2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly
The Twelfth Biennial Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will be held Aug. 15-19, 2011 at Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Fla.
Freed in Christ to Serve
The assembly will meet around the theme "Freed in Christ to Serve." It expresses the heart of our faith. In Christ we are both bound to be free from the power of sin, death and the devil, and free to be bound to God in faith and to our neighbor in service. More
Tune in!
Not going to the assembly? Tune in from home! Worship and plenary sessions will be streaming live at www.elca.org/assembly. Also, on August 18 you'll have an opportunity to join the conversation during the ELCA Online Town Hall with Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson. Stay tuned to the assembly website for details.
Eleventh Churchwide Assembly
The Eleventh Biennial Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA was held Aug. 17-23, 2009 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. About 2,300 people participated, including 1,045 voting members. The theme was “God's work. Our hands."
2009 Churchwide Assembly highlights
Reports, multimedia, news, worship, and followup discussions are available on the ELCA website at www.elca.org/assembly.
Full Communion with The United Methodist Church adopted
By a vote of 958-51, the assembly adopted a full communion agreement with The United Methodist Church (UMC). This is the ELCA’s sixth full-communion relationship and the first for the UMC. The assembly also established a joint commission to oversee the relationship by a vote of 922-15. In 2008 the UMC General Conference adopted the same proposal. Full communion means that the two churches identify in one another a common Christian faith; agree to mutual recognition of Baptism and the sharing of Holy Communion; worship together and recognize each other's ordained ministers for service in either church; express a common commitment to evangelism, witness, and service; engage in common decision-making on critical matters; and agree to a mutual lifting of criticisms that may exist between the churches.
Carlos Peña re-elected vice president
Vice President Carlos Peña of Galveston, Texas, was elected on the fourth ballot to a second six-year term as vice president with 580 votes, 60.8 percent of the votes cast. Peña was elected over Ryan M. Schwarz, McLean, Va., who received 264 votes, and Norma J. Hirsch, Des Moines, Iowa, who received 110 votes. There were 97 nominees on the first ballot.
HIV and AIDS funding proposal adopted
The assembly voted 884-41 to approve a proposal to raise $10 million over three years to support this church's HIV and AIDS strategy. A $1 million goal encouraged by the 2007 Churchwide Assembly will be included in the $10 million. The ELCA Church Council approved the strategy in March.
Development of Lutheran Malaria Initiative approved
By a vote of 989-11, the assembly approved continued development of an initiative to fight malaria, particularly in Africa. The Lutheran Malaria Initiative (LMI) is a shared effort with Lutheran World Relief (LWR), The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the United Nations Foundation. The assembly authorized continued receipt of gifts designated for the LMI, and asked that a report and recommendations for a possible churchwide LMI campaign be brought to the 2011 assembly.
Social statement, "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust," adopted
The assembly adopted by a vote of 676-338 -- precisely two-thirds of those voting -- “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,” the ELCA’s 10th social statement, with editorial amendments. It also adopted 15 implementing resolutions by a vote of 695-285. The social statement is a theological and teaching document that builds on the key Lutheran principles of justification by grace and Christian freedom to serve the neighbor. It emphasizes that central to our vocation, in relation to human sexuality, is the building and protection of trust in relationships. It therefore affirms that we are called to be trustworthy in our human sexuality and to build social institutions and practices in which trust and trustworthy relationships can thrive. The social statement addresses, among other topics, marriage, same-gender relationships, families, protecting children, friendships, commitment, social responsibility, and moral discernment. Regarding same-gender committed relationships, the social statement recognizes that members of this church are not in agreement and identifies the different perspectives that are present among us.
Ministry policies resolutions adopted
Voting members adopted resolutions proposed by the Church Council based on those contained in a “Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policies.” The assembly determined on August 17 that majority votes were required on each resolution for adoption. The actions direct that changes be made to churchwide policy documents to make it possible for people in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as rostered leaders in the ELCA. The assembly adopted the resolutions in the following order:
Resolution 3: Adopted by a vote of 771-230 as amended: “Resolved, that in the implementation of any resolutions on ministry policies, the ELCA commit itself to bear one another's burdens, love the neighbor, and respect the bound consciences of all."
Resolution 1: Adopted by a vote of 619-402: “Resolved, that the ELCA commit itself to finding ways to allow congregations that choose to do so to recognize, support and hold publicly accountable lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships.”
Resolution 2: Adopted by a vote of 559-451: “Resolved, that the ELCA commit itself to finding a way for people in such publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as rostered leaders of this church.”
Resolution 4: Adopted by a vote of 667-307 as amended: This resolution called upon members to respect the bound consciences of those with whom they disagree; declared the intent to allow structured flexibility in decision-making about candidacy and the call process; eliminated the prohibition of rostered service by members in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationships; recognized and committed to respect the conviction of members who believe that the ELCA should not call or roster people in committed same-gender relationships; called for development of accountability guidelines; directed that appropriate amendments to ministry policy documents be drafted and approved by the Church Council; and urged that this church continue to trust congregations, bishops, synods and others responsible for determining who should be called into public ministry.
More information about the social statement and the ministry policies resolutions is at www.elca.org/faithfuljourney/faq.
