things new.…” (Revelation: 21:5)

Whenever life is challenging, I turn to this verse. I quote it when I’m with congregations in deep pain or turmoil. This fall I’ve used it often as people wrestle with the future of our church. I quote it when I’m with individuals facing very dark times. I quote it to myself from time to time. I quote it whenever there’s a need to be reminded of God’s presence and power and promise.

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A Minneapolis congregation celebrated Christmas with the city’s first ELCA Hmong pastor. He’s Nengyia Her, who came to the United States in 1986. The following year, he was baptized a Christian.

Her is pastor of Luther Memorial Church in north Minneapolis. He  became a member of the congregation eight years ago, and served as its Hmong outreach coordinator for several years.

The Twin Cities have long welcomed Hmong refugees. The area  is home to the only Hmong Cultural Center in the Midwest. A Hmong pastor also serves the St. Paul ELCA Synod.

Below is a 2006 video of Hmong American writer Kaying Thao titled, “Becoming a Pastor’s Kid.” She reads an excerpt from her memoir at a coffee shop in Minneapolis.

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© Pretty Good Lutherans

CHICAGO — A north side church founded in the 19th century by Swedish immigrants runs a disclaimer on its Web site that says its name isn’t something out of Dickens.

“It has nothing to do with Scrooge,” proclaims the site of Ebenezer Lutheran Church. “Ebenezer” means “stone of help”  and refers to “God’s miraculous intervention” in an ancient battle described in the Hebrew Bible (1 Sam. 7:12-14).

“Ebenezer is a powerful name once you understand what it means,” said the Rev. Gordon Straw, interim pastor of the church. “But many people don’t know, even people who regularly come to church.”

Ebenezer Scrooge, on the the hand, is the poster-boy of bad bosses made famous by writer Charles Dickens. He’s not a poster boy that churches want associated with them.

At least 17 churches bear the name “Ebenezer” in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Many more Baptist churches bear the name.

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From “Rejoice” to “Joy,” a lot of ELCA churches bear names that sound a lot like Christmas or Advent.

Here’s a rundown of other popular ELCA church names:

44 named  “Advent”
91 named “Bethlehem”
50 named “Emanuel”
82 named “Emmanuel”
161 named “Immanuel”
1 named “Incarnate Word”
5 named “Incarnation”
17 named “Nativity”
10 named “Nazareth”
70 named “Prince of Peace”

*The numbers represent a “best count” based on available ELCA data. Since names change and counters make mistakes, the numbers may not be exact.

Question: What’s behind the various spellings of Emanuel, Emmanuel and Immanuel? Who can explain this for readers?

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