CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Eighty-eight presbyteries of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) have voted as of March 11 to ratify an agreement declaring "full communion" between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and three churches of the Reformed tradition. An affirmative vote by a majority of the 172 presbyteries was the final hurdle to be crossed before the relationship was official.
After 36 years of dialogues a festival worship service at Chicago's Rockefeller Chapel on Oct. 4 will formally declare the churches in full communion. Full communion is not a plan to merge; it commits the churches to sharing in their mission to work locally and internationally and to develop procedures whereby clergy in one church body may serve as pastor in a church of another church body.
Assemblies of the ELCA and three Reformed churches -- Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America and United Church of Christ -- approved "A Formula of Agreement," a proposal for full communion, in 1997. Presbyterian approval required ratification by a majority of the church's presbyteries on two amendments to the church's "Book of Order."
Amendment "M" added relationships of "full communion with those churches so recognized by ecumenical agreements approved by the General Assembly" to a section of the governing documents on "Relationships with Other Denominations." A section on "Church Union" now concludes with: "Governing bodies are encouraged and permitted to discover and engage in opportunities to minister together in mutual affirmation and admonition with churches with whom the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is in full communion."
Amendment "N" asked if the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) should approve and implement the proposal for full communion outlined in "A Formula for Agreement."
The General Synod of the Reformed Church in America was the first body to approve the agreement June 18 in Milwaukee. A voice vote of the 250 delegates recorded only a few "no" votes.
That synod also passed a resolution clarifying that the three Reformed churches were already in "full table and pulpit fellowship," a relationship similar to full communion, "by virtue of Reformed polity and the fellowship shared through membership in the World Alliance of Reformed Churches."
The 209th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted 489 to 38 in favor of full communion with the ELCA on June 19 in Syracuse, N.Y. That vote set the stage for ratification of the proposal by the church's presbyteries.
The General Synod of the United Church of Christ invited the ELCA into full communion July 5 in Columbus, Ohio. About 10 of the 700 delegates voted in opposition.
The ELCA Churchwide Assembly voted 839 to 193 in favor of the proposal on Aug. 18. A two-thirds majority was needed for passage, and 81.3 percent of the voting members approved the relationship.
Church Memberships
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America---------------- 5,200,000
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ---------------------------- 3,700,000
Reformed Church in America ------------------------------ 300,000
United Church of Christ----------------------------------- 1,500,000
For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
