ELCA NEWS SERVICE November 17, 2005 ELCA Council Acts on Resolutions from Two Synods 05-225-MRC CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) declined a request to authorize a review of "Vision and Expectations" -- a document outlining the ELCA's vision for its ordained and professional lay ministers -- and referred for further study a resolution related to the exercise of discipline and the candidacy process of the ELCA. The two action items were removed from "en bloc," status and discussed at the request of council members. Several other routine responses to resolutions from synods were adopted by the council in one en bloc action. The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies. The council met here Nov. 11-13. Assemblies are held every other year; the next is here Aug. 6-12, 2007. The council of the ELCA Southwest California Synod, Glendale, forwarded a resolution to the Church Council requesting it to authorize ELCA Vocation and Education to conduct a review of Vision and Expectations. The review would include an examination from "a variety of biblical and confessional theologians of this church" and consideration by the ELCA Conference of Bishops. The resolution stated that parts of Vision and Expectations "continue to create much of the disagreement within the ELCA on matters related to the role of gay and lesbian rostered ministers." In addition to declining to review Vision and Expectations, the ELCA Church Council declined to postpone any decision to open a review of the document, and it acknowledged decisions of the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly related to three recommendations that resulted from a multi-year study process on sexuality as the council's response to the synod resolution. The study process, led by a task force, was mandated by the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. This past summer, the 2005 assembly: + Urged members of the ELCA to "concentrate on finding ways to live together faithfully in the midst of disagreements." + Asked that the ELCA "continue to respect the guidance" of the 1993 statement of the Conference of Bishops, which found no basis for establishing an official ceremony for the blessing of a homosexual relationship. The assembly reiterated this church's welcome to gay and lesbian people and its trust in pastors and congregations as they "discern ways to provide faithful pastoral care for all to whom they minister." + Declined to establish a process by which a person living in a committed long-term homosexual relationship could seek an exception to current ELCA policy concerning rostered leaders. This recommendation, which required a two-thirds vote for adoption, was defeated 490-503. As a result, there is no change in the ELCA's expectations of rostered leaders. The Rev. Jeff Sorenson, Sioux Falls, S.D., a new council member, introduced the council's response to the Southwest California Synod resolution. Sorenson said since the Orlando assembly, the ELCA has been seen "as a different church in our territory." He also said that the council should do what it can to build and maintain trust and confidence in the wider church. ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod Resolution The Church Council received a resolution from the ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod related to the exercise of discipline and the candidacy process. Specifically, the resolution is intended to guide the synod's leaders in responding to people who are gay or lesbian, in a committed relationship and serving as professional ordained or lay leaders in the church. The resolution asks that the council to clarify "whether this resolution is in concurrence with the governing documents of the ELCA." As its response the council referred the resolution to the ELCA Office of the Secretary in consultation with the ELCA Office of the Presiding Bishop, Vocation and Education, and ELCA Conference of Bishops, and requested that "a report and possible recommendations be presented to the (council's) April 2006 meeting. The Rev. Joseph G. Crippen, council member, Northfield, Minn., said people who have read the resolution have varying interpretations. The Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA secretary, told the council that the synod resolution is "very complicated." He said the council will "need to spend many hours examining" the resolution, adding possible conversations with the ELCA Conference of Bishops -- an advisory body of the church consisting of the ELCA's 65 synod bishops, presiding bishop and secretary. The ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod held a special assembly on Oct. 29 and developed the resolution to guide the synod and its leaders on the exercise of discipline and the candidacy process. The full text of the resolution is available at http://www.mnys.org/headlines/special_meeting_report.html on the Internet. - - - "Vision and Expectations: Ordained Ministers in the ELCA" is available at http://www.ELCA.org/candidacy/vision_ordained.html on the Internet. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news