ELCA Assembly Adopts Six Memorials

ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Voting members at the 2005
Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) adopted six memorials Aug. 13 that related to a social
statement on bioethical research; refugees, asylum seekers and
immigrants: faithful conversations about Scripture; a mission-
support covenant; HIV and AIDS education; and licensed lay
ministers.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the World Center Marriott
and Convention Center. About 2,300 people are participating,
including 1,018 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial
assembly is "Marked with the Cross of Christ Forever."
Memorials are resolutions submitted by synods seeking
specific action. Prior to Aug. 13, the assembly had time only to
consider two memorials offered by the memorials committee -- one
affirming and stepping up the ELCA's commitment to ending world
hunger, and another calling for continuing and expanding
dialogues between Jewish and Christian people. Voting members
approved both those memorials.
The memorials committee co-chairs -- the Rev. Diane "Dee" H.
Pederson, St. Cloud, Minn., and Karl D. Anderson, Lakeville,
Minn., announced that a proposed memorial on the composition of
the ELCA Church Council would be covered by a separate action of
the assembly.
In all, the memorials committee was planning to offer 12
memorials for assembly action. This means that three remain for
consideration on Aug. 14.
Following is a brief description of each of the six
memorials voting members adopted Aug. 13:
+ Bioethical research: Responding to a memorial from the
ELCA Northeastern Iowa Synod, the memorial calls on the ELCA
Division for Church in Society to develop a social statement that
"addresses significant theological, ethical, public, and pastoral
challenges arising from developments in genetics" for possible
consideration by the 2011 churchwide assembly and "encourages
continued faithful conversations on the topic throughout the
church."
+ Refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants: Based on
memorials from 12 synods, voting members approved action to
"welcome and encourage task forces to empower this church in its
engagement with refugee and immigrant issues" and mandates
strengthening the church's work with Lutheran Immigration and
Refugee Service. It also calls on the U.S. Congress "to end
immediately the detention and imprisonment of non-criminal asylum
seekers, undocumented laborers," and others who are incarcerated
and to "implement just, consistent and humane practices regarding
the treatment of asylum seekers."
+ Faithful conversations about Scripture: This action
refers to a memorial from the ELCA North Carolina Synod on
"foundational issues of the authority of Scripture and principles
of biblical interpretation" to the ELCA Office of the Secretary,
in consultation with others in the church "for development of a
report and possible recommendations" for consideration at the
April 2006 meeting of the ELCA Church Council.

+ Mission-support covenant: In response to a memorial from
the ELCA Lower Susquehanna Synod, this action calls for renewed
efforts on the part of synods to forward at least 55 percent of
the unrestricted gifts they receive for mission and ministry at
the churchwide level. It also supports "further study and
consultation" to find new ways of increasing such support and
refers the synod's memorial to the ELCA Church Council and the
ELCA Office of the Presiding Bishop for a report and "possible
recommendations" to the November 2006 Church Council meeting.
+ HIV and AIDS education: Growing out of memorials from the
ELCA Southwestern Pennsylvania and ELCA Southeastern synods, this
measure refers those synods' memorials to the ELCA Division for
Church in Society. Voting members approved an amendment that
calls on various groups in the ELCA to urge the U.S. Congress to
take action on two matters before it by fall -- re-authorization
of the Ryan White Act and approval of the Bush Administration's
initiatives "to secure major funding ... and release current
funding ... to fight HIV [and] AIDS in Africa."
+ Licensed lay ministers: This action refers a memorial of
the ELCA Northern Great Lakes Synod calling on the ELCA to "amend
its documents" and take other measures that would allow licensed
lay ministers to "solemnize weddings ... subject to the laws of
the state in which [their] community is located" to the ELCA
Division for Ministry, "as information for [a] study requested by
the ELCA Church Council." The memorial adopted by the churchwide
assembly also "anticipate[s] that a report and possible
recommendations" about licensed lay ministers might come to the
ELCA Church Council at its April 2006 meeting.
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Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at http://www.elca.org/assembly/05 on the Web.

For more information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news