Implementing Resolutions

Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All

1. To adopt "Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All" as a social statement of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, in accordance with "Policies and Procedures of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for Addressing Social Concerns" (1997);

2. To call upon members of this church to pray, work, and advocate that all might have a sufficient, sustainable livelihood, and to draw upon this statement in forming their own judgments and actions in their ministries in daily life;

3. To call upon our bishops, pastors, and other rostered leaders to give renewed attention to how Scripture, liturgy, preaching, hymnody, and prayers may express God's will for economic life and empower a faith active for justice, and to provide leadership in seeking economic justice in their communities;

4. To challenge all congregations, synods, and churchwide units to carry out the substance and spirit of this statement and intensify their work with various ecumenical, interfaith, and secular groups in pursuit of its commitments;

5. To encourage the education, service, and outreach ministries of this church in their work for economic justice;

6. To urge churchwide units and affiliated organizations (social ministry organizations, schools, colleges and universities, and seminaries) to review and adjust their programs and practices in light of this social statement;         

7. To direct the Division for Church in Society, in cooperation with other churchwide units, to provide leadership, consultation, and educational and worship resources on the basis of this statement, particularly through the development of resources that interpret this statement and develop its implications for different arenas of responsibility;

8. To direct the Division for Church in Society to expand its work in advocating for corporate social responsibility, in assisting with community economic development, and in public policy advocacy that furthers the various commitments made in this statement;

9. To call upon the members of this church to give generously to the World Hunger Appeal of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, so that the Lutheran World Federation, Lutheran World Relief, domestic hunger grants, and our partner ecumenical agencies might do more in helping to alleviate the causes and consequences of hunger, poverty, and injustice; and to call upon the members of this church to participate actively in supporting these and similar ministries;

10. To call upon the educational institutions of this church—schools, colleges and universities, seminaries, continuing education centers, camps, and retreat centers—to develop programs and educational resources in light of this statement so people can be better prepared to respond to the challenges of economic life.

11. To direct the Church Council to report to the 2001 Churchwide Assembly any changes in policies or procedures and their intended effects taken by the Church Council or churchwide units in response to the social statement, "Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All."