ELCA NEWS SERVICE August 13, 2003 ELCA Assembly Adopts Evangelism Strategy 03-CWA-24-MR MILWAUKEE (ELCA) -- The 2003 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted "Sharing Faith in a New Century: A Vision for Evangelism in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America" Aug. 13. 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." The 2001 Churchwide Assembly called for the development of a comprehensive strategy on evangelism for the church. It received "A Telling Witness of God's Good News," the evangelism strategy report from 1991-2001 and, in receiving that report, the assembly authorized the presiding bishop of the ELCA -- in consultation with the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries and other churchwide offices -- to establish a task force for the development of an evangelism strategy. By a 933 to 42 vote, Sharing Faith in a New Century became the official evangelism strategy for the ELCA. The assembly commended the strategy for "study and implementation by congregations, congregational leaders, synods, synod leaders, churchwide units and institutions and agencies" of the church. It affirmed the four major objectives of the plan -- calling the church to prayer, preparing and renewing evangelical leaders, teaching discipleship and starting and renewing congregations -- and, the assembly referred the strategy to the ELCA Office of the Presiding Bishop for inclusion in the church's overall strategic plan and to the "appropriate" churchwide units for study and implementation. The strategy includes a definition of evangelism, expected outcomes of the strategy, process of evaluation and the four primary objectives. In a separate action, the assembly approved a series of amendments "en bloc." The amendments were written by individual voting members and submitted to an ad hoc committee charged with reviewing and recommending the amendments to the assembly. The Rev. Gary M. Wollersheim, bishop of the ELCA Northern Illinois Synod, Rockford, represented the committee. In an interview Wollersheim, chair of the evangelism task force, said 17 amendments were delivered to the committee. Each was positive and served to strengthen the document, he said. The assembly approved amendments to the strategy that: + offer training and resources for ministry to people with "special needs" --physical, mental, and emotional -- moving beyond accessibility to full acceptance, increased understanding, and full participation in the life of the congregation. + include outreach and evangelism to youth, young adults and parents. + encourage congregations to use the ELCA's "Call to Discipleship" seven faith practices: study Scripture, worship, pray, give, serve, encourage and witness. Everett Wick, voting member, ELCA Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, composed the amendment to offer training and resources for ministry to people with "special needs." He told the assembly that people with special needs are least likely to attend church and outreach on the congregational level must take place. "All have gifts to offer," Wick said. He said most of the church's emphasis has been on accessibility. "Accessibility does not necessarily mean inclusively," he said. At a news conference called by the ELCA News Service, the Rev. M. Wyvetta Bullock, executive director, ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries, told reporters that the assembly's action "is a very defining moment" for the church. "We are naming and claiming the vocation of all the baptized to share our faith in Jesus Christ. It is a mark of our passion for Christ and our compassion for the world," she said. -- -- -- 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