January 8-9, 2001
Minutes: Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee, J. W. Marriott Hotel Washington, D.C.
The following persons were present for all or part of the meeting:
Representatives of The Episcopal Church: the Very Rev. Donald Brown, the Rev. Grant Abbott, the Rt. Rev. Leopold Frade, the Rev. Dr. Alfred Moss, Ms. Emily Perow, Ms. Midge Roof, the Rt. Rev. Carolyn Tanner-Irish, and the Rt. Rev. C. Christopher Epting (staff); Mr. James Solheim (press).
Representatives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: the Rev. Dr. Duane Larson (co-chair ), Ms. Terry Bowes, the Rev. Nancy Curtis, Bishop Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl, the Rev. Gregory Villalon, the Rev. Norman Wahl, Bishop Ronald Warren, the Rev. Dr. Randall R. Lee ( staff), the Rev. Dr. Daniel Martensen (consultant), Mr. John Brooks (press).
Opening Devotions
Introductions
Minute taking
What does this mean?
- Themes
- Actions
- Prepare for denominational offices to distribute
Ideas for how to handle this:
- take turns denominationally? Possibly
- take careful, verbatim notes? Broader or general notes preferred. Actions noted in detail
- take segments to allow all to participate in discussion
- think of what we want to leave for history.
Bishop Andrea offered to take notes. There were no objections
Press policy
Two types of meetings were defined:
- Executive/Closed Sessions
- Open sessions
How will we handle press protocol?
- Follow Robert’s Rules as needed
- other bilateral history with this reviewed
- official church press is first consideration; define "church press" - heads of departments of
- communications and representative or editor of church publication.
- communiqué at end of each meeting is most helpful.
- wary of image of "closed meetings"
Other questions:
- electronic communications
- who will say what to whom "on-line" after our meetings, as report?
- what decisions on these issues do we make now?
- how to define our boundaries?
- Who speaks for us?
- Co-chairs
- Do we want open meeting on-line?
- "Reporting" is desirable - on-going conversations about meeting to "public" is less helpful; unwieldy to deal with as committee members.
- access is what on-line communication is about. Openness is our goal.
- If we don’t set up some type of communication, someone else will.
How do we keep it from degenerating into gossip/exaggeration/mis-construction, etc?
Grant Abbott suggested:
- Reporting who we are and what we’re about
- Send concerns to this body, e.g., through home page links on each denomination’s Web site.
- Response, in general, or on themes.
Two questions remain to be resolved in discussion at this point.
- can church press attend meeting?
- electronic and other communication issues
Consensus expressed on:
- press conference at the end of this meeting
- our emphasis is on "implementation" not re-doing the work of the larger churches on the document.
Moved;
Seconded;
Carried:
To invite press observation of meetings of the Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee limited to press from each church’s official department for communication, and The Lutheran and Episcopal Life publications.
Moved;
Seconded;
Withdrawn:
To establish as policy that individuals not be quoted in official meetings.
Moved;
Seconded;
Carried:
To designate the co-chairs as official spokespersons for the Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee.
Discussion:
- Private comment by committee members
- Press behavior as noted in ELCA Meetings Policy 1.1.1., p. 2; c.2.b.; and c.3.
- Honor one another’s discretion.
The Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee welcomed Mr. James Solheim from The Episcopal Church office for communication and Mr. John Brooks from the department for communication of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Two Goals:
- A. Electronic Communiqués
- Interchangeability
A. Electronic Communiqués-Discussion Points
- Since there will be on-line talk about our work, how would we prefer to set it up?
- Press asked for advice
- We need to be on the websites of the two church bodies
- A way for people to "petition" the coordinating committee with concerns or issues. Suggestions:
- appoint a task force to make sure we’re on websites
- "access" - feeling that there is access to this group is vital.
- ecumenical department offices have file of concerns.
Conclusion: People are finding access to the coordinating committee. Concerns about meeting on-line: Level of conversation on-line isn’t the best. Who would moderate and keep responding on our behalf?
What is the parameter of our work? Will on-line meetings tempt us to over-step our role? Reminder: implementation is the emphasis!
Discussion on issues of trust and trust-building among and beyond the members of the committee. What if we began an on-line meeting, moderated by Nancy Curtis and the rest of the committee listened. Reminder: moderator has the job of keeping focus.
Moved;
Seconded;
Carried:
To request that a Web site for the Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee be established (within the existing web pages of the two church bodies) that includes:
(1) list of members
(2) names and addresses of co-chairs
(3) charter of the coordinating committee
(4) summary of minutes, noting that we welcome response to our work
Discussion on who sets up and monitors the Web site. Need for a general e-mail type address for the committee members.
The Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee recessed for lunch at 12:15 p.m. and reconvened at 2:00 p.m.
What questions do we need to deal with for the morning?
Communication Team (consisting of co-chairs and Terry Bowes, Midge Roof, Nancy Curtis, and Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl.
Tasks:
- communicate resolution on the Web page to the appropriate persons
- coordinate Web page set-up
- inform executive committees of the two church bodies of this resolve.
Next Meeting Dates:
June 4-5, 2001 - Salt Lake City
February 4-5, 2002 - Miami
June 3-4, 2002 - (preference for Berkeley, California, or St. Paul, Minnesota)
(Plan to travel Sundays and Wednesdays)
Discussion centered on the desirability of meetings held where joint mission can be visited and/or encouraged, for example, seminary campuses.
Charter
The draft of the charter was reviewed. Consensus was reached to change the word "commission" to the word "committee."
Moved;
Seconded;
Carried:
To adopt the name, Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee.
The composition of the committee was discussed, with consensus that seven members from each church body be appointed. The co-chairs will discuss with their respective presiding bishops the matter of term. Other discussion focused on the mission priorities of the committee’s work. The following persons were appointed as a sub-committee to further work on the draft of the charter: Norman Wahl, Nancy Curtis, and Grant Abbott.
The Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee recessed at 3:20 p.m. and reconvened at 3:45 p.m.
How will we do our work?
- Add devotions and prayer to the format of the meetings.
- Stress "implementing" or "living into" as our language and focus as opposed to CCM in broader terms of "what in the document" language.
Moved;
Seconded;
Carried:
To authorize the co-chairs to develop the agenda for each mailing and to e-mail the proposed agenda to the members of the committee for response; and
To request that a private, on-line, Ecunet meeting be established for the purpose of discussing and clarifying issues.
Identify and Prioritize tasks for the Committee
- Churchwide staff interactions
- Seminaries
- Youth ministry
- Interchangeability of clergy
- Worship resources/full communion celebrations
- Process of consultation regarding deacons, deaconesses, and diaconal inistry
- Enabling connections (intra- and extra-ecclesial)
- Flexibility vis a vis ordination issues
Orderly Exchange
Staff from the two church bodies introduced the newly-prepared document, "The Orderly Exchange of Pastors and Priests Under ‘Called to Common Mission’: Principles and Guidelines" developed by staff in the Department for Ministry Development of The Episcopal Church and the Division for Ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Moved;
Seconded;
Carried:
To request the staff to the coordinating committee to issue a joint memorandum of understanding to churchwide ELCA and ECUSA National Staff asking that all efforts at Lutheran-Episcopal cooperative work be communicated to this coordinating committee and, where appropriate, invite and welcome the input of this committee on that work.
It was noted that some theological issues which are more germane to an individual denomination need to go "back" to those decision-making bodies for a decision.
The Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee recessed for the day at 5:10 p.m. with a short service of evening prayer.
January 9, 2001
The Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee began its second plenary day of meeting with Morning Prayer led by Bishop Ronald Warren at 9:00 a.m. on January 9, 2001.
Charter
The sub-committee consisting of Nancy Curtis, Norman Wahl, and Grant Abbott presented their draft proposal for the charter of the Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee. After a brief discussion the following motion was adopted:
Moved;
Seconded;
Carried:
To adopt the charter of the Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee as follows:
Charter
Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee (LECC)
Name: The Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee
Composition and Meetings: Each church body will be represented by seven voting persons.
Each of the members will serve at the will of the individual’s parent body, and a pattern of rotation will be formulated. Staff services will be provided by the two ecumenical departments. When desired, consultants may be used for deliberations on specific questions.
The committee shall meet at least twice a year, and will report annually to the participating churches on the status of interchurch activities.
Living into full communion this committee will work:
- To encourage the development of new levels of trust, cooperation, and mission between our two churches,
- To encourage and assist in the planning of new cooperative mission and ministry work,
- To encourage and assist in supporting ongoing cooperative ministries between our two churches,
- To encourage communication of common mission work between our two churches to our churches,
- To encourage prayer in support of living into full communion by our two churches and for the work of this committee;
and will work with appropriate boards, committees, commissions, and staff of the two churches concerning ecumenical, doctrinal, education, pastoral, social, ethical, and liturgical matters as may arise,
- To encourage and assist faithful and open communication of the work of this committee to and from the appropriate decision-making bodies, boards, committees, commissions, staff, and members of our two churches,
- To encourage and assist processes of decision-making on fundamental matters through appropriate channels in a spirit of mutual affirmation and admonition.
This charter reflects the mandate given to this committee as called for in paragraphs 23 and 24 of "Called to Common Mission," as follows:
"To assist in joint planning for mission, both churches authorize the establishment of a joint commission, fully accountable to the decision-making bodies of the two churches. Its purpose will be consultative, to facilitate mutual support and advice as well as common decision-making through appropriate channels in fundamental matters that the chur4ches may face together in the future. The joint commission will work with the appropriate boards, committees, commissions, and staff of the two churches concerning such ecumenical, doctrinal, pastoral, and liturgical matters as may arise, always subject to approval by the appropriate decision-making bodies of the two churches" ("Called to Common Mission," paragraph 23)
"Each church promises to issue no official commentary on this text that has not been accepted by the joint commission as a legitimate interpretation thereof" ("Called to Common Mission," paragraph 24).
Orderly Exchange
The committee returned to the discussion in the afternoon of Monday, January 8, 2001, on the development of "The Orderly Exchange of Pastors and Priests Under ‘Called to Common Mission’: Principles and Guidelines." In particular the process of the development of the document and way it was released to the bishops of the two churches was discussed.
Identify and Prioritize Tasks for the Committee
In addition to the tasks identified earlier in this meeting, the following items were added as appropriate to the committee’s work:
-common witness and service - peace and justice; world mission; hunger; and disaster relief
- camps and conference centers
- congregational development (domestic mission)
- national multi-cultural ministry
- increasing trust
- communications on new ordinations and installations (such as advice to liturgical staff and ministry development staff)
- encouraging joint meetings and events
- create space for the "wholly new"
- support and accent the ministry of the baptized.
The Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee recessed at 10:25 a.m. and reconvened at 10:35 a.m.
Discussion of Exceptions to Ordination by a Bishop as Described in "Called to Common Mission"
Staff reported that the ELCA will be considering constitutional and bylaw amendments at the 2001 Churchwide Assembly to be held August 8-14, 2001, in Indianapolis. The "Mind of the House Resolution" of the Episcopal House of Bishops (Spring 2000) makes clear that people not ordained by a bishop will not be available for interchangeability. This understanding was affirmed by the House of Deputies of The Episcopal Church at the July 2000 General Convention held in Denver, Colorado. Is it the role of the coordinating committee to discuss this issue. Staff assured the committee that the discussion was being conducted within and between the two church bodies appropriately. Discussion continued the appropriate role of the committee related to this issue. It was agreed that more discussion will be conducted at the next meeting of the committee.
Norman Wahl urged the coordinating committee to state the committee’s feeling that exceptions be permitted in ordination and stated that he would like the record to indicate this support. Discussion continued on this proposal. Support was expressed for the position but not for the role of the committee in addressing it at this time.
Closing Statement
Co-Chair Duane Larson outlined the draft of the closing statement to be given to the press at the conclusion of this meeting. Ronald Warren urged that the statement close with prayer. Consensus was reached to close the statement with one of the prayer petitions used during the service of celebration marking the establishment of a relationship of full communion held immediately prior to this meeting of the committee on January 6, 2001. The committee concurred that the following four points were identified as priorities for the committee’s work and were the major points of discussion at this meeting:
- mission
- communication
- worship resources
- ordinations, interchangeability, including the ordination of new pastors and issues surrounding lay ministry.
Installations of Bishops
Moved;
Seconded;
Carried:
To request that liturgy committees in each church body offer their assistance to those planning bishops’ installations and ordinations that are anticipated in the year 2001.
Adjournment
The first meeting of the Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee ended with prayer at 12:10 p.m.