wfn.org | Task Force Calls Lutherans to Prayer Every Day at Noon

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 23, 2002

TASK FORCE CALLS LUTHERANS TO PRAYER EVERY DAY AT NOON
02-095-FI

     ST. CHARLES, Ill. (ELCA) -- A "blue ribbon" task force of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met here April 18-20 to
begin developing a comprehensive evangelism strategy for the church.  It
began its meeting with prayer and decided to include prayer at every
stage of its work, including a call to prayer every day at noon for the
renewal and growth of the ELCA.
     The ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries assembled the 33-
member task force on evangelism to develop the strategy for presentation
and possible action at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, August 11-17, 2003,
in Milwaukee.  About 20 staff members of the ELCA and a half-dozen
consultants assisted the task force.
     "We realized before our meeting that prayer would be the most
important thing that we could do," said the Rev. Gary M. Wollersheim,
bishop of the ELCA Northern Illinois Synod, Rockford, and chair of the
task force on evangelism.
     A month before the meeting, the Rev. Brent W. Dahlseng, associate
director for prayer ministries, ELCA Division for Congregational
Ministries, gathered several Lutherans from across the United States to
form a "prayer team."  Three team members attended the task force
meeting, said Dahlseng; "the remaining members lighted candles and have
been in prayer wherever they are located around the country."
     "We surrounded everything with prayer," said Wollersheim.  "We
realize that in evangelism it is the Holy Spirit who calls and gathers,
so we began with calling the Holy Spirit to make this happen."
     The task force decided to pause every day at noon until the 2003
Churchwide Assembly, to pray "for the Holy Spirit to renew and grow the
church," said Wollersheim.  "We would ask that synods, congregations,
worshipers, leaders, congregational councils and bishops join us in this
commitment.  Every noon pray for the evangelization of the church," he
said.
     Prayer is a twofold process of talking and listening, said
Dahlseng, "bringing before God the things that are on our hearts, as
well as seeking to learn how to listen for God in God's voice, whether
that be through Scripture, through other people, through ideas or dreams
God brings to a person."
     The task force began its work by developing a vision statement --
"Every place a mission field, all the baptized missionaries" -- and by
dividing its work among five working groups.  It elaborated on its
vision statement with an "aspiration" statement -- "In response to
Christ's command to make disciples of all and as faithful evangelists in
God's mission, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will grow deep
and wide."
     "The 'deep and wide' part is that we grow more deeply connected
with Christ in our practice of the faith, while reaching those who are
yet to be 'churched' and having them become part of our worshiping
communities," Wollersheim said.
     One working group will analyze the effects of "Call to
Discipleship," an ELCA initiative to engage Lutherans in learning and
growing through a series of "faith practices."
     Another working group will "try to figure out how we can empower
all the baptized, including church leaders and clergy, to be 'missional'
leaders," said Wollersheim.
     A third working group will engage the ELCA's 5.13 million members,
through the church's 65 synods and 10,816 congregations, to learn what
Lutherans need to conduct effective evangelism in their contexts.
     A fourth working group will garner the "best practices" of
congregations and synods, as well as those of the church's eight
seminaries, to provide as examples for the evangelism strategy.
     A "core" working group will oversee the work of the other groups
and coordinate the work of the whole task force.
     "We have a lot of communication to do with the church, and we have
groups and individuals assigned to do that," said Wollersheim.  The task
force will meet Sept. 5-7 in Chicago to begin drafting its presentation
to the church.
     Wollersheim noted that the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop
of the ELCA, has engaged the church in a strategic planning process
leading up to the 2003 Churchwide Assembly.  "We know his heart is to
have evangelism front and center in this whole visioning," said
Wollersheim.  "We look forward to fitting into that picture as a prime
emphasis."

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