2013 NALC Convocation

This year's events, held August 6-9, 2013 at the Sheridan Station Square Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA,  included the Lutheran CORE Convocation, Lutheran CORE/NALC Theological Conference,Women of the NALC annual gathering, and the 2013 NALC Convocation. This year’s Convocation theme was “Come to the Water of Life!” (John 4:14).   Thursday evening's beautiful worship/holy communion was at the historic First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh.

NALC worship service August 8, 2013

2013 Convocation Summary

NALC Convocation approves establishing NALC seminary. The 2013 NALC Convocation overwhelmingly approved establishing a seminary to provide for the theological education of future pastors for the North American Lutheran Church. The Convocation, which met Aug. 8-9 in Pittsburgh, Pa., approved two resolutions: The first authorized the establishment of the North American Lutheran Seminary. The second authorized raising $1 million to fund the seminary. More than 700 people attended the Convocation.


Elected to the NALC Executive Council were Matthew Burkhart, an attorney in Columbus, Ohio, and Pastor Amy Schifrin, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Monona, Iowa, and Mission in Christ Lutheran Church in Strawberry Point, Iowa. Jon Evans, an attorney in Pittsburgh, Pa., and Pastor Jeffray Greene, pastor of American Lutheran Church in Rantoul, Ill., were reelected to the NALC Court of Adjudication.


An agreement with Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania was signed during the Convocation. The Memorandum of Understanding is a step toward an official Full Communion relationship. The NALC is already in Full Communion with the Ethiopian Evangelical Lutheran Church Mekane Yesus.  These are two of the largest Lutheran church bodies in the world, each with more than 6 million members.

Signing Memorandum of Understanding with Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania

Pastor Herb Hafermann (pictured with his wife in the above picture-behind the Bishop) was honored for 50 years of missionary service in Tanzania. He also led a Bible study and shared his experiences in Tanzania.

1517 NALC congregations by 2017 was a goal set by the Convocation as a way to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation by reaching out with the Gospel and growing as a church body.


NALC budgets for 2014 were approved. The Convocation approved an operating budget of $1,525,927. Budgets were also approved for two of the NALC’s designated funds: $155,000 for the Great Commission Fund and $312,500 for the Theological Education Fund.

The NALC’s application for membership in the Lutheran World Federation continues to advance in the LWF process for membership, the Convocation was told in a report on the NALC’s 2012 decision. The membership application process takes time.

A Discipleship Partnership with Navigators was introduced to the Convocation. It will begin in selected NALC congregations and later expand throughout the NALC.

2014 NALC Convocation will be July 24-25 at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C.


You may watch videos of the Convocation and the theological conference at the NALC website.