Goals of the past Ecumenical Decade Continue in the ELCA

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The "Ecumenical Decade" is over but not forgotten in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The ELCA Commission for Women resolved the church will "continue to affirm the goals and purpose of the 'Ecumenical Decade: Churches in Solidarity with Women'" which the World Council of Churches observed 1988-1998.
Charlotte Williams, associate director for leadership development and cross-cultural advocacy, ELCA Commission for Women, reported to the commission's steering committee on the "Decade Festival: Visions Beyond 1998" which was held Nov. 27-30, 1998, in Harare, Zimbabwe. The committee met here Feb. 26-28.
Williams called the festival "a very powerful experience to be with more than 1,000 women who had been addressing the Ecumenical Decade for 10 years in their local congregations and some with ecumenical partners in churches all over the world."
The "official" decade of the World Council of Churches identified "more focused things that need to be happening around the church," said Williams. "We have some evidence of the power with which women can approach some of the problems that women are facing locally and some of the needs that women have at a global level as well."
The ELCA is one of the 338 member churches of the World Council of Churches.
The Ecumenical Decade had five goals: + Achieve full participation of women who bear witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ; + Affirm the contributions to the church from women in the theology and spiritual life of the church; + Challenge racism, sexism and all forms of oppression against women; + Eradicate all forms of violence against women; and + Encourage economic justice for women in local and global communities.
The steering committee resolved "that the ELCA Commission for Women continue to participate in discussion, projects and programs that address the broad themes of the Ecumenical Decade, and, where necessary, to develop new areas of work and cooperation ... that the Ecumenical Decade goals might be achieved in the 21st century."
The committee asked the ELCA Church Council to "instruct the Commission for Women to continue monitoring the participation of women in the existing structures of the church and the progress made by these structures on the goals and themes of the Ecumenical Decade."
"We need to continue always looking at how a structure can support all of its people and find the creative use of the gifts of all people," said the Rev. Ann M. Tiemeyer, St. Jacobus Lutheran Church, Woodside, Queens, New York, who chairs the steering committee.
"Sometimes opportunities for women have not been there," said Tiemeyer. "The church needs to look honestly at where we can continue to open doors so that the fullness of God's body can be explored, shared and celebrated."
Williams said the ELCA has already begun working toward the goals of the Ecumenical Decade, especially in dealing with issues of economic justice and violence.
The church's emphasis on Women and Children Living in Poverty can be taken "to the next level where it is a global experience," said Williams, and the ELCA is developing a social statement on economic life that addresses concerns of economic justice facing women.
At the Decade Festival women from around the world told stories of violence against them, Williams said. They talked about a "new language for violence ... so that we see that violence isn't just a man-woman thing," she said.
"There is community violence and horizontal violence within communities," said Williams, including "violence against gay and lesbian people in our churches." She said the church continues to speak for "the silent victims of violence."
The commission's steering committee passed another resolution asking the ELCA Church Council to "support the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates' appeal for a 'Decade for a Culture of Nonviolence' and a 'Year of Education for Nonviolence' with special emphasis on children and youth." The action suggested ways the church could use new and existing resources "to teach, practice and model nonviolence."
"Domestic violence has been one of the issues that the Commission for Women has worked on over the years," said Tiemeyer. "This is a way to hold that up again while continuing to support non-violent resolution of conflict not just within the domestic setting but in the larger world."

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