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...
ELCA Assembly Accepts Plan For a New Worship Book, Materials
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The 4.9 million members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will have a new book of worship. Under the church's "Renewing Worship" project, the book will be at the center of a family of worship resources designed to bring unity in worship expressions while...
ELCA Assembly Adopts Restructuring Proposal
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Voting members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly adopted an implementing proposal to restructure the churchwide organization, under the report named "Faithful, Yet Changing: Design for Mission through the Churchwide Organization of the ELCA," here Aug. 10. The proposal was adopted with...
ELCA Secretary Advises Assembly To 'Keep Your Eye On The Horizon'
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The Rev. Lowell G. Almen, secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), drew on images of a flight attendant telling an anxious passenger on a turbulent air flight to "keep your eye on the horizon" and the coordinated movements of a swimmer as advice...
ELCA Assembly Poised for Discussion of Sexuality Proposals
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Voting members at the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) were formally presented with three three recommendations on questions related to homosexuality Aug. 10. The recommendations, which originated with the Studies on Sexuality task force, were forwarded by the 37-member...
ELCA Assembly Holds Hearings On Sexuality Recommendations
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- Voting members of the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) had their first chance to ask questions and make comments on controversial recommendations related to homosexuality and ministry in two hearings Aug. 9. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of...
ELCA Assembly Receives 'Renewing Worship' Report, Recommendations
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- A special project to renew the worship life of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) was presented to voting members of the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly Aug. 9. The presentation included a report with recommendations on "Renewing Worship" -- a five-year, five-phase approach to determine...
ELCA Assembly Hears Presiding Bishop's Report
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson engaged voting members and guests in reflecting on the church's identity and mission in his report Aug. 9 at the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the...
ELCA Assembly Hears Bible Study From Trinity Professor
ORLANDO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark A. Powell, professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio led the first of a series of Bible studies at the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the...
Bishop of ELCA Florida-Bahamas Synod Welcomes Assembly
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The Rev. Edward R. Benoway, bishop of the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) welcomed voting members and guests of the 2005 Churchwide Assembly to Florida Aug. 8 at the opening of the first plenary session. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative...
ELCA Assembly Adopts Rules Of Procedure
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) - After four hours of debate, the "Rules of Organization and Procedure" for the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) were adopted in the assembly's first business session Aug. 8. The "standing" rules describe the composition, functions and responsibilities of the churchwide...
ELCA Presiding Bishop Says 'Walking On Water Is Permitted'
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- At opening worship of the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, told Lutherans that "walking on water is permitted but not required at this assembly." The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative...
ELCA Presiding Bishop: 'See The Fullness Of This Church'
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will focus on worship, Bible study and prayer, while voting members engage in "thoughtful and respectful conversation" about a variety of legislative matters, said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop. Hanson, who...
ELCA Presiding Bishop Highlights Churchwide Assembly Issues
ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), highlighted issues to be considered by the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, including ethnic ministry strategies and sexuality proposals in a news conference here Aug. 8. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative...
