CHICAGO (ELCA)-- Churches and other agencies of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America should provide a
"welcoming and supporting environment for returning military
veterans," and the bishops of the church were asked to work with
military chaplains on additional ways to provide "healing
ministries to military veterans and their families."
Voting members of the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly endorsed
the proposal with 1,023 affirmative votes. The proposal grew out
of a memorial from the ELCA Saint Paul Area Synod of the 4.8
million member church.
The action came on Aug. 7 at the churchwide assembly, the
chief legislative authority of the ELCA, which is meeting here
Aug. 6-11at Navy Pier's Festival Hall. The theme for the
biennial assembly is "Living in God's Amazing Grace: Thanks be to
God!"
The Saint Paul Area Synod memorial suggested that churches
could provide additional information about the moral and
spiritual needs of returning military personnel and their
families, encourge pastors to educate their parishioners on the
issues that face returning veterans, and have congregations
provide special care for families of military personnel.
In the brief discussion preceeding the vote, the Rev. Peter
Rogness, bishop of the synod that instituted the memorial,
explained that the concern grew out of traditional Lutheran
teaching about respect for civil authorities. The bishop said
that though the memorial presented to the churchwide assembly did
not mention those who, for reasons of conscience, refuse military
service, "we do not ignore those people and continue to embrace
that part of our tradition."
The ELCA assembly has received 125 memorials, or resolutions
from the church's 65 synods, asking the church to take action on
various issues.
---
Information about the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at
http://www.ELCA.org/assembly on the ELCA Web site.
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
- - -
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
