ELCA Assembly Debates Agreement with Episcopal Church
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...
ELCA Assembly Discusses Gay and Lesbian Issue
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,...
ELCA Assembly Receives Budget Proposal, Questions in Hearing
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...
ELCA Assembly Hears about World Hunger and Disaster Appeal
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...
ELCA Assembly Holds "In the City for Good" Hearing
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...
ELCA Assembly Conducts Hearings on Ecumenical Proposals
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...
ELCA Assembly Receives Slate of Candidates
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...
ELCA Assembly Opens Discussion on Economic Life Statement
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....
ELCA Assembly Opens Discussion on Full Communion with Moravians
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...
ELCA Assembly Opens with Worship, Sermon by Presiding Bishop
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,...
ELCA Bishops Discuss Concerns about Lutheran-Episcopal Proposal
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,...
ELCA Assembly Opens Debate on Full Communion with Episcopal
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...
ELCA Assembly Receives Greetings from Rocky Mountain Synod
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...
ELCA Assembly Hears Bishop Address Legacies for the next Millennium
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...
ELCA Assembly Hears Finances Are 'Quite Adequate'
DENVER (ELCA) "Quite adequate" are the words that Treasurer Richard L. McAuliffe chose for describing the current financial position of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), as he addressed the ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting Aug. 16-22 here at...
ELCA Council, Bishops Discuss Assembly, Concerns
DENVER (ELCA) In a preview of this week's churchwide assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, said the vote on a Lutheran proposal for full communion with The Episcopal Church "is not the whole show." Anderson discussed several...
ELCA Bishops Support Boycott, Refuse to Meet in South Carolina
DENVER (ELCA) Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) supported a call for a boycott on conventions and other meetings to be held in South Carolina, and agreed not to hold their spring 2000 meeting in Charleston, S.C. The Conference of Bishops represents the 65 synods of the...
ELCA Council Receives Budget Report
DENVER (ELCA) -- Although the total operating costs of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) exceeded total revenue of the church by more than $300,000, operating costs were still $1.2 million below budget, said Richard L. McAuliffe, ELCA treasurer, in his report to the ELCA Church Council meeting here...
ELCA Council Recommends Nominee, Not Synod Name Change
DENVER (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met here Aug. 15 to take care of some last minute business before the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, which meets here Aug. 16-22. It decided to convey to the assembly the nomination of a new editor for...
ELCA Council Names Committee Members
DENVER (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met here Aug. 15 and named 14 people to serve on four committees of the church. Two of the appointments were to fill unexpired terms. ELCA Commission for Multicultural Ministries, steering committee: John Prabhakar, Faith Lutheran...
