Presiding bishop says ELCA is deeply rooted in God's mission

[<NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

Title: Presiding bishop says ELCA is deeply rooted in God's mission
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

>November 19, 2011  

Presiding bishop says ELCA is deeply rooted in God's mission
11-139-MRC

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In his report to the Church Council of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Presiding Bishop Mark S.
Hanson said that the ELCA is "a church deeply rooted in God's mission
(and) in the belief that Christ frees us all to serve our neighbor and
seek the common good." The council, which serves as the ELCA's board of
directors, met here Nov. 11-13.

"Never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit to bring forth
fruit from our labors. (In 2005), this church invested in a young woman's
education. Leymah Gbowee wanted to study peacemaking, and we gave her an
(International Leadership) scholarship," said Hanson. Today she is one of
three women who earned the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.

To further illustrate the ways this church is deeply rooted in
God's mission, Hanson highlighted the process by which the ELCA adopts
social documents, which "informs our public witness, but not bind our
conscience, to help us live as responsible people of faith in a complex
world."

The presiding bishop also shared several stories with members of
the Church Council about recent visits with ELCA members, including a
student at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., who said that decisions
made by the 2009 Churchwide Assembly had saved his life. The student, who
is gay, spoke of being welcomed by the ELCA as a church which told
him, "This is Christ's church. There is a place for you here."

Hanson cited the actions of the 2011 Churchwide Assembly to support
the DREAM Act (the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors
Act), legislation that would provide a path for citizenship for
undocumented high school graduates.

ELCA members are "called to be part of God's reconciling and
restoring community" in the world, said Hanson.

"That's why no matter what political party is in power in the White
House, Congress, state houses, legislatures or in local communities, we
will first of all affirm the vocation of political service as being a
calling from God," he said, and therefore need to hold public servants
accountable.

In recent months ELCA members have held public servants
responsible, "so that the balancing of budgets and the reducing of debts
is not done on the backs of those who live in poverty. That's why we
advocate that there must be a circle of protection around those programs
that historically have been untouched when deficits arise and budgets
must be reduced. And we believe it's a moral issue . it's a matter of
faith," Hanson told the council.

Along with several other national religious leaders, Hanson attended
a White House meeting Nov. 8 to hold "this current administration
accountable, as we have the Bush administration, on behalf of our
companions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy
Land, to work tirelessly to exert our power and influence to bring
Israelis and Palestinians back to the negotiating table and challenge
this administration and the government of Israel to quit settlement
expansion that becomes a deterrent to that peace."

Now in his 11th year as presiding bishop of this church, Hanson
said, "I'm so grateful and so hopeful for the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America. It's a great time to be called into leadership."

He told the council that not only with the ELCA's congregations,
synods, churchwide organization, partner agencies and institutions, "but
together with ecumenical partners and global companions, we are called to
proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and engage in God's work of
restoring community."

>---

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United
States, with 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations across the 50
states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work.
Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in
Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's
roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.

>For information contact:
>Melissa Ramirez Cooper
>773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@ELCA.org
>http://www.ELCA.org/news
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