ELCA to Celebrate Ecumenical Decade

ELCA TO CELEBRATE ECUMENICAL DECADE

The international "Ecumenical Decade of the Churches in
Solidarity with Women" is coming to an end in 1998. The
Commission for Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America wants the decade to end with a bang. At its November
meeting the ELCA Church Council adopted a resolution drafted by
the commission's steering committee. It calls on the commission
to "assist this church as it observes the end of the Ecumenical
Decade through the expressions, organizations and events of this
church, including but not limited to the 1997 Churchwide
Assembly, the 1998 synod assemblies and congregations, as well as
through partner organizations and ecumenical efforts during the
next two years." The ELCA holds a churchwide assembly every
other year, and each of its 65 synods meet in assembly each
spring. The World Council of Churches launched the decade on
Easter 1988. Its purpose is to call for the full participation
of women in all expressions of the church and to support women
suffering from violence, hatred and economic injustice. The WCC
is a fellowship of 330 churches, including the ELCA, in more than
100 countries on all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions.

For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service,
(312) 380-2958 or AHAFFTEN@ELCA.ORG; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir.,
(312) 380-2955 or FRANKI@ELCA.ORG; Melissa Ramirez, Assist. Dir.,
(312) 380-2956 or MRAMIREZ@ELCA.ORG