ELCA Council Acts on Structure, Governance Proposals, Other Topics

ELCA NEWS SERVICE ^ | 11/23/10

[SmithL]

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recommended constitutional amendments to the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly regarding a 3-year cycle for churchwide assemblies, council membership, eliminating program committees and strengthening interrelationships. . . .

David D. Swartling, ELCA secretary, said a committee of the "Living Into the Future Together: Renewing the Ecology of the ELCA" task force, proposed the four constitutional amendments on structure and governance. The council adopted the amendments and sent them to the 2011 Churchwide Assembly, which must approve amendments to the ELCA Constitution, Bylaws and Continuing Resolutions. The council recommended:

+ A three-year churchwide assembly cycle: The proposed amendment calls for the churchwide assembly to meet every three years, after the 2011 and 2013 assemblies. . . .

+ Changes in Church Council membership: This proposal calls for the council's voting members to include the four churchwide officers, the chair of the ELCA Conference of Bishops, and "at least 33 and not more than 45 other persons" elected by the assembly. In background materials presented to the council, members were told that the Living Into the Future Together task force believes the council size is reasonable, but recommends changes in how some members are elected to provide additional expertise, experience and "good order in ELCA governance." Specifically, some council members may be elected whose skills and expertise are deemed crucial to the governance of the ELCA. The council also proposed eliminating a number of advisors because costs cannot be justified as mission support declines. . . .

+ Program committees: Following considerable discussion, the council proposed eliminating program committees and reallocating their responsibilities to a council committee. Only separately incorporated ministries of the ELCA will be governed by boards.

[SmithL]

Effects of the Exodus:

Christina Jackson-Skelton, ELCA treasurer, said the projection for 2011 current fund income is a decrease of nearly $2.5 million from revised estimates for 2010. In particular, the 2011 budget is based on $48 million in anticipated mission support income, reduced from the $51 million in anticipated mission support for 2010, she said. The estimate for ELCA World Hunger income for 2011 is $1.7 million less than for 2010.

[rhema]

A three-year churchwide assembly cycle: The proposed amendment calls for the churchwide assembly to meet every three years, after the 2011 and 2013 assemblies.

ELCAspeak translation: "We're running out of avenues in which to apostatize, so we won't need to hold Bible-expurgating conventions as often."