ELCA NEWS SERVICE
August 6, 2007
ELCA Assembly Adopts Rules of Organization and Procedure 07-CWA-003-AL
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The "Rules of Organization and Procedure" for the 2007 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) were adopted in the assembly's first business session Aug. 6 with one rule change. The standing rules describe the composition, functions and responsibilities of the churchwide assembly as transmitted by the Church Council in November 2006.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 6 to 11 at Navy Pier's Festival Hall. About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,071 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Living in God's Amazing Grace: Thanks be to God!"
The assembly voted to change one rule, opting to limit individual speeches during debate to two minutes each instead of the proposed three minutes each. "We adopted this motion about midway through the 2005 assembly when it looked like we were starting to run short of time," said Kevin S. Bardonner, voting member, ELCA Indiana-Kentucky Synod, who offered the amendment. "Additionally, it will allow for more breadth of participation from the voting members, and I think that would be a good thing as well, with the difficult business we have to conduct."
The amendment was adopted by a vote of 829 to 197; the remaining rules were adopted by a vote of 985 to 28. No other rule changes were offered by the assembly.
"I can see by the smiles who was in Orlando," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, following the vote. At the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Orlando, there was a lengthy debate about the rules that extended the first plenary session beyond its planned ending time.
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Information about the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be found at http://www.ELCA.org/assembly/ on the Web.
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