MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) – A social statement on health care adopted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) six years ago should commit the church to working on plans to provide more adequate health care today, said a resolution passed by the 2009 ELCA Churchwide assembly Aug. 20. That resolution, which passed by a vote of 799-128, said the church believed that “each person should have ready access to basic health care services that include preventative, acute and chronic physical and mental health care at affordable cost.”
Noting that the United States Congress is working on comprehensive health care reform, the resolution and this church’s views on health care reform should be communicated to Congress and U.S. President Barack Obama.
Voting members of the assembly asked the ELCA to work with synods, congregations and members to “convey the urgency and sense” of the resolution to the nation’s highest officials.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA met here Aug. 17-23 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. About 2,000 people participated, including 1,045 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly was God’s work. Our hands.”
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Information about the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be found at http://www.elca.org/assembly/ on the Web.
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
