ELCA Assembly Takes Final Actions on Memorials, Resolutions

INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Final actions of the voting members at the churchwide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America came Aug. 14 when they considered seven memorials and passed six resolutions of thanks.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, met here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention Center. There were about 2,500 people participating, including 1,039 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly was "Making Christ Known: Sharing Faith in a New Century."
The first memorial passed Aug. 14 was a recommendation of the memorials committee to accept a previous action of this assembly that permits a bishop of an ELCA synod to authorize another pastor who is not a bishop to conduct an ordination. The assembly resolution declined a memorial of the ELCA Northwestern Ohio Synod that asked the assembly to elaborate on the "Called to Common Mission" (CCM), a full-communion agreement of the ELCA and the Episcopal Church, especially on the understanding of the historic episcopate.
Other resolutions Aug. 14:
* affirmed principles of unity throughout the ELCA and with other churches, as responses to memorials calling for freedom to receive or reject the historic episcopate. "The commitment to the unity of this church as expressed in this church's governing documents ... assumes that the ordination of pastors and the installation of bishops will be conducted using approved rites of this church," a background statement says.
* declined the request of a synod memorial that the Episcopal Church be encouraged to adopt as an amendment to CCM the "Tucson Resolution," which is the ELCA Conference of Bishops action on their understanding of CCM. The recommendation to decline noted that the "Tucson Resolution" is meant only for consideration within the ELCA, as it relates to full communion with the Episcopal Church.
* called for background material about the "Tucson Resolution" to be sent to the ELCA Minneapolis Area Synod, since information in a memorial to the churchwide assembly from that Synod contains erroneous information about interpretation of the "Tucson Resolution."
* referred to the Office of the Presiding Bishop a memorial of concern for unity in the ELCA over full communion with the Episcopal Church. The assembly's action called for regular reports on the matter to the ELCA Church Council, and encourages "regular conversations" on the topic at meetings of the Conference of Bishops.
* referred to the Church Council a memorial from the Minneapolis Area Synod that the ELCA Constitution and Bylaws be amended "to create a 69-member churchwide council composed of one member from each [ELCA] synod and the four [churchwide] officers." * approve the remaining memorials before the assembly as an "en bloc" action.
The five resolutions of thanks and appreciation, offered by the assembly's reference and counsel committee, were for:
* the bishop and members of the ELCA Indiana-Kentucky Synod, which hosted the 2001 churchwide assembly;
* the ELCA churchwide staff;
* ELCA Treasurer Richard L. McAuliffe, who retires next year;
* Dr. Addie J. Butler, ELCA vice president;
* The Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA secretary; and
* The Rev H. George Anderson, ELCA presiding bishop, who is retiring this fall.
"This has been a ministry that I never expected to be so rich and so deep," Anderson told the assembly. "The reason is that I have gotten to know you who work so hard to keep this church an instrument of God in this world." -- -- --
Information about assembly actions is at http://www.elca.org/assembly/01 on the ELCA's Web site. Recorded updates from the assembly 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