INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) Voting members at the churchwide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Aug.11 approved a set of "en- bloc" amendments to the church body's Constitution and one separate constitutional change that allows churchwide units to have more than one executive director, with certain approvals.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention Center. There are more than 2,000 people participating, including 1,040 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known: Sharing Faith in a New Century."
The "en-bloc" changes, which passed easily, are primarily editorial, for clarification or to eliminate duplication, explained Dale V. Sandstrom, a member of the ELCA Church Council who also is a justice on the North Dakota Supreme Court. The church council submitted the proposed changes.
Allowing more than one executive director to be elected for a unit grows out of an action of the board for the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministry, which elected two co-directors. Although the action was inconsistent with the ELCA Constitution, Sandstrom explained, that particular situation warranted the action. Presiding Bishop H. George Anderson gave approval for the two to serve in acting capacities, pending the action of this assembly, Sandstrom said.
The amendment allows two executive directors to be elected for a unit, adding the words, "with prior consent of the presiding bishop and the church council."
There are two other separate proposed amendments to the ELCA Constitution which have not yet been presented for action. Along with the separate action approved Aug. 11, they originally were in the "en- bloc" proposal, but were separated at the request of voting members to this assembly. -- -- --
Information about assembly actions will be at http://www.elca.org/assembly/01 on the ELCA's Web site. Recorded updates during the assembly are available by calling 773/380-2477.
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
