INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted a resolution supporting "Stand With Africa: A Campaign of Hope," and pledged to provide individual financial gifts to the campaign in addition to their regular commitments to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal.
The Conference of Bishops is an advisory body of the ELCA's 65 synod bishops, the presiding bishop and secretary. It met here Aug. 7-8 in advance of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the church's highest legislative authority.
Stand With Africa focuses on issues significant to Africa, including HIV/AIDS, food security, and peace and reconciliation. The three-year campaign is being coordinated by the ELCA World Hunger Program, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) World Relief, and Lutheran World Relief, the overseas relief and development agency of the ELCA and LCMS.
The bishop's resolution also included a commitment "to urge congregations and pastors in (their) respective synods to provide special efforts of support and advocacy" for the Africa emphasis in the next three years. It also called on the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly "to pledge prayers and support for this extraordinary effort."
The resolution follows a similar resolution adopted by the bishops at their meeting earlier this year in San Antonio. The Rev. Howard E. Wennes, bishop of the ELCA Grand Canyon Synod, Phoenix, presented the resolution on behalf of the bishops' Committee on Ministry Among People in Poverty.
The Rev. Lee M. Miller, bishop of the ELCA Upstate New York Synod, told the bishops the needs in Africa are "immense," and told them of his synod's efforts to build relationships with people from Zimbabwe. The Rev. Stephen P. Bouman, bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod, said he just returned from a visit to Tanzania.
"This Stand With Africa effort is heartening to the people there," he said.
The Conference of Bishops also participated in discussions on other topics:
+ In a joint meeting with the ELCA Church Council, they discussed some concerns related to a proposed bylaw amendment to the ELCA Constitution. The proposal, to be considered by the churchwide assembly, would allow for some possible exceptions to ordination procedures required by Called to Common Mission, a full communion agreement of the Episcopal Church and ELCA. Ellen T. Maxon, council member, Hartland, Wis., raised some concerns about background material provided to assembly voting members on the issue. Among other things, she asked that an understanding of CCM by the Episcopal bishops, known as the "Mind of the House" resolution, be provided to all ELCA assembly voting members as they consider the proposed bylaw. The Episcopal bishops' resolution may help ELCA voting members understand how the Episcopalians would view Lutheran pastors who may be ordained outside CCM procedures, she suggested.
+ The Rev. Ralph W. Dunkin, bishop of the ELCA West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod, provided the bishops with a list of needs relating to recent flood losses in West Virginia and southwest Virginia. He asked the bishops to share the list throughout their synods.
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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
