August 25, 2010

CHICAGO – The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), will answer questions on a variety of topics from members of the denomination on Sunday, Sept. 19. Hanson will take questions during an hour-long "Town Hall Forum" beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

The forum will be the second with the ELCA presiding bishop this year, and the third since December 2009.

The forum will be webcast live from Chicago, where Hanson will be joined by an audience of ELCA members. The audience will be able to ask questions of the presiding bishop.

Online viewers will be invited to submit questions at http://www.ELCA.org/townhall/ on the ELCA website. Participants can also post comments about the forum using Facebook Connect and Twitter.

Questions will not be accepted in advance by phone or e-mail.

Open captioning will be available, said Kristi S. Bangert, executive director, ELCA Communication Services. Bangert is also encouraging congregations to consider hosting viewing parties for members who do not have high-speed Internet access.

ELCA News Service