ELCA Assembly Hears Of Work Of Lutheran Men In Mission
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The work of Lutheran Men in Mission (LMM) was shared by LMM President Heber Rast, Cameron, S.C., Aug. 12 at the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug....
ELCA Assembly Adopts Campaign For 'Justice In The Holy Land'
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Voting members of the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) urged Lutherans Aug. 13 to participate in a campaign -- "Peace Not Walls: Stand for Justice in the Holy Land" -- designed to build awareness, and engage in accompaniment and advocacy...
ELCA Assembly Told To Make God's Work Serious
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Under the theme, "The Christ-Marked Life," the Rev. Ruben Duran told voting members of the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) that never before -- in the social experiment we call the United States -- do Lutherans, as disciples of Christ,...
ELCA Assembly Hears From Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The Rev. Gerald B. Kieschnick, president of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod (LCMS), told the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Aug. 12 that LCMS members are praying for "harmonious conclusions" to differences between the two church bodies--the largest among North American...
ELCA Assembly Meets New Women of the ELCA President
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Carmen K. Richards, Hope, N.D., president, Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, challenged the voting members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly to "act boldly" here Aug. 11. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting...
ELCA Assembly Acts On Key Sexuality Proposals
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) affirmed pastoral care for all people including people who are gay or lesbian, and continued to encourage the church to welcome gay and lesbian people into its life. In a related action, the assembly...
ELCA Assembly Embraces 'Unity' Resolution
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Voting members at the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) began official deliberations on matters of sexuality by urging the ELCA to remain united as a church, despite its widely differing beliefs on homosexuality. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative...
ELCA Assembly Holds Discussion on Sexuality Proposals
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Thirty-one voting members of the 2005 churchwide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) addressed the assembly in a special one-hour session devoted to informal discussion of the three proposals related to homosexuality on Aug. 11. There were at least 50 more people lined...
ELCA Assembly Adopts African Descent Ministry Strategy
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) - The 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted an African Descent ministry strategy by unanimous vote on Aug. 11. The strategy features a theological statement, vision, mission opportunities, goals and "mission actions" regarding pastoral leadership, worship, witness, discipleship, stewardship, family ministries,...
ELCA Assembly Adopts Arab And Middle Eastern Ministry Strategy
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted an Arab and Middle Eastern ministry strategy Aug. 11 by a vote of 858 to 6. The strategy's recommendations support Lutheran Christians of Arab and Middle Eastern ancestry in congregations, develop ministry with...
ELCA Assembly Adopts Interim Eucharistic Sharing With UMC
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) - By a vote of 877 to 60, the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) agreed to begin an "Interim Eucharistic Sharing" with the United Methodist Church. The agreement had previously been approved by the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist...
ELCA Assembly Receives Greetings From Full Communion Partners
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The five full communion partners of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) brought official greetings to the 2005 Churchwide Assembly, each expressing gratitude and blessings for the deepening ecumenical relationships that have developed. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting...
ELCA Assembly Hears Rabbi On Jewish/Christian Relations
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- After almost unanimously approving a memorial Aug. 11 that calls for stepping up dialogue with those in the Jewish community, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly heard a national Jewish leader thank the ELCA for its work with his community. The churchwide assembly,...
ELCA Assembly Receives Greetings From Ecumenical Guests
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Representatives from the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. (NCC) shared ecumenical greetings of togetherness in Christ at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly here Aug. 11. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative...
ELCA Assembly Thanks Commission For Women, Discusses 'The Lutheran'
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Commission for Women was eliminated as part of the restructuring proposal adopted Aug. 10 by the churchwide organization. A second recommendation related to the commission was adopted here at the churchwide assembly Aug. 11, with 810 votes, or 83...
ELCA Assembly Votes to Strengthen Commitment To End World Hunger
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA)--Voting members at the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) overwhelmingly passed a memorial Aug. 10 strengthening the church body's commitment to ending world hunger after declining to add an amendment that several speakers said could have been confusing. The churchwide assembly, the...
ELCA Assembly Hears Strategies To Strengthen Ethnic Ministry
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) - Two ethnic ministry strategies were introduced Aug. 10 for consideration by the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The Arab and Middle Eastern Ministry Strategy and African Descent Ministry Strategy continue the ELCA's plan to develop long-range, intentional ministry strategies for...
ELCA Youth Challenge Assembly Voting Members
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Youth from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) challenged the Churchwide Assembly voting members to have a youth voting member from each of the 65 synods at the churchwide assembly in 2007. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here...
ELCA Assembly Receives Financial Status of The Church
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- If members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) seek to maintain balanced budgets, they must continue to increase revenue and identify new opportunities for "cost containment," Christina Jackson-Skelton, treasurer of the ELCA, told voting members of the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The churchwide assembly,...
ELCA Assembly Hears Bible Study From New England Bishop
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Under the theme of "Journeying Together Faithfully," the Rev. Margaret G. Payne, bishop of the ELCA New England Synod, invited the voting members and visitors of the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) to wrestle a blessing from their fears and...
