ELCA Bishops to Prepare Pastoral Letter on People Living in Poverty

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is expected to prepare a pastoral letter on ministry with people living in poverty and to consider its approval when the group meets in March 2000. The bishops met here Sept. 30-Oct. 5 and discussed the issue at length.
The Conference of Bishops includes bishops from each of the church's 65 synods, and the presiding bishop and secretary of the ELCA. The group has issued similar statements previously, such as an open letter welcoming gay and lesbian people and a letter on the new millennium.
The bishops' concern for people living in poverty has been at the forefront of the bishops' agenda for the past couple of years, said the Rev. Charles H. Maahs, chair of the Conference of Bishops and bishop of the ELCA Central States Synod, Shawnee Mission, Kan.
Earlier this year, the ELCA bishops pledged to increase their personal giving to the ELCA's World Hunger Appeal by $25,000, in honor of the appeal's 25th anniversary. To date the bishops' gifts have totaled $33,000, said the Rev. Howard Wennes, bishop of the ELCA Grand Canyon Synod, Phoenix.
At the ELCA's 1999 Churchwide Assembly in Denver, voting members approved resolutions expressing commitment to ministry with people in poverty and reaffirming commitment to the World Hunger Appeal.
Just recently the appeal released $500,000 from its reserves for projects involving the financial crisis in rural America and for projects in Africa, such as refugee care. Both involve funds designated for people that are poor, said the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA.
The 5.2-million member church's concern for people living in poverty was also heightened earlier this year, when the ELCA Church Council designated $3 million in surplus funds specifically for such ministries.
The funds will be used for an educational program to teach members how to minister with people who are impoverished, to help reduce debts to the ELCA Mission Investment Fund, and to fund specific domestic and international projects, said the Rev. Bonnie Jensen, executive director, ELCA Division for Global Mission.
During the bishops' discussion, Anderson said ministry with people in poverty is a topic "close to my heart."
The church's funds to minister with people in poverty should be used "to fill the mouths of the hungry," and to help change attitudes of ELCA members about people in poverty, he said.
"Jesus certainly directed us to the deprived as the ones who gave shape to his continued presence in the world," Anderson said.
About changing attitudes and perceptions, Anderson asked, "How do we address the poverty of spirit among us? How do we break the mindset that cripples our own relationship with God?" The ELCA's synods can learn much about ministry with poor people from their relationships with "companion synods," Lutheran churches in other countries which are often less fortunate than their American partners, he said.
The bishops expressed enthusiasm for drafting a pastoral letter on ministry with people living in poverty, and discussed what it might say and how it might be used. They appointed a committee to draft the letter for the conference's consideration.
The bishops also adopted a resolution to appoint a standing committee, consisting of five bishops, to continue addressing the concern. The Rev. Peter Rogness, bishop of the ELCA Greater Milwaukee Synod, was named convener.
"We are in the midst of a four-year economic boom," said the Rev. E. Roy Riley, bishop of the ELCA New Jersey Synod, Trenton, N.J. However, Riley pointed out 34.5 million people, including one in five children in the United States, are living "below the poverty line."
"In this country we think of the poor as losers," Riley said to his colleagues. "Jesus didn't see people living in poverty as losers. We must get to know the people in poverty in this country. They are not losers. They are people with gifts and abilities. They just lack access."
"We have an outstanding opportunity to become influencers of thought," said the Rev. Peter Strommen, bishop of the ELCA Northeastern Minnesota Synod, Duluth, Minn. He said the letter would add the "freshness of Scripture" to the discussion.
"This issue speaks to the heart of the church," said Rogness. He said the bishops must also commit themselves to minister personally with people living in poverty.
At the 1999 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Denver, voting members adopted a social statement on economic life, "Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All." It addressed many issues related to ministry with people in poverty. The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, bishop of the ELCA Saint Paul (Minn.) Area Synod, said the bishops' letter should refer people to the church's statement.
Some bishops said it's important to include some people who actually live in poverty in drafting their pastoral letter.
"It would be unwise for us to write a letter without people living in poverty helping to write it," said the Rev. Robert A. Rimbo, bishop of the ELCA Southeast Michigan Synod, Detroit. Rimbo also said the bishops should be sensitive in their use of words and use the term "people living in poverty" versus "poor people."
The Rev. Callon W. Holloway Jr., bishop of the ELCA Southern Ohio Synod, Columbus, Ohio, challenged the bishops to be sure they can speak with "authenticity" about people living in poverty.
Education of members is key to understanding the issues, said the Rev. George P. Mocko, bishop of the ELCA Delaware-Maryland Synod, Baltimore.
The bishops' pastoral letter must challenge people to understand the "disproportion" between rich and impoverished people, said the Rev. Allan C. Bjornberg, bishop of the ELCA Rocky Mountain Synod, Denver.
"It must make people uncomfortable," said the Rev. Gary L. Hansen, bishop of the ELCA North/West Lower Michigan Synod, Lansing, Mich.
One way to minister with people in living poverty is to form partnerships, said the Rev. Kenneth R. Olsen, bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod. The synod has been effective in such ministry by working with faith-based organizations already in place, he said.
The Rev. Guy S. Edmiston, bishop of the ELCA Lower Susquehanna Synod, Harrisburg, Pa., said the church should remember to work with its statewide advocacy offices around the country.
The Rev. Stanley S. Olson, bishop of the ELCA Southwestern Minnesota Synod, Redwood Falls, Minn., suggested the bishops may be able to increase the effectiveness of their pastoral letter by pledging a "second tithe" for people living in poverty and by reducing the Conference of Bishops' budget by 10 percent, designating the funds for people living in poverty.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
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