Title: 1999 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to Consider Ecumenical Agreements
ELCA NEWS SERVICE
June 10, 1999
1999 ELCA CHURCHWIDE ASSEMBLY TO CONSIDER ECUMENICAL AGREEMENTS,
ECONOMIC LIFE SOCIAL STATEMENT
99-158-JB
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) will meet in its biennial churchwide assembly Aug. 16-22 at the
Denver Convention Center. Voting members will consider full communion
agreements with the Episcopal Church and the Moravian Church in America,
and will consider a proposed social statement on economic life.
The 1,039 voting members will gather under the theme "Making
Christ Known: Hope for a New Century." The churchwide assembly is the
chief legislative authority of the ELCA and represents the 5.2 million
members of the ELCA, the fifth-largest Protestant denomination in the
United States.
The Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, will
chair the assembly.
A key issue before the assembly is the proposed full communion
agreement with the Episcopal Church, "Called to Common Mission (CCM)."
It is a revision of the "Concordat of Agreement," a full communion
proposal that fell six votes short of the required two-thirds for
approval at the 1997 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Philadelphia.
CCM has generated some opposition in the ELCA, most of it over the
inclusion of the "historic episcopate" in the document. The historic
episcopate, an Episcopal institution, includes a succession of bishops
as a sign of unity back to the earliest days of the church. The ELCA
will incorporate the historic episcopate if CCM is approved. A copy of
the proposal can be found on the World Wide Web at
www.elca.org/ea/ccmintro.html.
Voting members will also consider "Following Our Shepherd to Full
Communion," a full communion agreement with the Moravian Church. The
text of this proposal is available at www.elca.org/ea/fostoc.html.
Full communion agreements open possibilities for exchange of
clergy and other cooperative ministries. In 1997, the ELCA assembly
approved a full communion agreement with the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America and United Church of Christ.
Voting members will also consider a proposed social statement on
economic life, "Toward Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All." The
full text of this proposal is available on the Web at
www.elca.org/dcs/suffsus.html.
The assembly will hear several reports of significance, including
a proposal for the development of a social statement on health care;
disabilities ministry and deaf ministry; and women and children living
in poverty. The '99 assembly will also receive a report from several
churchwide units that summarizes their activities on gay and lesbian
issues. The 1997 Churchwide Assembly asked for this report to be
presented in 1999.
In addition to elections of members to boards and committees of
the ELCA, the assembly will elect a new editor for The Lutheran, the
magazine of the ELCA. The Rev. Edgar R. Trexler has served as editor of
The Lutheran since the ELCA's inception in 1988, and for several years
before that in a predecessor body. He announced earlier this year he
will not seek reelection. A nominee will be selected by the magazine's
advisory committee in consultation with the ELCA Church Council and
Bishop Anderson.
The 25th anniversary of the ELCA World Hunger Appeal, the
fund-raising arm of the ELCA's hunger program, will be celebrated at the
assembly. The appeal's 1999 goal is to raise $12.6 million.
Voting members will be asked to approve a biennial budget for the
ELCA and will hear reports on the ELCA's Seven Initiatives for a New
Century approved at the 1997 assembly.
In addition to business sessions, the churchwide assembly will
include several services of worship and prayer, built on the assembly
theme.
Friday, Aug. 20, and Saturday, Aug. 21, feature "Hope for A New
Century Festival Plaza," a marketplace constructed as a southwestern
plaza. The Festival Plaza provides voting members and visitors an
opportunity to learn about the various ministries of the church.
Materials used in constructing the plaza will be donated to Habitat for
Humanity.
In cooperation with Habitat for Humanity, churchwide assembly
members will be invited to help build a house in the Denver area. The
Hunger Bowl Project, a multi-unit effort involving students at ELCA
colleges, universities and campus ministries, is designed to raise
awareness for the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. Assembly voting members
will be given bowls made by the students to build stronger connections
among congregations and ELCA colleges, universities and campus
ministries. The bowls are also intended to help continue awareness of
world hunger and to encourage further education.
Young Lutherans will attend a youth convocation to be held in
conjunction with the churchwide assembly. There will also be a
convocation for young adults, running concurrently with the assembly.
Information on the 1999 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be found on
the Web at www.elca.org/assembly99/.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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