ELCA Council, Bishops Discuss Assembly, Concerns

DENVER (ELCA) In a preview of this week's churchwide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, said the vote on a Lutheran proposal for full communion with The Episcopal Church "is not the whole show."
Anderson discussed several assembly issues and led a brief discussion here Aug. 15 on pastoral care concerns related to the Lutheran-Episcopal proposal, known as "Called to Common Mission" (CCM). He made his remarks at a joint session of the ELCA Church Council and ELCA Conference of Bishops.
"I have a great deal of confidence that we can tackle tough issues, discuss them, and in the end we will come out with a good product," Anderson said of CCM. "I believe God will show us a way through. We should not look with fear or anxiety on the days ahead."
CCM's approval would open the door for greater cooperation between the ELCA and the Episcopal Church, including exchange of clergy. Episcopalians bring to the relationship the "historic episcopate," a succession of bishops as a sign of unity back to the earliest days of the Christian church. If CCM is approved by more than two-thirds of assembly voting members, the ELCA will adopt the historic episcopate, a requirement that has generated controversy and opposition in the ELCA.
If the assembly agenda remains as proposed, the vote will occur on Thursday morning, Aug. 19. After the vote there will be a prayer and a short break to allow assembly participants to talk and discuss their reactions to the vote. Anderson said he will reconvene the participants, offer brief remarks and recess the assembly until Friday morning.
Voting members may also choose to consider further action on the issue after the vote, Anderson added.
"I hope all of us can keep a broad perspective," Anderson said. "This decision should not be the only defining vote in the Lutheran church."
Ida Marie Hakkarinen, ELCA Church Council member, Greenbelt, Md., said the church's leaders can set an example for other church leaders in how they conduct themselves during the CCM discussions. Hakkarinen also said it would be appropriate for Anderson to call for prayers "anytime."
The Rev. Larry V. Smoose, ELCA Church Council member, Media, Pa., said the CCM discussions should be kept "at a high level."
Concerns and prayer will most likely be shared among synod voting members, said the Rev. Guy S. Edmiston, bishop of ELCA Lower Susquehanna Synod. Many synods have already had such discussions, Edmiston added.
It's important to remember that the audience watching the CCM vote "is the rest of the body of Christ, not just us," said the Rev. Stephen P. Bouman, bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod.
In addition to CCM, Anderson said the assembly will have an opportunity to enter into full communion with the Moravian Church in America, which he called "a pre-Reformation church."
A proposed social statement on economic life, "Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All," will be considered by the assembly. If approved, the statement will be an "important first step" for the church to help people deal with the complexities of the global economy, Anderson said. The social statement will help the church in its ministry with poor people, he said, adding that the ELCA already committed $3 million for ministry with the poor in "second mile" funds this year.
The ELCA World Hunger Appeal, which is about $500,000 ahead of its 1999 fundraising goal of $12.6 million, will be a focus of the assembly. "Jubilee 2000," an international effort aimed at reducing debts held bythe governments of the world's poorest countries will also be a focus, Anderson said.
The assembly will hear a progress report on outreach to gay and lesbian people. The report calls for no assembly action, but Anderson said he expects some people may ask the assembly to "make decisions."
Anderson recognized the work of the Rev. Edgar R. Trexler, longtime editor of The Lutheran, the magazine of the ELCA. Trexler, who will retire this year, shaped the magazine into "a unique publication among denominations today," Anderson said. The assembly will vote on the nomination of the Rev. David L. Miller to become editor Nov. 1. Miller is presently senior editor of the magazine.
Anderson asked council members and bishops to help interpret some fundraising initiatives which may cause confusion among church members. Among the examples he mentioned are proposals to double giving to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal, the "Vision for Mission" appeal for additional giving and a plan by the Lutheran World Federation to launch an endowment drive.

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