CHICAGO (ELCA) – The Rev. A. Craig Settlage, former director for Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Mission Support, died Oct. 21 in Bradenton, Fla. He was 73. A memorial service will be held Oct. 29 at 3 p.m. at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Venice, Fla.

As director for ELCA Mission Support, “Craig traveled across this church encouraging synods and congregations to be generous. Not always an easy task. Craig did this in the conviction that all of life, including our financial resources, is a gift from God. We entrust our brother to God’s never-failing care and love and give thanks for the gift that was Craig,” wrote ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton in an Oct. 21 email to staff of the ELCA churchwide organization.
Settlage began his work at the ELCA churchwide organization in 1988, serving as director for candidacy and later as associate executive director for the former ELCA Division for Ministry, and director for rostered and authorized ministries in the former ELCA Vocation and Education unit. In 2007, Settlage became director for ELCA Mission Support and retired from that role in 2012. He moved to Florida and served as interim pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Venice, Fla., from 2013 to 2014.

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