ELCA Studying Economic Issues

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Ongoing study of economic justice in the = Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will get a boost from a satellite = town hall meeting Oct. 4, =22Christ Alive in Us=21 Pursuing Justice in = Economic Life.=22 The Board of the ELCA=27s Division for Church in = Society, meeting here Sept. 18-20, heard details of a convocation = involving participants at eight locations.
Study of economic life is under way in ELCA congregations as the = church prepares to develop a social statement. The Rev. H. George = Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, will take part in the teleconferenc= e. =20
The telecast will =22explore the dynamics of the current economic = situation, what the Christian faith calls the church to do, what the = church is doing and strategies for the future,=22 according to the Rev. = Leslie Weber, associate executive director of the Division for Church in = Society.=20
In the United States, almost 40 million people, including 16 = million children, live below or close to the poverty line, the board was = told. The regional convocations will be at Spokane, Wash.; Minneapolis; = Austin, Texas; Atchison, Kan.; Huron, Ohio; Litchfield, Conn.; Harrisburg, = Pa.; and Columbia, S.C. They will address welfare reform, downsizing, = rural problems, tax abatements and the many economic changes confronting = society.=20
The board authorized work on a new study of health care issues. = =22Ethical Challenges of Health Care Today: Systemic and Clinical = Issues=22 is the first step toward a proposal for a social statement to be = brought to the 1999 churchwide assembly. =20
The Rev. Karen Bloomquist, director for Studies, told the board = *the ELCA has significant investment in and expertise regarding health = care concerns.* She said, *Developments in society point to the urgency = and importance of addressing this arena.*
A volume of essays to be titled =22The Promise of Lutheran = Ethics=22 will be published before the end of 1997, Bloomquist told the = board. A congregational study on gambling is being drafted. Another = series of essays is being written on questions arising from genetic = screening and testing.
Bloomquist said a new project in 1998 will be the development of a = message on immigration to be brought to the ELCA Church Council for = adoption.
Joanne Negstad, St. Paul, Minn., president of Lutheran Services in = America, brought to the board the first report of the new organization, = formed in April. LSA is =22an alliance of the ELCA, the Lutheran = Church-Missouri Synod and their 280 social ministry organizations,=22 = Negstad said.
The board engaged in developing the division*s strategic plan for = the next three years that includes a theological framework, the ELCA=27s = Initiatives for a New Century and the scope of work in progress. Ingrid = Christiansen, Chicago, board chairperson, stressed the Bible study and = prayer that undergird the strategy: *Our work is in response to God=27s = desire. We are the body of God=27s work in the world. God wishes for us = to attend to the needs of God=27s people.*
The Rev. Gladys G. Moore, board member from Jersey City, N.J., = said, =22We have an understanding of our mission, of God=27s mission, that = is to heal, serve and provide justice for people who are marginalized.=22= =20
Christiansen was re-elected for a fourth two-year term as board = chairperson.

The ELCA town hall meeting on economic life via satellite teleconference:

Saturday, Oct. 4, 1997
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Pacific
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Mountain
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Central
12 noon - 4:00 p.m. Eastern

Frequencies: C Band, Galaxy 3, Transponder 11

For information contact:=20
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS=40ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html