• Far right photo: Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Rev. Dr. Mark Hanson blesses the Sister Elisabeth Fedde portrait.

"Mission Week is an annual celebration that helps underscore our rich faith-based heritage, values, mission, and ongoing service to the Brooklyn community," says Rev. Don Stiger, SVP for Mission and Spiritual Care. "Since Lutheran's founding in 1883, Brooklyn has been one of the most culturally, religiously, ethnically and linguistically diverse communities in the world, and we take great honor in re-dedicating ourselves, each year, to providing the best possible high quality care to everyone of every faith, and every culture."

The week's highlights included visits by the Rev. Dr. Mark Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, and Marty Markowitz, borough president, on Feb. 27. Bishop Hanson officiated over the unveiling and blessing of the Sister Elisabeth Fedde tapestry, which she gave as a gift to Lutheran on her 70th birthday, Christmas day, 1920, just two months before her death. He also addressed a standing room only crowd in the medical center's auditorium.

Bishop Hanson commended Lutheran's dedication to continuing Sister Fedde's mission of serving the community. "She remains a symbol of all of you who continue to serve," said Hanson. "When I travel through the world, I will be able to say I visited a place in Brooklyn that treated people by the virtue of their humanity." He also said, "Lutheran has been compared to a gem. Like a gem, it has many facets and is leading the country in a new health care pathway."

• Left side photo: Lutheran HealthCare President and CEO Wendy Z Goldstein, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Bishop Hanson, and LHC Board of Trustees Chair Thomas J. Edwards, as the borough president officially proclaims Wednesday, February 27, as Lutheran HealthCare Day in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz also addressed those present and presented the bishop and Wendy Z. Goldstein, LHC president and CEO, with a proclamation officially recognizing Wednesday, February 27, as Lutheran HealthCare Day in Brooklyn.

The weeklong series of events ended with Festspill, a traditional Norwegian festival where the outfits, food, artwork, and music of the area's first Norwegian settlers were showcased for visitors, staff and patients to enjoy.

In 1883, Norwegian Lutheran Deaconess-Nurse, Sister Elisabeth Fedde, created the building blocks for Lutheran HealthCare with the founding of the Norwegian Lutheran Deaconess Home and Hospital, known today as Lutheran Medical Center and overall as Lutheran HealthCare. She died on February 25, 1921, and is commemorated each year on that date by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.

• Lower photo: Lutheran HealthCare President and CEO Wendy Z. Goldstein, Bishop Hanson, and Rev. Don Stiger, SVP, for Mission and Spiritual Care at LHC, during the unveiling of the Sister Elisabeth Fedde tapestry.