ELCA's 'Initiatives for a New Century' Are Well Underway

CHICAGO(ELCA)-- Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are expanding plans for the ELCA's "Initiatives to Prepare for a New Century."
In 1997 the ELCA Churchwide Assembly selected seven significant areas of ministry for the 21st century. Leadership teams were formed early last year to provide overall guidance for the work of congregations, synods and churchwide organizations. Team leaders help provide an overall picture of how the church may be different as a result of the Initiatives.
There is a "richness and variety of things happening" in the church as a result of the Initiatives, according to the Rev. Robert N. Bacher, ELCA executive for administration. Team leaders, who met here Feb. 12, and other members of the church "have found the right level of tension and concreteness ... the Initiatives are not too abstract nor too specific," he said.
ELCA Presiding Bishop H. George Anderson encouraged team leaders to "keep in mind youth and young adults" in their work. Two separate initiatives -- "Help the Children" and "Connect with Youth and Young Adults" -- advocate for the basic needs of children and develop=20 "gospel-centered, relational ministry" with youth and young adults.
"Safe Haven for Children," a resource designed to guide a congregation in declaring itself a "safe haven" for children, was distributed to ELCA congregations in November. Terry L. Bowes, Longmont, Colo., wrote the resource and coordinates the "Help the Children" team. The resource is also available in Spanish.
A "Summit on Youth" took place in Atlanta Feb. 5-8. The summit brought together 770 young people, professional youth workers and leaders from camps, colleges, seminaries, and social service agencies to "increase the impact of youth ministry" in the ELCA, said Desiree Quintana, Concord, Calif. Quintana leads the "Connect with Youth and Young Adults" team. Members of this team will launch a Web site that will allow youth and young adults to participate in Bible study, real-time = online chats and share perspectives on news and events with each other.
Congregations, leaders of the ELCA's 65 synods, seminaries and others are invited to engage in conversation about worship in the ELCA.=20 Leaders of the "Deepen Our Worship Life" team plan to develop print and video resources by 2000 that guide congregations to explore what is important for them in worship and how they can deepen worship life in the church. =20
Lutheran liturgies will be translated from English to Chinese (Mandarin) by a seminary professor in Hong Kong. A $15,000 grant will be provided by the "Deepen Our Worship Life" team to complete the project.
A major emphasis of the "Teach the Faith" Initiative is to issue a "comprehensive call to all members of the ELCA" to embark on a period of faith development and "recommitment to the basics of Bible study and prayer." Resources featuring Bible studies and prayer will be produced to emphasize a "Call to Discipleship" for 2000. The call will be extended to young adults attending the ELCA Youth Gathering, in St. Louis June 28-July 2 and July 5-9, 2000.
A new "seeker-friendly" Web site called "Sharing Faith," designed for people that do not belong to a church, is expected to be launched March 1. It will feature devotional materials, stories and reflections about faith, and information about the ELCA. Members of the "Witness to God's Action in the World" team plan to link the site with the ELCA's home page -- www.elca.org. =20
The team addressing "Witness to God's Action in the World: Moral Deliberation and Community Renewal" will develop a resource this year to help Christians talk together about difficult issues. The resource will offer ways to bring diverse people together to deliberate on tough topics openly and honestly.=20
About $58,000 in grants were awarded to 34 congregations, synods, projects and agencies of the ELCA that work to "develop leaders for the next century." The grants were given to projects that pair experienced leaders with potential candidates for congregation and institutional leadership, establish resource networks, and "immerse" leaders "in the life of a culture or organization." In addition, grants totaling $75,000 were awarded to ELCA synod projects relating to the Initiatives.
The ELCA's Church Council has allotted $100,000 for each Initiative= to cover "start-up" costs and begin work.
The "Strengthen One Another in Mission: Asset Mapping" team will work with congregations, young adults and global ministries to assess their gifts and values. Members of this team will make an attempt to connect the ELCA's 11,000 congregations, 65 synods, institutions and agencies through electronic communication.
Synods and congregations of the ELCA are asked to look at their ministries in light of the Initiatives. Some congregations have developed a series of "we will" statements designed to meet a variety of Initiative goals. =20
Members of Woodland Lutheran Church, Nekoosa, Wis., for example, "will encourage each person and community member to consider four habits to increase Christian growth." They are to develop the habits of prayer, study, giving and fellowship. Woodland will promote in-depth Bible study and renew study of the basic doctrines of the Lutheran Church.
The following is a list of the Initiatives and their team leaders:=20
+ "Deepen Our Worship Life," the Rev. Paul R. Nelson, ELCA director for worship=20
+ "Teach the Faith," the Rev. M. Wyvetta Bullock, executive director for the ELCA's Division for Congregational Ministries =20
+ "Witness to God's Action in the World: Evangelism," the Rev. Ronald B. Warren, bishop of the ELCA's Southeastern Synod, Atlanta
+ "Witness to God's Action in the World: Moral Deliberation and Public Witness," the Rev. Charles S. Miller, executive director for=20 the ELCA's Division for Church in Society
+ "Strengthen One Another in Mission: Asset Mapping," Christine Grumm, executive director of the Chicago Foundation for Women
+ "Strengthen One Another in Mission: Electronic Networking," Paul D. Edison-Swift, director for resource information and Network, ELCA=20 Department for Communication
+ "Help the Children," Joanne Negstad, executive director for = Lutheran=20 Services in America, St. Paul, Minn.
+ "Connect with Youth and Young Adults," Desiree Quintana, Concord, Calif.
+ "Develop Leaders for the Next Century," the Rev. Steven L. Ullestad, bishop of the ELCA's Northeastern Iowa Synod, Waverly, Iowa

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html