CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Voting members of the 2013 Churchwide Assembly of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) made a number of key
decisions to further the mission and ministry of this church. The
assembly, the chief legislative authority of the church, gathered Aug. 12-
17 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.
The 952 voting members:
+ Elected the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, bishop of the ELCA Northeastern
Ohio Synod, as ELCA presiding bishop. She will be installed Oct. 5 in
Chicago and will begin her six-year term Nov. 1.
+ Elected the Rev. Wm Chris Boerger as ELCA secretary. Boerger, currently
on leave from call, was installed during the assembly’s closing worship
Aug. 16 and will begin his six-year term Nov. 1.
+ Adopted “The Church and Criminal Justice: Hearing the Cries” -- a
social statement on criminal justice -- and its supporting implementing
resolutions. The statement calls ELCA members to ministry and compassion
through practices including: hearing the cries of those affected,
accompaniment, hospitality and advocacy. It asks members of this church
to recommit themselves to visiting the prisoner; correct the flawed
criminal justice system and participate in God's work with hands and
hearts.
+ Approved a proposal for the ELCA’s first major fundraising campaign.
The five-year campaign, to begin in 2014, is designed to increase this
church’s capacity to renew and start new congregations, educate and
develop its leaders, bolster its global mission efforts and expand the
impact of its relief and development work. Voting members approved two
more campaign initiatives -- encouraging and forming lay youth and young
adult leaders and support for disability ministry.
+ Approved the ELCA churchwide organization budget for fiscal years 2014-
2016. The budget includes current fund spending of $70,541,740 for 2014,
$68,552,280 for 2015, and $67,920,675 for 2016. It also approved ELCA
World Hunger income proposals of $19,000,000 for each year 2014-2016, and
authorized the ELCA Church Council to establish a spending authorization
after periodic review of revised income estimates.
+ Elected ELCA members to serve on the following: Church Council, Portico
Benefit Services, Mission Investment Fund, Augsburg Fortress, Committee
on Appeals, Committee on Discipline, Nominating Committee.
+ Adopted a series of amendments to the ELCA Constitutions, Bylaws and
Continuing Resolutions.
+ Moved to continue the Book of Faith initiative that invites the 4-
million-member ELCA to become fluent in the first language of our faith --
the language of Scripture -- and to be renewed for lives of witness and
service.
+ Considered memorials - resolution from the ELCA’s 65 synods -- on topics
including Holy Communion, immigration reform, the Middle East, pastoral
ministry among to same-gender couples and their families, the Uniting
American Families Act, community violence, gender identity, immigration
detention, hydraulic fracturing, fossil fuels and more.
The assembly will transition from a biennial to a triennial schedule
with the next assembly meeting August 2016 in New Orleans.
- - -
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
