DENVER (ELCA) -- Violence among youth and economic justice for small coffee farmers around the world were issues addressed Aug. 18 by the churchwide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), in resolutions adopted by nearly unanimous votes.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting Aug. 16-22 here at the Colorado Convention Center. There are more than 2,500 people participating, including 1,039 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known: Hope for a New Century."
The two resolutions came to the floor of the assembly during the first report of the Memorials Committee, a panel that considers proposed resolutions forwarded by the ELCA's 65 synods.
By a 976 to 6 vote, the assembly expressed "deep concern for the youth of our world, especially those at risk from racism, sexism, hunger, violence, abuse, drugs and poverty, including those who are in prison."
The resolution also asks various ELCA units "to assess current resources available and develop other appropriate responses that deal with the core issue of violence." It encourages "individuals, families, Lutheran youth organizations and congregations of this church to utilize existing ELCA resources to support study leading to local initiatives."
Adopted by nearly as wide a margin, 934 to 22, was a resolution from the Memorials Committee to encourage ELCA congregations and individuals to buy their coffee through a project undertaken by Lutheran World Relief (LWR), an inter-Lutheran disaster-aid and development agency.
The resolution expresses concern for small coffee farmers and support for "fair trade practices that provide a just return for their labor."
The Rev. Natanael Lizarazo, a native of Colombia, South America, and a voting member from the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, told assembly members that the LWR program "will bring livelihood and sustainability for small farmers." LWR obtains the coffee through a worker-owned organization called Equal Exchange.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.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
