Title: ELCA Council Sets Process to Keep Synods Informed of Assembly Proposals ELCA NEWS SERVICE
April 4, 2006
ELCA Council Sets Process to Keep Synods Informed of Assembly Proposals 06-053-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) established a systematic process April 1 that would enable the church's 65 synods to examine major action items facing churchwide assemblies. In consultation with the ELCA Office of the Secretary, the council requested that the ELCA Office of the Presiding Bishop implement and monitor this process beginning with the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies. It met here April 1-2. Assemblies are held every other year; the next is here Aug. 6-12, 2007. Synods usually gather in assemblies every spring. Representatives of the churchwide organization attend synod assemblies on behalf of the presiding bishop.
"The council will serve as the interpretive and accountability link" between synods and (churchwide) assemblies," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop.
The churchwide organization "will take responsibility to oversee the implementation" of the process, said the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA secretary, adding that the 2006-2007 "biennium will serve as a test run."
Goals of the process include deepening the relationships between synods and the churchwide organization based on governance and increasing knowledge throughout the church about major issues, time lines and "pathways for response." Another goal is to acknowledge the methods with which synods express "interrelatedness" in electing voting members of the 2007 churchwide assembly, nominating members to serve on the Church Council and program committees, and participating in legislative actions taken at assemblies.
To help keep synods informed of anticipated churchwide assembly action items, the churchwide organization will, as part of the process:
+ Provide and update a list of "What's coming up at the 2007 Churchwide Assembly" to be featured on the ELCA Web site. The list will provide a brief description of anticipated churchwide assembly actions, links to find additional information, and pathways for response when appropriate. Current items for the 2007 assembly include elections for the presiding bishop and secretary, consideration of a social statement on education, a celebration of "Evangelical Lutheran Worship" -- a new primary worship resource -- and reports about the church's justice for women and ethnic ministry strategies
+ Prepare a handout for distribution at synod assemblies, featuring information and resources
+ Prepare a standard form for synods to report back after their assemblies. The form will include sections for synods to record major topics discussed, prevalent opinions, where conversations took place (e.g., plenary sessions, forums, workshops or other), attendance and more
+ Contact and invite synod vice presidents to appoint a "task group" to take responsibility in filling out the form and summarizing discussions
+ Alert churchwide representatives assigned to synod assemblies to include the work of the task group in their reports, which may include synodical bishops and/or Church Council representatives + Report to the Church Council on the implementation of the process
Synod staff will work to alert synod assembly planning committees of the churchwide organization's work listed above, commit to the engagement of the process in a variety of forums and approaches, involve congregations about topics and issues prior to synod assemblies, identify members of the synods to provide summary highlights in a forum at synod assemblies as appropriate, anticipate additional information following the April 2006 Church Council meeting, and provide feedback.
In February 2006 the executive committee of the Church Council asked the presiding bishop to appoint a working group to put together the new process for synod assemblies, which is part of a proposal for governance approved by the council at its April 2005 meeting. The working group consisted of churchwide organization staff, Church Council members and synod bishops who serve as advisory bishops to the Church Council.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog