wfn.org | ELCA Sets Hearings on its Economic Life Statement

[Brenda Williams <BRENDAW@elca.org>]

Reply-To: ElcaNews <ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG>
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 29, 1998

ELCA SETS HEARINGS ON ITS ECONOMIC LIFE STATEMENT
98-27-158-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
will hold 22 hearings across the United States to gather the thoughts of as
many of its 5.2 million members as possible about a proposed social
statement on economic life and the Christian faith, "Toward Sufficient,
Sustainable Livelihood for All."  Twenty-nine of the ELCA's 65 synods and
the ELCA's Division for Church in Society will host hearings on the
statement's first draft.
     "Hearings are an opportunity for ELCA members to come together in
order to participate directly in the development of the social statement,"
said the Rev. Karen L. Bloomquist, ELCA director for studies. "Those
attending hearings will be expected to have at least read the statement
draft, and be ready to share their responses to it and specific suggestions
as to how it should be revised to be faithful to what we as a church
confess and effective in addressing current economic realities."
     "At each hearing, a representative of the ELCA task force on economic
life will be present to hear people's input, and take it back to the task
force who will be responsible for developing the proposed social statement
in early 1999 in preparation for its consideration at the 1999 Churchwide
Assembly," said Bloomquist.
     Schedule and locations of hearings:

August 1998
29   Grace Lutheran Church, Perth Amboy, N.J.

September 1998
10   Igelesia Luterana Paz y Esperanza, Willmar, Minn.
11   Shalom Hill Farm, Windom, Minn.
12   Campus Lutheran Center, Kearney, Neb.
12   Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Minneapolis
26   Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Milwaukee

October 1998
3    Augustana Lutheran Church, Denver
3    Glade Run Lutheran Services, Zelienople, Pa.
11   Faith United Lutheran Church, Iron, Minn.
17   Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash.
17   Ken-Crest Centers, Plymouth Meeting, Pa.
17   Nora Lutheran Church, Gardner, N.D.
18   Macksburg Lutheran Church, Canby, Ore.
24   Central Lutheran Church, Des Moines, Iowa
24   First Lutheran Church, Carlisle, Pa.

November 1998
7    Columbia, S.C.
14   Christ Lutheran Church, Conyngham, Pa.

     Plans are being made to conduct hearings in five other areas:
Atlanta; La Crosse, Wis.; New York; Washington, D.C.; and southern
California.
     The draft statement invites its reader into a conversation, said
Ingrid Christiansen, Chicago, who chairs the board of the ELCA's Division
for Church in Society.  "It asks the questions: 'What is a sufficient
sustainable livelihood for all?' 'How do we think about that?' 'What does
"livelihood" mean?' 'What is sufficiency?' 'What is sustainable?' 'What
does it mean that it is for all?' 'Do we really mean all people?'"
     Christiansen called it a respectful teaching document.  "It deals
with all of us as people who have to have a livelihood and who take our
obligation to our neighbor as well as to our families seriously," she said.
"We hope that many Christians, many Lutherans will use it as an opportunity
to think about the economy and money in their lives."
     The draft includes a response form.  "The whole idea of a draft
document is that it is very much in process," said Christiansen.  "We are
longing for feedback from congregations, from individuals, from anybody who
has an opinion about it."
     Responses the Division for Church in Society receives by Dec. 1 will
be used with input from the hearings to inform the development of a
proposed social statement for consideration by the ELCA Churchwide Assembly
in Denver.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director 1-773-380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html