This series comprises records retained or generated by the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) from 1995-2001. In addition to records generated by Bishop Anderson, there are also several files containing records generated by Bishop Anderson's predecessor, the Rev. Herbert W. Chilstrom, presiding bishop of the ELCA from 1987-1995. These records were retained by Bishop Anderson during his tenure most likely because he was referred to them during the course of his work. Therefore, they were kept with the rest of his files for continuity purposes in processing this record series. Records are from 1987-2001 but the bulk of records dates from 1995-2001. These records were generated or retained by Bishop Anderson during the course of his carrying out the duties as prescribed to the position of presiding bishop as outlined in the ELCA's constitution and bylaws. Typewritten business correspondence and printed electronic email business correspondence represent the majority of the records. Other record types include agenda and exhibits, minutes, news articles, pamphlets, brochures, topical reports, calendars, a guest register, worship bulletins, circular letters, and news clippings. Records are arranged by subseries. Several subseries include records generated through the course of Bishop Anderson's communications with ELCA churchwide divisions, units, sections, the Conference of Bishops, Church Council, church officers and other churchwide staff, as well as records reflecting his participation and leadership of the churchwide organization's cabinet of executives and planning team. These records represent Bishop Anderson's interaction and participation with the various work units that comprised the programmatic activity of the church and pertain to areas of ministry the church was undertaking, budgeting for the work of the church, staffing and planning issues, and progress reports on particular projects or initiatives. Also included in this series are Bishop Anderson's travel schedule and itineraries for his entire term as bishop. In addition to the regular correspondence with church officers, Office of the Bishop staff, church divisions, units, and sections, there are folders pertaining to specific subject matter. These subjects correspond to an issue confronting the church, a type of ministry it was undertaking, or an issue, topic, or subject pertaining to a current event in the United States or the world-at-large, or a news event, such as a natural or man-made disaster. Examples of this type of subject matter include immigration, abortion, hunger, poverty, nuclear disarmament, racism, world peace, homosexuality, bigotry, gun control, pornography, rural community issues, landmines, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and refugees. Many of the records pertaining to particular subjects represent the bishop's role as the public face of the church as it addressed issues of social, racial, and economic injustice, war, healthcare, societal problems, environmental problems, and concerns for the poor, oppressed, and underrepresented. In regards to the folders labeled "Anderson sign-on letters," these folders contain correspondence contacting the bishop asking him to endorse a particular resolution and the accompanying "sign-on" letter. The sign-on letter itself was generally addressed to people in leadership positions in governments, e.g. congresspersons, senators, and other elected officials. Sign-on letters were written by an organization in charge of the advocacy efforts on a particular topic and then various national leaders, members of academic communities, and religious leaders would lend their signatures to the letters as a show of support. These folders include correspondence with notations about whether or not the bishop will or should sign the letter or notations seeking clarification from other ELCA staff members on particular resolutions.
