wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Acts on More 'Reference and Council' Motions

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 14, 2001

ELCA ASSEMBLY ACTS ON MORE 'REFERENCE AND COUNCIL' MOTIONS
01-CWA67-JI

     INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The churchwide assembly of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America acted Aug. 13 on a number of proposals from
voting members that the assembly's reference and counsel committee
submitted for consideration.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the
ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention Center.  About
2,500 people are participating, including 1,039 ELCA voting members.
The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known: Sharing
Faith in a New Century."
     Voting members approved a committee  recommendation to refer to
the ELCA Division for Church in Society a motion to develop a social
statement on education. The resolution also requests the division to
submit a report and recommendation on the subject to the April 2002
meeting of the ELCA Church Council, allowing time for the proposed study
to be considered for staffing and budget needs.
     The original motion specified that the study address "the numerous
accomplishments and concerns of education in the United States and its
territories" and asks that it be presented at the 2005 churchwide
assembly.
     Another assembly action agreed with a committee suggestion to
decline certain proposed identical constitution changes related  to the
installation of ELCA synodical bishops.
     The proposal would have applied to the installation of a newly
elected synodical bishop who objects "to installation in the historic
episcopate." It would have allowed that "said objection [be] honored by
the appointment of an appropriate bishop to preside for the newly
elected bishop's installation."
     The Rev.  Theodore Schneider, bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan
Washington, D.C., Synod, was one of several speakers supporting the
committee's recommendation.
     Schneider said he viewed the original motion as "conscientious
objection to installation in the historic episcopate" and a threat to
"Called to Common Mission," the full communion agreement of  the ELCA
and the Episcopal Church.
     In a matter brought to the assembly by the ELCA Church Council, a
change was approved to the "Model Constitution for Congregations" that
deals with "the required vote on the possible termination of the call of
a congregation to a pastor."
     It has to do with situations when the pastor and congregation do
not agree with decisions made by their synod bishop and a special
committee that has studied "alleged local difficulties that imperil the
effective functioning of the congregation."
     Before the change, the constitution said that a congregation may
dismiss the pastor "by a two-thirds majority vote" at a congregational
meeting "after consultation with the bishop."  The new provision adopted
by the assembly calls for a two-thirds vote to dismiss a pastor when the
congregation does not agree with the recommendation of the bishop and
the special committee, and a simple majority vote when there is
agreement.
----

     Information about assembly action is at
http://www.elca.org/assembly/01 on the ELCA's Web site.  Recorded
updates during the assembly are available by calling 773/380-2477.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html