wfn.org | ELCA Presiding Bishop Calls for Unity, Offers

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

October 11, 2002

ELCA PRESIDING BISHOP CALLS FOR UNITY, OFFERS 2012 VISION
02-239-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In remarks aimed at unity in the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA
presiding bishop, commented on a wide variety of topics on the church's
agenda, including strategic planning, strategies for outreach to people
who do not attend a church and ELCA studies on sexuality.  Hanson also
laid out an ambitious vision for the ELCA in 10 years as part of his
comments to the Synod-Churchwide Consultation here Oct. 4-6.
     The 5.1-million member ELCA is organized into 65 synods, each
headed by a bishop. Nearly 500 people, including synod bishops, vice
presidents, treasurers, secretaries and other churchwide and synod
leaders took part in the consultation.	The consultation focused on the
ELCA strategic planning process, sharing of mission support funds and
partnerships between synods. The leaders also attended workshops to
share "best practices" around a variety of ELCA ministries.
     The consultation was held in conjunction with the fall meeting of
the ELCA Conference of Bishops, an advisory body to the church,
consisting of synod bishops, the ELCA presiding bishop and the ELCA
secretary.
     After the consultation, Hanson participated Oct. 6 in a live
Webcast, "The Future of the ELCA," in which he answered a variety of
questions about the ELCA and his work during his first year in office.
     The ELCA strategic planning process, which began late last year,
should not be interpreted to mean that the ELCA has not been focused on
ministry and mission since it was formed in 1987, Hanson said in a
consultation question-and-answer session.  There are many compelling
reasons for doing it now, he said.
     Significant issues before the church in recent years included
Called to Common Mission, a full communion agreement of the ELCA and
Episcopal Church, and topics related to sexuality, Hanson said.  Some
people believe issues such as these divide the church, he said.
     "We run the risk that we become a church that is focused on what
divides us versus the mission we have," Hanson said.  "Some people feel
disengaged from the larger church.  We need a broad conversation
grounded in scripture and the Holy Spirit."  Hanson said he feels a
"sense of urgency" to focus on ministry and mission.
     The strategic planning process "feels messy," he said, because the
church has made a deliberate effort to invite thousands of people into
the process.
     "It's our hope to keep this 'iterative' process going," Hanson
said.  After gathering comments from a variety of stakeholders, the
process calls for church leaders to determine priorities for mission
early next year.  A final plan is expected to be presented to the 2003
ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Milwaukee.
     In addition to strategic planning, other planning efforts are
underway in evangelism, a strategy to reach out to African Americans,
new worship resources and communication within the church.  All must be
coordinated with the ELCA strategic planning process "or we will have
problems," Hanson said.
     The ELCA is presently involved in a comprehensive four-year study
of homosexuality. The study was mandated by the 2001 ELCA Churchwide
Assembly in Indianapolis. The assembly asked that the study address
topics that include the possible ordination of people who are gay and
lesbian and living in committed relationships, and asked for study of
blessings of same-sex relationships. Presently, ELCA policy expects
ordained ministers who are homosexual in their self-understanding to
refrain from homosexual sexual relationships. There is no official
policy on blessings of same-sex relationships, though the ELCA
Conference of Bishops has advised the church that it does not approve of
such ceremonies.
     Hanson told the consultation audience that he has concerns about
the sexuality study process. It calls for conversation in synods and
congregations, but many seem unwilling to discuss matters related to
sexuality and the church, he said.
     "There is beneath the reality of this issue a deep, deep reservoir
of avoidance," Hanson said.  He said he is afraid that any decisions
made at the 2005 Churchwide Assembly will be interpreted by many members
as decisions made by a few people and imposed on the church.
     "We must encourage and mentor those conversations synodically and
congregationally," Hanson said.
     Hanson announced that the ELCA has contracted with the Rev. Peter
L. Steinke, to help keep leaders healthy during a time of anxiety, he
said.  Steinke is a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod pastor, author, and
president and chief executive officer of Healthy Congregations, Austin,
Texas. Steinke will address concerns that not only include the sexuality
studies, but such social concerns as the possibility of war with Iraq
and the struggling U.S. economy, Hanson said.  Steinke will meet with
the Conference of Bishops; ELCA Church Council, the church's board of
directors; and the presiding bishop's staff and other churchwide staff,
to offer his expertise.
     Funding for Steinke's work was made possible by a grant from
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a fraternal benefit organization based
in Minneapolis, Hanson said.

HANSON OFFERS ELCA VISION FOR 2012
     In a 50-minute presentation Oct. 4, Hanson spelled out a vision of
the ELCA 10 years from now.   He called the ELCA "a reforming movement
within the church catholic," and began by crediting ELCA predecessor
church bodies for the work they did that led to the formation and
mission of the ELCA.
     "We cannot see with any clarity where God is leading us if we do
not know from whence we have come and to whom we belong," Hanson told
the audience.  To look ahead, Hanson said the church must look through
"lenses" of God's grace; through Christ's death and resurrection;
through the work of Martin Luther, a German monk whose writings led to
the Reformation; and through ELCA predecessor church bodies.
     Hanson said there's one issue that "haunts" him more than any
other: the unity of the church around strong, central themes.  Hanson
said he is concerned that disenfranchised groups may be forming around
specific issues.
     Hanson identified five strong themes for the ELCA.  He called them
"currents" that flow from "the waters of Baptism."  They are:
     + that the ELCA "is called to live among God's faithful people;"
     + that the ELCA "will hear God's Word and share in the Lord's
Supper;"
     + that the ELCA is "called to proclaim the Good News of Jesus
Christ through word and deed;"
     + that the ELCA "will serve all people following the example of
Lord Jesus;" and
     + that the ELCA is called "to strive for justice and peace in all
the earth."
     Under each theme, Hanson cited a number of examples of visions
that might become reality 10 years from now in the ELCA.  For example,
he suggested the Lutheran World Federation and The Vatican could be
involved in "Eucharistic sharing" and be preparing for a celebration "of
the gifts of the Reformation" on the 500th anniversary of the
Reformation in 2017.
     Or, in 10 years, he visualized that  "justice and peace will be
the vocation in this church of all the baptized."  Or, he suggested that
for every member, prayer and telling the good news "will be as joyful
and spontaneous as our sharing the good news of the birth of a
grandchild."
     Hanson did not mention a vision for the ELCA studies on sexuality
until the end of his remarks.  "In 10 years, could it be we'd look back
on the studies and wonder why we were so anxious?  People listened, and
in 2005 we adopted a resolution that did not divide this church, but it
reflected where we were as a church, and this church's resolve to say
united in Christ and God's mission in the world."
-- -- --
     Presiding Bishop Hanson's Oct. 4 presentation, "The ELCA in 2012,"
and his Oct. 6 Webcast, "The Future of the ELCA," can be viewed at
http://www.elca.org/planning on the ELCA's Web site.  Information about
the ELCA's strategic planning process is also available at the same Web
site.

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