LISTSERV mailing list manager LISTSERV 16.0

Help for ELCANEWS Archives


ELCANEWS Archives

ELCANEWS Archives


ELCANEWS@LISTSERV.ELCA.ORG


View:

Message:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Topic:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Author:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

Font:

Proportional Font

LISTSERV Archives

LISTSERV Archives

ELCANEWS Home

ELCANEWS Home

ELCANEWS  August 2003

ELCANEWS August 2003

Subject:

Committee Recommends ELCA Assembly Discuss Eight Topics

From:

[log in to unmask]

Reply-To:

[log in to unmask]

Date:

Tue, 5 Aug 2003 15:31:51 -0500

Content-Type:

text/plain

Parts/Attachments:

Parts/Attachments

text/plain (214 lines)

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 5, 2003

Committee Recommends ELCA Assembly Discuss Eight Topics
03-152-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will act on 76 memorials --
resolutions sent from the church's 65 synods.  The assembly's
memorials committee met here in June, organizing the resolutions
into 40 categories and drafting recommendations to the assembly
on how to deal with them.  The assembly will be held August 11-17
in Milwaukee.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, meets every other year.  Synods of the church hold
assemblies each year.  Synod assemblies may "memorialize" a
churchwide assembly through resolutions.
     The memorials committee recommended the churchwide assembly
deal with 24 resolutions in eight categories separately and
another 32 categories "en bloc" -- in one action.  It notes in
its report to the assembly that 52 memorials fall into the "en
bloc" categories because many "will come to the floor of the
assembly for discussion elsewhere on the agenda."

+ Immigrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers
     Four ELCA synods -- Metropolitan New York Synod, Slovak Zion
Synod, Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod and South-Central Synod of
Wisconsin -- offered memorials on immigrants, refugees and asylum
seekers.  They wanted the assembly to call upon the church's
membership to ask Congress and the Bush Administration to
increase the number of immigrants allowed into the United States,
to protect the rights of all people regardless of citizenship and
to provide better conditions for unaccompanied children and
others seeking asylum.
     The memorials committee recommended the assembly follow the
synods' advice.  Its recommendation calls on the ELCA to ask
President Bush to increase funding for the Migration and Refugee
Assistance Fund, and to ask Congress to pass the Unaccompanied
Child Protection Act of 2003.  The recommendation also asked the
ELCA to give greater support to the resettlement and advocacy
work of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.

+ Peace in the Holy Land
     The ELCA Delaware-Maryland Synod passed a memorial in 2002
asking the assembly to endorse the First Alexandria Declaration
of Religious Leaders of the Holy Land, to assist financially the
rebuilding of Palestinian civic structures and to work with
Christians, Jews and Muslims to create an atmosphere of peaceful
coexistence in the Middle East.
     The memorials committee included a copy of the First
Alexandria Declaration in its report to the assembly.  It
recommended the assembly affirm the declaration and interfaith
activities while encouraging political negotiations under the
current "road map" offered by the European Union, Russia, the
United Nations and United States.

+ Support for Lutheran Ministries in Palestine
     The ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod resolved to expand
programs that educate its members on Middle East issues, to
implement programs that foster communication with the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Jordan (and Palestine) (ELCJ) and to promote
efforts to raise money to support ELCJ congregations and schools.
It asked the churchwide assembly to do likewise.
     The memorials committee described the ELCA's relationship
with the ELCJ and recommended the 2003 Churchwide Assembly
reaffirm it.  It also proposed the assembly commend the church's
fund-raising and education programs, as well as its advocacy
efforts related to the State of Israel's tax case against Augusta
Victoria Hospital, which the Lutheran World Federation operates
in Jerusalem.

+ Ecumenical Greetings
     The ELCA Upstate New York Synod noted that the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ) celebration of 100 years of
Lutheran mission work in that African country will coincide with
the ELCA assembly.  The synod sent greetings to the African
church, with which it has a "companion synod" relationship, and
asked the churchwide assembly to do likewise.
     In its report to the assembly, the memorials committee
included a June 23 letter from the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding
bishop of the ELCA, to the Rev. L.M. Dube, bishop of the ELCZ,
congratulating the church on its centennial.  The committee
recommended that the assembly "rejoice" with the ELCZ and
remember that church in its prayers.
     According to the letter, the Rev. Marie C. Jerge, bishop of
the Upstate New York Synod, will represent the ELCA during the
ELCZ celebration Aug. 14-17.

+ Representation of Congregations in Voting
     The ELCA Montana Synod asked that its congregations keep
their members informed of "all sides of constitutional issues
being considered" in the church.  The synod challenged the ELCA
polity that assembly voting members represent the whole church,
and they are not delegates, representing specific portions of the
church.
     The memorials committee gave a history of the polity in its
report to the assembly and gave examples of how it has applied to
constitutional and other major votes in the ELCA.  Its
recommendation was for the assembly to encourage keeping all ELCA
members informed of issues concerning the church and to affirm
the church's existing "principles of organization."

+ Ratification of Policy and Governing Documents
     Six synods adopted memorials asking the 2003 Churchwide
Assembly to institute a process of having the church's synods or
congregations ratify certain decisions of the churchwide
assembly.  The ELCA Eastern Washington-Idaho, Northwestern
Minnesota and Northeastern Minnesota Synods said changes to the
ELCA Constitution should be ratified by the synods.  The East-
Central Synod of Wisconsin and South Dakota Synod said a majority
of the ELCA's congregations should ratify changes in policy
regarding the ordination of homosexuals. The Minneapolis Area
Synod said formal relationships with other church bodies should
be ratified by the congregations.
     The memorials committee report referred to four other synods
that passed similar resolutions that were sent to the ELCA Church
Council, the church's chief legislative authority between
churchwide assemblies.  The committee included a detailed
analysis of each proposal, as well as precedence for and against
ratification in earlier Lutheran churches, and recommended the
assembly encourage congregations and synods to make full use of
the study and response mechanisms the church provides prior to an
assembly decision.

+ ELCA Studies on Sexuality Time Line
     The ELCA's 2001 Churchwide Assembly called for a study that
would lead to recommendations to the 2005 Churchwide Assembly on
whether or not to bless same-gender relationships and whether or
not people in such relationships should be pastors or lay
ministers of the church.  The 2001 assembly also asked the ELCA
Division for Church in Society to draft and propose a social
statement on human sexuality.
     The ELCA Division for Ministry, which develops standards for
the church's pastors and lay ministers, and the Division for
Church in Society came up with a time line to conduct a joint
churchwide study of issues related to homosexuality that would
present recommendations to the 2005 assembly.  That study would
expand to include other issues related to human sexuality and
inform the drafting of a social statement that the 2007
Churchwide Assembly would consider.
     Seven synods passed memorials about that time line.  The
ELCA Central-Southern Illinois Synod affirmed the time line; the
other six synods said topics of human sexuality should be
addressed before the church makes policy decisions regarding
homosexuality.  The Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod said the
decisions should be made once a final report on sexuality is
presented; the Allegheny Synod action on the social statement
should come before other decisions; the Lower Susquehanna,
Nebraska and Northwestern Pennsylvania Synods said a social
statement on human sexuality should be adopted first; and the
West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod said policy decisions should
be made two churchwide assemblies after the sexuality study is
approved.
     The memorials committee recommended that the 2003 Churchwide
Assembly commend the current ELCA Studies on Sexuality and
"decline to alter the time line."

+ Commemorations
     The ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod and New England Synod
each adopted resolutions to commemorate the 300th anniversary of
the Rev. Justus Falckner, the first Lutheran ordained in North
America.  The Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod designated June 3
as an official day of commemoration for the life and work of the
Rev. William A. Passavant (1821-1894) in western Pennsylvania and
Ohio.  The synods passed memorials asking the churchwide assembly
to direct that future calendars of commemorations include the
names of Falckner and Passavant.
     The memorials committee reported that the calendar of
commemorations is printed in the Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW)
and that the ELCA is currently in the process of replacing the
LBW.  It recommended that the assembly remember the ministries of
Falckner and Passavant, while referring the memorials to the
editorial team responsible for developing the church's worship
resources.

+ En Bloc
     The memorials committee placed 52 memorials in 32 categories
and recommended they be dealt with in one action.  Voting members
will have the opportunity to remove items from "en bloc" to be
discussed and acted on separately.
     Most memorials that the committee chose for "en bloc"
consideration were received from individual synods, but the
committee placed multiple memorials into several categories that
it also chose for "en bloc" consideration.
     The Churchwide Assembly is to act on a proposed evangelism
strategy.  Nine synods sent resolutions asking the assembly to
approve "Sharing Faith in a New Century: A Vision for Evangelism
in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America."  The memorials
committee asked the assembly to affirm the intent of the
resolutions and to refer to its own action on the strategy.
     Six synods sent resolutions on working against racism; the
memorials committee asked the assembly to commend the ELCA's anti-
racism work and to encourage continued efforts.  Three synods
sent resolutions on pastoral care for gay and lesbian people; the
committee asked the assembly to express the concerns of the
synods to the ELCA Conference of Bishops and to the Studies on
Sexuality.  It recommended that the assembly refer three
memorials on requests for consideration by the ELCA Studies on
Sexuality task force directly to the task force.
     The committee received three memorials on prison reform and
recommended the churchwide assembly encourage study and advocacy
for prison reform but not request a social statement on the
topic.  It also recommended the assembly not make any changes to
policies on the installation of bishops and that the assembly
refer as information two memorials suggesting constitutional
changes.
-- -- --
Information on the 2003 ELCA Churchwide Assembly is
available at http://www.elca.org/assembly03 on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news

Top of Message | Previous Page | Permalink

Advanced Options


Options

Log In

Log In

Get Password

Get Password


Search Archives

Search Archives


Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Subscribe or Unsubscribe


Archives

October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
November 2018
October 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
August 2003
July 2003
June 2003
May 2003
April 2003
March 2003
February 2003
January 2003
December 2002
November 2002
October 2002
September 2002
August 2002
July 2002
June 2002
May 2002
April 2002
March 2002
February 2002
January 2002
December 2001
November 2001
October 2001
September 2001
August 2001
July 2001
June 2001
May 2001
April 2001
March 2001
February 2001
January 2001
December 2000
November 2000
October 2000
September 2000
August 2000
July 2000
June 2000
May 2000
April 2000
March 2000
February 2000
January 2000
December 1999
November 1999
October 1999
September 1999
August 1999
July 1999
June 1999
May 1999
April 1999
March 1999
February 1999
January 1999
December 1998
November 1998
October 1998
September 1998
August 1998
July 1998
June 1998
May 1998
April 1998
March 1998
February 1998
January 1998
December 1997
November 1997
October 1997
September 1997
August 1997
July 1997
June 1997
May 1997
April 1997
March 1997
February 1997
January 1997
December 1996
November 1996
October 1996
September 1996
August 1996
July 1996
June 1996
May 1996
April 1996
March 1996
February 1996
January 1996

ATOM RSS1 RSS2



LISTSERV.ELCA.ORG

CataList Email List Search Powered by the LISTSERV Email List Manager