wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Reflections From Presiding Bishop, Bishops'

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Conference Chair
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 19, 2005

ELCA Assembly Reflections From Presiding Bishop, Bishops' Conference Chair
CWA-53-05-KB*/JB

     ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding
bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA),
closed the 2005 Churchwide Assembly with words of thanks, hope
and expectations here Aug. 14.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, met here Aug. 8-14 at the World Center Marriott and
Convention Center.  About 2,300 people participated, including
1,015 ELCA voting members.  The theme for the biennial assembly
was "Marked with the Cross of Christ Forever."
     After asking his wife, Ione, to join him on stage, Hanson
thanked the voting members in his closing remarks at the
assembly.  "I want to say my deep, deep word of gratitude to you,
for your work.	We have begun, ended and centered each day where
we find our unity in Christ around the means of grace," Hanson
said.
     As a community at the assembly and in the church, Hanson
said, "God in Christ through the Holy Spirit gifts us both with
unity and diversity.  Both are God's gifts, both become our
tasks.	Our task is to receive the gifts of unity and diversity,
to protect them, to deepen them, to enrich them, to express them
and to celebrate them."
     Whether or not voting members' votes prevailed at the
assembly, Hanson said he trusts that voting members "will leave
with a renewed sense of hope -- hope in God.  For our hope is
finally not those things for which we hope, but the one in whom
we hope," Hanson said.	"I trust you are leaving with a sense of
hope in Christ that gives you a new sense of expectation for this
church," he said.  "I hope you go back with a sense of expectancy
for the church God is calling us to become, for the sake of the
gospel and for the sake of the life of the world."
     Hanson said he hopes the voting members expect the ELCA to
become "a church that will wipe away the tear of everyone who
mourns, a church that will not cease to be compassionate until
every hungry person is fed, a church that will be persistent in
its evangelical pursuit of peace until there is no more
violence."
     "I have great hope for this church.  It has been deepened
this week," Hanson said.  "Thank you, thank you, thank you for
the privilege of this holy calling."

Conference of Bishops Chair Expresses Thanks

     The Rev. E. Roy Riley, chair of the ELCA Conference of
Bishops and bishop of the ELCA New Jersey Synod, Hamilton Square,
issued a brief statement on behalf of his colleagues following a
post-assembly meeting.
     "The Conference of Bishops gives thanks to God for this
assembly's work -- its Spirit-guided wisdom, its joyful
celebration of God's grace to this church [and] its bold
initiatives for the sake of mission," Riley said.
     "We believe this assembly's faithful body of work stands as
the best and most appropriate reflection to the church. We will
continue our work and deliberation together on all matters
addressed by this assembly."
     The Conference of Bishops is an advisory body of the church,
consisting of the ELCA's 65 synod bishops, secretary and
presiding bishop.
-- -- --

* Kirsten H. Boettner is a senior communication major at Luther
College, Decorah, Iowa.  This summer she is an intern with the
ELCA News Service.

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