ELCA Council Committee Releases Churchwide Governance Draft

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The executive committee of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Church Council released a draft Aug. 25 of a proposal for governance of the ELCA churchwide organization. The suggestions aim to "strengthen this church for mission," according to the draft proposal.
In a separate release on the same day, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, released a draft of a restructuring plan designed to align the churchwide organization with the ELCA Plan for Mission, endorsed by the 2003 Churchwide Assembly. Copies of both proposals are at http://www.elca.org/planning on the ELCA Web site.
The executive committee asked for responses to the governance draft by Oct. 4, 2004. Responses can be made online at http://www.elca.org/planning or they can be sent here to the ELCA Department for Research and Evaluation, the draft said.
The executive committee draft -- that it will present to the November 2004 ELCA Church Council meeting -- addresses governance of the churchwide assembly, Church Council, and boards and committees that relate to churchwide units. At the same meeting Hanson will present his proposal for reorganizing the work of the churchwide organization. The council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies, which meet every other year.
The draft plan on governance retains the current size of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the church's highest legislative authority, at slightly more than 1,000 voting members. It retains the size of the ELCA Church Council at 33 but provides for new nomination procedures and suggests new council advisory members. The draft also recommends that existing boards and steering committees be changed to "program committees."
The draft is the result of a detailed process in which the committee sought input about the church's governance system. Comments and questionnaires were submitted by a number of ELCA leaders and constituents since the council in November 2003 directed its executive committee to lead a process regarding governance of the churchwide organization.
Noting that the current governance structure "has worked well" since the ELCA was formed in 1988, the draft said the system has some weaknesses. It noted "the perception that it [governance] is complicated, unresponsive and confusing."
The current governance structure "has not realized fully its potential for interdependent ministry -- congregations, synods, institutions, agencies and the churchwide organization supporting one another and working together in mission -- that was envisioned for it by the framers of this church," the draft said.
A majority of respondents to surveys supported the current governance system, and voting members of the 2003 Churchwide Assembly declined several proposals to change the church's governance procedures, the draft said. The draft does not propose significant changes; however, the executive committee "is committed to proposing changes in governance that will result in a system that is transparent, readily understood, responsive, flexible, accessible, effective and efficient."
Guiding principles the committee said it used in proposing changes in governance were that leadership and decision-making must be shared; leaders and decision-makers must be accountable to each other; decisions are best made by well-informed members; and there must be discussion of issues that involve people with differing views and experiences.

Churchwide Assembly Governance
Under the draft proposal, the current number of voting members for the churchwide assembly will remain the same with normal adjustments in baptized membership. Assembly voting members will receive a subscription to The Lutheran, the magazine of the ELCA, for the biennium in which they are serving. Where possible, the ELCA Church Council, in collaboration with the ELCA Conference of Bishops will provide "a systematic and standardized process to enable synodical assemblies to discuss and respond to upcoming major decisions facing the churchwide assembly beginning with the 2007 assembly," the draft said.
The draft commits the churchwide organization and church council to be "in regular and significant" consultation with partner churches and organizations. It suggests that formal consultations with various groups, institutions and agencies be held during years when no churchwide assembly is scheduled.

Church Council Governance
While the executive committee is not proposing an expansion of the Church Council, it recommends that synod assemblies nominate council members and that additional council advisors be considered.
The draft proposal suggests that Church Council members be nominated by synod assemblies beginning with the 2005-2006 biennium. Each year 11 council members would be nominated and elected by the churchwide assembly. "Representational principles would be upheld through a rotational system throughout all the synods," the draft said.
In addition to the current system of council advisory bishops and youth advisors, the draft proposes that the presidents of the five ethnic associations within the ELCA be named as council advisors. Other advisors would be the chairs of proposed program committees for churchwide program units, plus the separately incorporated churchwide units, Augsburg Fortress Publishers and Women of the ELCA; chair of a consulting committee for work on behalf of women; one representative from the church's seminaries, colleges and universities, and one from the social ministry organizations, chosen through those institutions' umbrella organizations.
Greater interaction between synods and Church Council members would be encouraged, the draft said.

Churchwide Boards, Committees and Governance
The executive committee recommended that existing boards and steering committees be changed to "program committees." The idea is to achieve "greater clarity" concerning the responsibilities of the ELCA's governance system, the draft said.
The committee proposed that program committees consist of 15 members who serve one nonrenewable six-year term. In most cases, two-thirds of the committee members would be nominated by synod assemblies and one-third by the churchwide nominating committee. All would be elected at the churchwide assembly, the draft said. Church Council members will serve on each committee as liaison with voice but not vote, the draft said.
The Multicultural Ministries program committee would consist of at least two people from each of this church's five ethnic communities.
The draft said program committees may consult with representatives from other organizations and institutions related to the church as needed. The council executive committee recommends that program committees be consulted concerning appointment of the program unit's executive director. Nominations are made by the presiding bishop and confirmed by the council.
The system is intended to clarify "the distinct roles of and relationships between the program committees, which are advisory to the program units, and the Church Council, which is the board of directors of this church," the draft said. It also noted that the council has the responsibility for policy, and the proposed program committees will help units carry out policy by providing advice and a variety of viewpoints.

Implementation
Following the council's completion of governance recommendations in November for action by the 2005 Churchwide Assembly, the council will determine a "transition plan" for the revised form of governance," the draft said. Its decision will guide the assembly nominating committee in preparing the committee's report to the assembly.
If the assembly adopts the recommendations, the governance plan "will guide the election pro