ELCA Churchwide Assembly To Consider 196 Memorials From Synods

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The 1,018 voting members attending the
2005 Churchwide Assembly in Orlando, Fla., next month will be
asked to respond to 196 memorials summarized in a 112-page
report. Memorials are requests from the church's synods asking
for action by the Churchwide Assembly on specific issues. There
are 65 ELCA synods.
The Churchwide Assembly, which meets every two years, is the
ELCA's chief legislative authority. Voting members, staff,
visitors and media will meet Aug. 8-14 at the Orlando World
Center Marriott and Convention Center.
A memorials committee, appointed by the ELCA Church Council,
the church's board of directors, met here June 26-27. The
committee categorized the memorials and drafted proposals for
response by the assembly to each memorial. Karl D. Anderson,
Lakeville, Minn., and the Rev. Diane H. "Dee" Pederson, St.
Cloud, Minn., both members of the Church Council, co-chair the
committee.
Memorials covered topics such as caring for creation, ELCA
engagement in the Holy Land, Jewish-Christian relations, new
worship resources, anti-racism work, support for the ELCA
publishing house, and constitutional matters such as the
composition of the Church Council and possible ratification of
ELCA governing documents. Nearly half of the memorials are
related to three proposals on homosexuality.
The memorials committee proposed that most of the
recommendations on the memorials be approved "en bloc" -- where
the responses are considered for approval in one, sweeping
action. Many of the proposed responses call for the memorials
to be referred to a churchwide unit or legislative body for study
and possible action.
The committee recommended that five categories of memorials
be discussed individually by the assembly: world hunger; a
possible social statement on bioethical research; refugees,
asylum seekers and immigrants; faithful conversation about
Scripture; and a mission-support covenant.
+ World hunger: Fifteen synods adopted similar memorials on
this topic. They called for the churchwide assembly to make
ending hunger "a core conviction" of the ELCA and for each synod
to make ending hunger a core conviction of its ministry and
mission. The committee recommended the assembly "recommit this
church to the goals of the ELCA World Hunger Appeal and Program
through increased resolve and renewed commitment." The committee
proposal calls on the ELCA to demonstrate renewed commitment to
end hunger by generously supporting the ELCA World Hunger Appeal
and Program, and it requested that the church work in partnership
with Lutheran organizations to eradicate hunger around the world.
+ Bioethical research: In 2004 the ELCA Northeastern Iowa
Synod Assembly asked the 2005 Churchwide Assembly to authorize
development of a social statement that addresses "the
theological, ethical, public and pastoral issues surrounding
genetic research and therapy." It asked that a final proposal be
brought to the 2011 Churchwide Assembly. The committee
recommended the Churchwide Assembly call on the ELCA Division for
Church in Society to develop the statement. Social statements
address matters of broad social concern and are adopted by
churchwide assemblies.
+ Refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants: Eleven synods
adopted similar memorials expressing concern for immigration
justice. The committee recommended the church call on the U.S.
Congress and Bush Administration to end detention and
imprisonment of non-criminal asylum seekers, undocumented
laborers and others in jails; to implement "just, consistent and
human practices" regarding treatment of asylum seekers; and to
refer the synod memorials to the Division for Church in Society
for implementation, in consultation with the ELCA Conference of
Bishops and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.
+ Faithful conversation about Scripture: The ELCA North
Carolina Synod Assembly asked that the ELCA address issues
surrounding the authority of Scripture and "foster healthy and
spirited conversation" about Scripture and the Lutheran
Confessions. The committee recommended that the memorial be
referred to the ELCA Office of the Secretary, which, in
consultation with various churchwide leaders, is to develop a
report and possible recommendations to be considered by the April
2006 meeting of the ELCA Church Council.
+ Mission-support covenant: The ELCA Lower Susquehanna Synod
Assembly asked that the church's 65 synods "recommit to accepting
the original challenge and vision of remitting at least 55
percent of mission-support receipts for churchwide ministries."
The memorials committee is recommending that the request be
forwarded to the Office of the Presiding Bishop, which, in
consultation with the Conference of Bishops, will be asked to
bring a report and possible recommendations to the November 2006
meeting of the ELCA Church Council.

Sexuality Recommendations Draw Wide Variety of Responses
Many synods responded to ELCA Church Council proposals on
church unity and homosexuality policy. The council developed and
forwarded resolutions to the assembly which address whether or
not the church will bless same-sex relationships and whether or
not the ELCA will allow people in such relationships to serve the
church as professional lay and ordained ministers.
The proposals were developed during the first part of a six-
year study process known as the "ELCA Studies on Sexuality." A
study director and a task force developed a report and
recommendations, and made them public Jan. 13. Church members
were encouraged to respond to the recommendations, and responses
were provided to the council as it considered resolutions for
assembly action.
+ The council drafted an assembly resolution "that the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America -- its members,
congregations, synods, churchwide organization, and agencies and
institutions -- be urged to concentrate on finding ways to live
together faithfully in the midst of disagreements, recognizing
the God-given mission and communion that we share as members of
the body of Christ." This proposal requires a majority vote for
adoption.
+ A second assembly resolution proposes "that the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America continue to respect the
guidance of the 1993 advisory statement of the Conference of
Bishops" and "that this church welcome gay and lesbian persons
into its life . and trust pastors and congregations to discern
ways to provide faithful pastoral care to same-sex couples."
This proposal also requires a majority vote for adoption.
The 1993 advisory statement said the Conference of Bishops
finds no basis in Scripture for blessing homosexual
relationships, and that conference members do not approve such a
ceremony as an official action of the ELCA's ministry.
+ The third resolution would "create a process for the sake
of outreach, ministry and the commitment to continuing dialogue,
which may permit exceptions to the expectations regarding sexual
conduct for gay or lesbian candidates and rostered leaders in
life-long, committed and faithful same-sex relationships who
otherwise are determined to be in compliance" with the conduct
the church expects of its ministers. "Rostered" leaders of the
ELCA are lay and ordained ministers of the church. Lay ministers
are associates in ministry, deaconesses and diaconal ministers.
The council drafted specific bylaws for the assembly to consider,
defining the process for exceptions. This proposal requires a two-
thirds vote of the assembly for adoption because constitutional
bylaws must be amended.
Thirteen synods responded with memorials about the first
proposal; 10 favored it. In addition, one synod -- the ELCA
Greater Milwaukee Synod -- called for the Churchwide Assembly to
encourage congregations with differing under