ELCA NEWS SERVICE August 13, 2003 ELCA Presiding Bishop Reports on Congregational Strategic Direction 03-CWA-19-BMC MILWAUKEE (ELCA) -- In the second part of his report, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), focused on the new strategic direction supporting congregations. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 11-17 at the Midwest Airlines Center. There are about 2,100 people participating, including 1,031 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known: For the Healing of the World." "We will be a vital and vibrant church only if all of our 11,000 congregations are Christ-centered, Spirit-filled places," said Hanson. Supporting congregations is the second of five strategic directions that Hanson is exploring in his report. Hanson focused on the second of five strategic directions: "Support congregations in their call to be faithful, welcoming, and generous, sharing the mind of Christ." Hanson raised three questions facing congregations that seek to become "faithful, welcoming and generous, sharing the mind of Christ." First, congregations must ask if they view themselves in terms of lack and what they have lost, or in terms of the gifts they have been given. Second, Hanson asked, "Do we think in terms of isolation and what sets us apart, or in terms of our connectedness to other congregations, synods or the wider church in the Body of Christ?" Third, are congregations defined by nostalgia for the past or in "expectant hopefulness" for the future? Hanson stated that congregations should look ahead with Advent hopefulness rather than seek to revive past glory: "We need to be as clear in our vision for the growth of our congregations as we are grateful for [past ministry work]." Hanson invited Luther Snow to introduce concepts of congregational asset mapping to the assembly. Snow, an author and consultant from Decorah, Iowa, encouraged assembly members to gather in small groups to describe their congregations' strengths and find ways to put those gifts together to support each other's congregational mission and ministry. "What happens when we connect the dots?" Snow asked, adding, "When needs become assets, then 'they' become part of 'us' and 'we' become a force for the will of God." Hanson concluded, "We are learning to support one another in our congregations as we become faithful, welcoming and generous congregations." -- -- -- Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be found at http://www.elca.org/assembly/03 on the Web. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news