wfn.org | ELCA Board Urges Concern for International Conflicts

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 7, 2000

ELCA BOARD URGES CONCERN FOR INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS
00-268-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Resolutions calling for specific responses
from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and its
members to violence in the Middle East, in the West African nations
of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, and in Colombia were adopted by
a board that supports the ELCA's international ministry.
     The resolutions were among several actions of the board for the
ELCA Division for Global Mission (DGM), which met here Oct. 19-21.
     In its resolution on the Middle East, the board asked the ELCA
Church Council "to encourage members of the ELCA to support, through
prayer and material assistance, the people in the region affected by
civil strife."  The council is the church's interim legislative
authority between churchwide assemblies, held every two years.
     The board also asked DGM staff to explore, with other
churchwide staff, the possibilities for "particular expressions of
concern," including a letter from the presiding bishop to all
congregations, coordinated days of prayer and fasting to end the
violence and an ELCA delegation to visit the region soon.
     The board also affirmed expressions of  "peace, justice and
reconciliation conveyed to U.S.-policy makers" and encouraged members
to engage in similar advocacy, using a variety of available resources
related to the Middle East.
     In its West Africa resolution, the board requested that the
ELCA Church Council call on members "to pray for the people of
Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, and better familiarize themselves
with the ongoing conflict and its causes."  It also called for
continued assistance to meet humanitarian needs through the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF), Lutheran World Relief (LWR) and other
partners.
     LWF is a global communion of 131 member churches in 72
countries, representing 59.5 million of the world's 63 million
Lutherans.  LWR is the overseas relief and development ministry of
the ELCA and The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod.
     The board also encouraged members to use resources available
though the Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs, the ELCA's
federal public policy advocacy office in Washington, D.C.; the
Lutheran Office for World Community, which represents the ELCA and
the LWF at the United Nations in New York; Washington Office on
Africa, an ecumenical agency that raises awareness in the United
States of issues faced by Africans; and DGM.
     The Rev. Martha L. McCracken, board member from Santurce,
Puerto Rico, spoke about the situation in Liberia.  She recently
returned from a visit to that country.
     "People are still afraid to put curtains in their windows, to
have any kind of decorative objects," she said. "People want to work,
but there are no jobs."
     Curran Memorial Hospital, one of two Lutheran hospitals in
Liberia, was heavily damaged after having just been rebuilt with
assistance from the ELCA, said Dr. Walter Gwenigale.  Gwenigale is
medical director of  Phebe Hospital, also a Lutheran Church in
Liberia hospital.  He was a guest at the board meeting.
     In a third action, the board expressed its concern about human
rights abuses in Colombia.  The board, through DGM, conveyed its
"pastoral concern" to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Colombia and
other churches, and called on ELCA members to pray for an end to
conflict there.  It also asked for the church to "consider ways in
which it may provide financial and material assistance on behalf of
the ELCA to the people of Colombia and the region."
     The board also asked the division to promote awareness of the
situation to members of the ELCA and encouraged the church to use
many resources already available through the church.
     "It's our responsibility to get this information out," said the
Rev. Harvey L. Nelson, board member from Litchfield, Minn. "It's
incumbent upon us to take action."
     "We want to thank you in a special way for this resolution on
Colombia," said the Rev. Nehemias Paradas, bishop of the Iglesia
Evangelica Luterana de Colombia.  The bishop was an invited guest at
the board meeting.
     In other actions, the board:
     + affirmed development of "Stand With Africa: A Campaign of
Hope," a joint ELCA-LCMS-LWR effort to raise awareness about Africa,
emphasizing the HIV/AIDS crisis, peacemaking and sustainable
development. The three-year educational program is expected to begin
in early 2001.
     + requested funding to continue a mission history and research
project through the ELCA Archives and Records Center.  A new phase of
the project includes processing records of women's missionary
societies and a transcription of oral history tapes of women
missionaries in the former American Lutheran Church.  The board asked
the Church Council to approve transfer of $75,000 to the archives
from the division's Global Mission Fund for the project, and it asked
for more funds if an additional $75,000 cannot be raised in one year.
     + asked the Church Council to establish a designated fund to be
invested as "funds functioning as endowment" for the ELCA Wittenberg
Center.  The board also asked that the Wittenberg Center fund be
established through a transfer of $50,000 from the World Mission
Education Fund. The Wittenberg Center was opened in 1999 as a
three-year pilot project, and offers a place for study, tour and
dialogue for congregational members, seminarians and college
students.  Wittenberg was home to 16th-century German church reformer
Martin Luther and his wife, Katharina.
     + was introduced to a page on the ELCA's Web site that will
assist the division in recruiting global mission personnel.  The
address is http://www.elca.org/dgm/mispos.html.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
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