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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 25, 1999

ELCA ASSEMBLY PRAISED FOR ECUMENICAL WORK
99-CWA-50-LS

     DENVER (ELCA) -- The 1999 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) Churchwide Assembly received greetings from the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) and three Reformed churches that are
in full communion with the ELCA   the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),
Reformed Church in America, and United Church of Christ.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the
ELCA, is meeting Aug. 16-22 here at the Colorado Convention Center.
There are more than 2,500 people participating, including 1,038 ELCA
voting members.  The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ
Known: Hope for a New Century."
     The Rev. Telmor Sartison, bishop of the ELCIC, said the nearly
200,000-member church body had "been watching and praying" as the ELCA
made historic ecumenical decisions this week to enter into full
communion with the Moravian Church in America and The Episcopal Church.
In July, the ELCIC approved in principle a declaration of full communion
with the Anglican Church in Canada.
     "I want to acknowledge your openness to meet at the table of the
Lord before all the problems are solved. The table becomes the starting
point instead of the prize," Sartison said.
     Sartison said he gave thanks to God for the relationship between
the ELCA and the ELCIC, the sharing of information and resources and a
renewed interest in cooperative work in global mission.
     The United States is a very wealthy country, Sartison said. "You
have the potential to live in isolation from church and society. You
also have the potential to get involved in the whole body of Christ. You
have chosen the latter. For that I give thanks."
     The Rev. John Thomas, president-elect of the United Church of
Christ, brought greetings on behalf of the Reformed churches and gave
thanks to the ELCA for its hospitality during the assembly.
     "Our people have gathered together to share the sacraments and to
discern how we might implement our full communion together," Thomas
said.
     Thomas said he appreciated the ELCA's full communion decisions
with Moravians and Episcopalians and the "weaving together of that full
tapestry of ecumenism."
     The ELCA and its ecumenical partners have "the opportunity to
minister to one another," Thomas said.
     "Remember the saints. Remember your baptism. Remember your
Reformed brothers and sisters. Remember that we belong, body and soul,
life and death, not to ourselves, but to our faithful Savior Jesus
Christ," he said.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html