ELCA NEWS SERVICE
August 8, 2007
ELCA Assembly Expresses Concern for Genocide in Darfur 07-CWA-014-CA
CHICAGO (ELCA)-- Lutherans around the nation should study the situation in Darfur and advocate to U.S. officials in order to seek an end to the killing that many call a genocide in the African region, said a resolution adopted here Aug. 8 by the 2007 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 6-11 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 resolution on Darfur, passed by a vote of 976 to 11, also praised the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA Presiding Bishop, for the efforts that he and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) have made to address the killings in Darfur. Hanson is the president of the LWF, an organization of 140 Lutheran churches in 78 countries around the world.
There are 4.2 million people who may be in danger of starvation in Darfur, said the Rev. Lisa C. Anderson, a pastor from the ELCA New England Synod and the only voting member to speak on the recommendation. As many as 10,000 might be dying each month, Anderson said.
Lutherans were urged to use the state and national governmental advocacy offices of the church and the church's electronic advocacy network to contact public officials to make the concerns of the churches known.
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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