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  September 1997

ELCANEWS September 1997

Subject:

ELCA Churchwide Assembly Shares Heritage and Hope

From:

Brenda Williams <[log in to unmask]>

Reply-To:

ElcaNews <[log in to unmask]>

Date:

Wed, 3 Sep 1997 11:28:29 -0500

Content-Type:

text/plain

Parts/Attachments:

Parts/Attachments

text/plain (117 lines)

Title: ELCA Churchwide Assembly Shares Heritage and Hope
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

September 3, 1997

ELCA CHURCHWIDE ASSEMBLY SHARES HERITAGE AND HOPE
97-26-076-AH

       CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Ecumenical issues, initiatives for a new century,  elections, sacramental
practices and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's tenth anniversary consumed the
attention of 1,044 voting members who met Aug. 14-20 in Philadelphia.  The ELCA Churchwide
Assembly conducted business and worshiped God under the theme, "Making Christ Known: Alive
in Our Heritage and Hope."
       The assembly took action on three ecumenical issues.  It declared "full communion" with three
churches of the Reformed tradition -- Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America,
and United Church of Christ.  Members voted 839 to 193 for the "Formula of Agreement."
       Full communion is not a plan to merge; it commits the churches to sharing in their mission to
work locally and internationally and to develop procedures whereby clergy in one church body may
serve as pastor in a church of another church body.  The proposal grew out of several decades of
theological conversation.  All the churches involved in this effort voted in favor of the agreement
earlier this year.
       A joint commission will now begin to formulate ways to implement the decision, according to
ELCA ecumenical officers.  The individual presbyteries -- regional units -- of the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) must also ratify the decision of their general assembly.
       By only six votes the assembly rejected the "Concordat of Agreement," a formal proposal for
full communion between the ELCA and The Episcopal Church.  The General Convention of the
Episcopal Church adopted the document in July.
       Voting members rededicated the church to work toward establishing a full communion
relationship with the Episcopal Church in 1999.  The action says "our church remains committed to
the ultimate goal of full communion with The Episcopal Church and other churches" and listed
things the ELCA will do to educate itself on Lutheran and Episcopal doctrine and polity.
       A second resolution built on a 1982 agreement for "Interim Eucharistic Sharing" to maintain
conversations between the two churches "to bring to the 1999 Churchwide Assembly a revised
proposal for full communion" with The Episcopal Church.
       The assembly resolved that the ELCA "seek conversations with The Episcopal Church, building
on the degree of consensus achieved at this assembly and addressing concerns which emerged
during consideration of the Concordat of Agreement."
       ELCA members adopted a "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification," declaring that
condemnations Lutherans hurled at Roman Catholics during the 16th century, concerning the key
Lutheran doctrine of justification, no longer apply to present Catholic teaching on this topic.
       Justification is a doctrine concerning how sinful human beings are made right with God.
Historically Lutherans have insisted justification is a free gift from God.  Roman Catholics have
traditionally insisted that good works are part of the process.  The new joint understanding
describes good works as an appropriate response to God's loving embrace, not something that
makes the embrace possible.
       The ELCA overwhelmingly adopted "Seven Initiatives for a New Century," introduced by
Presiding Bishop H. George Anderson and lifted up by youth and young adult convocations.
       Anderson said, "The church has a matchless opportunity to be engaged in shaping whatever
new society will emerge ... to be communities that have a clear purpose and definite goals that will
become the crystallization points for the world of the future.  The initiatives build upon
foundational strengths of the ELCA and will be catalysts for Lutherans to deepen worship life,
teach the faith, witness to God's action in the world, strengthen one another in mission, help the
children, connect with youth and young adults, and develop leaders for the next century," Anderson
said.
       Addie J. Butler, Philadelphia, was elected the ELCA's third vice president.  She is the first
African American to hold the post, the top office for a lay person in the church.  As vice president,
she will chair the Church Council, the church's chief legislative body between assemblies.
       Butler has served as vice president of the ELCA's Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod.  She said
the ELCA is a church "destined to grow."  The key challenges facing the ELCA are embodied in the
Initiatives for a New Century, she said.
       Butler is an assistant dean at the Community College of Philadelphia and a member of the board
of trustees of Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.  She is president of the Philadelphia
chapter of the African American Lutheran Association and a member of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church of the Reformation, Philadelphia.
       The assembly overwhelmingly approved "The Use of the Means of Grace: A Statement on the
Practice of Word and Sacrament."  The Lutheran church recognizes the Lord's Supper and Baptism
as sacraments -- sacred acts instituted by Jesus Christ.
       The document's four major parts are The Proclamation of the Word, Holy Baptism, Holy
Communion, and the Means of Grace and Christian Mission.  The new statement provides for "the
communion of the baptized," while an earlier ELCA guideline indicated "the communing of infants is
precluded."
       The Rev. Paul R. Nelson, ELCA director for worship, said, "This will articulate the ELCA
churchwide understanding of how administration of the sacraments should be practiced.  It will
encourage congregations and their pastors to discuss the sacraments, teach the sacraments and
reflect on the way churches practice the sacraments in light of what the larger church says."
       In other actions the assembly:

  * approved a 1998 spending plan of $77.5 million and of $78.2 million  for 1999.  The ELCA
approves its annual budgets two at a time, since   the biennial assemblies must approve them in
advance.
  * declared a decade-long, $5-million effort to help urban congregations  transform the lives of
their members and their communities, building      upon nearly 300 years of ministry and service in
America's cities.
  * adopted a new American Indian/Alaska Native Strategic Plan that  articulates the relationship
native peoples envision with the ELCA  over the next five years.
  * recommitted itself to the "Multicultural Mission Strategy: A Strategy  for Proclamation of the
Gospel."
  * established the Fund for Leaders in Mission to help students in  seminaries of the ELCA pay for
theological education.
  * adopted guidelines for the continuing education of professional church  workers.
  * approved a revised set of guidelines for addressing social concerns.
  * adopted a series of recommendations intended to recognize and  support the work of lay
people, -- "ministry in daily life."
  * commended the ELCA's social statement on abortion, pledging to continue "moral
deliberation" on the subject and asking the ELCA  Board of Pensions, which administers the
church's health care  coverage for ELCA employees, to provide information on "educational
efforts on abortion."
  * heard a report on the church's program serving Women and Children   Living in Poverty.
  * established that the 1999 assembly will hear a status report of  conversations about church
policy and practice on the ordination of  gay and lesbian individuals in the ELCA.
  * reaffirmed the ELCA's commitment to serving and advocating on behalf  of refugees and
immigrants.
  * asked that a plan for establishing a rural-ministry "desk" at the  ELCA be brought to the Church
Council.
  * expressed support for legislation that would make it illegal for  employers to discriminate on
the basis of sexual orientation.

  The ELCA marked the church's tenth anniversary with a birthday party.   Outgoing vice president
Kathy J. Magnus presided over a banquet with birthday cake, sparkling cider, an exhibit of
children's art and a jazz band.
  The ELCA's first presiding bishop, the Rev. Herbert W. Chilstrom, recalled his eight years during
the formative first years of the new church.  The keynote speaker for the evening was the Rev. Walter
Wangerin, Jr., storyteller and host of the "Luther Vespers" radio ministry.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html

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