Title: ELCA Assembly Hears Plans for Discipleship Programming
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 12, 2001

ELCA ASSEMBLY HEARS PLANS FOR DISCIPLESHIP PROGRAMMING
01-CWA43-LS

     INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) are learning discipleship through new
programming, said the Rev. David Poling-Goldenne, director for education
and evangelism, ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries. His
comments were part of a report to the ELCA 2001 Churchwide Assembly.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the
ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention Center. There
are more than 2,000 people participating, including 1,040 ELCA voting
members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known:
Sharing Faith in a New Century."
     Poling-Goldenne said more than 100 congregations are learning
discipleship through programs of the ELCA initiative "Teach the Faith."
Final reports on each of the seven initiatives, launched by the ELCA in
1997, are being presented at this assembly.
     The "Teach the Faith" initiative included a churchwide emphasis
that "calls congregations to renewed and intentional focus on teaching
for discipleship," Poling-Goldenne said.
     Initiative team members created the "Living Faith Congregational
Planning Guide," which helps congregations plan and experience
discipleship through seven faith practices. These include daily prayer,
Bible study and regular offering.
     Congregations modified the discipleship plan to meet their needs,
Poling-Goldenne said. "The call [to discipleship] has been both
experimental and innovative," he said. Resources on the initiative are
available at www.elca.org/init/teachthefaith/index.html.
     ELCA members who used "call to discipleship" resources said those
programs strengthened their congregations.
     Don Hayes, a member of Epiphany Lutheran Church, Winston-Salem,
N.C., said the program helped his congregation equip children to be
disciples. "I think it's the most promising project the ELCA has ever
launched," said Hayes, who is also a member of the ELCA Church Council.
-- -- --
     Information about assembly action is at
http://www.elca.org/assembly/01 on the ELCA's Web site. Recorded updates
during the assembly are available by calling 773/380-2477.


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