ELCA NEWS SERVICE October 23, 2003 ELCA Restructure Proposal Withdrawn During Churchwide Meetings Oct. 17-19 03-192-JB/FI/MR CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), withdrew a proposal made public Sept. 15 to restructure the ELCA's churchwide organization in 2004. Hanson and the Rev. Charles S. Miller, ELCA executive for administration and executive assistant to the presiding bishop, announced the decision in the midst of a weekend filled with board and steering committee meetings, Oct. 17-19. Hanson made a formal announcement to the ELCA Oct. 20. Under the "Proposal for the Future Design of the Churchwide Organization," the ELCA's two commissions would be eliminated and two executive directors would administer many of their functions from the Office of the Presiding Bishop. Other functions would be deployed to other areas in the organization. The proposal was to phase out the existing boards of divisions and steering committees of commissions. On Oct. 18 Hanson and Miller met with a joint session of the steering committees of the ELCA's Commission for Multicultural Ministries and Commission for Women. Following the two-hour session, Hanson summarized his comments in a memo to members of the two steering committees: "I intend to present to the ELCA Church Council, in November 2003, a recommendation that they develop a participatory and inclusive process for discussing and shaping a proposal for the design of the churchwide organization. "Meanwhile, we are facing the need for budget reductions in 2004 that I will ask to be made in light of the ELCA Plan for Mission adopted by the 2003 churchwide assembly. I hope that during this period we will develop new patterns of doing our work collaboratively that reflect the same Plan for Mission," the presiding bishop wrote. The churchwide assembly is the chief legislative authority of the ELCA. It meets every other year; it met Aug. 11-17 in Milwaukee and will meet next in August 2005 in Orlando, Fla. The church council is the ELCA's board of directors, and serves as the interim legislative authority between churchwide assemblies; it will meet Nov. 13-16 in Charlotte, N.C. and now must address an income projection for 2004 estimated to be $2.8 million less than the current fiscal year. 'Multicultural Summit' Called The steering committee of the ELCA Commission for Multicultural Ministries called a "Multicultural Summit" Oct. 17 here to review the restructuring plan for the ELCA churchwide organization. More than 70 participants -- representing ethnic associations that relate to the ELCA through the commission -- met with Hanson and Miller to share thoughts about the proposal and the anti-racism endeavors of the church. "The overall message at the summit was that we reject the proposal and call on the Church Council to appoint a blue ribbon committee for the development of a restructuring plan" that addresses specific needs related to multicultural ministry, said the Rev. Frederick E.N. Rajan, director of the commission. Participants issued an "open letter" to the Church Council, asking it to "assume responsibility for the development of a restructuring plan" that is "inclusive and participatory." Five ethnic associations relate to the ELCA through the commission: African American Lutheran Association in the ELCA; American Indian/Alaska Native Association -- ELCA; Asociacion Luterana de Ministerios Hispanos de la Iglesia Evangelica Luterana en America (Association of Hispanic Ministries of the ELCA); Association of Asians/Pacific Islanders -- ELCA; and Association of Lutherans of Arab and Middle Eastern Heritage (ALAMEH). The president of each association attended the summit. Commission for Women Committee Adopts Resolutions The steering committee of the ELCA Commission for Women began drafting several resolutions in response to the restructuring proposal, when it met here Oct. 17-18. After the proposal was withdrawn, the committee decided to finish the resolutions and go on record opposing the proposal for constitutional reasons. The commission's steering committee cited the ELCA Constitution: "This church may establish commissions to accomplish specific tasks. Action of the Churchwide Assembly is required to establish a commission or to determine that a commission's mandate has been fulfilled." The steering committee asked the ELCA Church Council to rule on the proposal "as it relates to the elimination of the Commission for Women without due constitutional process." Related resolutions of the steering committee commended the commission's staff; recognized that tasks for which the commission was created remain unfulfilled; called for a delay in the restructuring process that would involve the 2005 Churchwide Assembly; noted that 70 percent of those whose positions were to be eliminated were women and 40 percent were people of color; and called for the convening of "an urgent consultation of women" to envision the future of the commission's work within the churchwide organization. Don't Lose Energy on Augsburg Fortress Connection, DCM Board Told In the restructuring plan, Augsburg Fortress, the publishing house of the ELCA, was to have assumed the role of developing Christian education materials. Presently most of that work is being done by staff in the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries (DCM). Under the former plan DCM was to have ceased to exist, and many of its functions were to be redeployed to other units. In remarks to the DCM board after the restructure plan was pulled Oct. 18, Hanson urged the board and staff to move forward to further develop connections with the ELCA publisher. "I would urge you not to lose that energy," he said. "I have learned anew how much people are deeply staked in the ELCA and how much they care about it," Hanson told the DCM board about the former proposal. To move forward with the plan would have "alienated" more people, he said. The process used up a lot of energy "that I regret," he said. "This (restructuring) design was probably based on too many assumptions that hadn't been tested," Hanson said. Hanson also said he realized that he has considerable work to do with staff of the churchwide organization to "rebuild trust." He warned that "deep and painful reductions" will still have to be made by DCM because of a significant decline in income to the churchwide organization. Hanson asked that the cuts be done with the church's strategic directions in mind. Board members expressed appreciation to Hanson for withdrawing the proposal. Dr. Fran Burnford, ELCA associate in ministry and board chair, Glendale Calif., called Hanson's decision "an expression of the gospel." The Rev. Gerald L. Mansholt, bishop of the ELCA Central States Synod, Kansas City, Mo., applauded Hanson's action. Mansholt, advisory bishop to the board, said it was a "good and important step" to re-establish trust and build a stronger foundation for the church. The board adopted a resolution affirming the leadership of and expressing appreciation to the Rev. Mark R. Moller-Gunderson and the Rev. M. Wyvetta Bullock, DCM executive directors. The board also recognized the "exceptional commitment" of the DCM staff and thanked them for the ministry to the church. Structure Concerns Overrode Mission, LYO Told In a meeting with the board of the Lutheran Youth Organization, including the Differently Abled Advisory Committee and the Multicultural Advisory Committee, Hanson said he had received a large volume of e-mail and letters about the restructuring plan. "The volume of mail tells me people are very invested in the strategic planning process," he said. However, it appeared many people were focused on the church's structure rather than its mission, which the proposal was intended to address, Hanson said. Most comments came from people who "vented" about the proposal, but few offered specific suggestions about it, he said. Many people believed the changes proposed in the restructuring plan "were a done deal." The process "offended" some people, he added. Hanson said he must rebuild trust with people of color in the church because many said they felt left out of the restructuring process. Reductions in positions and programs cannot be slowed, he told the youth. In the past two years, income to the churchwide organization has declined and budgets were reduced by $8 million. For 2004, income projections must be reduced by $2.8 million, Hanson said. Hanson also told the young people that attending the ELCA Youth Gathering in Atlanta was "the high point" of his summer. Global Mission Board Recommended Delay in Restructure Plan The board of the ELCA Division for Global Mission raised several concerns about the proposed restructure plan in a formal written response Oct. 18. The board said its own elimination "would be a tragic and devastating loss to the life and mission of the ELCA." Under the former proposal, most churchwide boards and committees were to have been eliminated. The DGM board questioned the proposed "unilateral elimination" of the ELCA Commission for Women and ELCA Commission for Multicultural Ministries. The board said the elimination of those structures "may directly affect the credibility of the ELCA in its work to encourage our companion churches to be more inclusive, particularly regarding the rights of women." "The process does not have to be this way," the board said in its response. "We recommend that the Church Council delay action on the Proposal for the Future Design of the Churchwide Organization and instead develop a participatory process that emerges from mission, and that the Church Council release reserve funds to meet projected budget shortfalls in order to return to a mission-driven process." For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news