CHICAGO (ELCA) -- To help address the worship needs of the 5.15 million-member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the ELCA Church Council approved the "Next Generation of ELCA Worship Resources," a new multi-year plan for the church's worship team and Augsburg Fortress Publishers. It also approved the establishment of a "designated fund" of up to $1.2 million for the plan.
The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between its churchwide assemblies. The council met here Nov. 10-13. Assemblies are held every other year; the next is Aug. 8-14, 2001, in Indianapolis.
The worship team, housed in the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries (DCM), and Augsburg Fortress Publishers, the church's Minneapolis-based publishing house, will work together to implement the plan in a five-phase process in the next five years. The process will begin with a series of ELCA consultations designed to provide conversation and widespread input regarding worship.
The consultations, being planned for 2001-2002, will feature discussions on "The Use of the Means of Grace" as it relates to music in worship, language and culture, worship space and environment, and preaching. The Use of the Means of Grace is the ELCA's statement on sacramental practices adopted by the 1997 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
The second phase of the plan includes the development of a series of "working groups" in 2001-2004 to address specific projects necessary for the next generation of ELCA worship resources.
The third phase entails a series of "trial-use resources" for congregations to review and provide feedback in 2001-2004. The resources will reflect the work of the consultative bodies and working groups.
The fourth phase is the development of regional and synodical conferences for the introduction of resources, conversation and feedback.
The final phase includes a proposal for a new series of ELCA worship resources in 2005.
Other components of the ELCA and Augsburg Fortress plan include a schedule of events, budget structure and a "partnership agreement" between DCM and Augsburg Fortress. The agreement articulates the "long-term working principles" for the partnership on the project.
The Next Generation of ELCA Worship Resources "is a multi-phase process for developing new and exciting resources for consideration by the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly," the Rev. Wyvetta Bullock, DCM executive director, told the council. Bullock added that the "ELCA's ecumenical partners" will be invited to observe and participate in conversations.
"The plan provides the opportunity to be a full witness among our communions," said the Rev. Fred S. Opalinski, council member, Trinity Lutheran Church, Latrobe, Pa. -- -- --
Documents from the Church Council meeting are available at http://www.elca.org/os/churchcouncil/actions.html on the ELCA Web site.
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
