wfn.org | ELCA Bishops Told of Possible Changes in Domestic, Global Relationships

[<NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

Title: ELCA Bishops Told of Possible Changes in Domestic, Global Relationships
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

>October 7, 2009  

ELCA Bishops Told of Possible Changes in Domestic, Global Relationships
09-223-JB

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Since the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the church's global mission personnel
have been reaching out to partner Lutheran churches worldwide. While some
churches have expressed disagreement with a significant decision of the
assembly, only one church to date has said it will change its
relationship with the 4.6-million member ELCA.

In August the churchwide assembly adopted proposals to change ELCA
ministry policies to make it possible for Lutherans in publicly
accountable, lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationships to serve as
ELCA associates in ministry, clergy, deaconesses and diaconal ministers.
The assembly also adopted a social statement on human sexuality.

The Church Council of the Silesian Evangelical Church of the
Augsburg Confession, Czech Republic, wrote to the bishop of the ELCA
Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod to report it will propose ending its
companion synod relationship with the synod because of the assembly
decision. Next month, the church's assembly will consider the proposal,
said the Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla, executive director, ELCA Global
Mission.

"We are still in conversation with that church to see if this means
severing the relationship with the ELCA or the companion synod," Malpica
Padilla told the ELCA Conference of Bishops, which met here Oct. 1-6. The
ELCA's 65 synods maintain more than 120 companion synod relationships,
through which the synod and its international partner pledge to support
each other, share resources and engage in mission.

One international congregation, the Lutheran Church of Guam, intends
to end its ELCA relationship because of the assembly decision, Malpica
Padilla said.

The Lutheran Church of Guam is a joint ministry of the ELCA and the
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS).  Its pastor, the Rev. Jeffrey A.
Johnson, told the ELCA News Service the congregation will vote Nov. 1 on
a proposal to affiliate with Lutheran Congregations for Mission in Christ
and maintain its LCMS affiliation.  Johnson also confirmed he will resign
from the ELCA clergy roster, and both he and his wife, Mary, will resign
as ELCA missionaries, both effective Dec. 31.

Malpica Padilla told the bishops he sent a letter to more than 80
ELCA global partners, indicating that "we will continue to respect the
practice and the policies of the local church in sending ELCA
missionaries to serve among them." He also said the ELCA will not use
financial support it provides to any global partner as leverage to
require agreement or conformity with the ELCA's policies.

Malpica Padilla will visit Lutheran church leaders in Malaysia and
Singapore this week. Both have said they don't agree with the assembly
decision but won't sever relationships with the ELCA, he said.

The Conference of Bishops also heard other reports about ELCA
ministries:
+ LCMS partners in federal chaplaincies are "uncertain" about their
future cooperative relationship with the ELCA in military chaplaincy,
said the Rev. Darrell B. Morton, Washington, D.C., executive assistant to
the presiding bishop for chaplaincy ministries.  Next year's LCMS
convention may help clarify the situation, he said.
+ ELCA synod bishops were asked to maintain contact with leaders of ELCA
full communion and ecumenical partners. "We really need you to interpret
information about the churchwide assembly, to clarify and explain
information," said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop.  The
ELCA has full communion partnerships with the Episcopal Church, Moravian
Church, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America, United
Church of Christ and United Methodist Church.
+ ELCA Treasurer Christina Jackson-Skelton reported that through Aug. 31,
income to the churchwide organization is close to a reduced mission
support income plan adopted by the ELCA Church Council in March 2009.
Mission support has decreased in 51 synods compared to 2008, she
said.  "It continues to be very important that the churchwide
organization and ELCA synods monitor income very closely and engage in
contingency planning," Jackson-Skelton wrote in her report to the
Conference of Bishops.

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