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DENVER (ELCA) -- The 1999 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) approved full communion with The Episcopal Church. The vote was 716 to 317 -- or 69.3 percent approval. A two-thirds majority -- or at least 66.7 percent approval -- was required for passage. The churchwide...

DENVER (ELCA) -- The Women and Children Living in Poverty project of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has been an emphasis of the church since 1993, Tina Dabney told the 1999 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Dabney, project director for ministry with women and children living in poverty, ELCA Division...

DENVER (ELCA) -- The churchwide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) fell briefly silent Aug. 18 as members prayed for victims of the economic crisis that currently threatens family farms and the future of rural America. The silence followed sometimes emotional speeches in support of a resolution,...

DENVER (ELCA) When ELCA Secretary, the Rev. Lowell G. Almen finished delivering his report to the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, voting members rose to their feet in applause. Almen's topic: the church body's archives. The archives? "Only Lowell Almen could give a report on church records and get a standing ovation,"...

DENVER (ELCA) The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is responding to the financial crisis in rural America and its affect on family farmers. People attending a non-legislative hearing on rural ministry issues here Aug. 17 at the ELCA churchwide assembly expressed a wide range of concerns, including children leaving...

DENVER (ELCA) -- How can we use this? How can we measure this? How can we live this? These were the most prevalent questions about the proposed economic statement from the 200-plus voting members during two afternoon hearings at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly, Aug. 17....

DENVER (ELCA) -- Most ecumenical dialogues revolve around broad and complex matters of doctrine and a variety of concerns, but debate about whether the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) should declare full communion with The Episcopal Church has narrowed to one question: Should the ELCA adopt a form of...

DENVER (ELCA) The 1999 churchwide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) conducted two hearings on Aug. 17 focusing on an "Interunit Response to Synodical Memorials on the Ordination, Consecration and Commissioning of Non-celibate Gay and Lesbian Persons." The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA,...

DENVER (ELCA) The first presentation of the 2000 and 2001 fiscal year budget proposals for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) came before the 1999 Churchwide Assembly in a plenary session here Aug. 17. The Rev. Robert N. Bacher, ELCA executive for administration, presented the proposals totaling more than...

DENVER (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its World Hunger Appeal this year. About 50 voting members and visitors of the 1999 ELCA Churchwide Assembly heard about the appeal's anniversary at a hearing here Aug. 17. The churchwide assembly, the chief...

DENVER (ELCA) -- Voting members and visitors of the 1999 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) interested in transforming lives, congregations and communities in U.S. cities attended a hearing Aug. 17 about "In the City for Good," the church's urban ministry initiative. The Churchwide Assembly, the...

DENVER (ELCA) -- The 1999 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will vote on proposals to enter into "full communion" with The Episcopal Church and the Moravian Church in America. Six hearings were held Aug. 17 to let voting members ask questions about the proposals before...

DENVER (ELCA) -- The Nominating Committee of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) offered the voting members of the 1999 Churchwide Assembly a slate of nearly 200 nominees for 93 positions -- 11 on the ELCA Church Council and 82 positions on ELCA boards and committees. Those elected at...

DENVER (ELCA) -- "My hope is that you will not only vote on this social statement, but more so, that you will use this statement in your congregations, social ministry, Sunday schools, and in your private homes when you struggle with the commercialism of Christmas this year," said the Rev....

DENVER (ELCA) -- A proposal to declare full communion between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and a denomination that traces its origins to a church reformer who preceded Martin Luther was presented at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly here Aug. 17. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of...

DENVER (ELCA) -- Water sustains. We thirst, and water quenches the thirst. The Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in his sermon for the opening worship of the 1999 Churchwide Assembly talked of water which sustained life then and now. The churchwide assembly,...

DENVER (ELCA) Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) discussed their concerns for the possibility of a "middle ground" action that could be embraced by opponents and proponents of a Lutheran proposal for full communion with The Episcopal Church. After more than an hour of discussion Aug. 15,...

DENVER (ELCA)-- Two Lutheran pastors squared off here on whether the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) should declare full communion with The Episcopal Church and allow for such measures of close cooperation as the exchange of clergy between the two churches. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of...

DENVER (ELCA) -- The Rev. Allan C. Bjornberg, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Rocky Mountain Synod, brought greetings from the synod's 180 congregations and more than 93,000 baptized members to participants in the opening session of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly meeting here Aug. 16-22. The churchwide...

DENVER (ELCA) -- Speaking of gifts that have been inherited and the legacy to be left to the next millennium, the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) asked churchwide assembly voting members, "what spiritual legacies can we bequeath to the future?" The...