wfn.org | ELCA Council Approves Plan for Mission, Recommends Budget

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 10, 2003

ELCA COUNCIL APPROVES PLAN FOR MISSION, RECOMMENDS BUDGET
03-79-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) adopted "Faithful Yet Changing: The Plan for
Mission in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America" and asked the
2003 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to authorize the next steps in the
process.  The council also recommended 2004 and 2005 budget proposals
for the ELCA.
     The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves
as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide
assemblies.  The council met here Nov. 4-7.  Assemblies are held
every other year; the next is Aug. 11-17 in Milwaukee.
     Faithful Yet Changing includes a mission statement, a vision
statement, a signature phrase and five directions for the ELCA for
2003-2012.  The council requested that its planning and evaluation
committee continue its discussion -- in consultation with the ELCA
Cabinet of Executives -- on the development of a values statement for
the ELCA.
     The mission statement adopted by the council is:  "Marked with
the cross of Christ forever, we are claimed, gathered, and sent for
the sake of the world."
     The plan "will help us realign the resources of the church,"
said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, in his
report to the council.	About 30,000 of the ELCA's 5.1 million
members have been involved in the strategic planning process, he
said.
     The council asked the ELCA Office of the Presiding Bishop to
"oversee and coordinate" implementation of the strategic plan;
provide a report and "proposals to bring the strategic plan to life"
for its November 2003 meeting; invite the ELCA's 65 synods to review
their planning processes in relation to Faithful Yet Changing; and to
encourage the 10,766 congregations of the ELCA to reflect on ways in
which the whole church is "summoned to faithful and diligent service
together."
     Faithful Yet Changing "is a living and breathing document, not
something that gets done," said Janet Thompson, Eagan, Minn., council
member.  The mission statement and signature phrase "are
theologically clear and memorable," said Thompson, chair of the
planning and evaluation committee.
     "We have been a church working hard and thinking strategically
in nonlinear ways, yearning for homeostasis while knowing we can't
stay where we are, and seeking shared vision for this church's role
in God's mission," the Rev. Charles S. Miller, executive for
administration and executive assistant to the ELCA presiding bishop,
said in his report to the council.
     In a separate action, the council asked the assembly to
acknowledge and affirm the responsibility of the ELCA Office of the
Presiding Bishop to begin in 2004 an "alignment of the churchwide
spending plan, staffing and structure" with Faithful Yet Changing.
     The council recommended that the 2003 Churchwide Assembly
approve an income proposal of $84,310,000 for 2004 and an income
proposal of $85,140,000 for 2005, along with a $16.25 million
spending plan for the 2004 ELCA World Hunger Appeal and a $16.5
million spending plan for the 2005 ELCA World Hunger Appeal.  The
council also moved to establish "spending authorization after
periodic review" of income estimates.
_ _ _
     Information about "Faithful Yet Changing: The Plan for Mission
in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America" is maintained at
http://www.elca.org/planning/ on the Web.

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