CHICAGO (ELCA) - The 2007 Churchwide Assembly of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) extended the ELCA's
full communion partnership with the Moravian Church in America to
the East Western Indies and the Alaska Provinces of the Moravian
Church in America during the 7th plenary session Aug. 9.
The assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA,
is meeting here Aug. 6-11 at Navy Pier's Festival Hall. About
2,000 people are participating, including 1,068 ELCA voting
members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Living in God's
Amazing Grace: Thanks be to God!"
The 1999 Churchwide Assembly voted to accept a proposal
for full communion for the Northern and Southern Provinces of the
Moravian Church in America. The first worship service of full
communion was held between the ELCA and the Moravian Church in
America in 2000.
The 2007 assembly resolution recognized "that these two [the
Northern and Southern] provinces of the Moravian Church in
America do not cover all the geographical territory encompassed
by the church."
The resolution was passed without amendment with a vote of
999 to 23. The Rev. Gary L. Harke, executive director,
Pennsylvania Council of Churches, addressed the assembly after
the resolution was adopted. "These actions speak to your
commitment to ecumenical work and to full communion," he said.
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Information about the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be
found at http://www.ELCA.org/assembly/ on the Web.
* Lauren A. Lamb is a senior public relations and speech
communication major at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
This summer she is an intern with the ELCA News Service.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
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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
