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ELCA Synod Bishops, Voting Members Respond to Assembly Actions 09-190-CD* CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Most of the 65 synodical bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) want leaders, congregations and pastors to stay in conversation following the adoption of a social statement on human sexuality and the opening of the ELCA's ministry to people in committed same-gender relationships. Many bishops wrote to their respective synods following the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Some letters are posted on synod Web sites. "It will be good for all our leaders and members to take a bit of a breath over this," wrote...

Let us detour for a moment from the recent death of Senator Ted Kennedy and the continuing debate over health care reform to consider a bizarre little happening in the Twin Cities that occurred last week. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America convened for an annual meeting at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Among the items on its agenda was a vote to decide whether to allow non-celibate homosexuals to be ordained as pastors. On Wednesday, the day of the vote, a freak storm unexpectedly swept through town without warning, bringing a tornado that damaged both the convention center and the...

ome things are not up for a vote. Some things we as creatures do not have the right to even think we can change. We as creatures have forgotten our place. Instead of prostrating ourselves face down on the ground before God, Our Father and Our Creator, in humble obedience and prayer, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America—as a shrinking “sideline” denomination—decided to continue its in-your-face unfaithful and disrespectful conduct toward God, Our Maker, ignoring all interventions, warnings and signs. The ELCA put God’s Word and all of its teachings on the natural order, marriage and family up for a...

The afternoon session began with greetings from Jill Schumann, executive of Lutheran Services in America. They moved then to the 4th ballot for Vice President, on which 60% is required to be elected. The ballot was declared invalid because of the number of malfunctioning machines. The ballot was taken again. The results: Carlos Pena 580 Ryan Schwarz 264 Norma Hirsch 110 My take: Schwarz picked up most of Benne’s votes, Hirsch stayed fairly constant, but most of the rest of the votes for other candidates swung back to Pena, thinking that status quo was better than a radical change in...

Lord, Where Shall We Lutherans Go? Uwe Siemon-Netto As one whose profession it has been for many years to observe the plight of Christianity, I am always grateful for signs that God is truly a Jewish God – one with a hilarious sense of irony. This happened again during the ELCA’s national assembly, which will go down in history as a singularly boneheaded display of unfaithfulness. Just as delegates worked themselves up to their decision to allow homosexuals in committed relationships to serve as pastors, a highly selective tornado knocked the cross off the roof of Central Lutheran Church in...

Pr. Cory Johnson, N Great Lakes moved amendment B-MP-7. This would add the following wording in the second resolved: RESOLVED, that this church, because of its commitment to respect the bound consciences of all, declare its intent to incorporate structured flexibility in decision-making into its policies and procedures so that synods, bishops, congregations, candidacy committees, and others involved in the candidacy process and in the process of extending calls will be free to act according to their convictions regarding the approving or disapproving in candidacy and the extending or not extending of a call to rostered service of a person...

Thomas Martin-Erickson, SC Wi. Calls to the rostered ministry bring many challenges, not just Sunday morning. Craig Johnson, E NDak. I have no new information, and I’m not eloquent. But I do know something is terribly wrong, and it boils down to two issues: (1) the Bible tells me so, (2) need for leadership as example. In reality this decision is more of a social statement than any words we’ve approved. Pastors are our examples, they mold the faith of our children. When we meet in 2017, I hope we do not lament, “Where have all the Lutherans gone? Gone...

The Bible study from Proverbs was led by Peter Mayer (lead guitarist for Jimmy Buffet) and Pr. Ron Glusenkamp. Mayer led in an intermittent sings, such as a chorus: “Who names us and claims us more than silver or gold?” The Bible study was interactive, with Glusenkamp presenting brief meditations, and then asking the house to discuss certain questions. Phil Harris reported for the Election Committee. The report of the “common ballot” has been printed—this is the lengthy ballot for Church Council and other churchwide committee offices. There were 69 different election, and 65 of them produced a result (usually...

Discussion resumed on “Resolution 1,” with Susan Dill, DE-MD. In my visiting with people, I’ve heard stories of bishops who are already keeping people of one opinion or another out of their synod. How is that respect of conscience going to work? (Interesting question, though not germaine to the present resolution.) Timothy Wengert answered, suggesting that bishops and synods must respect the consciences with which they disagree. Stan Olsen added that we have one roster, and anyone on the roster is eligible for call in any synod. Pr. Richard Mahan, WV/WMd. Spoke against. We’ve lost nearly half a million members...

iday morning began with a motion by Pr. Jennifer Czarnota (E Cent. WI) that no motions to cut off debate on a main motion be permitted until all amendments which had been submitted in a timely manner be heard and discussed should the proposers chose to do so. (She didn’t mention that she herself has submitted two of the proposed amendments to the ministry policy recommendations.) Eric Peterson, S. Central WI opposed, on the grounds that the body may want to move more quickly on recommendations from the task force. [Note: This is an interesting question; the submitted amendments come...

The assembly then heard a report from Reference and Counsel. The first motion coming from R&C deals with health care reform. The bottom line: Resolved, that the ELCA in assembly commit this church in all of it expressions to the premise that ‘each person should have ready access to basic health care services that include preventive, acute, and chronic physical and mental health care at an affordable cost’ and that the assembly ‘request that the ELCA Washington Office, in partnership with the synods, congregations and members of the ELCA, convey the urgency and sense of this resolution to Congress and...

The assembly reconvened, with the PB laying out an ambitious agenda for the afternoon. PB: “I’m deeply grateful for your preparation, your good spirit, the care you demonstrate for this church.” My observation is that the use of white cards (which are for parliamentary inquiries etc.) is sometimes impeding our work. Please use them judiciously. Often a synod bishop can help if you have questions or inquiries. My commitment is to help you do your work. Re: electronic voting. Following the vote on the social statement, I paused before announcing the results. In that time no one reported an inoperative...

There was obviously some discouragement last night among those hoping to derail the train here. It was refreshing to pray Morning Prayer this morning with Lutheran CORE supporters, led by our own Pr. Tibbets, singing and praying together for God's good and gracious will to be done among us. Now off to the plenary. Tuesday morning began with more routine things—a presentation from the Nominating Committee chair, for instance. This then led into the report of the PB. It was an extended reflection, based primarily on the proposed question: When we get to 2017 and the 500th anniversary of the...

Plenary Session 1 Monday night The usual opening stuff took place, with the announcement that there are 1045 voting members. 1025 had been registered by 6 p.m. A quorum is present. Bishops of the host synods were introduced. The synods have given 66 trees to Tree Trust to be planted in the twin cities, one in honor of each of the 65 synods and the 66th in honor of the whole ELCA. Several minutes went by as the house learned how to use the voting machines (which revealed that just under 50% of the voting members are at their first...

Press Conference The press conference began with an overview of the assembly from Bp. Hanson. We begin in a “spirit of confident hope.” The story has not yet been written, but it will be written this week. “We have an opportunity . . . to bear witness to a culture that often wants to polarize.” We are “not always of one mind, but united in faith.” That unity is exhibited first and foremost in worship. ELCA will consider AIDS and Malaria strategies. Each day we’ll study scripture, hear it read, sung, debated. We will consider continuing our ecumenical engagement by...

ELCA Churchwide Assembly to Consider 144 Memorials from Synods 09-149-JB CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Comprehensive immigration reform, Israel and Palestine, Lutheran Disaster Response, and fuller participation in church leadership are topics of memorials recommended for specific discussion at the 2009 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The recommendations were made by a 15-member memorials committee appointed by the ELCA Church Council, which met here last month. Memorials are requests from the church's 65 synods that ask for churchwide assembly action on significant policy issues. The committee considered 144 memorials for the 2009 assembly, recommending action on each...

ELCA NEWS SERVICE July 2, 2009 Worship, Bible Study Leaders for ELCA Churchwide Assembly Named 09-147-CD* CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Preachers, presiding ministers and Bible study leaders chosen for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ECLA) Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis this August come from diverse backgrounds. The preachers, presiders and Bible study leaders were chosen by the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop. The Rev. Jennifer P. Ollikainen, associate for worship resources, said the goal with this group was to have "broad representation" of the church body. The presiding and preaching ministers include four pastors who are bilingual, a first-year...

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The 1,071 voting members of the 2007 Churchwide Assembly meeting here at Navy Pier next month will be asked to respond to 125 memorials summarized in a 74-page assembly report. Memorials are requests from the church's 65 synods asking for action by the assembly on specific topics. The churchwide assembly, which meets every two years, is the ELCA's chief legislative authority. Voting members, staff, visitors and media will meet Aug. 6-11 in Chicago, where the ELCA churchwide organization is based. A Memorials Committee, appointed by the ELCA Church Council, the church's board of directors, met here June...

Synod assembly season is finished – on now to Churchwide FROM Emily Eastwood, Executive Director: Dear Members of LC/NA and the RIC Community, Now that the synod assembly season has concluded, time is of the essence as we move forward with our plans for Churchwide Assembly. With an unprecedented 23 synods representing 40% of the membership of the ELCA passing memorials to move the church toward full inclusion, we have the best chance yet to make real progress in August. Here's the dope: 1. Please come to Chicago for the assembly. The dates are August 6–11, 2007. 2. Please register...

Fascinating. Press briefings, of course, are all about spin, and I heard today’s events spun by Mark Hanson, and then by Jeff Johnson of Goodsoil. Hanson first. The presiding bishop appeared before a full press room with Roy Riley, Chair of the Conference of Bishops, and Stan Olson, Executive of the Division for Ministry. Also present were Rebecca Anderson of Church and Society and Jim Childs of the task force. Bishop Hanson began by urging the press again to use a “wide angle lens”—pointing out some of the “non-sexuality” important things that were approved, such as the strategy for African...