Title: Plans for the ELCA's Initiatives Are Taking Shape
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 22, 1998

PLANS FOR THE ELCA'S INITIATIVES ARE TAKING SHAPE
98-26-152-MR

     ELCA (CHICAGO) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has begun
planning for new ways to deepen worship life, teach the faith, witness to
God's action in the world, strengthen one another in mission, provide a safe
place for children, connect with youth and young adults, and provide
leadership development.  About 50 leaders of the church met here July 9-10 to
plan for the ELCA's "Initiatives to Prepare for a New Century."
     "We met together for 24 hours to share, think, dream and project to make
the future different," said the Rev. Robert N. Bacher, ELCA executive for
administration.  "At the end of our meeting, our plans became offerings to a
gracious loving God for God's use, rejection or correction."
     In 1997 the ELCA Churchwide Assembly selected seven significant areas of
ministry for the 21st century.  Leadership teams were formed earlier this year
to provide overall guidance for the work of congregations, synods and
churchwide organizations.  Team leaders help provide an overall picture of how
the church may be different as a result of the Initiatives.
     "The church is operating in a new work style," said the Rev. H. George
Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA.  "The new way to continue work in the
church is to listen to people and help formulate their response into phrases
that reflect needs and aspirations.  The Initiatives are an invitation for the
whole church to engage in ministry."
     "I see the Initiatives as a way to pull ourselves out of the
bureaucratic box," said Joanne Negstad, executive director for Lutheran
Services in America, St. Paul, Minn.   "The initiatives should be simple
enough to explain to a child and allow freedom of creativity for work in the
church."  Negstad leads the "Help the Children" team.
     "What our team envisions is to have an epidemic of respectful talking to
each other about hard subjects," said the Rev. Karen S. Parker, a member of
the "Witness to God's Action in the World: Moral Deliberation and Public
Witness" team.  "Some consider that kind of talking as a disease to be
avoided.  Our team would like to see that epidemic be an outcome for the
church."  Parker is from Huntington Beach, Calif.
     "We are using God's electronic means to share the love of God and do
God's work," said Dr. Addie J. Butler, ELCA vice president, Philadelphia.
"People in Pennsylvania are talking to people in Florida about worship.
People in Vermont are talking to people in New Mexico about worship, too.
People are talking about deepening their worship lives via online chats," she
said.  "Who would have thought that Jesus Christ would be lifted up in online
chats?  It is still a great time to be the church."
     "The World Wide Web is a place where young seekers can share faith,
insecurities and fears about life journeys without identifying themselves,"
said Desiree Quintana, Concord, Calif.  Quintana leads the "Connect with Youth
and Young Adults" team.
     "There is great potential for the church in the computer and network
age," said Anderson.  "Information does not have to come from one source."
     Woodland Lutheran Church, Nekoosa, Wis., is an example of a congregation
"taking the Initiatives very seriously," said the Rev. Michael Cooper-White,
executive assistant to the bishop.
     Members of Woodland developed a series of "we will" statements to carry
out the Initiatives.  The congregation "will encourage each person and
community member to consider four habits to increase Christian growth."  They
are to develop the habits of prayer, study, giving and fellowship.  Woodland
will promote in-depth Bible study and renew study of the basic doctrines of
the Lutheran Church.  The congregation has established a youth group and plans
to develop programs of support and encouragement for single parents.
     The ELCA's Allegheny Synod in Altoona, Pa., developed a plan to carry
out the Initiatives through the strategic plan adopted at its June 1997
assembly.  Plans include developing a worship liturgy for a given Sunday each
year and "inviting congregations from the denominations with whom the ELCA is
in fellowship" to that worship.
     "As we uncover what to do, we also hear the reminder that God's ultimate
wisdom is a Who, not a what or even a when, where, how or how much," said
Bacher.  "Our hope for the future is not our planning competence.  God's
ultimate wisdom for the future, the present and the past is Jesus Christ."


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