Minneapolis — The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met Oct. 5-7 at the Hilton Minneapolis. The conference — an advisory body of the ELCA that comprises 65 synod bishops, the presiding bishop and the secretary — met following the installation of Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.
In his report to the conference, Curry laid out his focus as he begins his term as presiding bishop. Reflecting on one of the ELCA priority areas — a connected, sustainable church — Curry said that, for the next year, he will emphasize a connected church.
“We need to connect,” said Curry. “As I begin to look at the work we’ve done over the last 10 years as a church, I [remember] the Bible verse ‘I am the vine, you are the branches. You abide in me and I in you.’ For the next year my focus and my message is going to be: Let’s connect.”
During the meeting, the conference:
• Elected the Rev. Felix Malpica, bishop of the ELCA La Crosse Area Synod, as vice chair of the conference and the Rev. Jen Nagel, bishop of the Minneapolis Area Synod, to the Executive Committee. The Rev. Deborah Hutterer, bishop of the ELCA Grand Canyon Synod, has succeeded Bishop Curry as chair of the conference. Curry and Hutterer were elected to four-year terms as the respective chair and vice chair in 2023.
• Reviewed the ELCA Conference of Bishops relational agreement, which outlines the collegial nature of the conference. The agreement is reviewed annually.
• Discussed ways to communicate, engage in ministry and support one another amid the current realities of Christian nationalism, political and cultural polarization and dehumanizing political actions and rhetoric.
• Engaged in conversation about the conference’s role as consultants to the Task Force on Interdependence and Purpose, which was appointed by the Executive Committee of the Church Council during the fall meeting.
The conference received:
• An update on the Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust task force from Ryan Cumming, director for theological ethics. The task force is beginning the process of reconsidering the church’s current concept of the four positions of bound conscience in the social statement Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust. The Rev. Kevin Jones, bishop of the Northeastern Iowa Synod, and the Rev. Brenda Bos, bishop of the Southwest California Synod, serve on the task force.
• An update on the Service and Justice unit from its executive director, the Rev. Khader El-Yateem.
• A final report from the ELCA secretary, Deacon Sue Rothmeyer, who will retire Oct. 31.
• A greeting from Secretary-elect Lucille ‘CeCee’ Mills, who begins her term Nov. 1.
• An update on the ELCA Vision Team from the Rev. Louise Johnson, executive for Vision, and the Rev. Ernie Hinojosa, associate executive for Vision.
• Greetings from the bishops of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Angola and the Church of Norway.
• A greeting from the ELCA Deaconess Community from Sister Dottie Almoney, directing deaconess.
• An update on Portico Benefit Services from Chris Johnson, its president and CEO.
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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 2.7 million members in more than 8,400 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
