ELCA Publishing Ministry Exceeds 2005 Sales Goal by $2 Million

This is a press release from the ELCA.

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Augsburg Fortress, the Minneapolis-based publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), achieved a $1 million increase in product sales from 2004 to 2005, and exceeded its 2005 sales goal by more than $2 million. This was the first time in 10 years the publisher had a $1 million increase in product sales and exceeded its sales goal, said Beth A. Lewis, Augsburg Fortress president and chief executive officer.

Actual sales in 2005 were $38.9 million. The company began the year with a sales forecast of slightly less than $36.9 million.

Lewis attributed the company's 2005 sales success to "wonderful" new resources such as "The Lutheran Course," an adult forum curriculum intended as a companion piece to "The Lutheran Handbook." The handbook, published in March 2005, was intended as a serious and humorous teaching tool for Confirmation students and is part of the company's "Here We Stand" print and Web-based Confirmation curriculum. It quickly became a popular item for all Lutherans and has sold more than 116,000 copies. The companion course materials went on sale Dec. 28 and sold out the first day, Lewis said.

The publisher also introduced "The Christian Handbook," an ecumenical version of "The Lutheran Handbook," which sold more than 30,000 copies since its introduction in October 2005. Subscriptions to "Sundays and Seasons.com," a Web-based worship planning and resource site, sold well, as did "core resources" in faith formation and worship, Lewis said.

"Our sales and marketing are better and more focused, and customer service is much improved," Lewis told the ELCA News Service.

"We had a fabulous sales year," said John Rahja, Augsburg Fortress' chief financial officer. He said the company was able to manage its expenses while achieving greater productivity and efficiency in its operations.

The disappointing news was that Augsburg Fortress fell short of its goal of an operational breakeven in 2005. Unaudited financial results showed an operating loss of $400,000 compared to a forecast loss of $573,000. A key factor affecting the operating loss was the publisher's defined benefit pension plan expenses, Rahja said.

"We're disappointed in the operating income figures," Lewis said. "We thought we'd get to breakeven for 2005."

In October 2005 the Augsburg Fortress board of trustees approved a revenue forecast of $40 million for 2006, up $1.1 million or 2.8 percent over 2005. To meet that goal the publisher plans to introduce several new products.

This year Augsburg Fortress is planning to introduce several "brand extensions" of "The Lutheran Handbook." It is also planning to introduce new Web-based materials in its popular "New Proclamation" preaching resource series and a CD-ROM version of "Hermeneia." The first five volumes of a new Spanish-language biblical commentary series, "Conozca su Biblia," will also be launched in spring 2006.

A new initiative that will be launched at synod assemblies this spring is "Akaloo," a lifelong intergenerational faith formation resource for congregations.

Last year the ELCA publisher introduced a new 2006 Vacation Bible School resource, "Gospel Express."Later this year new worship resources, including a new worship book, "Evangelical Lutheran Worship," will be available through Augsburg Fortress.

Evangelical Lutheran Worship

Evangelical Lutheran Worship By the whole church. For the whole church. New core worship resources for the ELCA and ELCIC. Pricing for pre-orders of the ELW will be $17.50 a copy until October 2, 2006. After that it will return to $20



Evangelical
Evangelical Lutheran Worship is designed to welcome people to worship together. With original artwork throughout, elegant design, easy navigation aids, and a renewed emphasis on God’s mission, this book will help newcomers and long-time members worship with all of their hearts and minds. Although filled with content for use throughout the year, Evangelical Lutheran Worship is easy to use at any time. Through word and song this resource will help us tell the good news of Jesus Christ in a new day.

Lutheran
The involvement of the whole church in the development of these resources, through the Renewing Worship project launched in 2000, is a solidly and historically Lutheran practice. We are a church that respects the many expressions of worship that are used throughout the church, grounded in our faithful heritage and in new ideas that keep worship vibrant. Words, music, and art combine in one resource, reflecting Luther’s own desire that the people of God praise and witness using all of our gifts. Lutheran to its core, this resource also includes the best gifts of the whole Christian church across the world.

Worship
Word and sacrament are the core of this resource, reflecting this centering in all that we do as a church. The liturgies bring together for the first time the wondrous variety of worship styles that the church currently embraces. The hymn collection has grown out of surveys of hymn usage from over 800 churches across the country. Congregations will now be able to explore a variety of worship styles while using only a single worship resource. Evangelical Lutheran Worship has been designed to serve the church of today.

The Evangelical Lutheran Worship Pew Edition Contains:

Holy Communion Settings
One: new setting by Mark Mummert, Thomas Pavlechko, and Robert Buckley Farlee
Two: by Marty Haugen, revised from Renewing Worship — The remaining settings include complete music, but only necessary text for navigation
Three: LBW Setting One
Four: LBW Setting Two
Five: chant setting based on LBW Setting Three and SBH Setting Two
Six: from This Far by Faith
Seven: from Libro de Liturgia y Cántico
Eight: contemporary, from various sources
Nine: by Joel Martinson, revised from Renewing Worship
Ten: hymn-based setting

Service of the Word
Music from With One Voice Setting Five and Service of Word and Prayer

Holy Baptism
Includes Holy Baptism, Welcome to Baptism, Affirmation of Baptism, Corporate Confessionand Forgiveness, and Individual Confession and Forgiveness

Lent and the Three Days
Includes liturgies for Ash Wednesday, Procession with Palms, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Vigil of Easter

Life Passages
Includes Healing, Funeral, and Marriage liturgies

Daily Prayer
Includes congregational Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, Night Prayer, and Responsive Prayer services

Psalms
All 150 Psalms, all pointed for singing. Translation based on LBW version, with updates based on newer biblical scholarship

Assembly Song

650-700 hymns and worship songs, of which
53% are from LBW
20% are from With One Voice
21% are from New Hymns and Songs (Renewing Worship)
6% from Libro de Liturgia y Cántico, This Far by Faith, Worship & Praise, and other sources

Additional Resources
Includes Luther’s Small Catechism, The Liturgy Is Biblical, and Daily Lectionary Indexes

Akaloo, lifelong faith formation

Are you Ready to Akaloo?

Akaloo is lifelong faith formation for the whole congregation. For children, youth, and adults. Akaloo is intentional discipleship that’s open to God’s surprises. Akaloo is following Jesus as the body of Christ. Are you ready to Akaloo?

moving beyond sunday school™
Too many finish Sunday school and move on from church. It’s time for that to change. Let’s move beyond Sunday school and engage the whole congregation. Children. Youth. Adults. Let’s dedicate ourselves to lifelong discipleship. It’s time to Akaloo.

let’s get ready to akaloo
Akaloo will be released in August 2006, so let’s get ready to Akaloo. A series of free Akaloo Seminars will be offered starting in April. A listing of dates and places will be released in late February at: akaloo.org. It’s time to get ready to Akaloo!

what does akaloo mean?
“Follow me,” Jesus says to his disciples. Drop your nets. A new life awaits you. Akaloo is based on this radical call to discipleship. In fact, the word, Akaloo, is inspired by the Greek verb “to follow” (akolouthein). Are you ready to Akaloo?
sign-up

We’d love to e-mail you more information in coming months, especially about Akaloo Seminars. Sign-up for Akaloo Announcements and be the first to know. Go to: akaloo.org

How do you Akaloo? It’s all about the questions

What is akaloo? Akaloo is lifelong faith formation for the whole congregation. That’s a mouthful, but it’s actually very simple. Here’s a rule of thumb: if it’s about growing as a disciple, it’s Akaloo.

Why is it important that akaloo is lifelong and includes the whole congregation? It’s the only way to make disciples. Discipleship is a lifelong process that needs to be nurtured in appropriate ways at each stage of life. That’s Akaloo. Likewise, discipleship only happens as a community. As the body of Christ. Are you ready to Akaloo?

What kind of materials will be available with akaloo?
Akaloo is essentially a Web-based resource with print support. Following Jesus invites change. Making disciples requires new tools. Akaloo is Web-based for just this reason. Handbooks will also be available for all ages—children through adults.
move yourself online to: akaloo.org or talk to me: 1-800-426-0115 x509

Is Akaloo Sunday school? Yes and no. Akaloo can be used in any children’s ministry program—just like Sunday school. However, unlike Sunday school, Akaloo always makes disciples within a larger context: the entire lifespan and in the midst of the whole congregation. Everyone gets the opportunity to Akaloo. Children. Youth. Adults.

How can I learn more about akaloo? The best way to learn about Akaloo is through an Akaloo Seminar. These seminars will begin in late April, so you’ll be well on your way to starting Akaloo this fall. Sign up for Akaloo Announcements at akaloo.org and be the first to know about upcoming dates and locations.

How does akaloo work? It’s all about the questions, not the answers. Follow any conversation for a moment, and you’ll notice that answers tend to stop a conversation, but questions drive it forward. Following Jesus is no different. Discipleship is a dynamic process at any stage of life, and posing the right questions propels growth. Akaloo focuses on a set of questions that change as disciples grow, both personally and as the body of Christ. How does akaloo connect church with home? Because Akaloo is so mobile (a Web-based resource accessible anywhere with portable handbooks for each disciple), making disciples can happen in any “sphere” of life. For example, learning that happens in church is reinforced through online, family, and small group experiences at home, creating a mutually transforming relationship between congregational and everyday life.