ELCA NEWS SERVICE August 14, 2003 ELCA Assembly Affirms Ministries in the Middle East 03-CWA-27-DM MILWAUKEE (ELCA) -- The 2003 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Aug. 14 affirmed by a 910 to 64 vote the church body's support for Lutheran ministries in the Middle East. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 11-17 at the Midwest Airlines Center. There are about 2,100 people participating, including 1,031 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known: For the Healing of the World." Included in the assembly's action is reaffirmation of the ELCA's "commitment to accompany the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (and Palestine) [ELCJ] and its ecumenical and interfaith partners, to carry out public policy and human rights advocacy on their behalf, and to offer humanitarian relief and development assistance." The ELCJ, which has six congregations and 2,000 members, has become well known throughout the Lutheran world, as well as in the Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities in Palestine and Israel. It is active in efforts for reconciliation and peace in the Holy Land. In the same action, the assembly voted to: + affirm the ELCA Prayer Vigil for Peace in the Middle East, asking that congregations and church members "hold all people of the Middle East in their prayers"; + ask the ELCAs Divisions for Global Mission and for Church in Society to provide programs that will educate ELCA members on the ELCJ's ministries, inform them about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and "foster better communication" between members of the two church bodies. + urge ELCA members to raise funds for the ELCJ to aid Palestinian Lutheran schools, provide needed scholarships, and support the overall ministries of the ELCJ. + ask that the ELCA continue advocacy efforts related to a tax case that Israel is pursuing against the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) that threatens the LWF's ability to provide humanitarian services, including health care for Palestinians through the LWF-run Augusta Victoria Hospital on the Mount of Olives. The assembly thanked the ELCA's Metropolitan Chicago, New England and Southeast Michigan synods as companion synods of the ELCJ -- as well as other synods, congregations and members -- for supporting ministries of the ELCJ and for their advocacy for peace. Although there was no real debate on the actions, which were recommended by the memorials committee, the assembly spent portions of three assembly sessions debating amendments that were offered. Only one amendment to the original recommendation was approved by the assembly -- to add two references to conflict in the Holy Land as the "Arab-Israeli-Palestinian conflict." -- -- -- Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be found at http://www.elca/org/assembly/03 on the Web. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news