wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Accepts Plan For a New Worship Book, Materials

["News News" <NEWS@elca.org>]

ELCA Assembly Accepts Plan For a New Worship Book, Materials
CWA-14-05-MRC

     ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The 4.9 members of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will have a new book of
worship.  Under the church's "Renewing Worship" project, the book
will be at the center of a family of worship resources designed
to bring unity in worship expressions while supporting variety
and flexibility.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the World Center Marriott
and Convention Center.	About 2,300 people are participating,
including 1,018 ELCA voting members.  The theme for the biennial
assembly is "Marked with the Cross of Christ Forever."
     Renewing Worship is a five-year, five-phase approach to
determine the next generation of worship resources for the ELCA.
Voting members approved -- with a 740 to 252 vote -- to urge
congregations, pastors and others to:
+ commit the ELCA to continue steps toward the renewal of
worship
+ focus on the central importance of the "means of grace"
+ foster awareness of the "relationship of worship with formation
of the faith"
+ strengthen the focus of mission in the worshipping assembly
+ acknowledge the widespread participation of Lutherans in the
church's Renewing Worship project, including the development of
provisional resources, attending worship events, testing and
responding to proposals and engaging on issues related to
worship
+ direct the ELCA Office of the Presiding Bishop to complete the
liturgical review of proposed content for a new book of worship
in accordance with the church's established policy; work with all
expressions of the church to further the development of worship
resources; and commit to ecumenical cooperation in the
development of worship resources
+ encourage congregations of the ELCA to reflect on the church's
gathering by Word and Sacrament and invite study together of
"With the Whole Church" as a resource for deepening awareness of
the significance of worship in the life of Lutherans
     Speaking in favor of the resolution the Rev. George E. Keck,
voting member, ELCA Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, said Renewing
Worship "is a whole collection of things, not just a book, [but]
a variety of resources."  He said the project "is a journey
together."
     The Rev. Jeff P. Pedersen, voting member, ELCA South-Central
Synod of Wisconsin, spoke against the resolution, "mainly because
I've wondered whether or not worship needs to be voted on,"
adding that "another reason why I oppose this is because the work
seems to be incomplete at this point."
     An amendment to delay the liturgical review of the proposed
content for a new book of worship until the 2009 ELCA Churchwide
Assembly was defeated with a 719 to 264 vote.
     Speaking in favor of the amendment the Rev. David J. Mayer,
voting member, ELCA Southwest Texas Synod, said "it is clear that
good and important work has been done on the Renewing Worship
project."  Mayer, who proposed the amendment, said the amendment
"is offered so that the continuing work would maintain widespread
participation and review, but would maintain a vital
accountability to this church, particularly to the churchwide
assembly.  To that end, the amendment would ask for a finished
product before a churchwide assembly is asked to vote for it."
Mayer added that "worship is the central activity in the church"
and a completed product should appear before a churchwide
assembly, since assemblies are the highest decision-making body
of the ELCA.
     Speaking against the amendment, the Rev. Robert A. Rimbo,
bishop of the ELCA Southeast Michigan Synod, said, "This process
in which we are engaged is first an ongoing process, and for us
to speak about waiting for a final product, we will be waiting
for a final product until Christ comes again.  Worship is a
living organism, so for us to wait until 2009 seems to me rather
foolish and probably dangerous."  Rimbo said Renewing Worship is
"one of the most tested set of materials, (most) evaluated set of
materials that I'm aware of.  I think to delay is dangerous."
     A second amendment designed to retain the Lutheran Book of
Worship "as the core worship book and hymnal of this church,"
while pursuing the constellation of resources associated with the
Renewing Worship project to supplement the core materials in the
Lutheran Book of Worship, was defeated with a 634 to 347 vote.	A
third amendment requesting the assembly to postpone decision-
making surrounding Renewing Worship until 2007 also failed with a
677 to 308 vote.
     Information about Renewing Worship is available at
http://renewingworship.org on the Internet.
     Augsburg Fortress, the publishing ministry of the ELCA,
Minneapolis, is the publisher of Renewing Worship resources. In a
news conference following the plenary session, the Rev. Martin A.
Seltz, publisher, worship and music, Augsburg Fortress, said the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) "became very
interested in our project" and at their assembly earlier this
summer, members of the ELCIC voted to make Renewing Worship
resources "their primary worship resources."
---
     Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at
http://www.elca.org/assembly/05 on the Web.

For more information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org 
http://www.elca.org/news