VANCOUVER, B.C. (ELCA) -- Implementing an evangelism strategy for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a "daunting task,' in part because the church's membership has declined while the general population has grown, said the chair of a 32-member task force on evangelism appointed by the board of the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries in February.
The Rev. Gary M. Wollersheim, bishop of the ELCA Northern Illinois Synod, Rockford, delivered a brief report to the ELCA Conference of Bishops which met here March 7-12.
The ELCA Conference of Bishops is an advisory body of the church. Its members include the church's 65 synod bishops, ELCA presiding bishop and ELCA secretary. The ELCA bishops met here at the invitation of the bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.
The task force is charged to "recommend plans and specific actions for the future evangelism ministry of this church," according to a resolution adopted by the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the church's chief legislative authority. The assembly called for presentation of a comprehensive evangelism strategy for possible action at the 2003 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Milwaukee.
The first meeting of the newly appointed task force is April 18-20 at the Center for Professional Education, St. Charles, Ill. The Church Council, the ELCA's board of directors, allocated an initial $250,000 in November 2001 to fund the work of the task force.
In his remarks to the bishops, Wollersheim said evangelism is an uncomfortable subject for many Lutherans, and many don't like to talk about or participate in evangelism efforts. Television evangelists and church growth movements "have soured us," he said. "But if we are to be faithful stewards of the mission field which God has given us, we will strive to grow in our depth and breadth," he said. The mission field includes new immigrants, a growing population, a population in which 50 percent is "unchurched," and spiritual hunger, Wollersheim said.
He told the bishops that the "treasures of the church" -- Word and Sacrament, grace, community, liturgy, and ministries of mercy and justice -- are powerful witnesses to the gospel.
"Let there be no apology for us confessing that the church is a tool of God to make Christ known," Wollersheim added.
Wollersheim invited the bishops and others to provide input into the task force's work.
"Part of our challenge is to hope that the Holy Spirit will open the lips of the laity," said the Rev. Marcus C. Lohrmann, in response to Wollersheim's remarks. Lohrmann is bishop of the ELCA Northwestern Ohio Synod, Findlay.
"We need to equip the laity to be the spokespeople for the gospel," he added.
The Conference of Bishops also heard updates on other matters before the church:
+ The ELCA is embarking on a strategic planning process, with a report and recommendations to be considered at the 2003 Churchwide Assembly, said the Rev. Charles S. Miller, ELCA executive for administration, Office of the Presiding Bishop. Proposed by the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, Miller said strategic planning can be "imaginative, creative, groundbreaking and even fun."
This spring, voting members and participants at synod assemblies will become involved in the process through discussions. A Web site will soon be launched which will summarize synod assembly discussions and offer a place for members' suggestions, Miller said.
"It is our collective responsibility to ensure that our planning endeavor is mission-centered," Miller told the bishops.
+ Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, the Vatican, will visit the ELCA churchwide offices in Chicago April 16, Hanson announced. Kasper coordinates dialogues and relationships with other churches for the Vatican. He was an important player for the Roman Catholic Church in discussions that led to the signing of the "Joint Declaration on Justification by Faith" by the Vatican and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in 1999. The LWF is a global communion of Lutheran churches, representing 133 churches in 73 countries, including the ELCA.
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
